What should somebody fairly new to the UMC ask?

[KagomeShuko]

Every first Sunday of the month, the pastors at the UMC have a time when, if people want to ask questions, they can come ask them and they will try to answer them to the best of their In the abilities.
This would only be my third time asking stuff as this time is only held during Sunday School time, so about an hour, maybe a bit less, for asking questions.

I've asked about theology as I obviously wanted to make sure I was comfortable with that. To me, it seems that it is mostly the UMC separates points of grace while the ELCA clumps grace together into one big thing . . . mainly (there are some slight differences, but not enough to matter).

I've asked about the structure of the church in general - how it is organized. I was given a book to borrow that somewhat helped me understand, though I'm still a bit confused, it helped out more. I get that the UMC is mostly run from the top down, bishops can give discipline to the churches under them, though some UMC churches will still do what they want.

Comparing that to the ELCA, it is very much run from the congregation up and Bishops are there to do administrative work and visit churches, sometimes to be the pastor to the pastors . . . but the congregations still ultimately make decisions for themselves while the ELCA does have official statements . . .

Anything else that I should ask?

 

[Skittles]

Maybe how doctrinal teaching is arrived at and if a teaching can change and if so why?

 

[Tolworth John]

If you want to stir things up?
Ask what is more important, what the Bible does say or what people make it say?
Then ask so you teach a young earth?

Or
Ask about apologetics is this a prominent part of the churches teaching, if not by not.

 

[KagomeShuko]

If you want to stir things up?
Ask what is more important, what the Bible does say or what people make it say?
Then ask so you teach a young earth?

Or
Ask about apologetics is this a prominent part of the churches teaching, if not by not.

I'm not trying to stir things up at all. I'm just trying to learn more. I'm a member of the ELCA and we're made up of all kinds of ilk. Importance is on the grace of God. I'm asking just a lot of comparison questions.

Like, I know, ELCA and UMC say there are two sacraments - Baptism and Holy Communion, ,and they are both means of God's grace.

Service-wise, there's a bit of difference. ELCA is very confessional and UMC is not so much, but it's not a HUGE difference.

ELCA has communion almost every service (unless the pastor hasn't blessed the bread if the pastor is gone, or it is not traditional to have communion at that service - like on Good Friday) and UMC tends to have communion once every four Sundays.

 

[Rawtheran]

Every first Sunday of the month, the pastors at the UMC have a time when, if people want to ask questions, they can come ask them and they will try to answer them to the best of their In the abilities.
This would only be my third time asking stuff as this time is only held during Sunday School time, so about an hour, maybe a bit less, for asking questions.

I've asked about theology as I obviously wanted to make sure I was comfortable with that. To me, it seems that it is mostly the UMC separates points of grace while the ELCA clumps grace together into one big thing . . . mainly (there are some slight differences, but not enough to matter).

I've asked about the structure of the church in general - how it is organized. I was given a book to borrow that somewhat helped me understand, though I'm still a bit confused, it helped out more. I get that the UMC is mostly run from the top down, bishops can give discipline to the churches under them, though some UMC churches will still do what they want.

Comparing that to the ELCA, it is very much run from the congregation up and Bishops are there to do administrative work and visit churches, sometimes to be the pastor to the pastors . . . but the congregations still ultimately make decisions for themselves while the ELCA does have official statements . . .

Anything else that I should ask?

Perhaps you could ask for UMC clergy to go into more detail about the theology of grace? I know that in all denominations associated with the Wesley tradition grace is the bread and butter when it comes to central theology.

 

[Dave-W]

Perhaps you could ask for UMC clergy to go into more detail about the theology of grace? I know that in all denominations associated with the Wesley tradition grace is the bread and butter when it comes to central theology.

Maybe not “all,” but many.

The denoms that came from the Holiness movement seem to have gone the route of legalism on many externals, which is very opposite of grace. I have been very pleased to see that judgementalism being relaxed over the last few decades.

 

[Rawtheran]

Maybe not “all,” but many.

The denoms that came from the Holiness movement seem to have gone the route of legalism on many externals, which is very opposite of grace. I have been very pleased to see that judgementalism being relaxed over the last few decades.

That's amazing to hear! I know the Church of the Nazarene used to be like this but for the most part are operating today like a typical church you'd see with a contemporary service and a big focus on community and evangelism. The big argument that tends to be fought in the denomination today is that a lot of churches are moving away from teaching the doctrine of Entire Sanctification and even seminaries don't spend a whole lot of time on it which kinda drives some of the older members and clergy up the wall.

 

[seeking.IAM]

If I was new to the UMC right now, I would ask where the particular congregation I was attending aligned with the divided sides amongst the UMCs. I would want to know which way the congregation would go and if I would go along with it if the UMC fractures.

 

[hedrick]

That's amazing to hear! I know the Church of the Nazarene used to be like this but for the most part are operating today like a typical church you'd see with a contemporary service and a big focus on community and evangelism. The big argument that tends to be fought in the denomination today is that a lot of churches are moving away from teaching the doctrine of Entire Sanctification and even seminaries don't spend a whole lot of time on it which kinda drives some of the older members and clergy up the wall.

I've noticed over my lifetime a convergence of Protestant churches. Conservative ones are converging on generic evangelicalism, mainline ones on a generic mainline approach. Both are tending to lose or deemphasize things specific to their individual traditions.

 

[Basil the Great]

I've noticed over my lifetime a convergence of Protestant churches. Conservative ones are converging on generic evangelicalism, mainline ones on a generic mainline approach. Both are tending to lose or deemphasize things specific to their individual traditions.

Your thesis will make it easier to what I predict will happen, that many Protestant denominations will be forced to merge in coming decades.

 

[KagomeShuko]

Your thesis will make it easier to what I predict will happen, that many Protestant denominations will be forced to merge in coming decades.

I don't know if they'll be "forced to merge," but I think a lot will enter into more Full Communions fellowships. The ELCA is in full communions with the Moravian, Anglican, and United Methodist churches for certain.

I asked about the UMC with that today, and they have some partial communion with the Presbyterian, I think it was said . . .

 

[KagomeShuko]

Perhaps you could ask for UMC clergy to go into more detail about the theology of grace? I know that in all denominations associated with the Wesley tradition grace is the bread and butter when it comes to central theology.

I probably don't need to ask that. Lutherans have the three solas:
SOLA FIDE
SOLA SCRIPTURA
SOLA GRATIA

or

FAITH ALONE
SCRIPTURE ALONE
GRACE ALONE

The views of grace are probably very similar.

 

[bekkilyn]

That's amazing to hear! I know the Church of the Nazarene used to be like this but for the most part are operating today like a typical church you'd see with a contemporary service and a big focus on community and evangelism. The big argument that tends to be fought in the denomination today is that a lot of churches are moving away from teaching the doctrine of Entire Sanctification and even seminaries don't spend a whole lot of time on it which kinda drives some of the older members and clergy up the wall.

I don't get this impression from my annual conference, but if it's going on elsewhere, then we need to be getting back to teaching on it, particularly as John Wesley put a lot of emphasis on it as part of our Methodist mission.