Listen to the building

It happened again on Sunday.

I promised here that I would change, and I think I've got better... BUT

On Sunday morning I was again told to slow down when I speak.

Today I was chatting to someone and he mentioned that my speed wasn't too bad... for this building.

But if it had an echo, like some churches do, my words would be tough to grasp for those with elderly ears.

He recommended that, when I prepare to preach in a new space, that I "listen to the building." Get a feel for the acoustics; especially any residual noise like an echo.

I think I'll add that to the mental checklist I use to "own the room."

I've discovered that my ingenious solution of putting "SLOW DOWN" in the header of my transcript had one fatal flaw.

If you're confident enough to talk without really referring to your notes (which I tend to pull off) you'll never notice what's written in the header...