The Local Gay Friendly Church!

by TimothyT 12 Replies latest watchtower bible

  • TimothyT
    TimothyT

    Hi everyone,

    So in my continuing quest to find a church which accepts me and provides me some spiritual encouragement every Sunday, i decided to drop the baptists and search elsewhere. I went on the internet and searched for gay friendly churches. We found a Methodist church in Nottingham and we decided to go today.

    When we entered, everyone was so welcoming. The church pastors came up to us and shook our hands and one of them hugged us. I was VERY comfortable and i felt happy because these people didnt care at all that we are gay. In fact, Jack recognised many of them from the city gay bars! Wow! So we were accepted. :)

    However, the service was not what I expected. Firstly we sang 6 songs and heard about 6 prayers! I thought this was tiring and i was getting agitated and wondering when they were going to start talking about the bible. After the prayers and songs (some of which involed some church members doing some very odd things), the main pastor went up and gave a one hour sermon on a part of the book of Judges which i found tiring. They closed with another 2 songs. :| I have to say I wasnt digging it at all. They sang lots and lots of songs about Jesus and then had an hour long sermon on Judges. :|

    I found it quite a shame that we were accepted but the whole service wasnt very hot. I am definately going to give it another shot though because I realy liked them and I can see the true Chrstian love shining out. That made me happy, but in the end, the reason i want to go to a church is to receive spiritual encouragement. Im not interested in the social side of things.

    Tim :)

  • irondork
    irondork

    My only church experience has been the JW so I can't speak to the formats or content of any others. But the roomie was telling me about her visits to other churches prior to coming to the JW. She found them frightening (literally) because of all the weird behavior or completely lacking in any kind of education program.

    From what I have heard from her... and you and others, the choices are standup-sit down-kneel, rock back and forth and make funny noises, sit through a nothing of an education program, or sit at the Kingdom Hall and have your brains scrambled.

    Dang, churches suck!

    Don't let it get you down. I hope you keep up your determination to worship. I think before it's all over Jehovah is going to lead a lot more people out of the churches and help them identify the emptiness of those institutions.

  • Mickey mouse
    Mickey mouse

    Tim have you thought of trying the Quakers or United Universalist church?

  • EntirelyPossible
    EntirelyPossible

    That's fabulous!

  • Teary Oberon
    Teary Oberon

    If you are going to ignore the Bible completely, then why even both with Christian churches? You could just try Budhism, or Wicca maybe?

  • troubled mind
    troubled mind

    Tim ,I'm sorry it wasn't a good 1st impression .Maybe it was an off week . Give it another try before writing them off .

    The Methodist church I visited had some very good services .They do like to sing alot and I did find it a bit excessive . They feel the singing is your way to take part in the worship service . As JW I think we got use to being spoon fed ,and in other churches you are expected to be an active part of your own spirituality .

    Have you asked about Adult sunday school ? my Methodist friends attend this right before regular services and enjoy it very much . I think alot depends on the Pastor also . The first pastor I met was awesome ! His talks were intellignet and motivating . The next one was good ,but not as invigorating .

  • Band on the Run
    Band on the Run

    Not every pastor gives good sermons. The minister may have been assigned Judges by a lectionary. I parish shopped among Episcopal churches and found a wide variance in the quality of the sermons. It has been ecstasy to why I am sitting here on a beautiful day. Go to Central Park immediately. Maybe he gives good sermons when not saddled with Judges.

    I've noticed that mainstream Christian churches tend to focus on the New Testament much more than the Witnesses do. Socializing is important. When I first met with a priest to ask doctrinal questions, he refused to be pinned down. He said he had all the same questions that I did. Church is a way of asking questions and seeking answers in community. I love the social activity. My churches have been music heavy but this church seems more so. They would say that the way music interacts with our brain brings us closer to God than mere words.

    It took me many years of trying to find an appropriate church. The appropriate church would also change with my moods and needs.

    There are thousands upon thousands of other gay welcoming churches.

  • cantleave
    cantleave

    I am sure you will find the right balance between acceptance and interest eventually.

  • mankkeli
    mankkeli

    Tim - Try this church, their service is online as well http://scoan.org/ministries/emmanuel-tv/

  • WTWizard
    WTWizard

    I agree that the Quakers are much less obsessed with sexual "morality(??)" than many other Christian denominations. Additionally, small study groups are more likely to be accepting--as a bonus, you are much more likely to find the real truth in small study groups than in large religious organizations like the Baptists.

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