I'm pearl clutching. And judgy.

SLouise

I went to church for Ash Wednesday last night.  I knew the service would be on the casual side. 

That being said, I about had a stroke when some of the teenage girls went down to the altar with their shoes kicked off.

I have no problem with casual, come as you are and all that, if that's how you prefer to worship.  However, approaching the altar in bare feet I find to be completely disrespectful. 

 

Anyone want to join me?  What's made you judgy lately?

BLT20051

Yeah, that's kinda disrespectful. But I come from a church where you do a half kneel/acknowledgement before you approach the altar. 

I took my friend to an Ash Wednesday service yesterday and she had never been to one where they use the actual ash. She asked me if it was ok for her to take the ash blessing and communion since she wasn't Catholic. I told her it wasn't a Catholic owned thing and the service was being done by our Chaplain who purposely made the service inter-faith. I had to giggle at her a bit though for thinking I'm a Catholic who hoards all traditions.

I had another friend ask me(as we opened a beer last night) "Aren't you supposed to quit drinking for Lent?" I guess a lot of people give up alcohol. lol

SLouise

Bacon+lettuce+tomato:

Yeah, that's kinda disrespectful. But I come from a church where you do a half kneel/acknowledgement before you approach the altar. 

I took my friend to an Ash Wednesday service yesterday and she had never been to one where they use the actual ash. She asked me if it was ok for her to take the ash blessing and communion since she wasn't Catholic. I told her it wasn't a Catholic owned thing and the service was being done by our Chaplain who purposely made the service inter-faith. I had to giggle at her a bit though for thinking I'm a Catholic who hoards all traditions.

I had another friend ask me(as we opened a beer last night) "Aren't you supposed to quit drinking for Lent?" I guess a lot of people give up alcohol. lol

Ha!  Including me.  

I usually go to church with B.  I haven't found one here yet I like.  I actually think I'm going to attend the Episcopal church next weekend and see how that goes.  I need to find a church home; it really bothers me that I rarely get to take communion.   

BLT20051

LOL.

I was raised Catholic, confirmed Lutheran(pretty much the same, lol) and married a Baptist. We found a Lutheran church that does a contemporary service which we both liked. Now the hunt begins again in PA. I'm thinking to try a non-denom first. It's hard to find something in the middle for us since we're polar opposites. Same views/beliefs, just different ways of practicing.

Pumpkin701

People were barefoot all over the place in my home church, but it's also a nondenom, country church. We hicks, we just ain't got no manners 'bout nothin, I tell you what.

BLT20051

Pumpkin701:

People were barefoot all over the place in my home church, but it's also a nondenom, country church. We hicks, we just ain't got no manners 'bout nothin, I tell you what.

Knowing where you're from, I could completely see this.

SLouise

Pumpkin701:

People were barefoot all over the place in my home church, but it's also a nondenom, country church. We hicks, we just ain't got no manners 'bout nothin, I tell you what.

Should I own up to the fact that I'm an Arkansan, from the Ozarks?  ::cue theme from Deliverance::  

KCD053109

::::::giggle::::::  I've seen wayyyyyy too many different approaches to be much shocked by anything any more.

Sibil

Setting aside the church thing, who walks around barefoot in a public building?  It's just weird.

SoftSpot

Sibil:

Setting aside the church thing, who walks around barefoot in a public building?  It's just weird.

That's my line of thinking as well.

Pumpkin701

Bacon+lettuce+tomato:

Pumpkin701:

People were barefoot all over the place in my home church, but it's also a nondenom, country church. We hicks, we just ain't got no manners 'bout nothin, I tell you what.

Knowing where you're from, I could completely see this.

No joke, our minister once asked everyone to remove their shoes and he washed everyone's feet. A lot of people just stayed barefoot afterwards. He also "challenged" us to spend the rest of the day and as much of the next week barefoot to get a better understanding of what it meant to do something as selfless as washing people's feet. Cos, news flash, feet are nasty yo.

And then a few years later a bunch of college kids back for summer break went barefoot everywhere, including to church, cos it was "Christ like" or some craziness like that. I thought they called them Jesus sandals for a reason, but apparently I just don't understand.

Sibil

How big is your church, pumpkin?  

I know it's in the bible and all, but I really don't see cleaning feet as a selfless act if someone is able.  It's just strange.  I've cleaned plenty of people, and not just their feet (nursing student rotations are fun!), but I don't consider that selfless, either.

Pumpkin701

Sibil:

How big is your church, pumpkin?  

I know it's in the bible and all, but I really don't see cleaning feet as a selfless act if someone is able.  It's just strange.  I've cleaned plenty of people, and not just their feet (nursing student rotations are fun!), but I don't consider that selfless, either.

I'm going to guess around 100. There were definitely people that said hellz no and slipped out the back, but most of the congregation loved this preacher and let him do it.

It was weird. 

Beachy730

I was in my college roommate's wedding like 8 years ago, and she had us all go barefoot in the church.  No shoes for her or any of the BM's.  I was not a fan, but it wasn't my denomination church and wasn't my wedding.   

DowagerCountessofNJ

Killer Cupcake:

I went barefoot a lot in my church when I was a teen. Especially during dance practices or while hanging out in the youth room. But they shampooed the carpets once a week there, so I felt pretty okay with it. lol

That's a bit different then strolling up to the altar to take communion but then again Jesus and his 12 apostles strolled around bare foot a lot I'm sure so why not.

I'd totally be a Judgy McJudgerson if I saw this going on at my church but I guess it could be worse.  They could have strolled up for communion wearing a top and leggings.  I will never understand how some girls/women think that leggings = pants.

Brandienee85

I have to admit that I have gotten so cynical about "church people" that I've stopped going to church all together. All the judgy people there really really bug the crap out of me. I realize that saying this makes me a big fat hypocrite, but I can't help it.  

I should add that this is nothing about anyone in this thread... Just the big pent up judgy feeling I've been having lately.  

LemonLover33

Pumpkin701:

Bacon+lettuce+tomato:

Pumpkin701:

People were barefoot all over the place in my home church, but it's also a nondenom, country church. We hicks, we just ain't got no manners 'bout nothin, I tell you what.

Knowing where you're from, I could completely see this.

No joke, our minister once asked everyone to remove their shoes and he washed everyone's feet. A lot of people just stayed barefoot afterwards. He also "challenged" us to spend the rest of the day and as much of the next week barefoot to get a better understanding of what it meant to do something as selfless as washing people's feet. Cos, news flash, feet are nasty yo.

And then a few years later a bunch of college kids back for summer break went barefoot everywhere, including to church, cos it was "Christ like" or some craziness like that. I thought they called them Jesus sandals for a reason, but apparently I just don't understand.

At my church, before communion we would pick partners and wash each others feet. If you didn't want to, you didn't have to. And communion was given out pew by pew and we had shot glasses of grape juice. It was blessed then passed out. Once everyone received a shot and a cracker, we ate them when the pastor said to...

Rink08

There are many people who are always barefoot at my grandparent's church because it is believed that you should walk barefoot on holy ground. They only are barefoot in the sanctuary.