What church do you attend?

[tellner]

Good for you, MartialArtHeart!

 

[tshadowchaser]

I am just jumping ahead here without reading many of the answers to the thread header.
I attend the church in my hart and mind. If I can not find peace within these I can not find / nor hear anything that might be coming from a higher source.
My church travels with me where ever I am and when I wish to attend it or listen to what it has to say it is always with me

 

[MartialArtHeart]

Thanks, Tellner!

 

[jkembry]

Right now, nowhere.

I was regular Church of Christ for a long time, my Father is a minister and we all ended up in a Church up here in Maine that turned out to be a pack of Jackals. Dad announced he was going to retire and the whole place turned on him like a pack of wild animals. Even went so far as to write me a letter questioning if I ever was a "true" member and my wife as well.

Walked out, and have a hard time going anywhere now. I am a firm believer in God, and know I have to find a church that I can call my "home" church, but the whole trust issue is still up for grabs. The Scottish in me really wants to hold out this grudge against organized religion.

Wow...another Church of Christ preacher's kid. After joining the Navy at age 18, I never stepped into another church...except for a wedding (mine) again for much the same reasons along with being force to go the church for 18 years of my life...and having to 'act' like the preacher's kid. Yep, I had a role to make sure the preachers family looked good, regardless of what happened in the home.

Today, instead of going to an organized church, I take in all that is around me and enjoy it as well as giving Thanks for it. To me, the way I worship is entirely personal and any relationship I have with God (or whomever) is entirely up to me...and should concern no one else.

 

[girlbug2]

Calvary Chapel, a non denominational church. Very casual, few people bother dressing up on Sunday for services, lots of surfers at our local "branch".

The first thing I noticed is that they didn't pass the collection plate around. Donations are made anytime in a little box near the entrance, easy to be anonymous, no pressure.

The next thing is that they have a great live band playing contemporary christian songs instead of traditional hymns.

Best of all, just plain old teaching from the bible. Nothing fancy, but very satisfying.

My kind of church for sure!

 

[Chitmunk]

been a Christian Scientist my whole life, currently attent the First Church of Christ Scientist in Harajuku, Japan.

 

[Lynne]

I finally gave up on attending Christian church. I've found that too many are cultic/legalistic. I know churches are not perfect because people are not perfect.

 

[hkfuie]

Wow. I have found it interesting to read what everyone posted.

A year ago I would have said none. Here in Kansas, everyone seems to go to church and I am amazed at how many times I have been asked what church I go to.

At work, I have been pressed by a few patients to attend their church. I was told I should make up a name to give so I won't be badgered, but I never felt comfy lying. I did have fun making up a few BS names, though!

But now I go to a Unitarian Universalist church and I am enjoying it. No one tells me what to believe. It is finally a place I fit in. I think spirituality is so personal, it is my own journey to truth. I feel funny calling it church, because I think labels are limiting, but church it is.

 

[zeeberex]

Depends on the Sufis. I have to admit that my Shaykh's singing voice is even worse than the eldritch croaking that passes for my singing voice. On the other hand, we have really cool hate

Seriously, music is part of the devotional practice of many (most?) Sufis. Some like the Chisthi specialize in it.

My order is part of the Chisti Tariqa, we use music, varies with the event,

To answer the question: A Local Congregational Church and the Sufi Order International.

 

[zeeberex]

I go to a very small Baptist church and love it there.

I am not into the big mega churches, so this is a great fit for me. Everyone knows everyone and there are no "cliques" or small groups that don't intermingle with others when we have church get togethers. It does really feel like a big family.

Right now, we are finally building a family life center (gymnsium with about 30 classrooms), so I am excited about the classes and fun things we finally can offer. Still, that is just "kool-aid and cookies." The real reason I go to church is to learn about Christ.

You know, along these lines I heard something intersting from my pastor. He said that people that don't go to church aren't really hurting themselves. If they are saved, then they are saved, but they are being selfish by not going and offering their experiences and fellowship to others at the church. In otherwords, he believes that people who don't go to church don't go because they don't believe that there is anything for them, hence the "me generation." He said we should go for others, not ourselves.

I found that very interesting and it gave me food for thought. I have started believing it myself and try to go more because of that speech.

AoG

I agree with you on the basis of smaller is better or more intimate is maybe a better wording.

 

[zeeberex]

The Scottish in me really wants to hold out this grudge against organized religion.

Thats part of what sent me down the tariqa path, more about spiritual liberty than religious orthodoxy. Still very much a protestant, but I have learned a good deal from a broader perspective.