Anonymous wrote:I never knew that membership was a big deal in terms of attending church. Wow.

Me either. I am a member a Methodist church I have attend for a few years but I have no idea if other people are members or not. To me a person I would consider a "members" is someone who comes to church on sunday fairly regularly. I don't really care if they sign up officially or anything and I never realized any one else would either. Weird.

I never knew that membership was a big deal in terms of attending church. Wow.

OP, has anything happened to make you feel that you are unwelcome. From what you've written so far it seems like a problem that is in your head.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This doesn't make sense OP.

I am catholic, I don't agree with everything the church teaches but being catholic gives me so much beyond that.

Why do you go to this church if it bothers you so much?

You do realize that it's not really up to you to disagree, right? Either you have the faith or not. You sound like you're bound for hell. Repent. Or just stop. You don't get to pick and choose the pieces you like.

So you and your spouse adhere to the strict rules of sexual intimacy and family planning of Catholicism?

Do you or your spouse veil? Because I do.
Do you keep the old fasting rules? Because my family does.
Do you pray before and after meals?
How about keeping up with weekly confession?
Daily mass? I'm there are you?

Thing is though, I don't care because faith is between you and God. "Who am I to judge?" Because don't forget judging is a sin. And those who like to play "more catholic than thou" are doing just that.

How about this, Mr/s FireNBrimstone ... what about when a priest or bishop picks and chooses who can receive dispensation - are those people safe?

You do realize only boys were allowed as altar servers once and the catholic church has changed with the time, needs and wants of its parishioners. Did everyone who ever wanted that change find a spot in hell?

The change I want? Everyone to be welcome into the Church. Because we are all sinners and our sin is passed from our lips through the priests ears straight to God and no one else.

Sin is sin. Church is where you go to reconcile that. Everyone should be welcome.

Sorry for the hijacking. People like the PP get my hackles up.

Anonymous wrote:I really think you're overthinking. But if you're concerned, why not talk to the pastor? I take my child to a UCC church, even though I would never join. I've talked to the pastors and they've always said we are welcome no matter what. They may be praying to win your soul at which point you will choose to become a member, but I can't imagine them turning you away.

Are they Mormons?

They are Protestant.

I really think you're overthinking. But if you're concerned, why not talk to the pastor? I take my child to a UCC church, even though I would never join. I've talked to the pastors and they've always said we are welcome no matter what. They may be praying to win your soul at which point you will choose to become a member, but I can't imagine them turning you away.

Are they Mormons?

Anonymous wrote:This doesn't make sense OP.

I am catholic, I don't agree with everything the church teaches but being catholic gives me so much beyond that.

Why do you go to this church if it bothers you so much?

You do realize that it's not really up to you to disagree, right? Either you have the faith or not. You sound like you're bound for hell. Repent. Or just stop. You don't get to pick and choose the pieces you like.

St Columba's in DC? If so, your'e definitely not imagining it.

I'm a church administrator. It would not be an issue at all in our church. I run the place and couldn't be 100% sure who is actually a member vs the folks who come all the time but haven't officially joined the church.

Doesn't make a difference at all to us.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I WILL say that it's a small church in North Carolina (don't know if that matters) and we do use the church nursery on Sunday mornings. I think using the nursery is my main concern right now.

Your post continues to make no sense. You're attending z church in which you don't agree with the doctrine and the Sunday nursery is the main thing you're bent out of shape over??

No matter what your denomination is - look for another one! They are a dime a dozen.

No, I feel uncomfortable sending my children to the nursery when we aren't members.

Are you uncomfortable your children might be exposed in the nursery to doctrine you don't agree with? Or do you feel guiltily about using their facilities when you don't hold their beliefs? If the latter, many people send their kids to religious affiliated schools without belonging to the church or denomination. the churches generally don't mind as long as you pay the tuition. Your children will learn the doctrines there, however. But I don't know about nursery school.

I feel guilty about using their nursery when we aren't members. They won't be exposed to what we disagree with in the nursery and probably not even in Sunday school.

It sounds like they don't mind, but to be sure, just ask them if it's OK

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I WILL say that it's a small church in North Carolina (don't know if that matters) and we do use the church nursery on Sunday mornings. I think using the nursery is my main concern right now.

Your post continues to make no sense. You're attending z church in which you don't agree with the doctrine and the Sunday nursery is the main thing you're bent out of shape over??

No matter what your denomination is - look for another one! They are a dime a dozen.

No, I feel uncomfortable sending my children to the nursery when we aren't members.

Are you uncomfortable your children might be exposed in the nursery to doctrine you don't agree with? Or do you feel guiltily about using their facilities when you don't hold their beliefs? If the latter, many people send their kids to religious affiliated schools without belonging to the church or denomination. the churches generally don't mind as long as you pay the tuition. Your children will learn the doctrines there, however. But I don't know about nursery school.

I feel guilty about using their nursery when we aren't members. They won't be exposed to what we disagree with in the nursery and probably not even in Sunday school.

1. You love the church
2. You don't agree with the doctrine
3. So you won't join because of the doctrine
4. You don't hate the doctrine enough to not give money
5. You don't hate the doctrine enough to not attend mass every Sunday
6. You like the nursery

Did I miss any other relevant points?

Anonymous wrote:My DH is military, so we haven't had a real home church in a long, long time. When we left DC a few years back, we stopped attending a church of our denomination. We currently attend a church that we love, but as time has gone on, we feel more and more uncomfortable not being members. However, we also don't agree with some of the doctrinal statements of the church we attend, so becoming members isn't something we really want to do.

I guess what I'm asking is, does it irritate a church to have a family attending yet not becoming members? We do contribute monetarily each week.

How do they know you are not members?

Also you won't join because of their doctrinal statements, yet you give money and attend every Sunday and use the nursery?
Its unclear what you are asking

This doesn't make sense OP.

I am catholic, I don't agree with everything the church teaches but being catholic gives me so much beyond that.

Why do you go to this church if it bothers you so much?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I WILL say that it's a small church in North Carolina (don't know if that matters) and we do use the church nursery on Sunday mornings. I think using the nursery is my main concern right now.

Your post continues to make no sense. You're attending z church in which you don't agree with the doctrine and the Sunday nursery is the main thing you're bent out of shape over??

No matter what your denomination is - look for another one! They are a dime a dozen.

No, I feel uncomfortable sending my children to the nursery when we aren't members.

Are you uncomfortable your children might be exposed in the nursery to doctrine you don't agree with? Or do you feel guiltily about using their facilities when you don't hold their beliefs? If the latter, many people send their kids to religious affiliated schools without belonging to the church or denomination. the churches generally don't mind as long as you pay the tuition. Your children will learn the doctrines there, however. But I don't know about nursery school.