Comments for RevRuth's Rantings

Comment on Taking the Episcopalian by Clarissa Turner

Clarissa Turner — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 20:04:47 +0000

I see that no one has commented. I followed your link - very amusing.

Comment on Silent Auction by revruth

revruth — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 15:10:54 +0000

St therese, we did have a Tombola as well. I love a good Tombola and it practically brought in more money than the flipping auction!

for those who don’t know what a Silent Auction is…

The items are placed on display with bid sheets attached. When you enter you are given a unique number and if you see something that takes your fancy you write your number and the bid amount on the sheet. You have to keep checking it to see if someone has upped your bid. When the bell rings, the person with the highest bid wins that item.

Comment on Silent Auction by revruth

revruth — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 08:32:45 +0000

Yes, I suspect that the holiday thing was the crucial factor here and the fact that people maybe didn’t know what it was. Of course, they could have asked! Ah well, a lesson learned the hard way.

Comment on Silent Auction by Abigail

Abigail — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 15:57:04 +0000

I don’t mean to sound negative either. Just trying to figure it out.

Comment on Silent Auction by Abigail

Abigail — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 15:55:39 +0000

I think it’s several things:-

Possible unfamiliarity with what a silent auction is. It’s hard to imagine what it might entail. It’s the sort of thing you’d need a friend to encourage you to go.

Timing. I think this is the key one. That Saturday was the first Saturday of the summer holidays.

Many people take the chance to get cheaper flights and get away before the English schools break up, some taking kids out of school a few days early. A lot of people I know are away.

Those of us still here are feeling end-of-term tiredness and relishing the opportunity not to have to do anything and / or go anywhere.

I think church events need a good lead in time as for those who don’t go every week need a while to get messages.

And finally, the good weather makes us want to air our houses, clear out cupboards and get rid of stuff not collect it.

Comment on Silent Auction by Mal

Mal — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 22:06:24 +0000

I had the same problem at Holy Cross. I hand delivered flyers to all the houses in the area but that was a complete waste of time because the only people who came were those who had been personally invited. It’s a bit like asking for volunteers to serve on the Vestry - a general invite doesn’t work.
It’s a pity because they really are great fun.

Comment on Silent Auction by agatha

agatha — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 19:29:53 +0000

All of the following is supposed to be helpful to let you know why you might not have got people coming - not intended as criticism. I’m interested in psychology so I’ve been turning this over in my mind. Firstly, I was thinking the same as Robin - I think if you are under 50 its unlikely you would know what a silent auction was/is.
I then thought, would I attend one at my own church - probably, I would feel obliged to. Then, would I attend one at someone else’s church or organisation - possibly if I was asked very nicely by a good friend. Would I go to one otherwise (or to other similar kinds of fundraising)? No, it just wouldn’t occur to me. I certainly wouldn’t go because I saw a poster in a window.

And yet I think of myself as a charitable kind of person so why not? I’m not sure what the answer is but I think for me and others its a mixture of
1. I support lots of charities of my own choice so what would make me want to support yours.
2. I don’t think I am going to want what it is you are trying to sell and
3. I have a busy life, my time is very valuable to me. Unless I think there is also going to be a social aspect to this i.e. I will meet friends there, I’m not going to give up my time.

Comment on Silent Auction by Robin

Robin — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 15:07:23 +0000

I don’t think I know what a ’silent auction’ is! Maybe people didn’t come because they weren’t sure, either?

Comment on Silent Auction by Clarissa Turner

Clarissa Turner — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 14:24:48 +0000

We made slightly less on the church garden fete with tea dance than we usually do on the fete alone, so it it could be that folk don’t care for chaned, and it remains to be seen whether the village garden party rather than village fete suffers the same slight downturn. Or was the problem Wimbledon? Who was playing in the European Cup the night of the silent auction?

Comment on Silent Auction by Therese of the Roses

Therese of the Roses — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 21:48:03 +0000

here, here,
had I lived closer I would have been game, i love auctions summer fates ect….
interesting i met another cleric who had low turn out for a silent auction but this was their first instead of the usual summer tombola and raffles. they said they felt the local community were into anything that had a bottle stall and a gamble but the auction did not have the same sense of maybe getting something or winning a bottle of cheap plonk… that was pit village which does not like change but i wonder if there is something in the fact it was new different.
Therese of the Roses