Church Membership

I am not religious and do not participate in any way with a particular faith, never have and doubt I ever will. Most of the residents living here at the ASSISTED LIVING facility where I live do participate in some way. Every thing from BIBLE STUDY GROUPS (very popular) to church attendance with family friends or caretakers . They even have sermons streamed in to a large screen in the auditorium. I am happy for all those that derive comfort from their religious pursuits, I am not one of them and it bothers me not.

 

I attend at least once a week.

 

So far. Hardly ever.

Sometimes I go to mass on Easter at my daughter's if they go.

I did go to all the grandsons communions and a few confirmations.

Didn't make all the baptisms though...

One reason was my husband died around the time of one grandsons baptism in Illinois.

 

We never found a church here that we liked good enough to keep going. However, there is one that we've gone to before and go for Christmas Eve Service only. After we move, we will again look for a church. Perhaps will go to Cowboy Church, if one is available. We'd love to find a good, and small, church to attend. I like more of the "old time, old fashion" church, that doesn't have the Praise Band and Big Screen thing.

 

Although I do not attend Church in a building very often anymore, I do gather with my brothers and sisters in the Lord very often. I also like "attending" online worship services and our local TV channels brings the worship services into our home too so we can "attend" them. When I do attend church in a building I am usually with my children and grandchildren but they love going to the big "entertainment" churches while I prefer the intimacy of a small worship and prayer service. I consider it a real blessing to have so many choices to choose from when "attending" church these days and gathering with my sisters and brothers to worship our Lord.

 

I avoid church religiously.

I have my beliefs but I've known too many Sunday Christians over the years and they make me feel uneasy so I go it alone.

 

Sadly, Yvonne and I used to go regularly and were involved with some church activities but not so much any longer.
With the advent of Mega-churches and also the more recent splinter groups with little or no real mission, it’s difficult.
I’m not into being entertained nor my ears tickled so finding a good, well grounded in Christ and confident church is hard to find but that doesn’t mean that there isn’t one out there and close enough for us to go.
Matter of fact, I have been interviewing a couple of pastors who go to the same gym that my wife and I frequent and it looks pretty good thus far.

It’s kind of funny really. Since I go every other day, I work out with one pastor on Mon, Wed, and Friday and another on Tues, Thurs and Saturday.
While we do our training independant of each other, we’re pretty close in proximity and can and do carry on some pretty heavy conversations about Biblical contexts and concepts.

Thus far, Buddy, an 84 year old weight lifter is slightly ahead of Tyrone, a 40 year old bodybuilder. Each have their own particular merits and yes, just like me, some concerns but I believe I can make a choice pretty soon and Yvonne and I can go and at least visit to come to a full conclusion.

 

I do not go to church and haven't been to a church service in at least 30 years.

 

My church is some different, a Cowboy church by name, but we have very different activities they must work due to 2-3 enlargements, small groups and regular activities are: well behaved dogs allowed same for all, fishing team, hunting teams, members let youths hunt on their land with a member guide NOT PARENT, shooting groups, rifle and pistol ranges, monthly matches, LTC permit training, security team in place trained, monthly service on horseback if weather allows, team roping, team penning, predator hunts, monthly Dutch oven outside breakfast and service, come as you are show up in a suit and tie and get ask who died! Jeans boots and hat common dress for all. I go often and help with safety classes.

2 weeks ago our door security man said there is a family on the road with a truck flat, members stopped the service and went to change it for them well tire no good & no spare so a member with a tire shop went to them opened his shop GAVE them a used tire and we mounted it for them and they all ate with us. Just rural people is all we are glad to be of help. Nothing odd at all.

We have NO baseball or anything like that all outdoor activities. Our church youth shooting team has a long waiting list for membership we change every 6 months, our background checks are VERY through, youth, parents, neighbors, school, doctor, parent's credit and anyone associated with them, any flaw is a ban, any negative from parents of their guests also a ban just 1, we had 1 problem with the guest of a parent resulting in the youth removed, just a remark results in family removed, all of them. "you are training killers" was said, Our checks take months, our police members help here. All explained and agreed to prior to being accepted in detail and signed by all. We get the crème of the crop, even bad grades or any school issue is grounds for notice. Many parents said they noticed a huge improvement in their child's grades as they wish to stay in our program. Over 750 youths so far had gone through this in the last 9 yrs. I do know of another church that has an indoor pistol range in the basement for RF. That is where we got the plan to do this and it works great, coffee and donuts served during service, 3 Sunday services 1 Wed PM, with deer season about to start we will see a short drop in attendance.

 

Just looked up Cowboy Churches in Florida, Ken, and they are at least an hour to hour and a half away from us. Nothing anywhere close to where we live, not even out by the Equestrian Center. The are all in the center of the state and south of us.

Then again, when we live in Parker (28 miles south of downtown Denver, CO(, we had to drive down to Colorado Springs to attend a Cowboy Church that was basically in a wooded area, surrounded by trees. It wasn't that easy to find and even our GPS had a hard time finding it. That was about an hours drive from our house and the service was in the afternoon. Very small congregation of about 40 people. Lots of pro-rodeo's today, host a Cowboy Church on the rodeo grounds. We knew a older man that was a Cowboy Church Minister. His name is Coy Hoffman.

There's a Cowboy Church in Orlando, Florida, but I doubt very seriously if it would be the same kind of Cowboy Church that would be found in Colorado, Wyoming, Montana or the Dakota's. The website for this church uses the wording "Yeeeee Haw" for an invitation and "be sure to wear your Stetson Hat and Pointed Cowboy Boots. That kind of language sure sounds more "city-slicker" than actually rodeo or ranch cowboy talking.

 

Now, even with the strictness for attendance, this Cowboy Church sure sounds great to wife and I. Unfortunately, many folks here would say "discrimination" for not letting everyone join, but that's the way the South and Florida is (I guess).

 

Yep, Ken. Guess different people have different ideas of how a cowboy looks and what they do. Even though I've never worked a ranch, I have roped a steer and helped sort steers for rodeo. Done a little Team Penning as well. All while wearing Wrangler jeans, a baseball cap or Resistol hat and Roper style boots. Funny, first time my wife seen me on a horse and form and swing a loop, she knew I had "cowboy" in me, even if it was just rodeo stuff.

When going to a real Cowboy Church, people can automatically tell that the guys could do a 2-step, but can also catch a horse, put a halter on and then a saddle/bridle it. Climb on and ride off.