Should I go to church this weekend? Especially since it's Easter.

I am looking at going to a methodist church, in part due to the contacts I have had last week at the candlelight vigil. They suggested trying out a Methodist church in my area. I sure as hell wouldn't go back to the evangelical church I used to go to.

I am starting to really hope that there are good Christians out there that do not rely on the old testiment and the Book of Revelations so much, whereas they rely more on the new testiment. I have been increasingly skeptical and critical of Christianity for that reason though. Particularly the Evangelicals and Presbyterians. I am starting to feel better towards the idea that there are liberal Christians, but there has been a lot of damage done. I don't want to trade one closed-minded, materialistic, selfish group for another.

i would go to methodist if i went to church. and go to church if you want to go to church.

Check out a Unitarian Universalist church. All the community with none of the dogma.

In all fairness: the leadership of the methodist church spoke out against the war.

And it's Testament.

If you like to pick and choose which texts are canonical, perhaps there's a Marcionite congregation in your area. :evilgrin:

Methodists aren't insane. My great aunt was a Methodist, the one among a family of Southern Baptists and thus considered the "black sheep" of the family. She was also the wisest of them all.

As to the basic question, as has already been said, go if you want to go. That's the beauty of it. It's your decision. You are not required to do it. You are not required not to do it.

If you go, go in peace.

...it was methodist and interestingly enough they had a Muslim get up and speak as well as Christian preachers. It was good that the Methodists spoke out against the war, even if President Asswipe came from there.

There are different versions of Methodism. Shrub comes from one of the more whacked versions.

Add to that the fact that he himself is whacked, and, well ... bad formula.

I thought that was nice too. Only churches I know of who have publically stated they were against the war were the Catholic church (the pope), the Methodist church and I think United Church of Christ.

Only problem with UU is that it's not really Christian -- I've never known one to be Biblically-based at all and if seeking some of the Easter mystery -- I'd say try UCC

is just a spiritual church in general. No one crede.

find a UU Church -- I hear that they are all-inclusive.... ( I was raised Methodist (nothing like *'s religion)... see myself as an agnostic, though.)

more- Universal Unitarian: http://www.religioustolerance.org/u-u2.htm

edit:typo

However, he has gone more towards the Evangelical Christians. AKA the psychos. Those are the ones supporting him more so than many Methodists.

Mother Jones, was just doing a search, but can't seem to find it -- his finding religion and his political aspirations occurred about the same time... (if anyone has the info, feel free to post it). I read it in hard copy before the election...

that Sundance had out around the election. It's called "When God Entered the White House." That movie and "With God On Our Side" is really good. I think PBS did the second one? It talks about Bush and his "religion." Bush claims he found religion because Laura told him it was either her or the partying life and he claims to have chosen religion. In one of these movies it shows him being interviewed about it and he doesn't talk much about it at first and then he sees the reaction and gets a big ego with it.

He had this whole story about how he became born-again after his forty years of partying and he uses this to gain voters. I don't think he means it all looking at his policies.

only christians can go to their own hell, since they imagine it, they create it, they believe in it, and they are in it already.

Msongs
www.msongs.com/political-shirts.htm

PS - I used ta be a southern baptist, was captured as a child.
they still trying to bring back black slavery. they currently already have it for white wimmen and children.

I'm planning to get some body piercings tomorrow

Then I'll drink until I pass out

Just waking up on Sunday will be a spiritual victory

I don't attend church regularly, but when I do it's Methodists. My pastors are laid back and accepting. But my family tried many churches before settling on one.

Once we had a visiting reverand that was evangelical, and I remember asking my mom "Why is he yelling at us?"

Basically, after each Sunday morning, the thought I always left with, was that they were teaching us to be good people. Do unto others, love everyone; there's no need to be "preachy" just live a good honest life. But some of this obviously came from my parents as well.

I don't think it would hurt to try it out. You may like that church or you may not. But also try the different denominations, such as the UU that was suggested.

There is the PCA (Presbyterian Church of America) and there is PCUSA (Presbyterian Church USA). My experience, at least around Delaware, is that PCA churches are much more fundamentalist in teaching. The PCUSA church that I belong to is very liberal.

Happy church shopping! It's hard to find a good one sometimes, but it is worth it.

Perhaps the PCUSA senses a little less depravity in human beings? A little less inherited sin/guilt?

...Predestination. The church I used to go to preached that.

It's hard to know where to go for church now days with all the rights. I suggest going to United Church of Christ. I'm apart of the Church of Christ and they're pretty good. I've never had any problems with people in the church mixing politics and all that. Right now we're studying some on Revelations but it's not about rapture stuff in general or anything freaky like the religious right showcases. My preacher is actually very good and all that. All you have to do is know you can leave if you don't like whereever you go. Nobody makes you stay. :) If you feel comfortable just exit the nearest one.

I used to belong to one about 20 years ago. It was very socially conscious and activist. But whatever, for one Sunday, you can use the time for silent prayer or meditation. That's what I plan to do, even though I'm not very religious, I figure it can't hurt.

We're going to church with my mother. We only go on Easter. It makes her happy. She belongs to a Southern Baptist right wing mega church, so I'll just have to shut out everything and try to concentrate on peaceful non-judgement.

Just up again after Maundy Thursday fasting got to me, with this flu, and saw your post. The United Methodist church nationally has a strong anti-war policy, and a traditional Protestant way of observing Easter. Of course, if you attend one of the mega Methodist churches in, like, Arkansas, you will find a lot of Bush voters, just as with most Methodist churches in the south. So, you may have to sort through some congregations in a state like Colorado.

I grew up Methodist, in between a lot of moving, and was very moved by the Wesleys, who really were Anglican. But they were ridiculed at Cambridge for insisting that Christians actually follow "the method" of their faith, ie, practice the Beatitudes et al. Soooo--a wonderful tradition to be a part of. John Wesley was actually "converted" by the reading of Luther's commentary on the Magnificat ("He has put down the mighty from their thrones, and lifted those of low degree....")

I moved onto the Lutheran church, myself, at college age. For one thing, the circuit rider system, spreading Methodist in the 18th-19th centuries tended to lose the habit of weekly communion. I also really appreciated the "evangelical" center of the Lutherans (the REAL meaning of the word, ie, the Gospel: John 3:16 etc.) and the tracing of theology and hymn texts to the center of the Reformation. I mean, all these hymns are so powerful, connecting the penitent directly in a relationship with Christ. I love the liturgy, the drama, the music, though to warn you, it is a little more German/Swedish and a little less American Protestant.

The letter that was signed last week against the immorality of the Bush budget was signed by the Lutherans, the Methodists and the United Church of Christ. I imagine also the Mennonites and the Unitarians, too, though I am not sure. Mennonites are more like the Amish end of things, a good anti-war tradition, and the Unitarians are more like the Quaker end of things, also strongly anti-war.

The thing I found in the middle of the Viet Nam war--I needed some place for spiritual solace, for spiritual growth, which would then enable me to get involved in politics. I found the preaching against the war without end emotionally and spiritually exhausting.

So, look for a place where people practice the Gospel that they hear from the lessons and the preacher's homily on those lessons.

Have a blessed Holy time. We practice the three days: Maundy Thursday (communion in the Upper Room) Good Friday (still some three hour services some places from 12-3pm, we have our service at night) and then Easter vigil/Easter sunrise and Easter festival services. Tell you what--it really banishes Bush from the power he occupies in my consciousness--my choir is singing "The Hallelujah chorus" Sunday just to do the same for the rest of the parish! :-)

God lead you. G'night.

P.S. We are/have been for thirty years, liberal Christians in the Chicago area. Quietly doing our thing, trying to raise children and families with a sense of God's Love and the "different drummer" that faith provides from the materialism of the culture. Our parish is mixed racially, though still more white than black, but one that has stayed put in the midst of demographic changes since the 1960's. Our churches together began a pantry, which grew into an entire social service agency, also a health food co-op, ecumenical prayer services and peace events with the Catholics, Methodists and Mennonites. We have been the intellectual leadership for our people on a variety of subjects, who began pretty conservative blue collar folks, but now vote mostly Democratic.

I just draw this picture for you, so you know that such places/clergy/churches DO exist. My brother-in-law is out in Denver in a pretty mega sized Lutheran church (not for me.) But he carries communion and a lay sermon every Sunday night to the nursing home--his sense of ministry. The bigger the church, the more programs are offered, the smaller, the more ministry and intimacy you will find yourself a part of.

Just pray for the Lord of life to lead you--and He will.

LoDo (in that gorgeous old church on 18th St) are pretty reasonable.

I like the UU community in Denver at Hampden and Colorado. http://www.firstuniversalist.org/welcome/uu/

But be aware that UUs welcome everyone. If you don't want that in a church, they're not for you.

I was impressed with the fact that a Muslim spoke at the methodist church I was at for the candlelight vigil.

Peace to you, from another liberal United Methodist pastor.

(The UM Seminary in Colorado is fairly liberal. I'm guessing that many of the pastors there are, too. Good luck!)

it might be good for you to do so. I hope you find a church that fits your needs.

The Evangelical Lutheran Church of America. This evangelism goes back to Luther in the 1500's way different from these 1800 sects.

Our church, let a Catholic church use our church for services around our services while their church was being built. Then as the local Jewish synagogue was being built they used our church. We used their synagogue while our renovations took place.
Since the Last Supper was a Passover Seder we actually had a Passover Seder at church a few years ago on Maudy (commandment) Thursday.

In the Northeast there is a great inter-faith alliance going on.

Here the Episcopalians, ELCA's, Moravians, Presbyterians have a great communal tradition. I am not sure if the Methodists are in or not, but we can commune and share Pastors if need be without blinking.

I say go to a church, whether you commune or not, that is a personal choice.

it's funny that it's a response to my post - I am an ELCA Lutheran. (And you are right - the word "evangelical" in this case refers to the church's origin in the Lutheran churches of Germany).

that my husband (who is Atheist) will go with me, but I'm considering going to the local UU church for Easter Sunday service. I'm looking into it right now.

But liw I was not referring to your post. The problem is the LCMS has closed communion, even to the ELCA unless dire conditions (usually death bed), and the WELS, well they are just as fanatical as the RW right wrongeries.

...the Greek Orthodox church.

The most progressive Lutherans in America in the post WWII period were the graduates of Concordia St Louis, as far as civil rights, progressive social change et al. The bitter civil war throughout the 1970s and '80s is finally beginning to heal. The weathiest and largest of our congregations that were progressive were able to leave to join the ELCA, actually were the yeast for gathering all the other Lutherans together. But there still ARE progressive LCMS parishes here and there, especially around the large urban areas.

Should I dare to take from your post, that the affluent/progressive Lutherans went to the ELCA, and that there are non affluent progressive Lutherans still in the LCMS? If so. please tell me where to send the check
edit not sound snubby

It is an option, you know.

B-)

It's the ONLY church I will go to right now. And the only church my husband (very anti-church guy) will go to at ALL.

http://www.uua.org

...the Episcopal Church is an excellent choice.

http://ecusa.anglican.org