I still attend a upc church.
My wife got relieved from her 10 yr. teaching sunday school ministry for following doctors orders when he told her that to fix her painful medical issue, she had to cut her hair, so it went from down to her mid calves to became hair to her waist. We had prayed about it for almost a year B4 she had it cut. Her headaches and lumps are gone now that she cut it.(It is still LONG HAIR THO!)
I got asked to withdraw from leadership for growing and maintaing a short kept beard, as it is not allowed in leadership ministry.
(Now we are just help meets here and there
We are sorta marked now for those reasons, noone ofcourse would say so, but thats just how it is....we still have good friends there tho. We both were raised UPC, so as U said, its hard to break free from "it".
I dont agree with a
lot of what is taught, and how things "are ran"(1 man in power).
It seems I have to force myself to attend practically every service...
BUT with alllll that said, there are
often times afterward I am glad I made myself go. Some great nuggets of truth get preached here and there, as well as encouraging uplifting messages. I love my pastor, he is a great man, with a sincere heart and desire to lead the congregation to heaven. I could say many, many positve things of Him. He is tryin to be Spirit led concerning leading the church.
However, as far as learning the bible, I truly believe I can
learn more(scripturally) from my own studies than attending services, but I need the friendships, and the praising(that isnt wide open), and I attend more for my children and trying to set an example than anything right now. Its difficult trying to navigate thru the things they are taught that I dont agree with, knowing at what age and how to explain to my children things that we see differently than what are taught.
Untill a door of better options open up, I will continue to attend. I have too many friends there to leave right now, and personally I am not ready to attend a trinitarian church of any kind(no offense Sam)
(I have condidered checking in to a non denom tho)
I understand what youre saying...., and if somebody leaves and doesnt anymore attend UPC, they will be thought of negatively no matter where they go. And if they leave to attend a so called "denominal church" theyre soul has to be lost in the pits of a burnin hell. I could go on....
Not that any of this helps youre dilemna, just another example that youre not the only one trying to work thru this sorta thing. Its been a very difficult thing for me. I pray God gives us all wisdom and patience to work thru it
according to His will.
I am trusting in the Lord.
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