I Am Done

[Saints Alive]

I bet the CofC (RLDS) churches would love to have you V

[Damien the Leper]

I bet the CofC (RLDS) churches would love to have you V

I love Community of Christ and they have been incredibly wonderful over the years but I'm not sure if that is where I should go. I guess Father and I need to have a talk.

[BlueDreams]

I love Community of Christ and they have been incredibly wonderful over the years but I'm not sure if that is where I should go. I guess Father and I need to have a talk.

Nothing like a good chat with God to sort things out .

I wish you the best and am disappointed to here the news. That really doesn't seem all that fair.

With luv,

BD

[wenglund]

If I were to establish a church, it would have Jesus Christ in the name. Myself and another would be pastors of theology and teaching. Another person would be pastor of "chillax" ministry and the overall leader of the church would be a woman to keep us men in check.

Sorry to hear about your challenges with Episcopalians, but I think starting your own church may not be all that bad an idea. I might even attend on occasion--if nothing more than for cross-cultural and educational purposes, particularly if you hold your meetings at IHOP..

Thanks, -Wade Englund-

Edited February 27, 2013 by wenglund

[Damien the Leper]

Oh, Wade. For you, I would have a service at IHOP.

Honestly, I don't know if I have the energy to start a church. I think this way I will attend Synagogue.

[Bill “Papa” Lee]

Oh, Wade. For you, I would have a service at IHOP.

Honestly, I don't know if I have the energy to start a church. I think this way I will attend Synagogue.

How about Steak N Shake...I might join? Edited February 28, 2013 by Bill “Papa” Lee

[Damien the Leper]

How about Steak N Shake...I might join?

I haven't been to one of those in a long time...I do like this idea started by Wade to make church and food a co-activity.

[Saints Alive]

I haven't been to one of those in a long time...I do like this idea started by Wade to make church and food a co-activity.

I think that was the original Idea behind the Communion, now its been downsized into a sip of water or wine and a small morsel of bread instead of the feast it once was. Edited February 28, 2013 by Saints Alive

[Damien the Leper]

Boo! Dumb idea!!

[wenglund]

I haven't been to one of those in a long time...I do like this idea started by Wade to make church and food a co-activity.

I can't take credit for the co-activity idea. I got it from the Savior and his having ushered in the sacrament of bread and wine at the last supper.

[edit: Oops, I just noticed that Saints Alive beat me to the quip.]

Thanks, -Wade Englund-

Edited March 1, 2013 by wenglund

[Tacenda]

I think that was the original Idea behind the Communion, now its been downsized into a sip of water or wine and a small morsel of bread instead of the feast it once was.

I wonder if the church would ever go the way of the Sacrament held on a monthly basis and totally centering the meeting on Him? We could make and keep sacred covenants that long couldn't we? It feels like we need to make it even more special and worshipful. Bad idea?

[volgadon]

I wonder if the church would ever go the way of the Sacrament held on a monthly basis and totally centering the meeting on Him? We could make and keep sacred covenants that long couldn't we? It feels like we need to make it even more special and worshipful. Bad idea?

Personally, I think it is a bad idea. Had a wonderful, long chat in gospel principles this past Sunday. There were only two of us in class, and the topic was the sacrament. The teacher is a former Methodist. We both discussed how partaking of the sacrament each week helps us focus on becoming more christlike throughout the week. Make it infrequent, make it that much harder. Why would you want to eliminate the part focusing most on Christ?

[Tacenda]

Personally, I think it is a bad idea. Had a wonderful, long chat in gospel principles this past Sunday. There were only two of us in class, and the topic was the sacrament. The teacher is a former Methodist. We both discussed how partaking of the sacrament each week helps us focus on becoming more christlike throughout the week. Make it infrequent, make it that much harder. Why would you want to eliminate the part focusing most on Christ?

Bad idea I guess.

[Saints Alive]

Bad idea I guess.

No, not necessarily. We could do a weekly meeting where sacrament was the soul focus. Why do we need to have 3 talks (often ill prepared) following sacrament? Who says it need to be an hour long meeting? We could have a shorter, but more meaningful sacrament where the ordinance is central and not just the first thing we get out of the way. We could improve the quality of the elements ( I know, I know "it materith not what he use") why not go the extra mile when practical?

[Damien the Leper]

I'm concerned that in some Christian circles that Communion has been idolized in such a way that the act of partaking has replaced the true Communion and worship of Christ that is supposed to take place.

[Tacenda]

I'm concerned that in some Christian circles that Communion has been idolized in such a way that the act of partaking has replaced the true Communion and worship of Christ that is supposed to take place.

So idolatry is taking place? Wow, maybe so. Could LDS idol things like temples or say the missionary program? I think maybe so also.

[wenglund]

I wonder if the church would ever go the way of the Sacrament held on a monthly basis and totally centering the meeting on Him? We could make and keep sacred covenants that long couldn't we? It feels like we need to make it even more special and worshipful. Bad idea?

Perhaps we should also set aside a sacrament meet once a month where those so inclined could express their ideas about how the Lord could better run his Church since he is obviously doing such an inadequate job--or so it seems in reading all the advise from certain people's posts.

Thanks, -Wade Englund-

[sheilauk]

One of the things I like most about the CoJCoL-dS is the weekly Sacrament. For me, taking the Sacrament is the most important and reverential thing I can do, it is at the centre of my worship of the Lord and Heavenly Father. I try to put Christ at the centre of my life (don’t succeed of course), so I need the weekly reminder of his Sacrifice for me and the opportunity to pray in a place filled with the Spirit and to ask and receive forgiveness. I feel that having the Sacrament every week, at the beginning of the service, really helps to bring the Spirit into the meeting and to settle everyone down into a more reverential atmosphere so that those speaking can truly be heard. It’s an ordinance that I feel still unites people as you share the bread and water and pass them along. I work full time, live alone and have no children, so look forward to sharing the Spirit and communion with others. We usually do have a good, reverent atmosphere in my ward, even the children quieten during its passing and it’s often noticeable that it’s ended by the sudden uplift in noise as people start to move about again! All the previous churches I attended have only had monthly Sacrament meetings and I would miss its Spirit the other weeks, in fact, I found I could much more easily miss those meetings altogether!

Tacenda, you often say that we should be more Christ centred, but I find LDS services to be very Christ centred. Most of our hymns sing of Christ, Heavenly Father or God. Most speakers refer to the Scriptures, which are all about Christ, or to the words of the Prophets, which are, after all, the words of Christ, as they are His spokesperson on Earth. The talks teach us how to be more like Christ as they talk about prayer, scripture study, service, even when they cover Church history, given how involved Christ is in our history. I make notes throughout the Service and Sunday School and most of the talks I hear have at least one inspirational or guiding thought that I note down to think about or act on. The Sacrament is at the centre of our service, I feel, and Christ is at the centre of the Sacrament. When people testify of the Church or talk of the miracles they have perceived and the help they have received, they are testifying of Christ, whether they say so or not. If we look for Him, we will find Him.

I would really miss a weekly Sacrament.

[Saints Alive]

Perhaps we should also set aside a sacrament meet once a month where those so inclined could express their ideas about how the Lord could better run his Church since he is obviously doing such an inadequate job--or so it seems in reading all the advise from certain people's posts.

Thanks, -Wade Englund-

yeah they should all shut up and follow the status quo. Heck we've got a prophet and leaders all the way down to home teachers, who needs to think? I wonder if that was the Attitude of the Pre-apostasy church? Edited March 1, 2013 by Saints Alive

[blackstrap]

A camel is a horse built by a committee. Imagine the creature created when the church leadership tries to accept the individual 'improvements' given by each member.

[wenglund]

yeah they should all shut up and follow the status quo. Heck we've got a prophet and leaders all the way down to home teachers, who needs to think? I wonder if that was the Attitude of the Pre-apostasy church?

Good point. With all that man-power, who needs God.

Thanks, -Wade Englund-

[Tacenda]

Good point. With all that man-power, who needs God.

Thanks, -Wade Englund-

My point was and is probably from listening to or reading about other faiths worship ways. I guess I get swayed easily back and forth. I agree that weekly is a good thing, but individually is probably where it can become mundane. It's up to me. I'm blaming the system I guess.

[BlueDreams]

So idolatry is taking place? Wow, maybe so. Could LDS idol things like temples or say the missionary program? I think maybe so also.

The temple is the place I find most centered around Christ. All of it is about better understanding our divine relationships that are centered in taking upon us all that Christ is and does for us. To me there is not enough praise for the temple. It's a beautiful and sacred space.

The missionary program is likewise a great way to acquaint all those involved better with God. I owe so much of who and what and where I am on my mission.

That said....we can idolize just about anything when we assume that what ever the thing is has some sort of super-power outside of what God has designed it for. For example those who think the temple can never be harmed, or that missionaries will be safe no matter where or what they do. It's quite obviously false. We can also under-appreciate these sacred gifts, covenants, and responsibilities. We get caught up in the physical rite, that the deep symbolic and spiritual meanings behind them are forgotten.

Either extreme is false and can lead us into error.

With luv,

BD

[EllenMaksoud]

Sorry for this to have happened "V". Like Ellen, I wonder if the LDS church is the most welcoming of all the religions? Of course I'd have nothing in my experience to back it up, only that I've been allowed to still keep a TR and still have come out to my bishop who is now the stake president. When I say came out, I mean came out that I'm struggling to believe anymore that JS was a prophet etc.

I get it. I am supposed to speak on the Atonement this Sunday at Sacrement service. In preparing, I have discovered that my belief in the Atonement is waining. Oh, before joining the church, I sinned deeply, really bad. It was my impression that when I asked Heavenly Father for forgiveness in all sincerity, then I was given the benefit of the Atonement. That means I am forgiven all past sins. Unless I drastically misunderstand the Atonement, your past should not preclude your getting temple priveleges. Yet now, I am hearing if you had a gender change, you will never get temple priveleges, in spite of the fact that I was very heavily medicated after a breakdown that occured after 9/11 because of my job. In truth it was not a gender change, but a surgical correction. Before, many people thought I was a woman. It is well known now that the drugs I was on are disinhibiting, and sometimes make depression even worse. It is also known by the GA that I have Partial Androgen Insensitivity syndrome. In other words I was never what my birth certificate said. Previously to all this, I had fought these feelings off for my whole life. I can't stand the tension any more, and think I am done with religion, though I may return to living as a Muslim. Those who are legalistic will not stop until I am dead.

Edited March 5, 2013 by EllenMaksoud

[Tacenda]

I get it. I am supposed to speak on the Atonement this Sunday at Sacrement service. In preparing, I have discovered that my belief in the Atonement is waining. Oh, before joining the church, I sinned deeply, really bad. It was my impression that when I asked Heavenly Father for forgiveness in all sincerity, then I was given the benefit of the Atonement. That means I am forgiven all past sins. Unless I drastically misunderstand the Atonement, your past should not preclude your getting temple priveleges. Yet now, I am hearing if you had a gender change, you will never get temple priveleges, in spite of the fact that I was very heavily medicated after a breakdown that occured after 9/11 because of my job. In truth it was not a gender change, but a surgical correction. Before, many people thought I was a woman. It is well known now that the drugs I was on are disinhibiting, and sometimes make depression even worse. It is also known by the GA that I have Partial Androgen Insensitivity syndrome. In other words I was never what my birth certificate said. Previously to all this, I had fought these feelings off for my whole life. I can't stand the tension any more, and think I am done with religion, though I may return to living as a Muslim. Those who are legalistic will not stop until I am dead.

My heart goes out to you, I'm glad you spoke about this. You are a beautiful person that was born with a medical condition that needed correcting for your sanity, or IOW's, health. I don't understand basically why the church has that policy. It's unfair, just as the Blacks were not allowed to partake of the temple ordinances in the past. I know in my heart that it won't separate you from God or the Saviour, it's not your fault. I know you don't like the EV style sometimes but believe you could use the full Grace porton right now. Whatever you choose to do, we're here for you! Edited March 5, 2013 by Tacenda