Ok, I was at church this am. I was trying to get to the Adopt a Soldier table when at the other end was a table set up with Arbonne crap. Books were laid open etc. I was so pissed! I said to the woman next to me "MLM in my church now. This is very sad". She said "excuse me?" I said "MLM, multi level marketing? Very sad." Why are these vultures allowed in a church? I didn't realize it but that woman was the rep. I am very glad I said it. What bothers me is that our pastor of only 20 years retired last week. This was our first Sunday without him. I want to complain but don't want anyone to think I'm a snot. Any ideas how to do this without coming across too heavy handed?

Since you have a new pastor, there is no time better than now to approach him about this.  Either speak to him personally or write him a letter stating that you noticed a sales table for a MLM company during the Soldier Charity event.  Then state how you know that MLM's can seem so harmless from the outside, just women making extra money for the household or whatever, but that the reality, from your own personal experience, is that these companies prey upon women's deepest insecurities, confidence in their spirituality being one of them, and that it is truly an un-Christian way to do business.  Then just let him know that you are free to discuss your findings with him in greater detail if he so desires, but at the very least, you must urge him to do his own personal research on MLM and determine if this is what he wants to allow into this house of worship so early in his brand new tenure.  And just to be as passive-agressive as you possibly can, you can always throw in a bit about how now he knows your stance, and by his action or inaction, you will see his in short order and you and those of your frame of mind will determine your continued membership from there.

Well, she doesn't need to be singled out.  I think that a pastor worth his salt should address the congregation as a whole and make a blanket statement about the quicksand nature of using Church as a business networking venue.  While it's great to meet people in church and choose to work with someone who follows the same values, finding a contractor who you might actually be able to trust for example, it is not a place for advertising one's business. 

I can truly see both sides of this debate, but there needs to be a way to protect the mission of the church.  I would imagine, in fact, that there are probably resources and scripts available for getting MLM out of a church by way of the pulpit.  PC, don't you know of a website designed just for exposing the whole MLM as a God driven industry, specifically for Christians and Pastors?  I thought I remembered something like that.

I guess maybe that's the better way to put it.  Don't sell at church. 

See, I guess what comes to mind for me is that church is a natural networking venue, as you are gathering with people of similar minds, at the very least similar values.  So, if mingling during coffee hour after services, it comes up that I am a plumber, and you just happen to need a plumber, then there is a match.  It doesn't mean I am advertising my plumbing business, but many people naturally work their profession into normal conversation.

I guess the message that shouldn't be spread is that all conversation between congregants needs to be based on church related topics and nothing else.  You don't want people afraid to get to know others.

Hopefully, a good pastor knows the difference between people who come to church hunting for new customers and people who come to church to worship and happen to make personal and professional connections as a sidebar to their involvement in the church.