What is the young UPC preacher waiting for?

[Rhoni]

Originally Posted by Sister Alvear

I am so tender hearted...I read this whole thread and have tears running down my cheeks...
I have a story to tell before I die...but not now...however not only in UPC but in all groups things happen like we have read about...

Sis Alvear,

Everyone has a story to tell no matter the organization or lifestyle they have come from. Those of us with deep wounds often tell our story hoping for some inner peace and healing that sometimes never comes.

Don't tell your story if it will hurt you in the telling. You are such a tender and humble woman of God and I know that oftentimes that character is formed through hard knocks...

Love & Prayers, Rhoni

[Sister Alvear]

Not now but someday I will tell it to help young climbers...However I would not want to hurt those that hurt me when I was a very young girl...someday I can tell the story in a way few will ever know who I refer too...38 years later it still pains me to think about it...

Rhoni, you are always in my prayers and yes character is often formed as you said through hard knocks...love you.

[mizpeh]

Originally Posted by CC1

Paleontologist, French Person, and Pee Pee,

I am enjoying your interaction on this thread temendously. This is a very good discussion.

What you guys appear to be working through is how each of us have our own perspective that filters how we read and view others posts. That sometimes causes us to incorrectly perceive what another person is trying to say.

I have noticed that in old time Pentecost there are some ingrained repsonses to any constructvie criticism and for the record Mr. French Person falls right into that catagory with the "bitterness" card.

It always seems to come back to the the old saying that the best defense is a good offense.

I'm not Old Time Pentecost. No one in my family is Pentecostal or even Charismatic. I'm not from the bible belt. What is my excuse for reading a potential bitterness in Pel's posts when he speaks of past offences?

[Sister Alvear]

Bitterness only corrodes the place it is contained. We must choose the higher road...and that is easier said than done...

[Maple Leaf]

Originally Posted by Ron

CC1, you also missed what I was saying as well, there was a time when you could go to a UPC Church & it was different, separate, distinct.

Now I could go into many UPC Church's and there isn't anything different than the world.

Boy, both the UPC and the world must be much different on the West coast than on the Eastern seaboard.

Here, walking into a UPC service is like walking out of twenty first century Canada into a whole different culture. The people look considerably different than the people on the street, and their evident love for God sets them apart from the people spending Sunday shopping at the Mall.

Up here, people in the world smell like tobacco, use recreational drugs, and drink Alpine or Moosehead until they can't see straight. They cheat on their taxes, employers, and spouses, all while giving no thought to God or eternity.

I can't comment on your observations on the West Coast UPC, but, up here, the statement, "Now I could go into many UPC Church's and there isn't anything different than the world," is far, far from true.

[CC1]

Originally Posted by mizpeh

I'm not Old Time Pentecost. No one in my family is Pentecostal or even Charismatic. I'm not from the bible belt. What is my excuse for reading a potential bitterness in Pel's posts when he speaks of past offences?

Perhaps a confusing of rightous indignation with bitterness?

[Rhoni]

Originally Posted by Sister Alvear

Bitterness only corrodes the place it is contained. We must choose the higher road...and that is easier said than done...

AMEN!

[CC1]

Originally Posted by Maple Leaf

Boy, both the UPC and the world must be much different on the West coast than on the Eastern seaboard.

Here, walking into a UPC service is like walking out of twenty first century Canada into a whole different culture. The people look considerably different than the people on the street, and their evident love for God sets them apart from the people spending Sunday shopping at the Mall.

Up here, people in the world smell like tobacco, use recreational drugs, and drink Alpine or Moosehead until they can't see straight. They cheat on their taxes, employers, and spouses, all while giving no thought to God or eternity.

I can't comment on your observations on the West Coast UPC, but, up here, the statement, "Now I could go into many UPC Church's and there isn't anything different than the world," is far, far from true.

I found Ron's statement pretty amazing.

[Felicity]

Originally Posted by Maple Leaf

Boy, both the UPC and the world must be much different on the West coast than on the Eastern seaboard.

Here, walking into a UPC service is like walking out of twenty first century Canada into a whole different culture. The people look considerably different than the people on the street, and their evident love for God sets them apart from the people spending Sunday shopping at the Mall.

Up here, people in the world smell like tobacco, use recreational drugs, and drink Alpine or Moosehead until they can't see straight. They cheat on their taxes, employers, and spouses, all while giving no thought to God or eternity.

I can't comment on your observations on the West Coast UPC, but, up here, the statement, "Now I could go into many UPC Church's and there isn't anything different than the world," is far, far from true.

Truth!

[Brad Murphy]

Believe it or not, there are many people in the "world" who do not lay around in gutters with needles sticking out of their arms. They are actually productive members of society, who don't smoke, don't drink... DON'T cheat on their taxes, run businesses, governments, practice medicine, etc. I know it's hard to believe that Pentecostals do not keep the world spinning on its axis...