I am torn about leaving my church (UCC, if that matters). I’ve been going there since I was 5 (I’m 50 now). I had all my children & my husband baptized there. Both my parents were buried (and the services were for both parents were very, very nice, if one can say that about a funeral, very comforting for both)
My 3 oldest boys were confirmed by this church.
But I haven’t been to a service now in almost 2 years & son #3 is a staff member at a non-denominational evangelical church. Both older boys have abandoned church completely, though on #2 did go back the the UCC with us for awhile.
I stopped going to church because found that I was leaving the services angry rather than peaceful.
We had a youth minister who preached sermons on the evils of global warming & every week we prayed for the people who died in Iraq rather than for victory.
Son #3 told me that he felt less sure of his faith after going through the year long confirmation class than before. (Class was lead by same youth minister - she told my son right after 9/11 that all bin Laden needed was a razor & a hug. She also told him that even Hitler would get to Heaven!!) He now feels at home at his new church.
I hate to leave this church because of the history I have, but I feel like the church has left me. And I want my youngest son to have a religious upbringing, but he much prefers going to church with his older brother. We have no problems with the evangelical church, but my husband & I just don’t feel it’s right for us.
The minister I had a problem with has left the church & gone to a church in Vermont (fits her) , but I’m afraid to go back because it will break my heart if the change to the church I used to love is not because of her.
Has anyone else left the UCC & where did you end up going? I am not thrilled with the Episcopal (where I was baptized) or the Lutherans.
In my County the UCC has lost five congregations in the past decade; three of them since the decision by the General Synod to advocate for gay marriage.
One of the congregations went totally independent; one became conservative Presbyterian; one to the Reformed Church in America; and the other but most recent two to the Evangelical Covenant Church.
ALL of those departing congregations were founded prior to the American Revolution.