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Church Bulletin Welcome
#153325
06/18/13 09:48 AM
06/18/13 09:48 AM
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OP
SDA Chaplain Active Member 2022
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Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 2,364
USA
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The Denver First SDA Church seeks to welcome all to their services. Here is an item that they put in their bulletin: We extend a special welcome to those who are single, married, divorced, gay, filthy rich, dirt poor, yo no habla Ingles. We extend a special welcome to those who are crying new-borns, skinny as a rail or could afford to lose a few pounds. We welcome you if you can sing like Andrea Bocelli or like our pastor who can’t carry a note in a bucket. You’re welcome here if you’re “just browsing,” just woke up or just got out of jail. We don’t care if you’re more Catholic than the Pope, or haven’t been in church since little Joey’s Baptism. We extend a special welcome to those who are over 60 but not grown up yet, and to teenagers who are growing up too fast. We welcome soccer moms, NASCAR dads, starving artists, tree-huggers, latte-sippers, vegetarians, junk-food eaters. We welcome those who are in recovery or still addicted. We welcome you if you’re having problems or you’re down in the dumps or if you don’t like “organized religion,” we’ve been there too. If you blew all your offering money at the dog track, you’re welcome here. We offer a special welcome to those who think the earth is flat, work too hard, don’t work, can’t spell, or because grandma is in town and wanted to go to church. We welcome those who are inked, pierced or both. We offer a special welcome to those who could use a prayer right now, had religion shoved down your throat as a kid or got lost in traffic and wound up here by mistake. We welcome tourists, seekers and doubters, bleeding hearts ... and you!
Last edited by Gregory; 06/18/13 09:50 AM.
Gregory May God's will be done.
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Re: Church Bulletin Welcome
[Re: Gregory]
#153337
06/18/13 02:33 PM
06/18/13 02:33 PM
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SDA Active Member 2021
5500+ Member
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Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 7,003
The Orient
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I think that sort of announcement will prove counter-productive. If you're welcoming all those types of people (and I'm not saying that any of them should be made to feel unwelcome should they come to church), how many of those people will actually feel comfortable there?
Instead of announcing to the world the kind of riff-raff you are willing to accept, why not pray that the Holy Spirit will send those who are open to receive Him?
Blessings,
Green Cochoa.
We can receive of heaven's light only as we are willing to be emptied of self. We can discern the character of God, and accept Christ by faith, only as we consent to the bringing into captivity of every thought to the obedience of Christ. And to all who do this, the Holy Spirit is given without measure. In Christ "dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in Him." [Colossians 2:9, 10.] {GW 57.1} -- Ellen White.
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Re: Church Bulletin Welcome
[Re: Green Cochoa]
#153350
06/18/13 06:34 PM
06/18/13 06:34 PM
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SDA Active Member 2020
5500+ Member
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Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 6,368
Western, USA
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I think that sort of announcement will prove counter-productive. If you're welcoming all those types of people (and I'm not saying that any of them should be made to feel unwelcome should they come to church), how many of those people will actually feel comfortable there?
Instead of announcing to the world the kind of riff-raff you are willing to accept, why not pray that the Holy Spirit will send those who are open to receive Him?
Blessings,
Green Cochoa. So Green, should we be passive? Maybe just luke warm perhaps? Matthew 22:9-10 Go you therefore into the highways, and as many as you shall find, bid to the marriage. 10 So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests.
Oh, that men might open their minds to know God as he is revealed in his Son! {ST, January 20, 1890}
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Re: Church Bulletin Welcome
[Re: APL]
#153357
06/19/13 12:50 AM
06/19/13 12:50 AM
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I think the welcome was rather strong and definitely too wordy.
I certainly wouldn't place such a worded welcome in our church bulletin.
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Re: Church Bulletin Welcome
[Re: Green Cochoa]
#153371
06/19/13 07:52 PM
06/19/13 07:52 PM
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OP
SDA Chaplain Active Member 2022
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Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 2,364
USA
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Instead of announcing to the world the kind of riff-raff . . . Interesting that you should consider the mentioned people as riff-raff. American Dictionary of the English Language: [quote} Riff-raff: 1. Worthless or disreputable persons. 2. Rubbish trash.[/quote] I contrast that with the value that God placed upon them in the plan of salvation.
Last edited by Gregory; 06/19/13 07:52 PM.
Gregory May God's will be done.
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Re: Church Bulletin Welcome
[Re: Gregory]
#153391
06/20/13 10:07 AM
06/20/13 10:07 AM
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SDA Active Member 2021
5500+ Member
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Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 7,003
The Orient
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Gregory, I found a rather more interesting definition of "riff-raff," which is the one I had in mind at the time I posted. Please accept it as the intended meaning, since it was my word choice and it expressed what I wished to say. Un-savory people in our society. People you do not want to be associated with. "Unsavory" implies having lost its saltiness. Jesus talks about this. We are to be the salt of the earth, without having lost its saltiness. Peter was accused of associating with Jesus. Peter denied Him, and swore to show he would ordinarily have been associated with a different crowd. We are to be "in the world but not of the world." Let not the world come into the church. Blessings, Green Cochoa.
We can receive of heaven's light only as we are willing to be emptied of self. We can discern the character of God, and accept Christ by faith, only as we consent to the bringing into captivity of every thought to the obedience of Christ. And to all who do this, the Holy Spirit is given without measure. In Christ "dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in Him." [Colossians 2:9, 10.] {GW 57.1} -- Ellen White.
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Re: Church Bulletin Welcome
[Re: Green Cochoa]
#153395
06/20/13 01:05 PM
06/20/13 01:05 PM
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OP
SDA Chaplain Active Member 2022
Most Dedicated Member
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Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 2,364
USA
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Gregory,
I found a rather more interesting definition of "riff-raff," which is the one I had in mind at the time I posted. Please accept it as the intended meaning, since it was my word choice and it expressed what I wished to say.
Originally Posted By: Urban Dictionary
Un-savory people in our society. People you do not want to be associated with.
"Unsavory" implies having lost its saltiness. Jesus talks about this. We are to be the salt of the earth, without having lost its saltiness.
Peter was accused of associating with Jesus. Peter denied Him, and swore to show he would ordinarily have been associated with a different crowd.
We are to be "in the world but not of the world."
Let not the world come into the church.
Blessings,
Green Cochoa. Green: I was frankly surprised at your comment. It was not something that I had expected from you. But, I took your comment to mean exactly what I gave as a definition. However, I accept as true your statement as to what you meant. In the context of my comment, I take issue with your statement that we should not let the world come into the church. The context of my comment and that of the church bulletin was that of welcoming people to walk through the door od a SDA Church and try out a SDA Worship experience. IT was not an open invitation to membership. It was not an invitation to denominational leadership. In that specific context I strongly disagree with you. If I were to become a congregational pastor again, I would promote every Saturday evangelism in which the general public would be invited, without restriction to try out our worship service. In that process, I would hope to be used by the HS to lead them to a change in commitment to Christ and in life. But, I would clearly want all of the mentioned people to be welcome to enter the doors of our church building and try out worshiping with us. In that sense, I would welcome the world into the church. NOTE: The word "church" has multiple meanings. In the sense of that bulletin in meant to come through the doors of a building.
Last edited by Gregory; 06/20/13 01:05 PM.
Gregory May God's will be done.
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Re: Church Bulletin Welcome
[Re: Green Cochoa]
#153396
06/20/13 01:17 PM
06/20/13 01:17 PM
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OP
SDA Chaplain Active Member 2022
Most Dedicated Member
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Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 2,364
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Green: You mention that you took your definition from the "Urban Dictionary." Which further astounds me.
A standard dictionary, which is what I cited, is authored by trained people who tell us how a word is being used in by writers in that language. IOW, my citation gave you a meaning of the term as it is being used by writers of U.S. English.
The Urban Dictionary clearly tells us, on its website, that its meanings come from INDIVIDUALS who simply want to define a word themselves. IOW, the Urban Dictionary does not consist of meanings that tell us how English writers use that word.
The simple fact is: As far as the Urban Dictionary is concerned, you could have submitted that definition, and your citation could have been to yourself. No, I do not think that you did such. But, you could have done so.
If you read further into the background and approach of the Urban Dictionary, it is clearly acknowledged that the meanings that it attributes to words are not standard meanings but are non-standard or individual slang.
It is fine if that is what you want to do in your individual conversations. But, be aware that people who read your written communication will likely understand your words in the context of a standard dictionary and not an esoteric meaning that you have given to them.
Last edited by Gregory; 06/20/13 01:18 PM.
Gregory May God's will be done.
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Re: Church Bulletin Welcome
[Re: Gregory]
#153401
06/20/13 02:26 PM
06/20/13 02:26 PM
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SDA Active Member 2021
5500+ Member
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Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 7,003
The Orient
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... If the church has no strength to stand against the unsanctified, rebellious feelings of church grumblers, it is better to let church and grumblers go overboard together than lose the opportunity of saving hundreds who would make better churches, and have the elements existing within themselves of strength and union and power. {Ev 371.1}
The very best way for ministers and churches is to let this faultfinding, crooked class fall back into their own element, and pull away from the shore, launch out into the deep, and cast out the gospel net again for fish that may pay for the labor bestowed upon them. Satan exults when men and women embrace the truth who are naturally faultfinding and who will throw all the darkness and hindrance they can against the advancement of the work of God. Ministers cannot now in this important period of the work be detained to prop up men and women who see and have felt once the force of the truth. They should fasten believing Christians on Christ, who is able to hold them up and preserve them blameless unto His appearing, while they go forth to new fields of labor.-- The True Missionary, February, 1874. {Ev 371.2}
The regulation adopted by the early colonists, of permitting only members of the church to vote or to hold office in the civil government, led to most pernicious results. This measure had been accepted as a means of preserving the purity of the State, but it resulted in the corruption of the church. A profession of religion being the condition of suffrage and office-holding, many, actuated solely by motives of worldly policy, united with the church, without a change of heart. Thus the churches came to consist, to a considerable extent, of unconverted persons; and even in the ministry were those who not only held errors of doctrine, but who were ignorant of the renewing power of the Holy Spirit. Thus again was demonstrated the evil results, so often witnessed in the history of the church from the days of Constantine to the present, of attempting to build up the church by the aid of the State, of appealing to the secular power in support of the gospel of Him who declared, “My kingdom is not of this world.” [John 18:36.] The union of the church with the State, be the degree never so slight, while it may appear to bring the world nearer to the church, does in reality but bring the church nearer to the world. {GC88 296.4}
In every generation God has sent his servants to rebuke sin, both in the world and in the church. But the people desire smooth things spoken to them, and the pure, unvarnished truth is not acceptable. Many reformers, in entering upon their work, determined to exercise great prudence in attacking the sins of the church and the nation. They hoped, by the example of a pure Christian life, to lead the people back to the doctrines of the Bible. But the Spirit of God came upon them as it came upon Elijah, moving him to rebuke the sins of a wicked king and an apostate people; they could not refrain from preaching the plain utterances of the Bible,—doctrines which they had been reluctant to present. They were impelled to zealously declare the truth, and the danger which threatened souls. The words which the Lord gave them they uttered, fearless of consequences, and the people were compelled to hear the warning. {GC88 606.1}
Thus the message of the third angel will be proclaimed. As the time comes for it to be given with greatest power, the Lord will work through humble instruments, leading the minds of those who consecrate themselves to his service. The laborers will be qualified rather by the unction of his Spirit than by the training of literary institutions. Men of faith and prayer will be constrained to go forth with holy zeal, declaring the words which God gives them. The sins of Babylon will be laid open. The fearful results of enforcing the observances of the church by civil authority, the inroads of Spiritualism, the stealthy but rapid progress of the papal power,—all will be unmasked. By these solemn warnings the people will be stirred. Thousands upon thousands will listen who have never heard words like these. In amazement they hear the testimony that Babylon is the church, fallen because of her errors and sins, because of her rejection of the truth sent to her from Heaven. As the people go to their former teachers with the eager inquiry, Are these things so? the ministers present fables, prophesy smooth things, to soothe their fears, and quiet the awakened conscience. But since many refuse to be satisfied with the mere authority of men, and demand a plain “Thus saith the Lord,” the popular ministry, like the Pharisees of old, filled with anger as their authority is questioned, will denounce the message as of Satan, and stir up the sin-loving multitudes to revile and persecute those who proclaim it. {GC88 606.2} I find those thoughts applicable in my consideration of the bulletin announcement posted above. Blessings, Green Cochoa.
We can receive of heaven's light only as we are willing to be emptied of self. We can discern the character of God, and accept Christ by faith, only as we consent to the bringing into captivity of every thought to the obedience of Christ. And to all who do this, the Holy Spirit is given without measure. In Christ "dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in Him." [Colossians 2:9, 10.] {GW 57.1} -- Ellen White.
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Re: Church Bulletin Welcome
[Re: Green Cochoa]
#153406
06/20/13 03:22 PM
06/20/13 03:22 PM
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OP
SDA Chaplain Active Member 2022
Most Dedicated Member
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Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 2,364
USA
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Public evangelism does not accomplish much if one cannot get people to attend.
Personal evangelism requires that there is association.
No, I am not talking compromise of the message.
Gregory May God's will be done.
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Here is the link to this week's Sabbath School Lesson Study and Discussion Material: Click Here
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