How important is fellowship to you?

[Mom_of_5]

My daughter left the CC in favor of a religion that has “miracles” during their service. She insisted that her back tooth that had a silver filling, turned gold. Anyone in the church at the time who had silver filings had at least one turn gold. After a few years of miracles and fellowship, everyone in that church was friendly, they really loved her and paid attention to her, she went bankrupt and moved to another church. She left that first church because when she could no longer give large amonts of money, she was just another person in the crowd. She also was devastated to find out that the youth pastor was going to jail for molesting young men of the church. She is now in a really small church that was founded only 5 years ago. It is a fellowship church that says it tries to be as “unchurch” as possible. Meaning that there is no structure to the service. If someone wants to get up and preach they may do so. They lay on the floor or dance or talk in tongues or show God their love in any way. They do not have communion because they claim the bible didn’t specify how often one should take communion and it is only a symbol anyway. On the other hand they claim to be bible based. The most frightening thing about this very anti -Catholic as well as anti-traditional protestant churches is that the church is growing.

DD feels that socialization is the most important thing. Big Catholic churches are cold, etc. She was baptized and confirmed Catholic. When she moved to a very large city after she graduated from college, she had business associates to “showed her the way”. She feels “bad energy” from Catholics but loves me so she tolerates me. Daughter is confused. I pray for her, I do not preach to her. If she came to me and said “I’ve decided to join the Lutheran church”, I would praise God.

From what I can see, traditional protestant churches are under attack much the same as Catholic. The movement away from
Jesus to satisfy ones need to be “recognized” and “loved” is in full force. The need for entertainment is strong in our society and is now trying to take over religion.

Love and peace,
Mom of 5

 

[MrS]

wow… and she will certainly be added to my prayers

 

[reneeville]

Respectfully begging to differ with you… not “Everyone goes to church service to worship God…”. I lived five decades in various protestantisms, mostly in Methodist and break-offs, where many came to church in order to fellowship…and openly admitted it. Catholics practice fellowship, my parish (and I know many do as well) has a “fellowship” hall where we eat many meals together (not only open to Catholics…) such as Knights of Columbus put on regular breakfasts, dinners, etc., during Lent they put on a fish fry every Friday. Catholics gather in fellowship to maked sandwiches for the poor once a week, they meet for various Bible / religious studies, etc., etc., etc.
What I believe is the crux (no pun intended!!) of the matter is what the focus is in that time of WORSHIP. Is it sitting next to your friend, admiring or envying the hat the lady across the pew is wearing? Is it because of the music, or the sermons? Some go because there will be coffee and doughnuts after, or maybe because there are no children in a particular service… I’m not dissing any of these because I am not to judge; however, the point of WORSHIP is missed if anyone can apply any of the above.
Fellowship is NOT WORSHIP.
God’s peace be with you,
Renée

“An Adult faith does not follow the waves of fashion and the latest novelties.”

• Pope Benedict XVI -

Everyone goes to church service to worship God and not for fellowshipping. Fellowshipping is just another part of a basic principle that protestant practise. Usually fellowshipping are conduct either before or after service. Thus Catholic don’t always assume that protestant goes church just to socialise. However each time after Mass, i won’t have such an opportunity to fellowship with other, for everyone are just eager to go their own way…i should say this is not healthy at all.

 

[Geocacher]

Fellowship from church members is important for when people need help with things like home repairs, or being taken to the clinic, and other stuff like that. In the LDS church I have been helped with car troubles, painting the house, and also a new roof. Things like this are harder to comeby with the catholic church, that I know of.

Fellowshipping can be done when you have adult sunday school after or before the church service, and with the mormon church you also have the separate Men’s and Women’s meetings, where all these issues can be solved, like, when the members need help with home repairs, and etc.

There are times I like the fellowship, and other times I like to just go to a MASS, then get back home, but it is important, to help one another, like when a person is feeling down, and just needs, just a good chat after church, and that is why it is good to have time set aside after church where people can have coffee, and chat.

Two things are important, is the worship of the Lord, but helping one another, so that maybe why people either go Catholic or Protestant.

I had been a member of a Singles church group in the LDS church and it was the best thing out there for me, until the Church got rid of the Singles group in my area. Lots of people did attend attend the group before it was dis-banded. The Group actually was a Ward itself. I miss that big time.

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I have been attending MASS on and off or years, but as a visitor, instead of member.

 

[MichaelTDoyle]

Church helps me to improve my ability to relate to God by living a sacramental life (I could do better) The community in that sense really also helps me to pray. It’s tough praying alone, but singing in Church is a prayer and all the responses and praying before and after and adoration all have a sense of community.

I have a tough time socializing; I’m more of a daydreamer, so I think I would be offput by a lot of chat. Even the sign of peace is a little much for me (sorry, I know I need to do better)

 

[Sarabande]

I have a tough time socializing; I’m more of a daydreamer, so I think I would be offput by a lot of chat. Even the sign of peace is a little much for me (sorry, I know I need to do better)

No need to apologize. I tend to be the quiet one as well. Although I do the sign of peace, I have friends who I’ve seen kneel and pray during the sign of peace. I’ve also had priests say that instead of shaking hands, to say a prayer for each other during the sign of priest.

 

[Allweather]

I had been a member of a Singles church group in the LDS church and it was the best thing out there for me, until the Church got rid of the Singles group in my area. Lots of people did attend attend the group before it was dis-banded. The Group actually was a Ward itself. I miss that big time.

That’s too bad they disbanded it. My best friend, he’s 60, never been married, is not a Christian. He’s way “too smart” to be a Christian. He’s always talking about women, how he wishes he could meet a nice lady for companionship. I keep telling him, the best place to meet a nice lady is in church. Maybe someday he’ll come around to it, but his time is obviously running out. The thing is, women like him, and are always flirting with him when we go places, but he is so dadgum picky, unless the lady fits his exact specifications he just won’t look at her.

I have been attending MASS on and off or years, but as a visitor, instead of member.

You seem like a very nice person, Geocatcher. Seems to me, you’ve got the right idea. Any church would be very much richer for you being a member of it.

 

[Kitty_Chan]

I don’t know if this is the right thread to start this on, maybe it should be moved. But I’ve had something on my mind for some time, and am looking for discussion and thoughts on the issue.

My Father-in-Law’s current wife is methodist. When I take our kids to visit them within about 30 min she takes aim at the Catholic Church we attend. She will either criticize the Pastor, congregation, or whatever she feels is wrong with it that day. It never gets as far as doctrine because I don’t allow it to. Then it’s onto how wonderful her church is.

After several visits a central theme seems to be emerging. She thinks our Church doesn’t have enough social gatherings. She will criticize the fact that we don’t serve coffee after Mass, and that the Pastor doesn’t want to start doing that (we do have coffee and doughnuts one Sunday a month after Mass), or how friendly or helpful people from our parish are etc…

Maybe I’m not typical, but I guess I don’t go to Church to be social, I go to worship God. I think that fellowship is important, but is not my main focus. I attend Church because I believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God who gave his life for our sins, and estahlished the Catholic Church on earth before he accended to heaven. I follow the laws set down by the Catholic Church becasue I believe she is the Bridegroom of Christ and has apostolic succession. If I didn’t believe this I would simply “skip it” all together. I guess I don’t see Christianity as a social event, it is what I believe. Sure I like to be with people who believe the things I do, but just because your Catholic (or protestant) doesn’t mean you all think the same way.

I also know of someone else who left the Catholic Church because of lack of fellowship at the parish she joined. I just don’t understand that train of thought.

I would welcome anyone’s opinion on this issue.

By the way, I now avoid my FIL and his wife. It means they don’t see the kids very often, but previously they never invited us over anyway. It was always me stopping by for an hour because the kids wanted to see them (we always called first). The kids don’t ask to see them much anymore, and if they do I change the subject. I figure the phone works both ways and they can call us too.

Michele

I dont think its been covered but lets not forget that some people make the church their life, they arrange their schedules around church activities and practically live there. They probably have reasons that are varied for doing so, some good some bad. Im sure the Catholic church has the same type of people just in a different way.

Perhaps the inlaw is such a lady, and although some people are like this not all are. That would be most important to remember. Also in certain parts of the country its probably more so than others. The main reason for attending church is God but a person can be distracted with so much busy work they forget it. Maybe tell her she has too many works going on joke joke ok?

Or she really has a hate on for the catholic church and is disguiseing it with fluff, dont know pray and think about talking to her for the sake of the kids. If you let her know its hurtful she may respond. It is a bad witness for the kids she should think of them.

 

[THutch04]

Without reading all of the posts:

-Catholic churches in my experience, are HUGE, and they have a lot of members. It’s really hard to notice if there’s someone new. Most people (myself included) would probably just assume that it’s either a visiting Catholic, or a member of that parish who is going to a different Mass than he/she normally attends. I don’t think anyone means to appear unfriendly, it’s just that wen there are many people, it can be easy for visitors to sometimes get “lost in the crowd” for lack of better words.

-Certainly in my old church we noticed visitors, and we invited them for coffee afterwards. When you have MAYBE 100 people present in the congregation, you definitely notice visitors. But at the same time, I can’t say we made a huge effort to be overly friendly with them either. I’m sure there are some churches that do go out of their way to make church a social activity, but at least in my experience, we just wanted to welcome any visitors and talk to them afterwards.

-I agree that the point is not to have a social experience, and I do agree that it’s not a good reason to LEAVE the Catholic Church. I will say I was a little distressed when after three months of attending a parish, I’m clearly a young person attending by myself, meaning for whatever reason, my family is not with me, and really trying to sit up in the front every week, only one person introduced themselves to me. And I understand why, but it’s difficult for me personally having not even been a Catholic for a full year yet not really find a lot of fellowship back home. That’s not true out at school though, and I do appreciate what I have. It’s certainly something that I personally am trying to work on, and I’m trying to learn the names of the people who regularly attend daily Mass out at school.

 

[O.S.Luke]

Catholic Doctrine denies that the Real Presence is found in your Church.

That doesn’t mean you win the argument. I would like to think that Christian amity would trump a high school forensics match, but perhaps I am wrong.

That defense of Catholicism is simply that… I defend something that only the Catholic Church has and will ever have…

Of course, I disagree. So would the EO’s, by the way.

The Eucharist is first… fellowship must be kept separate from the Liturgy of the Eucharist.

I agree. Don’t understand your argument here.

Thus fellowship is important to me… in any place ***but ***the Liturgy of the Eucharist

Still don’t get this point.

… which is found only in the Catholic Church.

Again, I obviously disagree. And since it denigrates my faith, I’m going to be offended. Sorry.

And again, I feel that the “fellowship” issue is a major factor in the formation of so many other denominations, or faith communities. People only leave Catholicism, or stay in protestanism because they don’t know what they are leaving or missing. Many walked away… and He let them.

I’ve walked away from NOTHING, and am missing nothing. I’m sorry you can’t find respect for that.

As you said earlier, He is everywhere.

O+