Do You Attend Church?

[Kenny]

Please bear with me as I have a tendency to waffle...

I was christened in a church and attended church up to the age of 10.
The church was built in 1155 and stands at the top of a steep hill, within a wood pretty isolated. It is built out of stone and apparently fell into disrepair in the 1500's until it was brought back to life by Browne Willis.
Thomas Webster painted a famous picture in this church in 1846
View attachment 82836
As a child all I ever remember is how cold it was, whether Summer time or Winter time it felt freezing on the inside.
Then my parents moved to another village 5 miles away and we stopped going there, well they did, I would still go but on my own and when nobody else was about.
However cold it felt, I was drawn to it by it's architecture/energy and setting in the woods.
To this day I still go, and in all of these years it has given me an inner peace. Yet I still only go when nobody is around. I'll sit on the benches outside or around the graveyard, have a debate or two and wander back to my sofa surfing lifestyle.

I'm just curious to how people interact within a church, I know they pray and sing, but what happens in the before and after stages. Do they talk religious, or does that only come in when the vicar starts talking?

Any church attending people here, I would appreciate some insight?

Thanks in advance!

For us, church goes beyond Sunday morning...

However, Sunday starts with those who are serving in the first service coming together, praying, taking the Lord's supper and enjoying coffee and tea. (Worship team comes before even that to practice).

As people come in, lot's of talking, sharing, and greeting.

Service starts with praise and worship followed by a 90 second meet and greet. Announcements, welcome, opportunity to give for those who desire and then the message.

After message - praying for each other, sharing, laughing, more tea and coffee until the next service.

During the week, home groups, special services, special events and more.

 

[The Hammer]

The church that I go to has 8 ritual get togethers a year. Before or after those we talk, exchange gifts, camp, hike or potluck. Play games etc.

We also arrange community events and fundraisers.

 

[Revoltingest]

Never attended church.
Been to a few marriages in one.
Found it all very very creepy.
Edit....
Creepiest ever was an event in a synagogue.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

No, I haven't been to a church in almost a year and have zero plans to go back to one.

 

[OnlQQker]

For us, church goes beyond Sunday morning...

However, Sunday starts with those who are serving in the first service coming together, praying, taking the Lord's supper and enjoying coffee and tea. (Worship team comes before even that to practice).

As people come in, lot's of talking, sharing, and greeting.

Service starts with praise and worship followed by a 90 second meet and greet. Announcements, welcome, opportunity to give for those who desire and then the message.

View attachment 82861

After message - praying for each other, sharing, laughing, more tea and coffee until the next service.

During the week, home groups, special services, special events and more.

I do find it mysterious how the energy works sometimes...

I took my dog out for a walk earlier, the only green area to walk is around the church down the road.
The door was open at the back of the church this morning, and the dog run in.

She has done this before a few times, but normally somebody will chase her out.

But nobody chased her out today, and after 10 minutes I had to go in and get her.

Around 60 people was in there with kids, sat at tables eating soup, the dog was under the tables cleaning up spilt food, and every time she clocked me trying to get her with the lead, she would run under another table, people seemed to find this highly amusing.

When I did manage to get her on the lead, a gentleman asked me to join there table, I said that I don't eat in the daytime as I never feel like food before 7pm.
But he was pleasant enough and wasn't really taking no for an answer.

So for the first time in a lot of years, there I am in church eating tomato soup and a bread roll. With a man from Finland called Peter.
First Finish person I have ever met in person. And extremely friendly.

So shortly after creating this thread, there I am in church getting a front seat observational view.

Everybody did seem happy, well the adults did, there was a few young kids who stared out of the window looking either bored or confused.

As this all happened only an hour ago, I'm still processing it, and I'm still to read the 6 pamphlets I was given on departure that are still in my hoody pocket.

 

[Kenny]

I do find it mysterious how the energy works sometimes...

I took my dog out for a walk earlier, the only green area to walk is around the church down the road.
The door was open at the back of the church this morning, and the dog run in.

She has done this before a few times, but normally somebody will chase her out.

But nobody chased her out today, and after 10 minutes I had to go in and get her.

Around 60 people was in there with kids, sat at tables eating soup, the dog was under the tables cleaning up spilt food, and every time she clocked me trying to get her with the lead, she would run under another table, people seemed to find this highly amusing.

When I did manage to get her on the lead, a gentleman asked me to join there table, I said that I don't eat in the daytime as I never feel like food before 7pm.
But he was pleasant enough and wasn't really taking no for an answer.

So for the first time in a lot of years, there I am in church eating tomato soup and a bread roll. With a man from Finland called Peter.
First Finish person I have ever met in person. And extremely friendly.

So shortly after creating this thread, there I am in church getting a front seat observational view.

Everybody did seem happy, well the adults did, there was a few young kids who stared out of the window looking either bored or confused.

As this all happened only an hour ago, I'm still processing it, and I'm still to read the 6 pamphlets I was given on departure that are still in my hoody pocket.

That's amazing! A beautiful story.

i'm so thankful that love seemed to permeate the place.

Do you know the name of the church?

 

[OnlQQker]

That's amazing! A beautiful story.

i'm so thankful that love seemed to permeate the place.

Do you know the name of the church?

Yes. It's called 'St Mary's'

 

[Kenny]

Yes. It's called 'St Mary's'

Sounds like a beautiful fellowship! Hope it awakens something in your life.

 

[OnlQQker]

Sounds like a beautiful fellowship! Hope it awakens something in your life.

Well one thing I have learnt from today, is to keep the dog off her lead. She enjoyed the soup as much as I did!

 

[Kenny]

Never attended church.
Been to a few marriages in one.
Found it all very very creepy.
Edit....
Creepiest ever was an event in a synagogue.

Interesting... makes me wonder what was creepy!

 

[Orbit]

Never attended church.
Been to a few marriages in one.
Found it all very very creepy.
Edit....
Creepiest ever was an event in a synagogue.

I had a similar experience in an Orthodox church in Los Angeles. I went because I was invited by a friend, and it just creeped me out. There was just something about all the bowing and scraping that rubbed me the wrong way.

 

[JustGeorge]

I think the creepiest church session I attended was a cousin's wedding. It wasn't that it was in a church... the whole thing was just so over the top with the religious bits that it came across kinda... yucky... to a lot of us.

 

[Kenny]

Today, at church,

If christians find out I am a pagan they will excommunicate me from society.

Not in our church...

 

[Revoltingest]

Interesting... makes me wonder what was creepy!

All the superstition, devotion, ritual, evil history, & hive mind.

 

[Sargonski]

I am currently searching for one. So many around here take the Bible as inerrant, so non denominational churches are out. Looking at Episcopal or non conservative Catholic.

Are you looking for a church/denomination that takes the Bible as errant ? Was confused to what you were looking for

 

[Kenny]

We have been walking through the story of Gideon in Judges 6 and 7 at our church... talking about "From Fear to Faith".

We had 5 points in fulfilling your purpose and destiny....

• Don't be afraid of God... He is for you and not against you.
• Don't fear what your family will say
• Don't fear what people will say
• Don't fear that you aren't hearing from God
• And don't fear failure.

Everyone has fear, as an example, such as going from 6th grad to 7th grade, from Jr. High to Sr High or going to college for the first time... but, like a multiple level building, yesterdays fear is either your ceiling of capacity (if you let it stop you because of fear) or the floor of the next level of life and living as you pursue your design, purpose and destiny. So today's ceiling of fear is tomorrow's floor to reach your next level.

So, change your fear into faith that God is helping you reach the fulness of your potential.

All within the context of my signature.

 

[JustGeorge]

We have been walking through the story of Gideon in Judges 6 and 7 at our church... talking about "From Fear to Faith".

We had 5 points in fulfilling your purpose and destiny....

• Don't be afraid of God... He is for you and not against you.
• Don't fear what your family will say
• Don't fear what people will say
• Don't fear that you aren't hearing from God
• And don't fear failure.

Everyone has fear, as an example, such as going from 6th grad to 7th grade, from Jr. High to Sr High or going to college for the first time... but, like a multiple level building, yesterdays fear is either your ceiling of capacity (if you let it stop you because of fear) or the floor of the next level of life and living as you pursue your design, purpose and destiny. So today's ceiling of fear is tomorrow's floor to reach your next level.

So, change your fear into faith that God is helping you reach the fulness of your potential.

All within the context of my signature.

I like that!

 

[Sand Dancer]

Are you looking for a church/denomination that takes the Bible as errant ? Was confused to what you were looking for

Well, I don't want a church that takes the Bible as inerrant, so I guess so. It's metaphors.

 

[Sargonski]

All the superstition, devotion, ritual, evil history, & hive mind.

Just like the Prog Blue .. and Religious right on the Red side. nail on the head with the "Hive Mind" comment .. the collectivist authoritarians are at it hard. Very similar indoctrination programs .. the Prog Blue and the Religious Right ... and both use the same evil ideology .. which comes straight out of the Hive mind.

 

[Sargonski]

Well, I don't want a church that takes the Bible as inerrant, so I guess so. It's metaphors.

Cool .. thats what I thought you were saying. Strict Inerrancy is no longer held by any of the 3 mainstream denominations Orthodox, Catholic, Protestant .. "Exept" the Protestant Fundamentalists .... Evangelical - Pentecostal --- along with most of the non denoms I would think ... most of those are going to be Fundamentalist.

For Example .. if you attend the Lutheran Seminary "Missouri Synod" the other is ELCC which ordains women .. the former not -- they will teach you that the passage in Luke where Christ cries tears of blood was a later insertion - interpolation. The only Modern Theologians holdign tight to inerrancy are the Fundamentalists .. so just avoid those and you should be good. ... You would be surprised how open some are with dogma .. and depends on the Minister .. which is really what you are shopping for ... rather than a label .. generally speaking ...

Having grown in a very religious home ... members of the Clergy in the direct and extended family - one who rose politically ..Church politically .. which interestingly becomes a political position .. but title is "District President" similar to Bishop / arch-bishop ?? anyway .. was in charge of all the Churches in a large region .. and so his was a position of entertaining .. and all the other office staff in the District office are members of the Cloth as well .. but then there are others used to attend functions over at our house ... and I know all of them .. well ... would have good conversations when the wine was flowing ... think the friar Tuck style affair .. good times .. Prime Rib .. would be like 12-15 guests all male .. 90% been through 8 years of Seminary .. cause thats what it takes in a "Real Semenary" learning Latin , Hebrew, and Greek .. then spend 1 year as a vicar .. then get your own show.

Remember one time having a very interesting discussion on the Trinity wth two others .. the one I had played doctor with one of his daughters as a young kid .. family friends .. the other also a minister -- discussing the Trinity... of which I am not a big fan .. can talk very technically on the issue .... The one fellow agreed with me .. the other did not .. then I watched the two of them debating my position.... moral of the story ,, it is the person and there are some Wise and gifted teachers broken free from literalism .. not that easy to find but no so difficult either.