United church vs. Methodist

[xaira]

Hello, as part of my spiritual journey I feel compelled to go back to my roots and maybe back to Christianity. My grandmother and mother were baptized in the methodist church, whereas I was baptized in the United church of Canada. Can anyone tell me the difference between these denominations?

 

[xaira]

I guess I'm just curious about the theological differences. I haven't stepped foot in a church in over a decade... just not sure which one to go to.

 

[faerenach]

Hi xaira!

The United Church of Canada was 'born' when four denominations got together - one of which was Methodist. In fact, you'd be hard pressed to find a Methodist church in Canada now, since they all became UCC.

Theologically, there are many similarities between the two, but since the merge also included Presbyterians and Congregationalists, the style and theology of the UCC took something from each. How much of the Methodist worship style and theology adopted is really more dependent on the congregation. The UCC covers a whole spectrum of worship styles and theological beliefs, and two UCC churches right down the street from each other might differ on many points.

The United Church of Canada is partners with other Methodist Churches in the world through the World Methodist Council, and in particular relationship with the Methodist Church in Haiti, the Colombian Methodist Church, the Ghana Calvary Methodist United Church, and more.

I hope this was of some help! If you're interested in learning more about The United Church of Canada, you can check out their website at www.united-church.ca or, my personal favourite, their discussion forum at www.wondercafe.ca.

 

[xaira]

Hi faerenach, thank you for replying to my thread. Your post is very informative and I now better understand what the United church means.

 

[Follower3]

Try them both, see which one is for you, pastor makes all the difference.

 

[Maryseblossom]

Try them both, see which one is for you, pastor makes all the difference.

I could not agree more.

I go to a ucc for Sunday service and I go to a Bible study at a presbyterian church. I find that both gives me something important and the minister at the presbyterian church is a very nice man. Each time I go back home, I feel closer to God, in one or another church. Don't be shy to try different church. I might even try another Bible study place in September to see the differences especially that this will be a women leading it.

God bless

 

[Theodor1]

Can anyone tell me the difference between these denominations?

There is a difference in their traditions, history and beliefs. For the most part the Methodist Church is more contemporary and modern. The Church of Christ is more traditional and established. The Methodist Church is based on the teachings of John Wesley. The Church of Christ is made up of Pilgrims, Puritans, Congregationalists and Evangelicals. I was in a Pilgram church, still I could see some of the Congrationist and Evengelical teaching mixed in. Even you do see some of the temperance from the Purtians. My wife tends to like the Methodist because that is where she was raised. I tend to like the Pilgram, as it is all more established. Methodists tend to come and go and even the pastor told me that most of the people had been there for less then 5 years. Where in the Pilgram church most of the people had been there for more then 5 years.

 

[JesusFo11ower]

The UCC is also very liberal if it is anything like the United Church of Christ in the USA. Methodist while some are liberal it is mostly a conservative church.

 

[actionsub]

The UCC is also very liberal if it is anything like the United Church of Christ in the USA. Methodist while some are liberal it is mostly a conservative church.

I've heard the United Church of Canada can be fairly progressive as well. However, the person that told me that was a conservative Baptist, so I'm not sure how strongly to take that.

The UCC in the United States is a mix of New England Congregationalists, a synod of Hungarian Reformed churches, and an originally German mix of Evangelical (Lutheran) and Reformed Churches that combined in 1957 among various ecumenical initiatives. The Hungarian "Calvin Synod" and the formerly German E&R churches in the midwest can be somewhat more conservative at times than the former Congregational churches, particularly in rural areas. Even at that, they may seem more liberal than, say, a Baptist or Methodist church.