Originally posted by buckkyWe have been attending a Methodist church for quite some time now, but are actually Baptists. They are a bit drab, but sometimes the Baptists can get a bit too lively! Not like the Pentecostals, but one thing for sure....they can really sing! They tend to have too many squabbles and church splits. The Methodists are pretty inclusive. If someone in the neighborhood dies but has no church affiliation and the family wants a church funeral, it is only the Methodist church that will do it.
Going to a Methodist church is like eating a sandwich made of white Wonder Bread with a dry piece of American chesse. Nothing could be more drab.
I'm gonna bring some much needed spirituality to this forum tomorrow with my sermon. I hope all will be comforted, confronted as need be, and be filled with the joy that I bring. I even give all my blessing to just stay home tomorrow and read my sermon here. I can promise you it will make more sense than most anything you will here in church and certainly more sense than anything on your TV, but that goes without saying.
I grew up a United Methodist and, tho a member of a Lutheran church now, still believe the Methodist doctrine when it disagrees with the Lutheran (over baptism, salvation requirements, office of the keys, etc.) But I gotta admit: we are drab. A preacher was teaching a class on Methodism once and asked the class "What is it that Methodists believe that sets them apart from other denominations?". The answer was "Nothing." Methodists have NO unique doctrines--they are as middle-of-the-road as can be. And I love 'em for it 😀
abstinence from alcohol is an official position of the united methodists.
in the communion service only unfermented grape juice is allowed. methodists who drink are drinking outside the grace of the church.
this is one major difference with the other seven sisters of the north american mainline protestant denominations.
Originally posted by reinfeldNegative at the UMC I attended. We used grape juice for the service, but there are far too many passages in the Bible where wine was quite acceptable. Our preachers taught that Timothy was told to take wine for his ailing stomach. And that it can make a merry heart. I read the by-laws and there is NO condemnation for drinking alcohol.
abstinence from alcohol is an official position of the united methodists.
in the communion service only unfermented grape juice is allowed. methodists who drink are drinking outside the grace of the church.
this is one major difference with the other seven sisters of the north american mainline protestant denominations.
Drinking in excess is another matter.