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gurneyhalleck1
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If by that you mean there are no pews and we’ll have to stand, no, they have pews there. 
If you go, wear comfortable shoes!
How far are you willing to drive to your denomination of choice?
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Izdaari
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I really prefer to walk or bike to church, and though I would go further if need be, I’m glad my church is close to home (15 min. walk or 5 min. bike ride). I’m not too concerned with denomination. There are at least half a dozen churches compatible with my beliefs within that distance. My current church is Assemblies of God, but I didn’t choose it for the denomination, but for the positive qualities of the pastor and the congregation.
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SSTeacher
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Guyonthestreet
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ThirdedAny other poster on this thread care to second this emotion?
Daringly,
Mick
I’ve reckied the orthodox churches here in Essex UK. They are all about 30 minutes from me, with the exception of the one in the City of London.
I intend to visit one soon.
I actually dont care how long it takes me to get to any of them, because in the course of finding them, I also discovered some truely awesome biking roads in Essex, going through some awesome little villages on single track roads, bend after bend after bend
So, in my case, the longer it takes me to get to the church - the better
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SSTeacher
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Your reaction to Orthodox worship sounds not unlike that of the delegates sent by Vladimir of Kiev in the year 987 to check out the religions that existed beyond paganism, which story is briefly related in the Russian Primary Chronicle. Mind you, the scenarios they outlined prior to describing the worship of the Orthodox Greeks probably wouldn’t meet our latter–day standard of political correctness:
Both the East and the West recognize Vladimir as a saint.
Ecumenically,
Mick
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AmateurPianist
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We have never lived more than say 15 minutes from the church we attend. And that would be our current church.
Unlike others here, I do not sense a calling to one particular organization. And my preference has always been to attend a church in the general vicinity of where you live. So given a choice between an Assemblies of God church 45 minutes away and another church we like 15 minutes away, we would probably go to to the closer church.
When we have moved in the past, we always had an idea of what church we would be attending before we moved. And we have made it a point to move rather close to that church.
Actually come to think of it my opening statement is not quite true. Once we did travel 40 minutes to a church because we really felt that was the one the Lord had for us. But that was only for three months, we soon moved closer to the church.
Unlike others here, I do not sense a calling to one particular organization. And my preference has always been to attend a church in the general vicinity of where you live. So given a choice between an Assemblies of God church 45 minutes away and another church we like 15 minutes away, we would probably go to to the closer church.
When we have moved in the past, we always had an idea of what church we would be attending before we moved. And we have made it a point to move rather close to that church.
Actually come to think of it my opening statement is not quite true. Once we did travel 40 minutes to a church because we really felt that was the one the Lord had for us. But that was only for three months, we soon moved closer to the church.
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SSTeacher
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If you don’t mind my asking, how much emphasis do you place on doctrine? Would you, for example, have any objection going to Mass at a Catholic church if the Catholic church happened to be the church that was only 15 minutes away?
Curiously,
Mick
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SSTeacher
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You must be pretty much in Constable Country i.e. much nearer to Colchester than to Barking? In my twenties and thirties I always dreamed of living in retirement in a little cottage in Constable Country. It’s so beautiful there. I’d imagined picture windows that opened, red and white roses in my front garden, and stacks of rhubarb out the back. Ah, well.SSTeacher;6558517:
ThirdedAny other poster on this thread care to second this emotion?
Daringly,
Mick
I’ve reckied the orthodox churches here in Essex UK. They are all about 30 minutes from me, with the exception of the one in the City of London.
I intend to visit one soon.
I actually don’t care how long it takes me to get to any of them, because in the course of finding them, I also discovered some truly awesome biking roads in Essex, going through some awesome little villages on single track roads, bend after bend after bend
So, in my case, the longer it takes me to get to the church – the better
Following your visit to an Orthodox church in Essex, perhaps you might see fit to post your impressions of Orthodox worship – together with details of your journey there and back? Are you going to visit this coming Sunday?
Curiously,
Mick
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AmateurPianist
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Some. I place a lot of emphasis on stuff that Christians by and large have agreed upon for 2000 years and would categorically reject any church that was into new, creative ideas. So stuff like name-it-claim-it, gay marriage…etc are not considered.at all.
I place little emphasis on the stuff that Christians of good will have disagreed with each other for the past 2000 years. That is stuff like the second coming of Jesus Christ…issues pertaining to communion and baptism, some issues relating to Calvinism/Arminianism (although I would not be comfortable with extremes on either end).
I would not be comfortable with a cessassionalist church (with relationship to gifts of the Holy Spirit) but would not have issues with a church that was just not as much into it as we are.
Good question. There are two issues here.
My wife has a much narrower window of what she is comfortable with than I do.
and more importantly…
In real life most churches that I have attended have allowed some leeway on what you can believe as opposed to the official statement of faith of the church. For example my current church has a broad understanding of the uniquely “Assemblies of God” distinctives such that I can be a member in good standing although I really do not believe speaking in tongues is the unique evidence of being filled with the Holy Spirit.
If is my understanding the Catholic church is not that way. It is my understanding that with the Catholic church you must sign off on all the dogma before you can become a card carrying member.
And since I do not believe the Catholic church and the Catholic church alone is the one true church and the bride of Jesus Christ we are sort of at an impass here since I can not sign off on something I really don’t believe is true.
If
(1) the Catholic church did not make you sign off on all of the uniquely Catholic dogma
(2) it was just me
(3) I really liked the local Catholic church (I realize this is subjective)
then perhaps…
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CMatt25
Guest
Oh I thought Blazer meant they did a lot of walking. Ppl can accuse of me some ignorance on the Orthodox.If by that you mean there are no pews and we’ll have to stand, no, they have pews there.
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CMatt25
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You must be in great shape. You don’t work up a sweat biking in your church clothes?Thirded
I’ve reckied the orthodox churches here in Essex UK. They are all about 30 minutes from me, with the exception of the one in the City of London.
I intend to visit one soon.
I actually dont care how long it takes me to get to any of them, because in the course of finding them, I also discovered some truely awesome biking roads in Essex, going through some awesome little villages on single track roads, bend after bend after bend
So, in my case, the longer it takes me to get to the church - the better
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CMatt25
Guest
Well you can be a card carrying member beginning as early as an infant. So you really don’t have to sign off onto anything. But then once you are catechized, if you don’t remain immersed in all doctrine, then some might tell you, you can not be saved.
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SSTeacher
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And sometimes they do a lot of walking even when it’s dark – well, three times around the church, anyway.gurneyhalleck1;6560344:
Oh I thought Blazer meant they did a lot of walking. Ppl can accuse of me some ignorance on the Orthodox.If by that you mean there are no pews and we’ll have to stand, no, they have pews there.
Nocturnally,
Mick
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SSTeacher
Guest
Thanks for the explanation. Given your clear preference for a broad understanding, what do you believe about salvation? Do you believe that all Christians will be saved since you perceive that all them have at least some truth? Or do you believe that some Christians will not be saved, in which case where do you draw the line between who will be saved and who will not be saved from a doctrinal standpoint?
Amiably,
Mick
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AmateurPianist
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I am not sure what you are asking here.Thanks for the explanation. Given your clear preference for a broad understanding, what do you believe about salvation? Do you believe that all Christians will be saved since you perceive that all them have at least some truth? Or do you believe that some Christians will not be saved, in which case where do you draw the line between who will be saved and who will not be saved from a doctrinal standpoint?
Amiably,
Mick
Matthew 7 21-23 indicates not all who profess Jesus as Lord enter the kingdom of heaven. Jesus responds with the words “I never knew you”. So it seems from this passage anyway that not all who profess Christ are saved. But the basis of this is not that they were wrong on some theological point. Instead it seems to be that the Lord never knew them and that they practiced lawlessness.
Maybe you are asking whether I believe whether there are “essential” and “non-essential” doctrines. And to that I would answer yes…at least on the basis of entering the kingdom of heaven. Otherwise everybody in heaven would have believed the same while on earth, and if that is the case heaven is a very, very sparsely populated place.
I personally believe the number of “essential” doctrines is quite small. These would be the stuff that we all agree on like Jesus died on the cross and rose again. It does seem from my understanding of Scripture these are essential. Maybe there are a few others, I would have to research it out a little.
But then again maybe I don’t need to know exactly which ones are essential and which ones are not. After all, I have not been given the job title of “Judge of Universe”.
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SSTeacher
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I was indeed asking about essential and non–essential doctrines and now I understand your position. Many thanks for taking the time to furnish an explanation.
Appreciatively,
Mick
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distracted
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i would be willing to drive 100 miles to go to a Catholic Church if thats the only way i could get to one…
only problme is… not sure i would do that unless i had a VERY reliable car… hmmm…
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gurneyhalleck1
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CMatt25
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Bbigam
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There’s no Catholic Church in my tiny all-Protestant town, but my amazing, traditional parish is just 7 miles away in the next town, less than a 15 minute drive. There are another 8 parishes within 25-35 minutes away in Lexington; if it weren’t for my parish, I’d probably go to the Cathedral, 35 minutes away. I certainly wouldn’t go to the second closest parish unless it was my only option. I do make it a point to go to the cathedral for special events like the Chrism Mass and ordinations. I also go to the Latin Mass downtown about once a month - also about 35 minutes away. I would prefer not to drive much farther than that on a regular basis - although I do have a 45 minute drive to work daily. Thankfully there is a decent parish near there, too, for daily Mass. To meet a Sunday or Holy Day obligation, I’d be open to driving at least an hour if I needed to - and a lot more than that for Christmas or the Triduum. But like someone else mentioned, if I was moving, I’d make the presence of a decent Catholic parish one of my chief concerns.
When I was Protestant, Free Methodist, if I was looking for a church, I would have tried to find a decent church within 20-25 minutes of my house, but would have been open to other similar denominations or non-denominational communities.
When I was Protestant, Free Methodist, if I was looking for a church, I would have tried to find a decent church within 20-25 minutes of my house, but would have been open to other similar denominations or non-denominational communities.
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