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?
I was raised Lutheran and went to Lutheran Concordia grade school. I am currently a Baptist and have been sincde the 70s. The church you want does not have to be “southern” Baptist but a church that believes in a person being saved by the blood of the Lamb. The words are there in a Lutheran church but the idea that a person can be baptized as the infant into the church is false doctrine. I became a believer and was baptized but that did not save me. My salvation comes in the my relationship with Jesus after I asked him into my life and forgiveness for my sins. Everything changed after that and I studied the Bible to find the truth. I believe the Baptists are the closest to the true meaning of the Bible. It is wonderful to have a group of believers to worship with.
Thank you!!! As I posted earlier, there seem to be only 2 Southern Baptist Chuches here in Suffolk.
I tend to “sway” from evangelical because that is what my former Lutheran Church states it is....which it IS NOT!
I am a Catholic, so my recommendation may surprise you:
If you cannot think about a Catholic parish, look for a Southern Baptist Church. I am very impressed with, and love, a lot of Southern Baptists, including my dear son-in-law and a few relatives.
Just my two cents.
How’s about Eastern Orthodoxy? We have priests that are allowed to be married;-) If you choose to explore Orthodoxy, you might feel more comfortable at a church that belongs to the Orthodox Church of America (www.oca.org) or an Antiochian Orthodox church (www.antiochian.org) We do most of our services in English, since some “ethnic” Orthodox churches do much of the Liturgy in their “native” language. My cousin is an OCA priest at a church on Long Island...and he’s conservative!
Well, this city, county and state more than make up for that. In my neck of the woods I can get to at least 3 within a few minutes. I go to the largest one which takes about 3 minutes to get to.
Worth giving it a try! You will be in my prayers!
Thank you for your kind words. So many I have spoke with in regards to our search have just “poopoo’ed” us.
We know what we want and we’ll know when we find it. I just thought I would ask so we could find His house sooner, rather than later.
I recommend prayer. Ask God to send you to where He knows is best for you and for furthering His will on earth. Then be patient. He will answer your prayer.
Nationally the Southern Baptists are the second largest church in America.
Church of Christ.
I am not Lutheran, but have family members that are. As someone mentioned, try one of the conservative branches of the Lutheran church, maybe Missouri Synod. I would not branch out to denominations that are not close in activity, liturgy, belief, etc. to your former church.
For example, S. Baptists don’t have confirmations, you would miss that. You would miss the liturgy, but Catholicism would be too much.
Hope you find what you are searching for. (stay away from Methodists and Episcopalians. They have “gay” disease, too)
Have you prayed about it?
Remember, the Good Shepherd goes out looking for the lost sheep, he doesn't stay behind with those sheep who aren't lost! Seek Him with all your heart and you'll find Him.
Pay attention to Freeper Charles Henrickson, he will guide you.
PCA Presbyterian....close to traditional Catholic...but not...DO NOT attempt PCUSA Presbyterian....same as what you are leaving.
Try the evangelical Anglicans that broke off from the Episcopalians about ten years ago—probably call themselves something like Christ Anglican Church in your neck of the woods.
I was Lutheran and a Lutheran Pastor’s Wife ... then raised my kids Assembly of God [after divorce] ... [mistake, but another tale].
As a Lutheran parochial school graduate, I ‘knew’ that The Catholic Church was ‘anathema.’ All my life I had questioned Sunday School teachers, my pastor husband, and Bible teachers what the ‘elementary teachings’ mentioned in Hebrews 6:1-3 were. I’d first read those verses as a pre-teen. No one in the Lutheran or Assembly of God churches could give me a satisfactory answer.
So, as a 46 year old woman, I decided to find out. I picked up a book of writings from Early Christianity, men who either directly knew the Apostles or knew the men who knew the Apostles ... I read the Didache, Justin Martyr, Clement of Rome, Ignatius of Antioch, Tertullian, Origen, Gregory of Nazianzus, Jerome, etc, and after reading and praying I accepted that Luther made a major error in judgment when he put those 99 Theses on the Church door ... and he decimated the Holy Bible to top it off because the books he didn’t particularly want in ‘his’ Bible were those which supported The Church and not ‘his’ agenda. Even Scripture doesn’t support ‘sola scriptura.’ Luther wanted the Epistle of James AND Revelation removed from his Bible, too because they didn’t support his agenda of ‘sola fide.’
Those “elementary teachings” that Hebrews doesn’t ‘re-teach’ because Christians already knew what they were ... are the teachings and traditions of The Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. I either had to reject knowing that or accept it as fact and follow ‘St Peter to Rome.’ I was confirmed into the Catholic Church on Easter Vigil 1992 and it was the defining moment in my faith life.
Please pick up Scott Hahn’s book “Rome Sweet Home: Our Journey to Catholicism” and read it before you dismiss Catholicism.
No, we "rededicate" ourselves to our Savior. As a former Catholic, all I remember about my confirmation was the oil dripping down my nose and a nun fussing that it would be a sin to touch the oil. I rededicated my life about 10 years ago as a Southern Baptist, and it turned my life upside down for the best.
I recommend sermonaudio.com!
Use their “church finder” for your area. Listen to sermons heard at those churches.
If it peaks your curiosity,drop me a line and I’ll share some of my favorites.
I hesitate to label myself, as we were in the military and have attended all kinds of churches. I just know what my heart longed for, and where I found it.
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