We ended up in a reconciling UMC congregation, which is a big change from the fundie stuff we grew up with. Our congregation has been protested by evangelicals so I think it is doing something right.
I’ve been looking at UMC, presbyterian, and UCOC since some are LGBT affirming and that’s really the big thing I look for (or at least a clear statement that they aren’t discriminatory about gay/bi and trans people). I am trying to dip my toes in, but it’s very different from what I grew up in, with robes and organs and what not. It’s definitely a journey!
I grew up conservative evangelical (like I was a missionary on three continents) and ended up in very progressive and flamboyantly affirming UMC church. I’m agnostic to the existence of an afterlife and believe in God probably 51% of the time. I decided I would only go to a church that I would still be ok with being around those people the 49% of the time I think it’s BS.
UMC congregation has fit the bill. Fully embracing LGBT+ community and accepted science, psychology, etc. Extremely diligent in protecting vulnerable people and children from abuse. They view the Bible as a complicated book of people writing about God, not the inerrant word of God. The purpose is self improvement and community care with Jesus as the example.
We ended up in a reconciling UMC congregation, which is a big change from the fundie stuff we grew up with. Our congregation has been protested by evangelicals so I think it is doing something right.
I’ve been looking at UMC, presbyterian, and UCOC since some are LGBT affirming and that’s really the big thing I look for (or at least a clear statement that they aren’t discriminatory about gay/bi and trans people). I am trying to dip my toes in, but it’s very different from what I grew up in, with robes and organs and what not. It’s definitely a journey!
I grew up conservative evangelical (like I was a missionary on three continents) and ended up in very progressive and flamboyantly affirming UMC church. I’m agnostic to the existence of an afterlife and believe in God probably 51% of the time. I decided I would only go to a church that I would still be ok with being around those people the 49% of the time I think it’s BS.
UMC congregation has fit the bill. Fully embracing LGBT+ community and accepted science, psychology, etc. Extremely diligent in protecting vulnerable people and children from abuse. They view the Bible as a complicated book of people writing about God, not the inerrant word of God. The purpose is self improvement and community care with Jesus as the example.