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
> > > > >
> >
>
>
>
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