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Choosing Churches

DeacWatcher

DeacWatcher

Ricky Peral
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My wife & I are at a cross roads as far as churches go. I am Episcopalian and she was raised Baptist but recently she attended a community church of sorts. She likes the benefits of Episcopalians was is bored to tears by the actual church service (truth be told so am I). She and I both love the music of the Baptist church but not so much the message as most of them find a way to subtly pump right wing politics into the service.

We have visited other denominations with no success and have really gotten lazy lately by not even bothering to attend anywhere. We have the faith but are lacking a good way to have it delivered. I am really coming to admire Catholics & Orthodocs as they have no choice of where to attend.

Does the Pit have a non smart ass solution?
 
don't worry nascar starts back in a couple weeks so then your sundays are full of the best thing created by jeebus
 
Say Hey can recommend a good satanic church if you're interested.
 
DeacWatcher said:
My wife & I are at a cross roads as far as churches go. I am Episcopalian and she was raised Baptist but recently she attended a community church of sorts. She likes the benefits of Episcopalians was is bored to tears by the actual church service (truth be told so am I). She and I both love the music of the Baptist church but not so much the message as most of them find a way to subtly pump right wing politics into the service.

We have visited other denominations with no success and have really gotten lazy lately by not even bothering to attend anywhere. We have the faith but are lacking a good way to have it delivered. I am really coming to admire Catholics & Orthodocs as they have no choice of where to attend.

Does the Pit have a non smart ass solution?
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haha

seriously though, ever try something like unitarian universalist. basically "non-denominational" and the ones i have been to use a lot of stuff from other traditions that the particular congregation likes. e.g. music, messages, traditions etc also very inclusive if that's important to you. disclaimer i don't go to church all that much after being raised baptist (wife catholic). we both have our own issues with organized religion and our experiences growing up.
 
You like the music at Baptist services better than Episcopalian? :rulz: Maybe you aren't going to the right Episcopal church.
 
I was going to suggest a Universalist church as well but it sounds like you guys may be interested in a denominational church within Christianity. I like the idea of community, the church, and the theological underpinnings of a handful of religions but in practice I find a pretty big disconnect between the seminary and the actual church.
 
The Moravian Church seems to be a good middle ground between Episcopal and Baptist churches. I'm recommend Fries Memorial Moravian in W-S. It's on Hawthorne Rd next to Reynolds High. The music is fantastic and there are no politics expressed in the services.
 
LilburnDeac said:
The Moravian Church seems to be a good middle ground between Episcopal and Baptist churches. I'm recommend Fries Memorial Moravian in W-S. It's on Hawthorne Rd next to Reynolds High. The music is fantastic and there are no politics expressed in the services.
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With a Deac as the Music Director, so there is that.
 
DeacWatcher never struck me as the Unitarian Universalist type.

My advice would be to tell your current rector that he's boring you to death or complain to the vestry.

I wouldn't trade Episcopal hymns for Onward Christian Soldiers and How Great Thou Art, ad nauseum.
 
LilburnDeac said:
The Moravian Church seems to be a good middle ground between Episcopal and Baptist churches. I'm recommend Fries Memorial Moravian in W-S. It's on Hawthorne Rd next to Reynolds High. The music is fantastic and there are no politics expressed in the services.
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He lives in SC.
 
Contact the Western NC United Methodist conference, describe what you're looking for and they'll probably have a good rec for both of y'all.

A High Methodist service may be exactly what you are looking for in a church. If you're both bored by traditional, you should find a great traditional church that has a contempo service.
 
Where are you located? You might consider an Anglican church...keeps some high churchy aspects you're used to, though with a more casual approach to things.

Others to consider given your two backgrounds: 1) EPC. It's a catchall in a lot of ways between the two major Presbyterian branches, so congregations vary by church/location. Many "non essential" decisions are left to each congregation to make for themselves, so visiting/research is important. 2) PCA. Though you occasionally find a congregation where politics are far too equivalent with the gospel, you also find congregations that remain "conservative" biblically while being open/free politically. My church congregation trends very liberal/progressive politically, though that's probably not the norm. 3) ECO. A place a lot of PCUSA churches are going (along with EPC) due to the more left-leaning politicization taking place in the pulpit.
 
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If you like the Baptist service, but not the politics, and you live in the South - you may try to look for a Baptist church that is CBF aligned rather than SBC. Most CBF churches hold to Baptist polity, but are much more moderate in terms of politics, etc.
 
I grew up in a fundamentalist church and am now happily atheist. I agree with numbers that a Unitarian church will prolly not be Christian enough for most serious Christians. I have several friends who go to the UU church here, and I've always referred to Unitarians as aspiring Quakers who can't shut up for an hour. Also agree with Juice that Methodists I've known have been very Christian in outlook but not in as backward a fundamentalist and politically conservative way. And you may want to give the Catholic church a try. Not that different from Episcopals. My sisters both married Catholic guys, and the kids have been raised in their community Catholic church up in the Balmur area. The few times I've been, the sermons have been mostly about stuff like personal responsibility and trying to lead a good life, not abortion and divisive social issues. A lot of the folks who live in their area go there, and most of them are pretty normal, nice folks. Catholic churches can span the gamut when it comes to politics, social issues and the whole high/low thing. I'm also guessing it can make a big difference if you're living in a suburban/urban area or the rural South, where your more normal options may be more limited.
 
RacerDeac said:
Where are you located? You might consider an Anglican church...keeps some high churchy aspects you're used to, though with a more casual approach to things.

Others to consider given your two backgrounds: 1) EPC. It's a catchall in a lot of ways between the two major Presbyterian branches, so congregations vary by church/location. Many "non essential" decisions are left to each congregation to make for themselves, so visiting/research is important. 2) PCA. Though you occasionally find a congregation where politics are far too equivalent with the gospel, you also find congregations that remain "conservative" biblically while being open/free politically. My church congregation trends very liberal/progressive politically, though that's probably not the norm. 3) ECO. A place a lot of PCUSA churches are going (along with EPC) due to the more left-leaning politicization taking place in the pulpit.
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First off I am in Spartanburg, SC. We were actually all set to join a Presbyterian church where we knew a lot of folks and enjoyed the service when this particular church withdrew from its diocesis as it felt they were moving too far left by letting gays become reverends and assistant reverends. This was another issue of placing politics into the church and really pissed me off.

What does EPC, PCA, & ECO stand for?

As an aside, whoever thinks Episcopal music is all that great must love opera or something as its easily the most boring stuff I have ever heard and the Epicopals love to sing not only hymns but also verses.
 
DeacWatcher said:
First off I am in Spartanburg, SC. We were actually all set to join a Presbyterian church where we knew a lot of folks and enjoyed the service when this particular church withdrew from its diocesis as it felt they were moving too far left by letting gays become reverends and assistant reverends. This was another issue of placing politics into the church and really pissed me off.

What does EPC, PCA, & ECO stand for?

PCA - Presbyterian Church of America, conservative Presbyterian group
EPC - Evangelical Presbyterian church - conservative theologically, but less vocal on political things
ECO - reformed theology, very similar to EPC - Has only existed for about 3 years, formed from PC(USA) when it agreed to ordain gay/lesbian clergy

EPC and ECO ordain women, PCA and other conservative Presbyterian denominations don't

As an aside, whoever thinks Episcopal music is all that great must love opera or something as its easily the most boring stuff I have ever heard and the Epicopals love to sing not only hymns but also verses.
Click to expand...

PCA - Presbyterian Church of America, conservative Presbyterian group
EPC - Evangelical Presbyterian church - conservative theologically, but less vocal on political things
ECO - Evangelical Covenant Church - reformed theology, very similar to EPC - Has only existed for about 3 years, formed from PC(USA) when it agreed to ordain gay/lesbian clergy

EPC and ECO ordain women, PCA and other conservative Presbyterian denominations don't
 
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