Agnostic-Theist

Author	Message
Agnostic 14 November 2009, 12:47pm	First of all I must admit I am not really called Agnostic-Theist! But I had to register on the site to ask a question on the forums. All I would like to know (And a google search helped none on this one) is: What does the URC believe in? Google Catholic,Methodist,Mormon etc... and a plethora of info comes up. Google United Reformed Church and I get next to no info on what you guys believe in. Are you fundamentalists? Literal hell or metaphorical? Literal 6 day creation or allegorical? Do you have confession? Jesus raised bodily or in spirit only? Death or Sheol or instant judgement? I can't find any info about your beliefs. I have a URC near me, but would like to know more about you before I venture there on a Sunday. I have been to Catholic services (Was Not welcome I could sense) To a C of E service (Was welcome but boy was it boring, no.....spirit!!!!) I am looking at Methodist, but like the C of E the church near me seems (In the nicest possible way of saying this) full of oap's with organ music. What does the URC believe? What are the services like? Agnostic-Theist who wants to become a full Theist. (probably is a full theist but needs a good church). Thank you for your time, and I'm sorry about the long post.
muir1 15 November 2009, 7:33pm	Hello Agnostic-Theist The fact that you've found it difficult to find what we believe in says much about us! We tend to be seekers, questioners, doers rather than people who make definitive statements of faith - having said that we do have a statement faith - but there isn't an easy to find online version. Actually we have two statements of faith one in fairly traditional format adopted at our formation in 1972 and an Alternative in inclusive non-sexist language adopted amongst much heated debate in 1997. So go to the tab "About" and to find the Statements of Faith go to Basis of Union and scroll down to Para 17. However the better document on that page is "What is the URC?" (Note to webmaster - we really could do with a more accessible statement of faith!) As to your specific questions ;- Are you fundamentalists? Not normally Literal hell or metaphorical? you will probably find both views and a host inbetween amongst our members Literal 6 day creation or allegorical? Usually more inclined towards something allegorical - I think most folk would accept a version of evolution - as the way God creates Do you have confession? we have a general confession within the morning worship rather than the RC confessional box - your confession is between you and God - nothing to do with the clergy Jesus raised bodily or in spirit only? Again you will find a range of views, but I think most would veer towards bodily. Death or Sheol or instant judgement? Grace What are the services like? depends on the church - you may find "full of oap's with organ music" you may find worship band and projector. I would hope that you will find good quality preaching wrestling with the bible and the modern world. I would hope you will find people who want to worship and pray - I would hope they have loads of Spirit - but I can't promise it will have - we have our fair share of boring. But if you want to give us a clue as to the sort of style and belief you think you are looking for, and where in the country you are - someone might be able to point you in the right direction - allowing for the fact that "to become a full Theist" means following God's will and not our own - and sometimes that means we end up in uncomfortable places. Have fun looking. Craig
Agnostic 16 November 2009, 9:07pm	Thank you for your reply. I have read through the The Basis of Union and found it helpful. The best thing for me is to go to my local URC and have a talk with the people there. The position I am in is I have been reading the Bible on my own, and have been conversing with on-line Christian friends/colleagues. Now I am at a point where I need real life interaction with other Christians and Bible study. The other attempts at church going kind of failed. Not the Churches fault, but I never fitted in. I shall try the URC and just let God do as he wants with me, if this is his will... then so be it!
Siaran 13 January 2010, 8:47am	I like Craig's reply. Like AT I was looking for a church having moved areas. Being a dyed in the wool baptist (or should that be dipped in the pool?)it was tempting to join the 500 strong baptist church but that meant passing every other denomination to get there as it is the far end of town. Dilemma. What is the point of those inter denom meetings if it is just a couple of times a year? So I worked my way through a few like AT and was met with similar responses. In one Cof E I went into the creche to see what was what only to have another mother arrive and dump her 2 children on me before rushing into the service! My neighbours were URC but we resisted going in case they were some weird sect! Like AT I found there really wasn't much info on beliefs etc available for us to look at. The neighbours had no idea we had been christians for 20 years (which probably says as much about us as them!) and my husband a long standing deacon. During the first year I moved my kids from the Cof E brownie/Guides to the URC ones and they went to church because of that. We were invited to Christmas/birthday get togethers, BBQ's etc and I once said to my husband that I felt like a salmon being played, but still we kept quiet. Eventually we joined their house group, but still hadn't been to church. When we did go it was very like a Baptist church so we felt at home. Firstly the people were welcoming and there was both organ and worship band - old and new. Definately worth giving it a go. If you are in Tonbridge (or not) you are welcome to pop in and it is right by the train station (Opposite McDonalds). It is a popular holiday thing to do apparently and we get lots of URC visitors, which I never recall at the Baptist church.