Posted on 06/21/2011 3:51:29 PM PDT by NoGrayZone
Okay, here's the deal in a long story short. I was raised Lutheran, moved out to Long Island and continued to be raised in St. Paul's Lutheran Church.
Aunt Jeannie (my name sake) has been a member since. I decided years ago I wanted back, so I went.
I did not feel Him there, thought it was me. I kept looking around the congregation, thinking it was me. After a while, I realized it wasn't (a couple of things happened after that confirmed it wasn't me).
Anywho, the icing on the cake was my Aunt Jeannie stopped going as well. After almost 30 years she felt the change as well. I looked up our church and saw they were apart of the "accept homosexuals as Pastors" crowd. That was 1 of the things that confirmed it was not me.
But my Aunt Jeannie leaving was the icing on the cake.
Here's our delima. Both of us are July babies. She is the 2nd, I am the 18th. We decided on 7/17 we would find a church to attend (we both want one to belong to and believe in), then go have brunch to discuss.
She is much more open minded than I am, but I promised her I would be open minded, if just for an hour, on that day.
I said to her, during our conversation "how do we know if the "Pastor" is a homo or not. She believes He is with us no matter where we are. I agree....to a point. I don't believe a homosexual can be one of His Shepard's leading His herd if that is so.
There have been so many "demoninations" coming out for homosexual "Shepard's" I have NO idea where to begin.
I have called a few churches and left messages for the Pastor to call back so I can interview Him (no lady Pastors for me).
Any advise to where we can look? Anyone know anything about Presbyterians?
Thanks! We’re just trying to find a new “home”. She is more open mindedness than I am (the patience of a Saint) me not so much, but I promised her I would be open minded for just an hour....as long as it wasn’t a homo or girl.
She rolled her eyes and said we are ALL Christs child and what if the Pastor was a homo, but didn’t act on it.
I said that was a no go for me. Then she asked me how would I know. I couldn’t answer, but I just knew I would. Just as I knew my old church did not have Him there.
Ya just know.
no dis intended but the Catholic Church is out for us
By saying this I know you are headed in the right direction. Prayer will get the two of you to where He is. Just ask Him.
See you two at the banquet!
No empty pews at my church. Standing room only.
An excellent litmus test if a church is serious about God's word is if they belong to the National Council of Churches. If they do, they're left wing political organizations.
• African Methodist Episcopal Church
• The African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church
• Alliance of Baptists
• American Baptist Churches in the USA
• Diocese of the Armenian Church of America
• Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
• Christian Methodist Episcopal Church
• Church of the Brethren
• The Coptic Orthodox Church in North America
• The Episcopal Church
• Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
• Friends United Meeting
• Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
• Hungarian Reformed Church in America
• International Council of Community Churches
• Korean Presbyterian Church in America
• Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church
• Mar Thoma Church
• Moravian Church in America Northern Province and Southern Province
• National Baptist Convention of America
• National Baptist Convention, U.S.A., Inc.
• National Missionary Baptist Convention of America
• Orthodox Church in America
• Patriarchal Parishes of the Russian Orthodox Church in the USA
• Philadelphia Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends
• Polish National Catholic Church of America
• Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
• Progressive National Baptist Convention, Inc.
• Reformed Church in America
• Serbian Orthodox Church in the U.S.A. and Canada
• The Swedenborgian Church
• Syrian Orthodox Church of Antioch
• Ukrainian Orthodox Church of America
• United Church of Christ
• The United Methodist Church •
I love your tagline.
“the Catholic Church is out for us”
“by saying this i know you are heading in the right direction”
i agree, forget historical, orthodox, biblical Christianity that has been here for 2,000 years. try and find a church that suits YOU, that will make YOU feel good, that opposes the Catholic doctrines and makes Christianity a laughing stock for all it’s competing denominations and confusion. and please whatever you do, don’t read John 17!
“Many are called; few are chosen.”
Thank you for your words of encouragement. He is there, waiting for us, I can feel it!
I have received so many words of wisdom here, Aunt Jeannie will be blown away!!
The best thing about this path we are seeking, is there are TWO of us, not just one. Together I know we will find Him.
Only one problem--They'll have to go back in time almost 50 years to find it. The Catholic Church ceased to exist after 1962.
Don't forget the independent Campbellites. They are a little less strict than the COC...and also, I moved a lot and found that each congregation had a little different personality, so trying more than one of the same stripe would be wise.
I particularly liked the fact that there is no central organization over the independents telling them what to do.
Southern Baptists, and other Baptists to the best of my knowledge, remove you from membership if you stop attending.
I know there are other churches that claim you from birth to death and perhaps after, no matter what you do, but I think that with the Baptists you have to stay on their rolls actively, or you get removed from their count.
I would say that pedophilia and sex crimes seem to be endemic among both the Catholic and Protestant clergy. The Muslims seem to have institutionalized their own issues with sex crimes and rape especially in their dealings with “infidels”.
In short there are wolves among the shepherds who are feeding on their own flocks and the various Rams of the Christian Catholic,Orthodox and Protestant congregations need to arise to drive out these false shepherds, praying that God will appoint Godly men to lead us again! A major spiritual restructuring of God’s church is in order and when it happens, all three major traditions of Christian worship, Orthodox,Catholic and Protestant are going to have to do it “Christ’s way”.
The Spirit will show us the way for a threat is coming onto the world stage that will force Christians of the three traditions to seek God’s face and to co-operate with each other. The world’s governments have been hardening against all Christians and they also seek to put Israel in the crosshairs for destruction. In the name of tolerance as well as for economic issues, Islam has been allowed to place its foot on the world’s neck. Trouble is coming like we have not seen, yet the world will need bold men who preach the gospel at extreme risk for their lives to give those suffering in the spiritual darkness Hope in Him. Christ will make use of Christians who would have made strange bedfellows in “normal times” in terms of differences in worship style. Revelation suggests that multitudes will be killed in HIS name for the faith; yet in the end Christ will reign supreme and his Bride will be revealed resplendant in spiritual power and Holy Grace!
Most of the MSLC (not all) have a deep tradition in relating to God, and that in a way you are somewhat accustomed to.
There are a lot of fine churches, you need to find somewhere you can truly worship and get fed with deep relationships and with His Word. Try the one out close to you even if you have to travel a little farther than you want.
WE go because we know we are sinners and are in need of a Savior. We go to find like-minded believers.
BTW, Charles Henrickson knows my pastor. Thank you, Lord.
ROTFL! That’ll get him to call the priest, sure ‘nuff!
I understand what you’re saying. Just as I knew my old church wasn’t the one, I just knew it in my heart.
The great thing about this is it is not just my, but my Aunt. We have been learning over the past years we are SO two peas in a pod!
Only difference is she has the patience of a Saint and I have none! All of my weaknesses, she seems to have double.
Her weaknesses, I have double (she is now the matriarch so I can’t really use them).
But we know. Very weird how life turns out.
ROTFL! only in the latter times with apostosy and false teachers all around, would someone so self centered think THEY have the option of choosing the Church. no my friends, Jesus founded His Church, there is only One as St Paul teaches in Ephesians, and we need to be in His Body, not in some man made counterfeit.
I was raised Lutheran. Now most of them want to accept homo's as "pastors". I find that offensive.....and you call me self centered?
How long have you been here?
"meanwhile, the Catholic Church with the the Body of Christ, sits with empty pews."
Gee, did it ever occur to you that people have caught on? You send one pedophile to another church and expect different results? As long as the moneys coming in, who gives a crap?
If you truly believe that what you received was the Body and Blood of Christ, then you SHOULD consider the Catholic faith. Most non-Catholic churches look at communion as simply a 'symbol' or something nice to do to remember Jesus's Sacrifice. We believe in Jesus's words to his Apostles at that Last Supper. "This is my Body; this is My Blood".
The Catholic Church believes that when we receive Holy Communion, we receive abundant Grace from having received Our Lord into our bodies. He gives us strength to live as He would have us live. Not allowing non-Catholics to receive is not a rejection of others, it's simply the reality that we believe in the Real Presence and others may not. If someone doesn't share that belief, why would they think it important to receive? That's why the Blessing is offered, so that those who don't believe in the Real Presence can still take part in the Mass during that Holy time.
You will see Aunt Jeannie, and hopefully me! =)
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.