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So you see God as just some sort of blessing machine. Is that it? "God is my shield and butler"?
NO... I see me as helpless.. (Hundreds of times... God repeats Himself) CALL ON ME... in the day of (your) trouble God says. I will deliver you & you shall glorfy me!
I'm sorry?? Did I misinterpret what God says?? What did I do wrong?
Please show me the correct way to interpret that "promise".
God promises us a special blessing - Just to read the "last book' in the bible.
hmmm. I guess I'm just not doing something right - (according to you).
The book of Psalms is full of blessings & promises by God just for the asking.
I suggest you take it up with Him that He ought not to bless people in the many different ways he promises.
Bringing things back on topic... Start a new thread for quibbling on other extraneous details... CD is still running a contest.
Did the OP have any other questions about attending a Methodist Church? Any other examples you need or desire? If not, check back with us on how it went. If it hasn't been mentioned and FWIW, you really need to find 'your' congregation. It should fit with you. As a younger man, I fit in with a congregation 20-30+ years older than I, that sponsored a Korean congregation (very embarrassing to eat Spring roll just as the minister comes out to give the blessing - again, local customs). I have also been to Methodist congregations that were cold and unwelcoming. I could have been the door, and I would have gotten more contact. The right fit is the right fit. I've been blessed by female ministers. I've been blessed to overlook the isms - sexism, racism, ageism, and bibleism, to name a few. The spirit is alive - come and see.
I am a Methodist. A lifelong Methodist. I feel strongly about what we do in God's world. There are those who disagree and I will give their arguments and grievances to them and pray they are happy to have found a church home elsewhere. I like many things about other traditions of Christianity, not just my own.
To clarify some of the things that have been said in earlier posts, there is not a single Methodist church that does things exactly the same. Although we have similar structure (Episcopal), there is freedom in each church to form traditions unique to that congregation. We are talking about the United Methodist church here.
In our church we begin with a greeting to those surrounding us with a hello and handshake.
The choir sings the introit to call worship to order.
Pastor announces the first hymn to be sung.
Responsive reading (a creed or statement of faith)
Pastor-led prayer
Guest speaker or soloist
Scripture readings (everyone stands as they are able)
Sing Gloria Patri (Glory be to the Father)
Children's message
Announcements by the Pastor
Hymn
Anthem by the choir during offering
Sing Doxology (the old 100th or some other song of praise)
Sermon which begins with appropriate scripture
Closing prayer
Hymn
Receive new members at this time
Benediction (send off prayer)
Choir sings the Detroit (LOL)
Church dismissed!
We have weekly communion in a smaller chapel next door and only do churchwide communion on occasions. Services are held on Ash Wednesday, Good Friday, Christmas Eve as well as every Sunday morning. We don't have a Sunday evening service nor a Wednesday night service. This is the traditional service not the modern contemporary service which we do have in a different building. This is only an example of one UMC. The others can vary.
The right fit is the right fit. I've been blessed by female ministers. I've been blessed to overlook the isms - sexism, racism, ageism, and bibleism, to name a few. The spirit is alive - come and see.
I agree the right fit is what fits right with you. Female ministers is a church issue. If you're unhappy with a church with or without female ministers there's a church down the street that may be more to your liking.
I am a Methodist. A lifelong Methodist. I feel strongly about what we do in God's world. There are those who disagree and I will give their arguments and grievances to them and pray they are happy to have found a church home elsewhere. I like many things about other traditions of Christianity, not just my own.
To clarify some of the things that have been said in earlier posts, there is not a single Methodist church that does things exactly the same. Although we have similar structure (Episcopal), there is freedom in each church to form traditions unique to that congregation. We are talking about the United Methodist church here.
In our church we begin with a greeting to those surrounding us with a hello and handshake.
The choir sings the introit to call worship to order.
Pastor announces the first hymn to be sung.
Responsive reading (a creed or statement of faith)
Pastor-led prayer
Guest speaker or soloist
Scripture readings (everyone stands as they are able)
Sing Gloria Patri (Glory be to the Father)
Children's message
Announcements by the Pastor
Hymn
Anthem by the choir during offering
Sing Doxology (the old 100th or some other song of praise)
Sermon which begins with appropriate scripture
Closing prayer
Hymn
Receive new members at this time
Benediction (send off prayer)
Choir sings the Detroit (LOL)
Church dismissed!
We have weekly communion in a smaller chapel next door and only do churchwide communion on occasions. Services are held on Ash Wednesday, Good Friday, Christmas Eve as well as every Sunday morning. We don't have a Sunday evening service nor a Wednesday night service. This is the traditional service not the modern contemporary service which we do have in a different building. This is only an example of one UMC. The others can vary.
This goes to underscore the diversity that is very present in the United Methodist Church!
I've never attended one that celebrated communion weekly.
I have complete confidence that I am not the one "wrong", but regardless, this is a thread about the Methodist Church - one of the most loving of Christian communities I have ever encountered.
I hope our OP will choose to visit one of their services soon
I have great respect for the Methodist church of old before it sold out to the world. I admire the Wesleys and their determination to teach "by the way" and allow laymen to preach without any "higher" church blessing. I am not a Calvinist (nor an Arminianist) but I deeply respect all those that sincerely seek God's truth. However, those that falsely interpret the Bible in such a way that claim it can make women preachers are violating Sola Scriptura. There are many women in the Bible and many had honored places in the church and society. Some were prophetesses, some were counselors, some were judges and queens (Debra), but none were Priests, Bishops, or Deacons. Those positions were made for men only. The Bible is very clear on this if you read it with plain eyes. Don't change black and white to hues of gray because you want it to say something other than what it does..
This is not entirely off-topic: when I was a young teen I was invited to attend a Methodist Youth Group at a neighborhood church. When the youth director spotted a new face he welcomed me and asked me where I attended church. I told him I went to the Presbyterian Church and I saw a note of concern cross his face. I think he was worried about a wild eyed, free will Presbyterian polluting the morality of his young Methodists. If only he could have seen the future...
I don't mean to condemn the Methodist Church. Every established denomination has some point of teaching that can be seen as at variance with the Holy scripture. I like Baptist teachings, but they are wrong to teach that drinking wine is a sin. The Catholic Church has so many teachings at variance with the Bible that the post would be too long to list them. I like the Church of Christ teachings, but there is no where in the Bible a prohibition on musical instruments; the Psalms were written for instrumental accompanyment. And so on.
If I point out an error it doesn't mean I don't love and respect you. Baptists will not go to hell for false teaching on wine, and COC Christians will not go to hell for singing acapello. Methodists won't go to hell for listening to a woman preacher either, but it's still wrong.
Last edited by Bideshi; 02-19-2014 at 01:35 AM..
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