Church service with drag show

[January]

That's right, I don't approve most of that stuff for smaller churches. I think a little bit of music is okay, but it has way taken over most churches today so that there is little room for anything else.

We had a young pastor that "brought us up to date" with all of that stuff including many large screen TV's. It was all completely unneeded in our small church. Total cost $60,000 dollars that would have been so much better spent on our homeless population.

After this pastor had been with us for six months I asked him if we were ever going to have communion. He said he hadn't had time to work that out and that the young people didn't like it that much. He had had time to write a little hymm and teach it to all of us as well as all the redesigning of the church. When i reminded him that John Wesley (Methodist founder) had said we should have communion as often as possible because that is how we receive grace, he told me I was being petty.

Davey is expressing this much better than I am. We seem to be following pop culture so much more than following Christ.
StarSong's quotes remind us that we don't look like him to others. Instead of reaching out to the marginalized people we are just entertaining ourselves.

..

All churches have had a lot of music - maybe not Quaker churches or similar but almost all denominations include music and singing.

What we spend money on is another issue - but music isnt more or less suitable or 'entertaining ourselves' because it is pop or rock style or our own preferred traditional hymns on piano style.

 

[SeaBreeze]

One year Mrs. L and DD went to Italy for a holiday and in the course of sightseeing went to look inside a rather grand church. They were stopped at the door by an attendant who said that they weren't appropriately dressed. They asked if Jesus would have turned them away, but it seems that the doorman outranked Jesus.

Glad your wife and daughter spoke out about this nonsense.

 

[January]

I am not advocating grim-faced, up-tight services. Just not rock concerts. I've found a church I like with a more traditional and liturgical service and I find it very joyous and warm.

I quit the Methodist where the pastor didn't like to have communion and chose this one because they have it every Sunday. My husband still goes to that UMC Methodist and plays the trumpet in it every week. It's as simple as that, I go where it fits my spiritual needs and he goes where he likes the music and I hope everyone else finds the church for them.

Thats the thing - nothing wrong with finding a church style that suits you/ fits your spiritual needs.

I dont think anyone was objecting to that.

Its when that spills into this isnt appropriate/biblical etc that I object - My way is THE way is a different statement to This style suits me, I accept other styles are just as valid and suit other people.

 

[January]

One year Mrs. L and DD went to Italy for a holiday and in the course of sightseeing went to look inside a rather grand church. They were stopped at the door by an attendant who said that they weren't appropriately dressed. They asked if Jesus would have turned them away, but it seems that the doorman outranked Jesus.

Ive been to temples in Asia where one is asked t o remove shoes and/or have shoulders and knees covered.

I abide by that because it is their custom, I dont agree it would matter to Jesus or Buddha- but I am going there as a tourist , not a worshipper so I dont think that is my concern.

 

[davey]

when in rome do as the romans???????????????

 

[January]

^^ yes, as a tourist visiting places

 

[Fyrefox]

I think that most churches stateside at least have given up on any kind of dress code. I’ve attended churches where people have brought their kids in wearing tank tops and shorts in the summertime. The thought seems to be it’s better to have them there so attired than not have them there at all. I can agree with that, as long as my right to wear a jacket and tie in church isn’t infringed. It’s just the way that I was brought up…my parents had a jacket and clip-on tie for me from the time that I was a little boy!

Many people in my current church wear jeans to a service, including those with far more money than I have. The pastor is also a dress-down guy. My conditioning just leads me to wear what I feel comfortable in for the place, plus I like dressing up! We can be different, and yet get along. It’s really the content of your heart that matters…

 

[January]

Fyrefox, I totally agree - it is the content of your heart that matters and wear whatever you feel comfortable in and that helps you be in right frame of mind for worship - whether that be shorts and tank tops or tie and jackets.

Acceptance works both ways - or, as you put it, we can be different and that is ok.

 

[StarSong]

When I've been in Spain and Italy, churches have been quite clear about tourists dress codes, behaving respectfully while within those doors, and maybe dropping a coin or two in the donations box. Typically they post signs a ways back from the entry doors so people can know beforehand if they're appropriately dressed.

If a tourist is out and about in a tank top and shorts, suddenly gets news of a devastating problem with a loved one and feels a strong need to enter a church to pray - and explains that to a guard - it seems doubtful they'd be turned away. But to wander through just for a looksee? Not so much.

During my early teens I was shopping in Manhattan with my older sister when we walked past St. Patrick's Cathedral and decided to go in. We were dressed fine, but my sister took a couple of fresh Kleenexes from her purse and put one on each of our heads. Not being Catholic, I didn't get what was happening. She explained that when entering a Catholic church, having some kind of head covering was the appropriate thing to do.

I never forgot that lesson of being respectful of other people's customs especially when treading on their turf.

And yes, my gracious, gentle older sister is the very best one on the planet.