A refreshing welcome

They say that advertising pays. And churches use banners, signs, billboards, bumper-stickers, post-cards and mass-mailings to attract newcomers. But we are sure that you never saw a banner on a church like this:

This is Zion Lutheran Church on St. Charles Avenue in New Orleans and this picture was taken during Mardi Gras. This is a time when one of the most valuable things you can imagine is access to a restroom. With an influx of around a million people, this was not the only toilet selling operation going on during the festivities and they were not the only church in the clean-bathroom-business.

Grace Episcopal Church on Canal Street sold beer and brownies at the front door, but let people use their bathrooms for free.

Hat tip to the blogs Skitzo Leezra and Marginal Revolution for the stories.