Metropolitan Community Church God's love is ALL Inclusive

Metropolitan Community Church, is a worldwide denomination with almost 300 congregations in 22 countries. It was founded in 1968 by the Rev. Elder Troy Perry as a Christian church that promotes the inclusive & unconditional teachings of Jesus Christ by offering worship specifically welcoming to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community (LGBT). Of course all are welcome to worship at a MCC church and Ministerial positions are attainable by both men and women. Many Christian churches are LGBT friendly - Episcopal, First Congregational UCC, Unity - this, however, is the only denomination with a ministry specifically focused toward the LGBT community. 

Statement of Beliefs

“Christianity is the revelation of God in Jesus Christ and is the religion set forth in the scriptures. Jesus Christ is foretold in the Old Testament, presented in the New Testament, and proclaimed by the Christian Church in every age and in every land.”

I visited the 10:30 am Sunday service of the Metropolitan Community Church of Albuquerque 

Each one of us is loved Equally by God 

The service began with several group hymns. Since June is LGBT pride month, they highlighted a champion to the civil rights movement, Mandy Carter. The congregation greeted each other after the initial announcements and songs. The sermon was short but sweet. Reverend Judith Maynard spoke of the gospel of hospitality. She encouraged the congregation to share the blessings that they enjoy in life to those less fortunate, without judgement. She spoke of the Gift of Radical Hospitality and how it frees us to give the love of God to others and creates a God space where we can learn from one another. 

 The person who welcomes you welcomes me, and the person who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. ~ Matthew 10:40

The Reverend blessed the foster children of one of the families. 

Their communion was open and very unique and personal. Leaders in the church, including Reverend Judy, went to the front of the church with the sacraments. People received the sacrament as individuals or groups, your preference. After receiving the sacrament, the individual or couple were prayed over by the Reverend or church member.  

It was obvious that they are a very close community. Reverend Judy offered a closing prayer and sent the congregation forth with these words:

I hope you leave this place with your spirits uplifted and your hearts filled with love.

I really appreciated the fact that MCC stepped up in the 1960's to fulfill the spiritual needs of those who may not have felt welcomed elsewhere. Since Jesus' love for this world and his believers is without bounds, I also felt very saddened by the notion that this denomination arose due to possible outcast or alienation from other Christian denominations.

THANK YOU Metropolitan Community Church for reminding me of the unconditionality of God's love. 

Christ Lutheran - LCMS

Their are several different branches of the Lutheran Church. Missouri Synod or LCMS is considered a "confessional" denomination and one of the more conservative groups. In 1847, The LCMS was organized at a meeting in Chicago of largely German immigrants, initially called the German Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Missouri, Ohio, and Other States. Having over 2.5 million members, the LCMS is the 11th largest Christian denomination in North America. Even though the Missouri Synod is a separate denomination, they still subscribe, "unconditionally to all the symbolical books of the Evangelical Lutheran Church as a "true and unadulterated statement and exposition of the Word of God" They believe and attempt to hold true to the historical Christian doctrines as revealed in the Bible.

For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. ~ John 3:16

Christ Lutheran is a Missouri Synod Lutheran denomination. They also have a School on site open to all faiths. I attended their 11am Sunday service.

  
I was surprised how different a Missouri Synod church was to the other Lutheran Church I attended. This church was closer in ritual to an Episcopal or Catholic service, using the Nicene and other Creeds, ceremonial robes, acolytes and alter candles. 

There were many hymns sung throughout the service. They had an amazing pipe organ which led the congregation in each hymn. 

There was liturgy, prayers, and bible readings - then Reverend Neal Groeling gathered with the young ones at the alter for a Children's message. It paralleled his sermon on the topic of Fear. He talked to the children about his fear of Monsters under the bed when he was young. As a solution, his mother put a glow in the dark picture of Jesus in his room. The feeling that Jesus was watching over him comforted him in his fears. 

Amazing Grace was sung during the offering and then Rev. Groeling gave his sermon. He asked the congregation what fear was and some people said heights and a child said bears. The reverend said those are actually causes of fears and he contributed that his greatest fear was for the salvation of the people he knows. He explained that fear is actually a natural instinct that God has built into us. He said to us that the things Christ calls us to do, often causes us the greatest fear. He emboldened us to not be afraid of the evils in life, because they have no power over us when you walk with Christ. 

Afterwards, there was communion. It was a unique blend of protestant and catholic rituals. The congregation sang while the other members went to the alter for communion. At the alter each person was given the sacrament of a wafer and a small cup of wine. Then there were closing hymns. 

You could tell the congregation was a very bonded group of people that were a committed spiritual community.  

NOTE: LCMS do not condone membership in Fraternal organizations, Lodges, Masons, etc. 

THANK YOU Christ Lutheran for a blessed Sunday of worship.

Church of the Holy Cross

The Episcopal Church is a protestant Reform denomination that originated from the Church of England. The Church of England split from the Roman Catholic church in the 17th century, when the Pope refused to annul the marriage of the then King of England - Henry VIII. The church however still had to submit to papal authority until the Queen Elizabeth I era, when that decision was reversed. When Britain began colonization, the Church of England spread to all continents. As a successor to the Church of England, the movement in the American colonies became known as Episcopal/Anglican and was formalized in 1789 in Philadelphia.  

Episcopal faith is considered 'catholic' by ritual and liturgy and 'reformed' by application of theologies. Both men and women, including those who are married, are eligible to be ordained as deacons, priests, & bishops. Episcopalians do not forbid the sacraments to those who have been divorced. They use the Book of Common Prayer in services. 

Settled at the base of Southern Mountain in Edgewood NM, Church of the Holy Cross is a small inclusive and heartfelt community. Besides being Father's Day, it was Trinity Sunday - the first Sunday after Pentecost. Father Raymond Raney presided over the service. 

The standard liturgy prayers were conducted and then there were readings, which was a group effort - different passages were read by members that were sitting throughout the congregation. Fr. Raney's sermon focused on Fathers. He talked about the relationship we have with our heavenly father and how it is often similar to the one we have set up with our Earthly father. If our father was loving, then it is a loving relationship. If our father was stern and distant than often so too is our relationship with God. He encouraged us to not let the shortcomings of our parents, dictate our perception of and relationship with God.  

For the LORD reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights. ~ Proverbs 3:12

Earlier this week, this congregation lost a member to death. The Paten and Chalice used during the service's communion ritual were pottery that was crafted by that beloved member. Holy Communion may be received by all baptized Christians in Episcopal churches. There was a choir that led the songs and the men of the choir performed a solo for the congregation. It was very touching because the man who had passed away was a big part of the choir and this song became a tribute to him.  

They handed out a small gift to all of the Dads at the service and then there was food and fellowship after the service. 

They are a lovely community, very open and receptive. People of ALL Lifestyles are welcome to worship at Church of the Holy Cross. 

THANK YOU Church of the Holy Cross Episcopal Church for sharing your service with me. 

Celebrate Wesleyan Church

The Wesleyan Church is a protestant, evangelical, holiness denomination. The Wesleyan church was originally part of the Methodist Church but split from it in the mid 1800's, due to disagreement about sanctification -- the process by which people become more holy. The church took its name after John Wesley the founder of the Methodist church. A fundamental teaching of the faith is, "a victorious Christian life is possible for all believers through the experience of both forgiveness of sins and the filling of the Holy Spirit in our lives." There are just a few Wesleyan Churches in Albuquerque. 

This past Sunday, I attended Celebrate Wesleyan Church's 10:45 service. Reverend John Bubbico conducted the service. It started with singing, a call to the altar, and prayers. Then Rev. Bubbico gave a very well prepared and moving sermon based on Romans 8:28

"All things work together for the good of those who love God."

Rev. Bubbico preached about the difficult times in life and how to not close yourself off from God during these times. He talked about using moments of grief and crisis as an opportunity to grow, to strengthen your relationship with God, and could even serve as some of life's best lessons. He talked about how attitudes are the biggest factor in determining how these moments affect you. He said, "Your attitude in life, affects your spiritual altitude." He also discussed the common pitfalls in how people choose to face life's challenges:

• Self Pity - Asking God "Why Me?" and soliciting pity about your circumstances from others
• Rebelling - Getting angry and trying to fight back against the sorrow or challenges you are facing - as if getting mad at God will really change things
• Breaking Through - Using the grief or sorrow for creating something good in your life. Always looking for the lesson or the good in the hard times.  

He encouraged us to put our Faith in God, because God has a way of pulling together the broken pieces and sculpting them into a beautiful new creation. 

It was a simple service, but very good insight into the Word of God. An elderly couple invited me to have lunch with them but I already had plans ♡♡ Very Sweet.  

OPEN YOUR MINDS AND HEARTS TO THE SPIRIT OF GOD. 

THANK YOU Celebrate Wesleyan Church for such a great and inspiring service and sermon. 

United Pentecostal Church

United Pentecostal Church was formed in 1945 by the merger of the Pentecostal Church Incorporated and the Pentecostal Assemblies of Jesus Christ and originally emerged out of the Pentecostal movement of Azusa Street Revival in Los Angeles and later Topeka, Kansas. Pentecostal faiths believe Miraculous Works of the Holy Spirit and that the Holy Spirit takes a hold of a person and they should express it by singing, dancing, jumping, and other movements. 

I attended the 2pm service at the New Life United Pentecostal Church 

The Mission of the New Life Church is to "exalt God through heartfelt sincere worship,  bible-based teaching, and anointed preaching." The whole service was conducted in praise - first singing praise, then prayer and healing, a sermon full of the praise of God, then they concluding the service with more healing prayers. In the true pentecostal vein, the members of the church were very vocal - speaking in tongues, praying out loud, singing joyfully. Some of them jumped up and down and ran around. They were very excited about the time they spent in prayer and praise. It was by far the most spirited pentecostal service that I have attended. Their healing is done by the laying of hands on each other, anointing with oil, and speaking tongues over one another. 

This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit. ~ 1 Corinthians 2:13

Pastor Steven Hamilton gave an exuberant sermon. He showed a great humility for his faith and God's will. He encouraged us to always go to God for direction and spoke of not holding the words of ministers or any man above the words of God. He asked if we have surrendered our Affection, Intellect, and Will to God?  Only those who have surrendered to God will hear the guiding voice of God. 

"Only God can stop your crash course to Destruction."  - Pastor Hamilton

The members showed a great dedication to their faith and humbleness to the Lord. 

Note: Pentecostal women generally wear skirts and wear their hair up even thought there is no official rule on that. Pentecostal women do not cut their hair so that is the reason so many of them wear it up. 

THANK YOU New Life United Pentecostal Church for sharing your Spirit Filled worship with me.