Do you go to church?

DawnMarch

DawnMarch

Active member
No judgment either way -- I'm just curious. When I was a kid, my family would drag us kids to Sunday School and church every Sunday (and youth group on Wednesday nights). My parents were divorced so I saw a gamut of more conservative protestant churches (my dad) and more pentecostal type churches (my mom, who left the Catholic church and went totally the opposite way! :D). Every summer, I went to Word of Life Bible Camp in the Adirondack mountains of NY which was pretty much my favorite place in the world at the time.

As an adult, I haven't been to church for years and years. I kind of miss the community aspects of church -- there are few organizations that can fill the role of bringing people together like that.

So, do you go to church?
 
My dad is a lapsed Catholic/a C&E (Christmas & Easter churchgoer :D) but my mom dutifully took my sister & me to church every Sunday growing up. We went to a very small church and were very involved in all aspects of church life: handbells, VBS, Sunday School, youth group, camp, etc. After my sister graduated from high school, my mom actually took a break from church for a couple of years because she was so burnt out.

I also went to church in college and was involved in Campus Crusade for Christ (like youth group for college kids), Habitat for Humanity, and founded a college-aged Christian retreat program based on one I had participated in in high school.

I bounced around a lot of different churches as an adult. My ex and I never found one that we both liked so we never attended regularly.

My husband and I (and our kids, of course) attend a very large modern nondenominational-esque (it's technically Methodist but you'd never know unless you researched it -- they don't advertise it as such) church. It wouldn't be his first choice (or second or third) but he goes with us most of the time. My kids go to Sunday School (although they don't call it that) while my husband and I are participating in the church service upstairs.

I am also currently serving as the communications chair on the board of directors for the local non-profit whose program I used to found the college retreat. It's not church but it is Christian-based so I go to monthly meetings, help plan events, attend other special functions, etc.

So yeah, I'm pretty churchy! :D

I usually don't go into great detail abt it because the Christian faith gets a lot of bad press, generally speaking, as super conservative and close-minded when in actuality I'm a super liberal open-minded feminist who is pro-LGBTQIA proefugee pro-Muslim and whose best friend is an agnostic/atheist. :hugs:
 
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No. I was raised Catholic. Went to church and Sunday School every Sunday and youth on Wednesday nights. The older I got the more I questioned whether or not I agreed with what I was taught so I stopped going when I could make my own choice. My husband has never really been to church so it just hasn't been something we sought out.
 
Yes yes yes. Church and my relationship with Christ is the most important aspect of my life (with family and homeschooling falling right behind).

My ex-husband & I only attended sporadically when we were married. But when Jeff & I got together, we both knew we needed God at the center of our marriage, so we rededicated our lives to Christ and found a church home.

I grew up in a Baptist church and currently attend a big non-denominational church. Jeff & I volunteer in guest services every weekend, and we also each lead a weekly small group of high schoolers. We're getting ready to spend 4 days at church camp as leaders, too. And in the fall, I volunteer for a huge drama production that we do.

So, yeah... church is a big deal in our family. :)
 
Yes we do! My husband and I were both born and raised LDS and we met in BYU-Hawaii (the church university). Church is a big part of our lives... I can't see it ever not being that way. We're now being called to team-teach the 15yo Sunday School... it's definitely been a learning experience so far!
 
YEP...Church goer here: My husband is much more involved than I am at church, due to my work situation, but I love how they except my daughter and she's even a leader with the small children. For those that don't know me...my daughter has Down Syndrome, she is 13. We had a horrible experience at our old church in regards to her not being able to be involved in something due to her diagnosis, so this church has been wonderful!!! I love how they except Hannah for exactly how God has made her. I have no family in the area, so my friends from church are actually my church family. Most of the functions we attend are through church and small group....we love it! :)
 
Libby Pritchett said:
Yes yes yes. Church and my relationship with Christ is the most important aspect of my life (with family and homeschooling falling right behind).

My ex-husband & I only attended sporadically when we were married. But when Jeff & I got together, we both knew we needed God at the center of our marriage, so we rededicated our lives to Christ and found a church home.

I grew up in a Baptist church and currently attend a big non-denominational church. Jeff & I volunteer in guest services every weekend, and we also each lead a weekly small group of high schoolers. We're getting ready to spend 4 days at church camp as leaders, too. And in the fall, I volunteer for a huge drama production that we do.

So, yeah... church is a big deal in our family. :)
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Libby....I didn't realize you homeschooled!! I homeschooled my daughter for awhile, but she hated it!!! She is to much of a social butterfly and wouldn't admit that she was homeschooled. Told all of her friends her teacher was the last teacher she had at school. She thrived, but was miserable. I finally put her back in school and she now loves it. I don't :(
 
renatasluis said:
i am catholic, but i dont believe in any of it, so i dont go to church.
only for a funeral
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Your comment reminded me of my grandmother's funeral. She was Catholic and went to church several times a week. When she died they had a lovely funeral service for her and a reception/lunch kind of thing afterward. It was clear that they all loved my grandma and it meant a lot to me how people came up to us and told stories about her and how they cared about her. I am not religious at all anymore but I couldn't help but think that this "community" support and connection is what the church does well.
 
Oh yes. Faithful churchgoer here. I was born & raised in the LDS (Mormon) church. Brian and I met in a singles ward and were married in a LDS temple. We take our kids every week too...3 hours every Sunday and Rian has Activity Days 2x a month. Brian and I are currently over Singing Time which is the singing portion of Primary (3-11 yr olds Sunday School).

I don't know what I'd do without that "community" feeling. Even though I'm more like LeeAndra with my political/ethical views, I still strongly believe and am an active Christian.

^hope all that made sense.

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Both my husband and I grew up going to church regularly. I was very involved and participated in a little bit of everything.

We don't really go to church with any consistency as a family. We mean to, but our schedules don't usually work out like that. Our kids dance at a Christian based dance studio and my youngest attends youth group every Sunday.
 
No. Only for weddings & funerals.

We were raised to choose our own religion or not at all. My Mum was raised a Cotholic & hated it, so she didn't want to force religion on us.

My husband was raised the same way, to choose his own path. And this is how we have raised our children too.
 
I was very faithful goer when I was a kid... went every Sunday (very conservative Lutheran Church), volunteered a ton, was the youth rep for many groups... played my flute almost every Sunday when I was in high school and for choir, taught Sunday School and VBS.

Went to college - hated the Campus Lutheran Church (which ironically the pastor would be one of my current ones, today, haha)... and when I was at school on the weekends, I walked the 10+ blocks to get to a different Lutheran Church.

After college, I traveled so much for business that I got out of habit of going... my parents were divorced, I felt lost, I still had my faith, but didn't have positive feelings about the judgy people in church. I then met my husband, who as a child only had to go to church because his mom, who wasn't religious, but dying wanted her kids to have church. When we went through marriage classes, we disagreed on the big C3 - Church, Cash, and Children... the pastor told me that it was okay, and I quote - "my parents are divorced, I know that is an option!" Didn't go back to that church after we got married.

When I was expecting Jake, I wanted church back in my life... so we joined another moderately conservative Lutheran church. It's okay - I'm not totally in love with my church, I'm not sure most people I meet are really that nice... one of our pastors is really liberal and I don't care for him - yet, I'm friends with his wife because we homeschool and in the same co-op.

So... like a good Lutheran sermon, long winded and rambling... I have a very strong faith, but not crazy about my church so we don't go that often. I pulled Jake from Sunday School because he learns nothing from it and we do it at home. He has church classes on Wednesday night and plays in Bell Choir, so he gets some. I bible journal and we listen to a lot of Worship and Praise music during the day.
 
apottinger said:
Libby....I didn't realize you homeschooled!! I homeschooled my daughter for awhile, but she hated it!!! She is to much of a social butterfly and wouldn't admit that she was homeschooled. Told all of her friends her teacher was the last teacher she had at school. She thrived, but was miserable. I finally put her back in school and she now loves it. I don't :(
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Yes! We just wrapped up our first year of homeschool. I love it soooooo much. I honestly never thought I'd be a homeschooler, but now I wouldn't trade it for anything.
 
I would love to, but can't here in China. Christianity is banned here.
I grew up a Catholic, following my mom. She took us to church every week, I was once an altar girl and all of us went to Catholic school, at least until junior high.
My dad was a Christian who didn't go to church at all. He was skeptical about Christianity and God and everything... until I was 15 yo. God 'caught' him and we, as a family, as well. So, we started going to Christian church together as a family.
I was not super involved in church at home (Indonesia), but, when I was in UK for 10 years, I got close to people in the church I went to as a student. It was lovely to have family in a faraway country. :)

My faith is pretty conservative in a way. I don't support LGBTQ, but I am not against it. I have friends, who are gay/lesbian as well as some atheists, and I won't bash them for their beliefs.
 
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Yes, faithful church goer here too. Raised LDS (Mormon) - I love my relationship with Christ and my LDS friends/family. My husband is not LDS, and has no interest in becoming LDS, but he is happy for me to bring our girls to church and have them baptised and attend church activities.

I believe the core values I learnt at church gave me a spiritual strength that helped me through both my teen/young adult years, and my time in the military. At church I work with the 12-13yr old young women. They're such a great age and we have lots of fun.
 
No.

My parents grew up in the 1950s and were from Catholic (Dad) and Protestant (Mum) families. Growing up, we occasionally went to their family's churches for weddings or funerals, but weren't made (or encouraged, really) to follow a particular faith. I'd consider myself more agnostic than atheist as an adult, religion doesn't play a part in my life (though I have many close friends who are strong in their faith). My husband was raised Lutheran but is very much an athiest these days. Our children are raised without religion, but if they choose to follow a faith as they get older then we are fully supportive, as they'll have made the decision.
 
Yes, I'm trying to get my life right for myself and for my daughter.
When I had my stroke (after I had my daughter) I knew it was time to get my life right. God gave me another chance. So I started going to my grandmothers Pentecostal church. The preacher is amazing. He is so kind sweet and funny.
 
No.

I was raised in a multi-faith family. My mom is Jewish and my dad protestant... and I went to a Catholic high school :D My sister and I went to the little community church a couple miles from our house until the 8th grade (my parents never went but dropped us off for Sunday school. I know now that it was the one time a week they had an hour to themselves ;) ) LOL

I only went to synagogue when we were at my grandparents' but I did learn about the Jewish religion as well as Christianity, as well as Catholicism through my high school friends (biggest cult in the world right there!)

I went through a religious crisis during my 20s and came out of it pretty much an atheist. I believe in science. I believe in treating others the way I want to be treated and being kind, forgiving, and nonjudgmental, which is more than I can say for many of the religious people I've met in my lifetime. My parents are the best examples in my life of "good" people - they are charitable, nonjudgmental, forgiving, and supportive people and I strive to follow their example every day and have taught my children the same.
 
Yes. I could not do life without Jesus. He has been my rock and foundation all my life. My dad was a pastor, so I have been raised in the church my entire life. Something I am eternally grateful for. It has kept me grounded in a world where values change constantly. My values have always been solid.
 
Yes.

I go to a Presbyterian church and am very involved in the community. My relationship with Jesus and growing closer to God mean everything to me. I feel my life is richly blessed because I know him as my savior. I am not a perfect person because I go to church... I don't claim that being a Christian or a church-goer makes me "good" or "flawless". I fully realize sometimes people might think that's what I claim. I am a sinner saved by grace... by no works of my own. It's all because of Jesus and what he did on the cross. That's what I believe; what my family believes, and what I am teaching my children. Of course, I know they may grow away from what they were taught as children and not believe or have faith when they are older. As many people do.
 
GraceLee said:
Yes we do! My husband and I were both born and raised LDS and we met in BYU-Hawaii (the church university). Church is a big part of our lives... I can't see it ever not being that way. We're now being called to team-teach the 15yo Sunday School... it's definitely been a learning experience so far!
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We are LDS (Mormon) too and I teach the same age group 15 yo! I love it!!! My husband teaches the next year older kids. I love church and the community it creates.
 
stormchaser said:
We are LDS (Mormon) too and I teach the same age group 15 yo! I love it!!! My husband teaches the next year older kids. I love church and the community it creates.
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That's so cool we share the same calling! They're great kids, I just don't have any experience with teaching teenagers and I haven't been a teenager in a loooong time. :p Times have changed and they're navigating a completely different landscape!
 
YepBrook said:
Yes.

I go to a Presbyterian church and am very involved in the community. My relationship with Jesus and growing closer to God mean everything to me. I feel my life is richly blessed because I know him as my savior. I am not a perfect person because I go to church... I don't claim that being a Christian or a church-goer makes me "good" or "flawless". I fully realize sometimes people might think that's what I claim. I am a sinner saved by grace... by no works of my own. It's all because of Jesus and what he did on the cross. That's what I believe; what my family believes, and what I am teaching my children. Of course, I know they may grow away from what they were taught as children and not believe or have faith when they are older. As many people do.
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This. :wub:
 
No. We're Jewish, and Dan and I were both raised going to Hebrew School (like Sunday school) and celebrating at least the major holidays. Our families kept kosher, and mine still does. But religion never really spoke to either of us.

My parents aren't especially religious--they only go to synagogue for the 3 biggest holidays and when there's a Bar or Bat Mitzvah, a wedding, or a funeral. But we ended up at a synagogue that didn't fit our level of religion at all--I went to Hebrew School 3 days a week, 2 hours each time. Having to put everything else on hold for Hebrew School kind of turned me off Judiasm and organized religion. I was so ready for a break from it all when I went away to college. I always thought that I'd go back in some form when my kids were born, but in the intervening years I guess I've grown to feel like there are too many people using organized religion as a justification for narrow mindedness and treating others badly. (I was on the fence about writing that because I don't want anyone to feel judged--of course I also know many religious people who are exactly the kind of wonderful, warmhearted people that I'm sure many of you are.)

I have a few friends who live in small towns in the South, and they say that the social lives in their town revolve around church. That's difficult for them because they're both Jewish, too, and it has pushed both of them to be more active in the Jewish communities and synagogues near them than they otherwise would have been. I'm sure that under circumstances like that I'd feel the same way they do, but until now I've been lucky enough to have only lived in places where I feel able to choose to be noneligious without it being a big deal.
 
rach3975 said:
but in the intervening years I guess I've grown to feel like there are too many people using organized religion as a justification for narrow mindedness and treating others badly. (I was on the fence about writing that because I don't want anyone to feel judged--of course I also know many religious people who are exactly the kind of wonderful, warmhearted people that I'm sure many of you are.)
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Thanks for that note. I did cringe when you wrote it, I am not offended. Just frustrated to hear it. I hear this from people who are not involved in faith/church/religion sometimes and I think it's unfortunate that people often freely claim religious people as people with narrow minds. I can see how someone who doesn't believe in the Bible might think some of the things I believe would be narrow minded simply because you don't believe those things... but people treating others badly? Well, that's just sin (call it human nature). And we all have it. Tell me a person that hasn't treated anyone badly, ever? I'm pretty sure treating people badly isn't exclusively a religious thing.

People shape their beliefs and values on different things. Everyone has *something* they believe in... their personal rights and wrongs. Some get it from Bible and what they believe God says, some on their opinions and what they feel is right, the list goes on. Narrow mindedness is one way to look at a person having a super strong firm belief in something that won't be shaken - and they are not willing to change what they think just because someone else disagrees with them. We all do it, if we hold firmly to anything.
 
Yes, our whole life, decisions, etc. revolves around our faith. My husband is a Chaplain's Assistant in the Army. He would love to retire from the Army and go on to be a pastor, but we don't know if that will happen as retirement from the Army is quite some time away. Both he and I met at a Christian college in Wisconsin. He graduated with a Church Ministries degree and I graduated with an associates in Church Ministries. Every duty station we've always tried to find a local church to be fed and grow. We have finally found on here at our new duty station and love it! In fact, my youngest (4) is doing VBS this week. When the girls get back from their summer vacations, they'll hopefully be getting involved in the youth group. Every decision we've made, we have always prayed and asked for God's guidance and direction. Some times I tell my husband I can't imagine going through this life without God carrying us through the trials and tribulations. Without him, I would not be where I am today. I'm thankful to be a child of God and thankful that I accepted him early on in my life.
 
No church and no religion here. My grandfather and all the greats are probably churning in their graves at me typing this. My grandfather was a Vicar as were the greats before him, even had a Canon in there. One son went to the church and the other her Royal Majesty's Service. I was christened good old Church of England (Anglican) but do not practice. I did have my son christened Anglican when he was born, made the great grandma's on my husband's (now ex) happy as they were both faithful churchgoers (Mennonite) and the family back in England who are still involved with the church. My son has been raised to be whatever he wants but he is like me, a non believer.

I will go to a church for a wedding or a funeral, although I do feel uncomfortable.
 
Yes.

I rarely went to church until I was 10, but I was raised with Christian beliefs despite not attending church. When I was 10 I started attending The Salvation Army (non-denominational) and absolutely loved it. I felt so at home there.

After graduating high school we moved to Kansas from Arizona. There was no local Salvation Army close so I attended my uncle's Pentecostal church. He was the minister. I went, but I never really felt comfortable there. Soon, I stopped going completely.

After my husband and I lost out first son, we began going to church with some good friends of ours. Loved the people, but still didn't feel comfortable in the church. We stopped going before our daughter was born and didn't attend church again for many years.

My husband did not grow up going to church or was not really taught any religious beliefs. His family was Catholic but not practicing. He didn't know what he believed and really wasn't that interested in pursuing things. When our children came along, I decided that I would teach them what I had been taught growing up. We sang bible songs and read bible stories together. I taught them in a non-denominational way, based on the bible. My husband was fine with this, but didn't participate much. He prayed with them at bedtime, but that was about it.

When my son was in 2nd grade (so about 4 years ago) his cub scout pack had a special day at the church that hosts them. We attended, of course, as we were scout leaders. My husband suggested we go back the following week. We have been regulars there since. My husband said that I he can tell I am so much happier having found a church home, and his faith has grown by leaps and bounds. Our children attend Sunday School and Youth Group and love it.

It saddens me that there is this perception of Christians being hypocrites and narrow minded, etc. I have met no one like that in my years of attending churches. I've only met loving and nurturing people who embrace and accept everyone. Maybe it is the churches I've been in, or the people I choose to associate with?
 
My husband is a pastor so yup LOL :) However, even if we weren't in full-time ministry we would still be just as actively involved. Like Libby, my relationship with Christ is the number one, most important thing in my life. Family comes second, church comes third...even in the ministry!

For us church is the community that brings us together, but we don't see ourselves as "religious". We aren't perfect and would never claim to be although some have the false perception that living out our faith is easier because we are in full-time ministry. Anything we do or say which reflects our faith is not out of obligation or following a list of dos and don'ts. It is out of the genuine desire to be closer to God and true gratitude for the hope we have through salvation in Jesus Christ.
 
No church here. I was raised Catholic and went to Catholic school k-8. During my senior year of high school, I really started to question if I truly believed much of what the church had taught me. In college, I stopped attending church and began moving toward an agnostic belief system, which is what I now identify as.

My mom is still very committed to her Catholicism, so my daughters will attend church with her when they stay with her. I respect her faith by not asking her to miss church when she has them, though I wish she would have the same respect for my faith by not trying to "sneak in" religion in other ways. She's not a rational, stable person, though, so it's not something I can discuss with her.

I pray a lot and have had occasional spirituality-themed conversations with my daughters as they mature enough to understand and/or ask questions because of their experiences with my mom or with their Bible-belt classmates. I will never force them to follow a particular path, and I will always be 100% honest with them about my beliefs.
 
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