Torn between two churches

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Nancy said:
The sermon was realistic yet inspiring, and not filled with strung together jokes like some ministers seem to be resorting to.
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I recall a visiting preacher in Winnipeg who was very popular as a stand-up comedian preacher. One Sunday he went too far. He had met with the young people and learned their gossip topics. Then in the midst of a humorous rant before 1.500 people, he looked up at the choir loft and shouted, "Hey Lyall, when are you going to get married?" The congregation howled with laughter, but not Lyall, who was being pressured by his girlfriend Lilly to tie the knot and just didn't feel ready for marriage. The visiting minister had heard about Lyall's ambivalence, but both were mortified when he made a public joke of it. They broke up shortly thereafter.
 
Mystic said:
I recall a visiting preacher in Winnipeg who was very popular as a stand-up comedian preacher. One Sunday he went too far. He had met with the young people and learned their gossip topics. Then in the midst of a humorous rant before 1.500 people, he looked up at the choir loft and shouted, "Hey Lyall, when are you going to get married?" The congregation howled with laughter, but not Lyall, who was being pressured by his girlfriend Lilly to tie the knot and just didn't feel ready for marriage. The visiting minister had heard about Lyall's ambivalence, but both were mortified when he made a public joke of it. They broke up shortly thereafter.
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Separation allowance is part of the great divine ... generates distance!
 
Nancy said:
I like interesting words, and words that make you think because they aren't routine or expected.
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Me too Nancy. Last night in my Spiritual Nurture group (exploring Celtic Christianity at the moment, via John Newell's book Sacred Earth, Sacred Soul) we heard poetry by Kenneth White which I really enjoyed. And the presenter spoke of 're-wording nature' - taking a contemplative, sensory approach when we are exploring nature & not rushing to word labels that may limit our perceptions. I liked that.
 
Carolla...I've been inspired to pray like that too, avoiding words sometimes and just sending out and receiving. Sometimes there is too much in my heart to fumble for words, so this sending out and receiving works. It works best when surrounded by nature, but if I'm in my living room, I have a special spot in nature that I picture, and plant myself there.
 
Nancy said:
Carolla...I've been inspired to pray like that too, avoiding words sometimes and just sending out and receiving. Sometimes there is too much in my heart to fumble for words, so this sending out and receiving works. It works best when surrounded by nature, but if I'm in my living room, I have a special spot in nature that I picture, and plant myself there.
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"We do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words (Romans 8:26)."
 
My view is ---
Going to Church is about Worshiping God only ---one can go to any Church building and personally worship God on their won ----you shouldn't need or care about the foolishness in the Church that man does like making their own Religious rules and traditions -I go to a little Baptise Church and in order to be a member you have to be voted in -----how ridiculous is that -----Jesus preached out in the open and never did He ever say you need to be voided in to Here My Word ----the wearing of all these colored robes with the scarf or whatever it is covered with crosses or other things in the Protestant and Catholic Churches mean nothing to people in the pews who have no idea what they are suppose to symbolize as they have probably never read the old testament which is where much of this dress is taken from -----

And then you have the Ministers preaching in the Churches that are Not Reborn of the Spirit and like to just preach about God's love and Jesus eating with Sinners and is all for socialism --which if you read the truth of the Scripture Jesus is not a Socialist -----I think there was a thread on that here at one time -----The Preachers in the Churches today are preached to please the People not God ------they only preach soft scripture and ignore the real truth of the scripture ----which is all about Salvation ---which is for the here and now as there is no second Chance after you die ------Preaches are sending people to their Spiritual Doom and they don't care -----I can go on line and become a preacher -----no Holy Spirit indwelling in you required -----

So we can go to a Church and worship God without getting involved in the man made politics---policies and traditions ---of the Church ----changing Churches is just changing the baggage that the Church harbours within their walls ---all Religions are corrupt in some way or fashion -----Following the Way ---which is God's Word in His book the Bible is the true and only Spiritually inspired ------Religion -----if you want to use that word -----which I Dislike -----
 
I try to worship the Holy Mystery frequently in many places. Churches are one place where I worship as part of a community. The living world outside of the Bible is God's most current Word, and it is definitely Spiritually inspired. Some preachers might preach socialism. I preach caring. Some people have trouble distinguishing between caring and socialism.
 
I'm still not attending.

Hard to tell if i will return to a church.

I miss the people. I miss communal singing. I miss the greater faith dialogues and pondering questions.

I don't miss , well, church behaviour
 
JayneWonders said:
I'm still not attending.

Hard to tell if i will return to a church.

I miss the people. I miss communal singing. I miss the greater faith dialogues and pondering questions.

I don't miss , well, church behaviour
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Is church behaviour hard ... like an edifice? I is said the greatest mystery would survive out there intent! Big Sur ... sore as can be about the ringer ...

Takes its tole ...
 
You may recall that I was struggling with my own church after some hurtful incidents, and decided to occasionally attend another church where I felt inspired by the sermons and the music. I had started to help with a particular event at that church as well. But, life got in the way...travels, leading worship and commitments at my own church so I didn't attend the once a month that I thought I would. Since then, the minister has moved on, and the building is in the process of being sold. I am so sad because it seemed like the quintessential United Church, including having an aging and diminishing congregation. Which is what got it in the end. Meanwhile, things are okay at my home church, but once you've been told off, it's hard to be other than wary sometimes. I just won't get too comfortable, and I won't ever rely on any church community to be the sole inspiration for my faith.
 
I am looking at options again. I know Mrs. M would still prefer Christian and has been watching services from local UCCan congregations online but I am eyeing the UUs again. That said, their location is back up in the air. A business next door wants the property for an expansion and they are seriously considering the offer. So I am not even sure what will happen there. When I was on a committee to review space almost a decade ago, the alternative was renting space and we found concerns with that approach. And there's been another space review since the one I was in and I don't know what their findings were. They also seem to have slid back into a more humanist approach, so I am not sure if my spiritual, vaguely pan- or panentheistic, approach to worship will still fly.

However, there are good options in the UCCan as well, just have the (for me) liability of still being heavily focussed on one "source",i.e. the Bible, esp. the Christian part, rather than my rather broader outlook. I know of at least three progressive, Affirming congregations in town, all within 15-20 minute drive of us.
 
Nancy said:
You may recall that I was struggling with my own church after some hurtful incidents, and decided to occasionally attend another church where I felt inspired by the sermons and the music. I had started to help with a particular event at that church as well. But, life got in the way...travels, leading worship and commitments at my own church so I didn't attend the once a month that I thought I would. Since then, the minister has moved on, and the building is in the process of being sold. I am so sad because it seemed like the quintessential United Church, including having an aging and diminishing congregation. Which is what got it in the end. Meanwhile, things are okay at my home church, but once you've been told off, it's hard to be other than wary sometimes. I just won't get too comfortable, and I won't ever rely on any church community to be the sole inspiration for my faith.
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Always being wary in a community sucks energy and enthusiasm. Seeking inspiration for our faith in more than one community provides more opportunities for helpful surprises and helps see our community more clearly. Too many people have had painful church experiences and I am glad you are in a good place right now.

One church I supervise has a good generational mix but very few committed volunteers and they are getting tired of doing almost all the work.
 
jimkenney12 said:
very few committed volunteers and they are getting tired of doing almost all the work
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Isn't that generally the story we are hearing with churches and similar nowadays? It is one of the big issues facing the UU fellowship and I fully expect to be approached about taking a role as soon as I announce my return, if that happens.
 
Good luck in your search @Mendalla . And, yes, @jimkenney12 , I am in a good place at the moment. I'm always happy when I come out of a problem or discomfort and feel like I still care about all the of the individuals involved. In the summer, I'm not in the choir, so I sit in the congregation, and I have such a good time visiting with everyone. And teasing them. I miss that when I am slightly removed and sitting up front. But for 5 weeks in a row now I'll be at other churches...leading services for 4 weeks and then celebrating Mom's 90th with her at her church on the 5th. But I know I will enjoy worshipping at each place.
 
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