Conference lgp30::christian-perspective

    In my case, I just never went back.  Why would anyone want to formally
    resign from a church?  Especially if the church is like the one
    described in the springboard notes you mentioned?  I would think that
    after a period of your absence, they would get the hint.
    
    Mike

Note 387.1

>    Why would anyone want to formally
>    resign from a church?

Mike,

	Good question.

	I know wherever I am a member of a church I feel a certain sense of
responsibility to uphold that church in my prayers, my presence, my giving,
and my service.  If I plan to discontinue these responsibilities, I consider
it only right and fair to let the church know.

	Some congregations must pay something called "apportionments" based on
the number of persons listed on their membership roles.  The United Methodist
Church and the Friends Meeting to which I belonged both gave so much per member
to a wider body or umbrella organization.  If I left without notice, that
would mean that someone else would have to pay the apportionment for carrying
me as a member.

	For various reasons, some congregations are not too keen on dual or
cross-denominational memberships.  Whether I agree with this policy or not,
I at least try to respect it.

Peace,
Richard

    My situation, as already alluded to in 374.21 and .22, is that of
    holding positions within the local church.  I am a board member,
    oureach director, teach the adult Sunday school class, and assist in
    the administration of services.  I don't have the luxury of simply not
    attending.  Because of the above responsibilities, my resignation will
    probably affect a number of people, besides my immediate family.  
    Nonetheless, I plan I submitting my resignation at the next board
    meeting.
    
    Another reason for a formal resignation is that the organization with
    which I am affiliated has a reputation for slandering those who leave. 
    I want my position and motives to be clearly understood.
    
    In Christ,
    Neil

Note 387.3

>    Another reason for a formal resignation is that the organization with
>    which I am affiliated has a reputation for slandering those who leave. 

Neil,

	I have observed some measure of this myself.  If things go sour,
the tendency is to defer the blame to the one who is now gone and cannot
speak in his or her own defense.

	What funny creatures we are! <sigh!>

							Peace,
							Richard

I confided in the leadership of my church last Sunday that I've been
feeling a need to return to a more mystical tradition of Christian
worship, specifically, the Friends.

I've been a visitor of the local Friends Meeting for quite a while now.

Last time I was there I was amused to find Mike Valenza's name registered
in the guest book as an out-of-town visitor (from Massachusetts).

Peace,
Richard

    :-)
    
    Richard, I really like the new meeting house.  The last two meeting
    places were a dentist's office and a downtown office building, and this
    one has a really nice, homey quality to it.  It is big, it is spacious,
    and, best of all from the meeting's point of view, the rent is free! 
    :-)
    
    However, one drawback that I can think of is that I don't remember seeing
    any ramps for wheelchair access, although maybe I just missed it.
    
    -- Mike

Note 387.6
    
>    Richard, I really like the new meeting house.  The last two meeting
>    places were a dentist's office and a downtown office building, and this
>    one has a really nice, homey quality to it.  It is big, it is spacious,
>    and, best of all from the meeting's point of view, the rent is free! 
>    :-)

Yes, it is a delightful environment.  The dentist's office was completely
inaccessible (2nd floor, no elevator).  The downtown classroom of the
community college extension was okay as far as accessibility goes (basement,
with elevator), but that's about all.
    
>    However, one drawback that I can think of is that I don't remember seeing
>    any ramps for wheelchair access, although maybe I just missed it.
    
There is a ramp, generous in length, on the parking area side of the house.
The only snag I see so far is that no one room is very large.  There's not
a whole lot of room for growth in attendance.

Peace,
Richard

    Richard, and/or Mike,
    
    Please say more about the Quakers. I've been thinking about them, too,
    but I don't want to have to call everyone thee and thou.
    
    Eileen
    

    Don't worry, Eileen, thee doesn't have to call everyone "thee" and
    "thou".  :-)

    Actually, that practice has largely disappeared.  Its original purpose
    had to do with the fact that in the English language of the 1600's,
    "you" was reserved for one's "betters", and "thee" for ordinary people. 
    Quakers believed that everyone should be addressed the same way, and
    thus addressed everyone as "thee".  It was a radically egalitarian
    manner of speech; Quakers also refused to take off their hats for
    people of high station, which also got them into a lot of trouble. 
    Eventually the English language changed to the point where "you"
    replaced "thee" and "thou" altogether, but Quakers continued to use
    these words even though the reason behind it had been eliminated.

    By the way, in case someone criticizes me for the grammatical
    inaccuracy of "thee doesn't", I should point out that Quakerese didn't
    quite follow the old English grammar, and did things like use 'thee' as
    a subject, along with third person verbs, so "thee doesn't" would be
    correct.
    
    If you are interested in Quakerism, you might want to check out the
    notes file GRIM::QUAKER.

    -- Mike

    Richard, I am beginning to think that you change your demominational
    affiliation about as often as I change my state of residence.  :-)
    
    -- Mike

Yeah, I guess my loyalty is not so much to a particular denomination.

Richard

    Sounds like evolution.