Well Virgie, first of all, it is good to see you here, and second, it is
apparent that the church you attended was definitely not right. The church
that I attend is very good. I have even made some friends there. The
Minister of that church is always asking me if there is anything that he or
the church can do for me. When I was going away to South Carolina, my
church even bought me several outfits for the trip, and some of the members
even gave me money for my trip. All and All, it is a very good church. I
don't think that we will every find a church that is going to be all that we
want though. We just have to keep on praying to God to be with us and give
us strength.
----- Original Message -----
From: "virgie underwood" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, March 01, 2005 8:50 PM
Subject: Re: Church On The Move
> Hi Vicki and everyone,
> I went to a new church for a few months.
> When I went for the first time, I was welcomed warmly by the pastor.
> Maybe 2 or 3 people came and welcomed me also.
> It soon became very apparent that they really could care less if I came to
> church there or not.
> One should feel welcome in God's house, and unfortunately, I did not.
> I wonder if they thought that blindness is contageous?
> Was it the fact that I did not look the way they thought I should look?
> Whatever the reason, I am not attending this church any more.
> The sad thing is, the pastor have never called to ask why I am not
> attending!
> Blessings to all!
> Virgie At 08:29 PM 3/1/2005, you wrote:
>
>>Kathy,
>>
>>Yes, church history is pretty grim during some eras. And, true enough
>>about
>>the church gaining wealth while peritioners grew poorer and poorer. Even
>>then, there were still those who had a deeply personal yet living
>>relationship with the Lord. But here's the difference in today's world
>>that
>>I see. Our churches are often fostering spectators rather than
>>participants
>>by the entertainment that happens. And if you're not teens, twenties, or
>>thirties, or thin, or good looking, or extremely talented, or showy... Or
>>maybe it's what you are that isn't accepted. And the list goes on and on.
>>My point being that members of Christ's body are rejected because they
>>don't
>>fit in to a particular mold. Many people are quite content to sit back
>>and
>>listen to a good sermon or hear good music.. They've done their Sunday
>>thing and they can go back to the world in which they live unchanged and
>>lacking the ability, Christ in them, to change their world. I've an idea
>>these things aren't the original design. But so often, this is what we
>>see
>>happening.
>>
>>
>>
>>Vicki
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>----- Original Message -----
>>From: "Kathy Du Bois" <[log in to unmask]>
>>To: <[log in to unmask]>
>>Sent: Tuesday, March 01, 2005 8:09 AM
>>Subject: Re: [ECHURCH-USA] Church On The Move
>>
>>
>> > Actually Vicki,
>> > even the spectatorship thing is pretty old. Do you realize that if you
>>had
>> > lived in the middle ages that you would have never been allowed to take
>> > communion? You would have sat in the congregation and observed while
>> > the
>> > priests enjoyed communion, intinction style, behind a scrim. Since you
>> > probably couldn't read, the only understanding of the word that you
>> > would
>> > have had was from the morality plays that the church organized. You
>> > wouldn't have been allowed to sing, because you wouldn't have been
>> > considered worthy and, besides, you probably wouldn't have known
>> > latin. You would have watched the church grow wealthier and wealthier,
>> > accumulating property, art work and literature while you would
>> > have been lucky to scratch out a living with your one ox and fourteen
>> > children. If you killed a deer for food from the king's forest, you
>> > would
>> > have been found guilty of stealing and you wouldn't expect the church
>> > to
>> > come to your defense because the holy people would have been too
>> > pre-occupied bellying up to his royal highness for certain favors. I
>>could
>> > go on, but I think that you get my point. The most blessed and most
>>cursed
>> > event in church history was to have Emperor Constantine adopt
>> > Christianity as the official religion of the Roman empire. She had
>> > problems before that, but at that point, she jumped in bed with the
>> > devil
>> > herself and has been doing a lousy job of extracting herself ever
>> > since. Neveerthe less, she is still Christ's chosen bride.
>> > Kathy
>> >
>> >
>> > At 09:23 PM 2/28/2005, you wrote:
>> > >Kathy,
>> > >
>> > >I agree that much of the behavior has existed from perhaps not long
>> > >after
>> > >the church was born. However, this spectatorship, I can't help
>> > >thinking
>> > >that it came in as various para-church organizations started picking
>> > >up
>>the
>> > >job of the church. I'm not saying they are bad. But maybe there
>> > >would
>>be
>> > >less need for them if the church was being the church, or called out
>> > >ones
>>in
>> > >function. And thank God for the church. Unless I miss my guess,
>> > >and I
>> > >could very well do that, I believe we'll see it rise up and function
>> > >as
>>it
>> > >was meant to function one day.
>> > >
>> > >Promise not to smack me too hard Kathy. Smile.
>> > >
>> > >Vicki
>> > >
>> > >----- Original Message -----
>> > >From: "Kathy Du Bois" <[log in to unmask]>
>> > >To: <[log in to unmask]>
>> > >Sent: Monday, February 28, 2005 3:20 PM
>> > >Subject: Re: [ECHURCH-USA] Church On The Move
>> > >
>> > >
>> > > > Well Vicki,
>> > > > Truthfully, to answer your question about when the church stopped
>>being
>> > > > loving and accepting of others in their imperfections, I think that
>>it's
>> > > > pretty obvious from the history recorded in the bible that it began
>>pretty
>> > > > much at the beginning. That's why so much is written to correct
>> > > > such
>> > > > sinful behavior by James and Paul and Peter. Satan has been
>> > > > working
>>from
>> > > > within since the get go. After all, if he can destroy the church,
>> > > > his
>> > > > problems will be solved, so he thinks!
>> > > > Kathy
>> > > >
>> > > >
>> > > > At 10:41 AM 2/27/2005, you wrote:
>> > > > >Kathy,
>> > > > >
>> > > > >In so many places the church has turned to people showing up on
>>Sunday
>> > >and
>> > > > >doing their thing as spectators. I'd like to know when we quit
>>accepting
>> > > > >each other as brothers and sisters in the family of God with our
>> > >limitations
>> > > > >and imperfections as well as our God-given gifts. I'm not
>>specifically
>> > > > >saying that of your church. Just that this kind of trend has done
>> > > > >no
>> > >favors
>> > > > >to the looks of Christ's bride.
>> > > > >
>> > > > >Vicki
>> > > > >
>> >
>>
>>
>>
>>--
>>No virus found in this incoming message.
>>Checked by AVG Anti-Virus.
>>Version: 7.0.300 / Virus Database: 266.5.1 - Release Date: 2/27/2005
>
>
> --
> No virus found in this outgoing message.
> Checked by AVG Anti-Virus.
> Version: 7.0.300 / Virus Database: 266.5.1 - Release Date: 2/27/2005
|