2017-11-17 Mnemonic Names for the Meeting Hall Rooms?
Post date: Nov 17, 2017 5:34:48 PM
Brothers,
Let's explore this together. Please feel free to add your thoughts and suggestions by adding comments to this page. At some point, we may have a time of fellowship to consolidate and incorporate the comments, and, if reaching a common good feeling on them, implement it.
Background (practical side)
Currently we use some "mechanical names" like NW2B to name the rooms, which is not useful without having a map and I can never remember what it is even after a year or two.
The ad hoc way is to designate a room by its function, but the functions of rooms change more often than we realize, e.g. "the English-speaking room" referred to a different room just two years ago; the children/yp classrooms change routinely.
Mnemoic names help us become familiarized with the naming of rooms, say in just few weeks, while decoupling from the nature of change of the room functions.
** The Real Value (spiritual side)
If we pick scriptural names that are rich in meaning, they would offer plenty of opportunities for fellowship and mutual edification. Examples:
If the baptistry area is named "Jordan", for a new one who has received the Lord but delayed his baptism, after he witnessed a baptism in the room (Jordan), then a serving one may ask him (or he may ask), "see this room is called Jordan. The Lord Jesus was baptized there." "The Lord Jesus Himself was baptized?", the new one asked. "Yes, and He said 'it is fitting for us in this way to fulfill all righteousness' (Matt.3:14-15)." "I should also get baptized then?" "YES." "Can I do it now?" "YYYYYYYYES!! (inside: Hallelujah!)"
If a room is named "Ai", this might happen: " 'Ai'? What a werid name?" "Yea, it means 'a heap of ruins'. Abraham built an altar between Bethel and Ai ..."
The Principles
A scriptural name that is rich in meaning.
Avoid names that are too common and/or easily lead to ambiguity.
e.g. "Go to James." "You mean the room James, or which brother James?".
as wonderful in meaning as "Philadelphia", it might lead to ambiguity at times.
A Starting Point for Developement
Mnemonic names from the scripture related to the (current) functions or certain characteristics of the rooms.
SW2A, the main meeting room: Emmanuel ("God with us") Matt.1:23
NW2B, the English-speaking meeting room: Bethel ("the house of God") Gen.28:18-19
SE24, the fellowship room: Hebron ("fellowship") Gen.13:18
SE2C, the baptistry area: Jordan (where Jesus was baptized; also the 12 tribes) Matt.3:13
SE21, the bookroom: Berea (where people studied the Word) Acts 17:10-11
N33, 3rd floor class room: Amana ("truth"; a mountain) S.S.4:8
S31 & S32: 3rd floor apartment: Moriah ("the vision of Jah"; where Isaac was offered, temple was built, Jesus was crucified) Gen.22:2
SE1A, 1st floor meeting room: Bethany ("house of afflication"; but with the Lord's presence, a picture of the church life, small, too) John 12:1
SW1B, recreation room: Jubilee ("a time of shouting, of trumpetting the ram's horn") Luke 4:18-19
SW16, service office, Oikonomia ("stewardship" (or economy)) 1 Cor.9:17
SW12, the coffee table break area: Sychar (next to the water fountain ... good to cause fellowship on John 4) John 4:5-6
SE11, the small room by the kitchen: Ai ("a heap of ruins"; small ...) Gen.12:8 ; Josh.7:2-3
NW13,NW14, infants&toddlers' room: Mahanaim ("two camps" of weak ones, women and children S.S.6:13 note 2]) Gen.32:2-10
NW15, children's classroom: En-gedi ("the fountain of the kid") S.S.1:14
Second thought: En-gedi is not that rich in spiritual significance. What about Hossana? ("save now"; Jesus welcomed by the crowd with children, "out of the mouth of infants and sucklings You have perfected praise") Matt.21:15-16
+ Gethsemane for the kitchen ("oil press") Matt.26:36
Why related to the current functions of the rooms?
It provides an easier start for saints to associate the (new) names with the rooms.
What if the function of a room changes?
The name can/should remain the same. Supposedly the association of name & room is already formed.
Conversations can still arise as "This room used to be an infants/toddlers' room. ..."
Take an example from outside world, there is a city in China called Huaiyang, meaning "north of the river Huai". But the river Huai is nortorious of its frequent change of its course. People do not change the name of the city simply because it is no longer really north of the river.