Hi Vicki,
I have not found another church yet. It has been so cold and miserable
here, so I have not been looking yet.
Blessings to all!
Virgie At 10:32 PM 3/9/2005, you wrote:
>Virgie,
>
>I really do think that is sad. Have you been able to find another church?
>
>Vicki
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "virgie underwood" <[log in to unmask]>
>To: <[log in to unmask]>
>Sent: Tuesday, March 01, 2005 6:50 PM
>Subject: Re: [ECHURCH-USA] 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
> > > > > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >--
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> >
> >
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> >
>
>
>
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