What denomination do you identify with and why?

I am a member of the Episcopal Church. I find that I appreciate their old-fashioned, 'bells and smells' services much more than the 'contemporary' services in other denominations, such as the Methodists. In particular I like the old hymns, rather than the contemporary Christian music--Yuck! But I also believe that the high church episcopal adherence to the rituals, the sacraments, and creeds is what allows people with varying theological viewpoints and political viewpoints to work together to achieve Christ's will.

My denomination of choice is the United Church of Christ (UCC) and I've been aligned with the UCC for three years. My reasons for joining include:
-The full inclusion of all God's children especially God's gay, lesbian, bi and transgendered children.
-Taking scripture seriously but not literally
-God is still speaking- In addition to speaking through scripture, God also speaks through science, humanities, the arts and other faith traditions.
-Our emphasis on social justice and concern for the least among us.
-Our theological diversity and the autonomy of the local church
-Churches based on covenants rather than creeds. When the creeds are utilized they are used as "testimonies of faith" rather than "tests of faith"

In recent memory I have been drawn to the Episcopal Church for the following reasons:
-The theological and worship diversity within the larger church
-Blending of Protestant and Catholic traditions
-The beauty of the Book of Common Prayer (BCP)
-Even in the midst of disagreement, we agree to disagree in Christ like love.
-The Eucharist is served weekly.

Well, I grew up in the Baptist faith but never felt right. I recently have returned to my faith and am currently attending a Diciples of Christ church

I am no denomination. I am not religious or spiritual...I am simply a follower of Jesus Christ. That is all I need.

I don't identify strongly with any particular denomination. My background in the Christian assemblies (Open Brethren) gave me a kind of non-denominational outlook from the get-go.

I've since come to appreciate traditional, sacramental expressions of worship (influenced by both Eastern Orthodoxy and Anglo-Catholicism), with a decidedly inquisitive, progressive streak. I have been influenced by moderate-liberal theologians (Brian McLaren, Marcus Borg and John Spong among others), and by the Quaker tradition.

These days I find myself worshiping with a refreshingly open Lutheran congregation (quite unlike many Lutheran parishes in Australia, it seems).

I'm a seeker of God, and a disciple of a Middle Eastern Jewish rabbi. Monotheist, panentheist, pacifist. Progressive, catholic and evangelical. Postmodern, agnostic, skeptical and scientific. Seeker of truth, lover of peace. Unworthy, flawed and sinful. Captured by the grace of God, and a new creature in Christ.

happy07 said:

I am no denomination. I am not religious or spiritual...I am simply a follower of Jesus Christ. That is all I need.

Click to expand...

Most people need a community. That forces us to make a choice. It's the difference between loving people in the abstract and loving a specific person.

I've been a Presbyterian most of my life, but in liberal PCUSA churches. I don't necessarily say it's better than the other mainline denominations, but they tend to have Biblical sermons, and I find Reformed theology about as good as any of the theological systems. Fortunately the PCUSA doesn't force you to sign the confessions in blood.

I would identify with many all though they would prefer I do not for I am opinionated

I see beauty in many but can not totally agree with any.

I hate the term non-denominational, so can I say all-denominational?

Pentecostal - Church Of God (of Cleveland, Tn)

If I would have to compare myself to a church denomination, I would have to say UU. For 2 reason that I can tell right now.
1. More on the liberal side politically
2. Autonomy

I have yet to go a UU service. They keep a warm welcome for me though.

AlexBP said:

I am a member of the Episcopal Church. I find that I appreciate their old-fashioned, 'bells and smells' services much more than the 'contemporary' services in other denominations, such as the Methodists. In particular I like the old hymns, rather than the contemporary Christian music--Yuck! But I also believe that the high church episcopal adherence to the rituals, the sacraments, and creeds is what allows people with varying theological viewpoints and political viewpoints to work together to achieve Christ's will.

Click to expand...

Though my local church membership is with an Assemblies of God affiliate, I do sometimes attend Episcopal services, and Anglican/Episcopal theology probably is my best doctrinal match. At some point, I probably will make the change official.

Churches of Christ. because we believe in autonomy, there are super conservative churches and liberal ones. The churches (college and home) and CoC university are liberal.
Reasons why
- Focus on social justice
- traditional worship
- no set theological viewpoint other than need to achieve Christ's mission

crishmael said:

I belong to the United Methodists because I appreciate their commitment to social justice, open communion, female ministers, and their method of doing theology.

Click to expand...

These are also my reasons for liking the UMC denomination the most. Problem is that I recently moved and the area I'm in doesn't seem to have any UMC churches with very many people attending, unless my husband and I drive more than we'd like to. So, we are planning on visiting a PCUSA church because they are still in the denomination family that I prefer, seems like a good active church, and is not too far away.

Thomas Judah said:

I am a unitarian universalist, and love everything about it. The most loving folks iv ever had the honor to be around.

Click to expand...

Not to put it down, but I don't feel comfortable in those churches because they lack structure and organization. It's as if they welcome any wind of doctrine and it doesn't even have to be Christian. I visited one such Church and was shocked to find books from the occult in their book store!

3rdHeaven said:

Not to put it down, but I don't feel comfortable in those churches because they lack structure and organization. It's as if they welcome any wind of doctrine and it doesn't even have to be Christian. I visited one such Church and was shocked to find books from the occult in their book store!

Click to expand...

That is because UU's see the validity of all religions... as such, no religion/faith/path is wrong and all are available via reading materials as no one knows how they maybe called to deity (or not at all).

Some churches have different faiths in different places in the church, a corner for Christianity, another for Paganism, etc...


Back to the OP... for myself, when I went to church I loved Anglicanism. Although the church I attended didn't feel like home to me I felt at home within the CoE... it was the best fit for me and I agreed with them on every aspect.

I am currently hoping to get baptised and become an official member of the UCCan (United Church of Canada), which is basically the Canadian version of UCC. I love UCCan because even if it's not a popular denomination, it is liberal, emphasis on the social gospel, social justice, practically creedless, and we are all united under the banner of Christ, even if we believe differently. Plus, I have gay friends, and I want them to feel welcome at church!

I was raised Catholic, and I still follow Catholic devotions, pray to Saints, etc. However, I am progressive theologically.

I am liberal, amillenialist, preterist, progressive, Arian, and liturgical. I will miss the liturgy, so I will attend an Anglo-Catholic or Anglican parish, but I may just make UCC my eventual home.

I might just also visit the CoC (Community of Christ) simply because I like the Book of Mormon so much and study it as Scripture.

Quaker.

I grew up in a non-denominational megachurch, left church in high school, then did my homework before finding another church. I ended up in a UCC for about a year, but I stopped going as the church was noticeably declining and there weren't any ministries for me to serve. Growing up in the church I did I had a high expectation of church growth, relevance, etc.

I ended up in the UMC, which is where I am now. In this town there are more UMCs than Walmarts. There are probably more than McDonalds. It's huge in this region, and although there are many conservative congregations we contrast with the evangelical churches as it seems our most progressive congregations are the ones growing and thriving. I've moved three times since that point in Indiana, Kentucky, and Ohio and everywhere I went I visited several churches and always ended up in a UMC. Kentucky was just a little bit different because there were so many Baptist churches that we don't have here and fewer Methodists.

I was raised Anglican, but never felt completely at ease with the label. I went to a Catholic high school and attended a 'high anglican' church for some time.

Now though I (sometimes) attend a an Anglican church which is far more liberal and accepting, and I finally feel comfortable being myself.

Still don't know how I should actually label myself though.

When I moved to North Carolina, I found the Moravian Church (we're mostly in Pennsylvania and NC, with a smattering elsewhere - most of our membership is in the Caribbean and Africa, due to the early Moravian emphasis on missions). We're the spiritual descendants of Jan Hus(s), the reformer whose ministry and martyrdom occurred a hundred years before Luther. We learned communion in both kinds, and liturgy and Scripture in the language of the people, from the Orthodox missionaries Cyril and Methodius, and John Wesley's heart was "strangely warmed" at a Moravian prayer meeting. We confess the historic creeds of the Church, and observe a liturgical year, but our ministers are not robed except for Communion. We are Christ-centered ("Christ and Him crucified is our creed"), and believe Him to be our Chief Elder. At our heart is the commitment to not fight about abstruse matters of doctrine, but to welcome and accept all who profess their sincere faith in Christ. Our official motto is "Our Lamb Has Conquered; Let Us Follow Him", and our guideline is "In Essentials, Unity; in Non-essentials, Liberty; and in All Things, Love." And if you feel the need to argue about what is essential or non-essential doctrine, we'll probably sit down with you, over some coffee, say "I hear you" a lot, and then invite you to the next Lovefeast . Google us for a congregation near you (I wish).