Things To Consider When Finding A New Church Home

A picture of Pisgah Baptist Church in Four Oaks, North Carolina, USA. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

English: Banagher Presbyterian Church and Sunday School The building on the right is the church hall which was built in 1900, hence its name "The Century Hall". The church on the left of the picture was built earlier, in 1825, by the Fishmonger's Company, one of the London Companies. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

A simplified chart of historical developments of major groups within Christianity. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

If you have decided that you need to find a new church or are looking for the first time to attend a church the search can take a while. Generally, you can only really visit one church a week. Below are some things to think about in your quest to find the right church home.

You should spend sometime writing down what your belief are . Simply find a church that somewhat lines up with your personal beliefs are not enough. Some people also are looking for a church to help them define their personal belief.

Write down what you believe and what your family values are. Then make a list of things you have spiritual questions about. You can later use this list to examine the doctrines of a church that interests you. It is wise to remember you will never find a church that line up a hundred percent with your personal beliefs. Most people are best served looking for a church that in general lines up with their personal view of Christianity. Think about how much separation you are willing to tolerate between church doctrine and your personal belief. Obviously, a church has to teach the things that you want your children exposed too. You need to look at how important it is to you to have your children have the same Christian perspective as you do.

Once you have a well defined understanding of what you believe now is the time to do your homework. The Internet is a great place to research what denominations believe. Most sites maintained by the various denominations have a statement of belief or doctrines on their web sites. If the theological jargon on these sites does not make what the group believe, clear to you , go a step father and join a Yahoo email group for people of that faith. Most people will be more than willing to answer your questions about their church. Doing this online can be less intimidating to you and you will find yourself being very honest when you are corresponding by email about these groups faith beliefs.

The next step to finding a church is to know what you want in an individual congregation. Is your family best suited for a small church or a large church. Your teen may not be excited attending a small church with no youth group. Some congregations are truly "dying" and cater to senior citizens that have attended that congregation for years. These churches have their value. They will value having the chance to get new members. They will shower your younger kids with all kinds of individual attention. They can be a great place to attend if you can live without programming geared to younger families and teens.

There are churches that are actually called 'program churches' and can have literally thousands of members They try to create a personal atmosphere by encouraging people to involve themselves in small groups with people who are of a similar demographic. They have programs for divorced , single, and married couples. Most of these churches have extensive Christian education programs and teen ministries. There is something for everyone and if you are looking for a church to have activities for your whole family then these kinds of churches may be great for you. The down side , is the social atmosphere is somewhat artificial and maybe you do not get to know people from varied background.

The next thing, you should look at is what opportunities the church offers you to do lay ministry. Some large churches have so much staff you can only really get involved with individual short term charity projects. This would be a good choice for families that are very busy but still want to give time to the church. Smaller churches always need volunteers from working in the office , helping with the food pantry, or teaching Sunday school. If you want to be able to participate in ministry on a weekly basis, the smaller congregation might be the most satisfying place to be.

When the Sunday comes to go church shopping; try to have as many household members who you want to attend with you present. You cannot make a decision about a final church home unless you can get everyone's feedback. Finding a church you love and your kid's are totally bored at will just lead you to have fights about them getting up early to go to church Sunday mornings.

Remember picking the right church home is important. Most of us mark the major events in our lives; birth , marriage , and death in a church. Picking the right church for your family takes a little effort but it can really end changing our lives in very major ways.

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The Milvian Bridge Experience

English: Side view of Ponte Milvio, Rome. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Head of the colossal statue of Constantine I, Musei Capitolini, Rome. Marble, Roman artwork, 313–324 CE. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Constantine at the battle of the Milvian Bridge, fresco by Raphael, Vatican Rooms. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

When did the Church of Christ move from being an oft time persecuted sect to being truly "Catholic". The early Church was underground because of persecution and; many times did not appear to have a coherent system of theological thought? It was when Constantine faced his rival Maxentius on the Milvian Bridge that spanned the Tiber River into Rome.

It was on this bridge that Constantine prayed for victory over the enemy of Rome. It was on Oct 27, 312 CE. that Christ himself showed Constantine the chi-rho sign. This was the Greek letters of the first two letters of Christ. Constantine out fitted his men with this sign of the Lord's protection, and on the next day Constantine won a decisive victory over Maxentius. This was the day after his vision; where God assured Constantine of this victory in Christ's name.

Constantine's Milvian bridge experience, like Paul's Damascus rode experience settled any matter of the truth of the Gospel; for him. The church became truly Catholic in that moment as this ushered in a time which is called the "Peace of the Church." In 313 Constantine became the undisputed leader of the Western Roman Empire. It was at this time the now Emperor Constantine declared Christianity the official religion of the empire. in the Edict of Milan.

This time of peace allowed formerly persecuted church leaders and theologians some time to focus on the praise and nature of Christ. The sacraments and liturgical practices that had been the focus of Christian worship were now defined in a way that brought a wonderful reassuring uniformity that brought comfort to the faithful in the churches throughout the Empire. It also gave the missionaries of the church an opportunity to present a more coherent faith to the rest of the pagan world.

With in one generation of the ushering in of this unprecedented cohesion in the development of sacramental and theological teachings of the church, it could now be said the church was truly '"Catholic." Bishop of Jerusalem Cyril wrote a treatise on what differed the Catholic Church from those fragmented Christian sects that still continued to exist. He that when inqiriuing some place away from one's home Chruch one should not just as where the Lord's House was, but rather where the Catholic Church met." For this is the peculiar name of this Holy Church, which is the mother of us all;" wrote Cyril.

He went on say the Catholic church , because it extends over all the worldfrom one end of the earth to the other; universally and completely one and all doctrines which ought to come to human knowledge ,concerning things both visible and invisible, heavenly and earthly,

So even those of the faithful who do not practice this day in the Roman Catholic Church we are being nevertheless Catholic when were pray the liturgical prays of the Daily Office and in worship participate in the sacraments brought to perfection by the ancient Catholic church. We are transformed in fellowship with the risen Christ and moved to reconcile ourselves to God and to do the work among the least of us, in the name of the Lord. St. Ignatious of Antioch wrote in 110C.E "wherever Christ Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church." Constantine's Milvian Bridge experience made the universal church a physical reality of a spiritual truth. Where the spirit of the Lord is and is honored the spiritual reality of the body of Christ takes hold and transforms all of us.

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Celtic Small c Catholism

Kommunionglöcklein-01 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

English: Irish Celtic Cross (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

English: Vector version of a design from the Book of Kells, fol. 29r. Traced outlines in black and white representing three intertwined dogs. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Is Celtic Christianity a legitimate faith apart from the historic practices of the Roman Church? It depends who you ask. Some see it as a subtype of Christianity marked by beliefs and practices that have come to be regarded as Celtic. Serious orthodox Celtic Christians believe it is a separate entity that can rival Roman and the various assorted Eastern churches for legitimacy. Orthodoxy theme churches whose roots reached back to before a 1000 A.D. A church that defined itself outside of the influence of Rome is a catholic church. The creeds of the Ancient Churches unite the orthodox.  A cultural catholic Church is one whose liturgical and theological practices are marked by the local landscape and histories

Legend seems to support the idea o that Celtic Christianity had roots outside of Rome. A tradition of the Church having been founded by St. Joseph of a Arimathea in the Brithish Isles raised questions about Peters claims to the keys of Heaven in Celtic lands.

Peter was not the source of faith for the Celts. Supposedly the illustrious King Arthur was buried in the abbey founded by Joseph of Arimathea.. Like family history, it the ultimate truth of the story is not important but its influence on future generations.

Joseph of  Arimathea is said to have been a merchant of tin. In his many trips to the tin mines in Roman Britain he occasionally brought his nephew Jesus. What give the Celtic Christians more legitimacy then having the Christ himself walk the soil? It is also said the Joseph of Armathea brought the Blessed Mother to England after the Assumption of Christ .  What could make a Church less Roman  then its roots than having the Holy Family using the British Isles as a home away from home! We almost must not forget Joseph brought the Holy Grail to Celt country.

Legend is fickle because it also says that St. Patrick founded Christianity in Ireland. St. Patrick brought the authority of the Roman Church to Ireland, but not the faith. History supports the idea that Celtic Christianity was there first.

So what makes the Celtic faith better than its kissing Roman cousin? The ideas that became central to fourth century faith had their roots in ancient Celtic cultural beliefs. The Druids got their tradition of respecting women in Celtic Church faith and practice.  The Roman Church had less than woman friendly practices came from patriarchal Judaism. Roman concepts of strength and plebian order made the Roman Church less egalitarian. Respect for the Feminine and lay person were core to the Celtic Church .They mark marked the Celtic catholism as very different from other ancient orthodox churches.

Core Celtic values are a respect for nature, gender inclusiveness, and egalitarian liturgical practice. There is a place that the faith escaped the hierarchical patriarchal influence of Roman culture. The faith a Rome may have flourished because of it’s compatibility with the patriarchal ideas that infested tribal Judaism from the start. Many today wish to have little connection to Middle Eastern culture. It was in that patriarchal environment early Churhmen killed the best expression of the female Divine. Tribal Judaism marked scripture with nothing but misogynic hated of the Goddess and spiritual fertility.

When Rome found out about its cousin the Celtic churches separate tradition it felt bound to crush Celtic expression of the faith Rome to use Peter’s hierarchal hammer to dismantle the Celtic faith. The Synod of Whit by in 664 AD was such an attempt. It was about establishing Peter as the keeper of the keys to Heaven and the Roman Church keeper of proper Christian expression. Still Celtic faith defined the conversions and practices of the British Isles and Ireland for Centuries. Rome in later times martyred and suppressed the adherents of Celtic beliefs.. The thoughts of the great monks and thinkers of Celtic churchman were purged from the libraries of Europe, except for Ireland.

Radical Protestants in Scotland tried to use the existence of a Celtic Church establish a spiritual history apart from Rome. Celtic practices that were egalitarian, but not without respect proper order. Celtic Christianity never elicited Christian conformity from their ancient sister churches. Celtic churches simply wanted to maintain a catholic faith that was relevant to the culture and traditions of their people.  If such cultural control had been given to the ancient orthodox Churches the Reformation may have only impacted those of Roman Catholic Faith.

Anglicanism being defined by ‘bridge ‘ Church status only fails as a orthodox expression of Christian faith in it’s more extreme forms. Celtic Christianity does not seek to be a more right believing faith, but one that can speak to the needs of those who feel culturally separated from  catholic faith. The natural world becomes a place to experience God’s grace. It is a place where while not co creators with God, we are co workers. Creation is not flawed waiting for salvation. It is God’s perfection waiting for our protection.

Apostolic succession separates those bodies of Christ celebrating legitimate diversity in the Church from heresy. There are many proper expressions of Christian faith and practice.  There are none outside of God’s protection of true Catholicism universal truth. The ancient Church creeds are that protect Orthodox faith, not Peter.

Celtic Christian practice offers a people of Northern European ancestry; a chance to celebrate their Christian roots apart from the various flavors of Lutheranism, Calvinism and Reform Protestantism. It is a place to finally call home; when the search of a spiritually legitimate catholic Christian experience ends. Celtic catholic practice can take place within the context of the various expressions of Anglicanism or within a well defined corner of Roman Catholic expression.

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