Yep, that's what kind of changed my mind....he is funny and easy going but I couldn't listen to an hour of that.
Chrissy, I sense that you are looking for some kind of purpose, something to believe in. Maybe some way to give your life meaning.
Yep, I'm definitely looking for a purpose....wife, mother even grandma to the older ones isn't needed that much. The younger ones are in Illinois. I love my family more than anything but it's time for ME. I'm also kind of all over the place in my beliefs....
The best way I know to give life a purpose is to do something for someone else. When our children don't need us any longer, It leaves a kind of void. I don't know how to advise you about finding a purpose. I don't know your circumstances. But somebody or something out there needs what you can give them. Maybe a person in a rest home would love to have you visit them and read to them for a while. @Louise Williams and her DH walk dogs for a rescue place near them.
I'm looking at all options now...the only thing I can't do is commit to a schedule because I do still go to my daughter's and son's.
I had two church recommendations from some ladies at the lunch.... http://www.peopleschurch.org/ http://www.riverpark.org/ The lady next to me was Catholic and so was the one sitting across from her...they go to a Catholic Church but I forgot the name. Looking at YouTube videos of them....I'm not getting a good vibe.
They look good to me. Anything with "people" in the title has to be communist though, so I'd watch out for that one.
Lol @Ken Anderson Well, I'll check them out. The lady that lives in my neighborhood goes to the Riverpark one.
Maybe because the main purpose of most Christian Churches are to share God's Love and message of Redemption through Jesus Christ. All churches will have as their main purpose sharing the god or gods and the doctrines they believe in first and foremost. The social aspects may draw you in but you will still have to hear their "religious" beliefs @Chrissy Cross I used to take care of the babies in the Nurseries during the services. And the Worship service was always piped in to the Nursery rooms so we could hear them. I don't know how they do that now...but they didn't want us volunteers to miss the service either. I am not trying to discourage you from going to Church Chrissy, but realistically you will find what you call religion in every one of them.
I'm thinking the same thing Babs...maybe my better choice is the senior center or a Catholic Church because that's what's familiar to me. I'll see... I don't think I'll be staying in Fresno too much longer anyway but Ive been saying that for awhile too.
Please do Not consider this as an admonition of any kind but rather do know that it’s something I told all of my students. There are 168 hours in a week and most services (sans pentecostal) are only about one of those hours. If perchance you can glean something helpful to you for the other 167 hours in just 1 minute of that single hour, then it makes it worth while. In your case Chrissy, you would also benefit by having the ability to volunteer for just about anything you wish to do and make all the friends you wish to make. All that said, it’s a given that everyone should be very cautious where we go to worship and what message is being conveyed. 2 Tim. 2:15 tells us to “study to show yourself approved unto God; a workman who needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. That message goes for all things in life but to me, it’s particularly valid when we are trying to find a good church group in which to fellowship. At any rate, it’s good that you’re taking your new venture seriously because there are some that I knew who were just looking for some place to be entertained which again, to me, are primarily what the mega churches draw upon.
I don't need to be entertained but Also don't want to be in over my religious head. I'm a very lax ex Catholic. Ive probably never read the whole bible....probably because I don't really believe it to be the word of God...as hard as I try. I'm being honest so don't everyone attack me. In my heart I believe in a supreme being or creator. But maybe not, I don't know. My religion is just to be a good person although I fail sometimes ....my God knows I meant well. I'm most comfortable with Catholics but mainly because I went to a Catholic school for a few years and it's what I know and even most of that I've forgotten. Would a church change my views?? I don't know.
Yeah, being over your religious head is indeed something to consider. There are three kinds of churches: those who lead and teach, those who entertain and “tickle the ears”, and those who feed the word using a shovel thereby choking an individual.
This hasn't been true of every church that I have attended but when I was a member of one of the Baptist churches here, my observations were that most of the people who attended or were members of the church were there because they viewed themselves as good people, and good people went to church. It was a place where they could get together with other relatives and people they've known all their lives. They were raised to be Christians and Christians joined a church, and usually the one they grew up attending. When half the church went out for dinner at the restaurant after the service, if you were to ask them what the sermon was about, they probably couldn't even come close to telling you. If the sermon was topical, they wouldn't be able to tell you what the topic was. If it was expository, they wouldn't remember what book of the Bible it was based on. Frequently, that would be true of myself as well, and I was a deacon. They were listening, at least to some extent, but the sermon wasn't registering. If the pastor were to say something that made them feel uncomfortable, they would remember that, but pastors generally tried not to make anyone feel uncomfortable because what they might remember was that the pastor had made them feel uncomfortable, and subsequently become uncomfortable with the pastor. A good pastor, in the eyes of the church, was one who would say things that would make them feel especially good about themselves. They would remember that as a particularly good sermon, although they still wouldn't be able to tell you what the sermon was about. So if you are put off by sermons that are too hard-hitting, you're not alone, and that's not necessarily even a bad thing. Often, the real work of God doesn't come from the sermon anyhow and yes, there are other things to be gained by being a part of a church.
Lots of different views about this...guess the only way to find out is go to a few and see how I feel.