A question for conservatives in the EC

[BelleC]

Wow! Your thoughts are identical to mine!! I am still wrestling with this since our state allows gay clergy, even 'married' gay clergy. The Bishop told me that pretty much all the clergy in this state agree with this, after I told him that I don't care if members are gay but that clergy needs to believe what is in the Bible.

So, which is worse having a gay priest or a priest that believes gay is not a sin.
That has taken me to searching Catholic and Orthodox churches but the 'Mary issue' and icons are just too big of a block for me.
There is no Anglican church within hours of me or I would join that church.

Hi Mary!
Since this discussion happened I’ve pretty much ruled out joining an Episcopal church. I liked attending services for a short time until the local pastor went on sabbatical. Listening to a few sermons by the interim pastor was eye opening as to how big the ECUSA tent really is. She interpreted every passage as purely allegorical. None of it was to be believed. She was the embodiment of what I feared the ECUSA would be like here in the Northeast US.

My main problem remains. I love services that remind me that the church is older than the building, aka traditional. I want one where both my young daughter and I will be comfortable and she can have people to grow up with. I’m with you on the icon and Mary issue, but honestly, I may end up going Catholic anyway. I visited an church Orthodox a few times and can’t do it for several reasons.

I can handle differing views in the pews but not taught from the pulpit. I want the Bible explained not explained away. This is especially true on sexuality where I don’t want my daughter thrown into the confusion of our current social experiments before she has the intellectual capacity to reason through the issues. If you find a great church please let me know!

 

[Albion]

Hi, Belle.

If you are now amenable to giving up The Episcopal Church for another Anglican church, you may have some choices. Mary lives in one of the parts of the country where there just aren't any. Not within driving distance from home, anyway.

It might not be so in your case. The NE part of the country has a number of them, although it matters exactly where you live. Having seven of them, but none closer than a hours drive away isn't exactly do-able for most people, we realize.

 

[Mary7]

Hi, Belle.

If you are now amenable to giving up The Episcopal Church for another Anglican church, you may have some choices. Mary lives in one of the parts of the country where there just aren't any. Not within driving distance from home, anyway.

It might not be so in your case. The NE part of the country has a number of them, although it matters exactly where you live. Having seven of them, but none closer than a hours drive away isn't exactly do-able for most people, we realize.

Yes, Belle, the Anglicans don't have the 'issues' that the EOC has.
I sent you a private message 'conversation'.

 

[seeking.IAM]

If there is a problem with a "big tent" church I think it is variation. Perhaps the big tent nature is a strength but also a weakness. When you have low, broad, high, evangelical, Anglo-Catholic, progressive, conservative and combinations thereof in the denomination, you never know exactly what you may be stumbling into.

I have traveled widely for work, and worshipped in Episcopal Churches of which I would not like to be a member. But, I love being a member of mine.

 

[BelleC]

Hi, Belle.

If you are now amenable to giving up The Episcopal Church for another Anglican church, you may have some choices...
It might not be so in your case. The NE part of the country has a number of them, although it matters exactly where you live. Having seven of them, but none closer than a hours drive away isn't exactly do-able for most people, we realize.

You hit the nail on the head concerning distance. Whichever church I finally commit to I intend for us to be active. For that reason, distance matters.