Church

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-03-2003
Church
81
Wed, 02-20-2008 - 6:34pm

I thought I would ask something positive.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 08-26-2007
In reply to: jenny3kidsmom
Wed, 02-20-2008 - 6:42pm

Good post Jenny....


but LOL, I'm going to say that it's a sore subject in my house


iVillage Member
Registered: 08-03-2003
In reply to: jenny3kidsmom
Wed, 02-20-2008 - 6:54pm

Julie-

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Registered: 10-16-1999
In reply to: jenny3kidsmom
Wed, 02-20-2008 - 7:04pm
My kids were all really involved in church activities until they got to be 16 or 17, and then they "strayed" for a time.
Avatar for bookwormmom
iVillage Member
Registered: 07-22-2003
In reply to: jenny3kidsmom
Wed, 02-20-2008 - 7:24pm

I was raised in the United Methodist church and that is where Dave and I met. We now belong to a Presbyterian church and love it there. We started there when the kids were pretty little and they have both been confirmed, but now they both act like they did what they had to do and now they don't have to attend anymore. I must admit part of it is my fault though, I don't get there with them.


I have one real problem and that is a health issue, I can't sit in the pews without having a lot of pain. I started sitting at the far back, preferable in the last pew so I could get up and walk and move if I needed to. Then I started bringing in a chair from the library, but with my hip as bad as it has gotten I am not even comfortable in those chairs.


I spoke with the minister and was told that they were taking 1/2 a pew out in the back and put in comfortable chairs for some of us that have problems like this and also put in some rockers for mom's with little babies that don't want to leave them in the nursery. I thought how wonderful that will be.


On Christmas Eve I went to church and sat in the "comfortable" chair which turned out to be the stacking ones from the fellowship hall. What the heck it that? Glad they think the are comfortable, they aren't for me. Then I talked to one of my church friends and she told me that someone complained that they were going to put comfy charis and rocker back there, so now they aren't going to. What the heck it that about? I couldn't believe it! I havn't taken the time to talk to the pastor yet, but I will be talking to him soon.


So now that I have gone through all that, I will tell you that I do think my children have a firm belief, I know that they do pray, but they don't want to attend church. They will go to some functions with me and/or Dave, but as for worship service and Sunday school, they don't want to. I went through the same thing when I was younger, but I went back to church and still have a very strong belief.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 09-29-2004
In reply to: jenny3kidsmom
Wed, 02-20-2008 - 8:14pm


Well, first of all, I fully respect anyone's choice of religious beliefs. However,
the older I am, the less I subscribe to a religion. I would called myself an agnostic. Any vestige of belief is more of a hold over from my extreme Catholic upbringing.

When the kids were small, I did "Sunday School" because I thought it was good for the kids for cultural reasons. However, I decided I could not push something on the kids, I didn't believe in. My kids are free to believe or not. Both are agnostics, although I would call DS more of an atheist.

So, I would say that my kids did not stray because there was no real belief to start with.

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-19-2003
In reply to: jenny3kidsmom
Thu, 02-21-2008 - 12:02am

I was raised a Catholic.

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-29-2004
In reply to: jenny3kidsmom
Thu, 02-21-2008 - 12:17am


Agree. Both my two kids are extremely moral and kind individuals with friends of all faiths and non-faith.


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Registered: 02-25-2002
In reply to: jenny3kidsmom
Thu, 02-21-2008 - 6:35am

I was raised in a blended family....my dad took half of us to the Episcopol Church, stepmom took her brood to the Catholic church. After a while, they just dropped us off and after a certain point, we stopped going. Much later I dated a serious Catholic young man and *attended* with him frequently. After him I never went into a church except for a wedding, baptism or funeral. Until I had kids. They are all baptized in the Episcopal Church. DH was raised Catholic, he was so impressed with the Episcopal minister in my home town *Father Bob* that he converted...


The kids all attended church pre-K programs and went to Sunday School until they were old enough to say no more...at least thru the 5th or 6th grade...I didn't force them...they, the girls especially, did comply however, when the church called asking for help, i.e. serving at a church supper or helping with VBS. Since we've been

 

Avatar for suzyk2118
iVillage Member
Registered: 07-30-1997
In reply to: jenny3kidsmom
Thu, 02-21-2008 - 7:53am

I'm in this line - raised Catholic. My parents 'strayed' when I was in about 5th grade (we had a very weird new priest come in with very liberal ideas that turned them off), and we then went every once in a while to a different church. I attended protestant services with girlfriends and boyfriends in my teens and 20s, finding it best when I could relate to the pastor. DH and I married in a Catholic church (by his brother, a priest) but don't practice. DS15 went to Catholic K to get in him school early (they changed entrance requirements the year he turned 5) but then we switched him to public school. He went to religion class and completed first confession and first communion but that was it; he is also agnostic at best, as are dh and me.

Sue

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-25-2004
In reply to: jenny3kidsmom
Thu, 02-21-2008 - 8:56am

My kids are 13,10 and 5 and we attend church weekly and they all go to church youth groups weekly as well.My DH is Catholic and rarely attends now,partly due to working shift work,he would only be able to attend once a month.I was raised in the Christian Church/Church of Christ and still attend the same church.My children are not baptized,I want them to take that step when they feel they are ready.Honestly,I don't agree with the Catholic church and having everyone at grade 2 (or whatever age it is) to do First Communion together as a group.I think children should understand and know what they are committing to.I hope no one takes offense to that,but I feel belief in God and Heaven is something we belive in personally,not at a set age and stage in our life.


My 2 older kids also attend church camp in the summer for a week.They look forward to that every summer and attend youth group because they want to,actually they love it.I hope they will continue to attend church because they want to,not because they feel they have to.There were certainly a few years in my life that I did not attend regularly,I went once

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