Don't feel bad, Utah. I get alot of flack on here for how I say things. I'd rather give raw hard truth, rather than sugarcoated fantasy of what people want to hear. They don't want to hear that their marriage may not reconcile, or that if they're gay, their going to hell if they don't repent. They'd rather hear "oh it's okay dear, it'll all work out" or "it's alright, you're gay but God forgives gays". No he does not, UNLESS they repent. I'm always getting called out on how I respond to people, but my outlook is, if ya don't want help, advice or opinions, then don't ask!! Because some will gloss it over, and others will tell it hard, raw and ugly. I'm a Vermonter, that's how I roll. 
Three years in this tiny frozen thundra state, and I am still getting acquainted to how you guys do some (to me strange) things.
Its like geographical purgatory here for me.
Worse yet, as recently as 4 months ago I was moving this summer, and what do I hear from God: "stay". So I am saying to my self, or maybe to God. Lord, I don't like it here 5 months out of the year. The state religion here is mother nature. Tree huggers all.
So I know thta this is the first or 2nd most unchurched state in the country, and Burlington is the second most unchurched city either in the country, or at least on the whole of the east coast.
I have been here three years, and not once, and I am not exaggerating, not once, habve I heard anyone mention God or Jesus in any public place I have been to.
Not in a store, or a restaurant, or a movie theater, and so on. I had lunch with a Christian brother about 5 months ago at a restaurant, and of course we were speaking about Jesus and God and the bible, and the person next to us, a middle aged guy, changed seats.
Even in NYC, den of inequity it can be, I can not go more then maybe a year, probably less actually, without hearing God mentioned in public, be it on the subway, in a store, at Union Square, etc.
What is wrong with these people? Are they scared of being PC incorrect.
So what I decided to do, I don't go out of my way to do it, that would be in a wrong spirit, but if someone calls me to pray in a public place, I do. I don't care of people hear me. In fact, I hope they get something good out of it.
If I am with my two girls and a opportunity comes to speak about God, I do.
I sometimes tell people God bless you, or God willing, or along those lines.
Sorry Lady Blue, but I think you Christians here are retreating rather then advancing. I don't mind saying it annoys me. Sorry, I don't mean it in a insulting manner.
i often go down to Church street (how ironic) for a few hours a number of days a week, which you know of LB, to hand out tracts and talk about the bible and pray with people when the weather is nice. In fact I am planning to start again next week. I can't this week, as my kids are off from school.
But this place is in serious need of God and revival. The people here seem to be very content in their little of slice of "the good life". The schools are great here, their is never any traffic, the people, they don't have God, but they are very courteous and usually civil. The streets are clean. I have not seen any slums, although I have noticed lower income areas. The people seem to have good and grounded ethics. Thye are doing a admirable job with raising their kids, from what I have seen. They keep themselves in shape. I may have never heard anyone mention God, but conversely, I have heard people cursing in public only twice, maybe. In NYC you can't go a day without hearing a curse word in public.
But they don't have God.
So none of what they are doing has eternal implications. It is all for naught for Gods kingdom. No relationship with Him. There rewards are in the here and now, maybe the pleasure of seeing their kids make money, but what good is it woith out? How can there be true peace, contentment or "success"?
I really dislike the prevailing attitude, the under current here when it comes to all this regarding God. The environment is more important then God to many of these people.
So like Jonah, I am where I don't want to be. Unlike Him, I do want to see these people get saved. Gods got me here for a while longer. I hope I can be of some help to further the Kingdom.
In the meantime LB, if Vermonters are so direct and outspoken, why aren't Christian Vermonters doing so for the Kingdom? Maybe they are. But then why so many "unchurched" people here per capita? If the Christians are doing things, I don't see it.
BTW, don;t take offense, what I just typed here, I told my pastor directly a while back.
