My dad is a minister and because of this, I've got the job of cleaning the church every other weekend, which isn't a problem because it pays well for 2 days of work a month, but lately I get VERY frustrated.

What is up with people leaving trash in public places? Seriously! We had vacation bible school recently, and the kids just left crud everywhere! It would be one thing if there was just some trash, but in the sanctuary there was a cracker smashed into the carpet. This really made me mad. You're not even supposed to have food in the sanctuary, and here is this cracker stomped into the ground that I have to clean up. Someone could have picked up this stupid cracker before it got pressed into the carpet.

And another thing! These elderly folk in the church are ALWAYS leaving their dirty nose-tissue lying on the floor! Can anyone say, DISGUSTING?? It takes very little effort to hold it and throw it in the garbage. We have at least 1 trash can in every Sunday School Room, but I still always find dirty kleenex on the floor! I don't know a single person who wants to spend their time picking up people's dirty snot rags.

I understand that as the church's cleaning lady, it's my job to clean. But it ISN't my job to pick up after people. I don't think I should have to pick up dirty tissue and food. It's common sense and common decency to put those things in a garbage can. I guess people figure that as long as it isn't their problem, they don't ahve to care! It really irks me that people can't even pick up after themselves in a church. And don't even get me started on trash on the side of the road

I'm not trying to be sarcastic. But perhaps through this time, you are learning how to "serve" people... perhaps you are learning to be kind, patient, not judging or humble.

If the savior you believe in can wash the dirty feet of His followers, I’m sure you can pickup after others. Look at it this way—you are helping out your dad to ease his ministry. It’s one less thing that your dad has to worry about. I’m sure you needed some place to vent out your frustration. Isn’t this a great place to do so? Welcome!

Edit:corrected an adjective

This post has been edited by BuffaloHELP: Jul 18 2005, 06:31 PM

I hate to sound disrespectful but why bother? They know that after the service someone will come along will clear it up for them. If you stop cleaning up after them for a month or so and they return with last month's rubbish they'll soon learn. Trust me.

In a funny way, rubbish collectors cause more rubbish than they collect.

I understand that people are being disrespectful to you, and that it's just the mere principle of the matter, just leaving trash and food on the ground for others to pick up. It's inevitable that people will trash public areas. That's why they pay you to keep things clean. I don't mean to be an arrogant *BLEEP*, because I had to do the same thing for community service. Trust me, the childrens church was a fricken mess

I'm not religous or anything, but think of it this way: He will sin literers in time

they are kids they no better first change i would get spill some juice throw some mud and other cruel stuff,

but you can prove a point just throw all the trash where they do there thing nd make sure all nasty and smell and when they ask why it hasn't been picked up just say its not my job

You know, I'd never looked at it that way. Thanks for the fresh perspective! I'm genuinly glad you said that, because it's made me realize that I was probably being a bit selfish in being so indignant.

But at the same time, it's not just disrespectful to the person cleaning, it's disrespectful to the house of God. I know that the appearance of a church isn't what matters, but throwing trash on the ground and crushing crackers under pews isn't respectful to God.

And cmat, disrespect is exactly why people should bother. I understand your point, but it's so much more decent to throw it in a garbage bin, not just for the person cleaning, but for the people who have to be around it before the cleaner cleans it.

My first post is centered mainly on what affects me, but trashing public places doesn't just affect the person who has to clean it up. It affects the person who owns the building, the people who use the building, etc. And leaving food out leads to roaches and ants and grime.

Yeap I know what I you mean. People are just nasty and can't clean after themselves. I "admire" foreign people her in out lovely Slovenia, which is still kinda green and tidy, but some tourist thinks that we are some old aged country that can be filled with their garbage that can be put in some bag and then put it in litter. No, they think they can throw it from their car onto highway. I say big : NO!!

but you are the cleaning person...true you're not they're mothers to pick up easy things after people, but sometimes there are those people who take for granted that since they don't have to clean it, they can leave it..it also makes it worse that it is in a church...you would think people would have a little more reverence to it...now depending on how old the children are and how they parents teach them about cleaning up after themselves, you cant really get mad at them because some people never learn it because parents always clean up after them..but in a way...i guess with the little extra to clean you're getting your money's worth

Mmm, but if these people did put their trash in the right places, (garbage cans), then what need would a cleaning person be? If everyone threw away their trash, there wouldn't be anything to clean. Maybe the occasional window and seat...but it's all just entropy =/

You're doing a favor to society (or at least your church )...trying to help reverse disorder. It would be nice if people could leave things the way they were when they arrived there, but hey, what can you do?

Be thankful these people have been potty trained...otherwise then, you'd have a bigger, icky-er mess on your hands