On two different days, two very different churches were visited not only for research purposes, but also as a learning experience. The first church, situated in the Brisbane CBD, was St Stephen’s Cathedral. This church is a catholic church, based on the ancient traditions and beliefs founded in the middle ages. The second church was Citipointe Christian Centre, in Carindale Brisbane, a Pentecostal Christian church based on beliefs established during the Reformation. The churches were distinctly opposite from each other in more ways than one, including the appearance of the churches. However, both are based on the same core beliefs in the salvation of Jesus Christ.
St Stephen’s, the Catholic Church, was the first visited of the two, and was an extremely eye opening experience. The building was beautiful architecture, and was in the shape of a cross. It featured stained glass windows, each of them telling an old story. Inside the building was old fashioned and traditional, with shafts of sunlight pouring in, everything was bright and open.
Citipointe Christian Centre however was really different. The building was large, open and fairly rectangular in shape. Inside was quite darkly painted and decorated, with dark walls, carpet and seats, but bright lights in various colours to light the stage. The colour scheme however didn’t reflect on the mood, all the people were warm and happy, and the atmosphere was young and energetic.
The services of each church couldn’t feel more opposite. On one hand, St Stephen’s was structured and a little robotic, as the arrangement of the service never changed. The place was completely silent other than the person giving the bible reading or prayer, there was no music, and no one spoke during the service. This shows that the congregation values respect for one another. The first part of the service had a very strict order, bible readings, prayers, bible reading, relating it to your life, then more prayer. The second part of mass, is offering. This is communion that they take and believe is the actual flesh and blood of Jesus, but it is only offered to members of the Catholic church. For those who are not official members, they may receive a blessing from the Priest. This part of the service was still quiet, no background music or noise was nearby. At the end of the service they sang one short hymn, the words of which were mostly not understandable. The Catholic church is obviously based around tradition, change is a foreign concept.
At Citipointe Christian Centre, the service could not have been more different. The people there are all warm and chatty, the service started off with a bang, the Church’s own band loudly playing their songs for praise and worship. Praise and worship in the church is very important, a time for each individual to get close to God before the message, and it goes for as long as the mood lasts. The music is powerful, and all written originally by the band. After the music, the announcements began, then the tithes and message. All of it was comfortable, although some people were talking and whispering during the sermon. This showed that respect wasn’t at the top of the list of importance, but the few individuals that did speak were mostly unnoticed due to the large amount of people.
The Catholic Church’s beliefs are also quite different to the Pentecostal church. The Pentecostal church believe in a personal relationship with God is the only way to salvation, if you do not know Jesus, then who are you serving? Both churches base their beliefs around the Bible and the trinity, but a major difference is the blessing of speaking in tongues. Citipointe believe in two types of Baptism, water baptism and baptism in the Holy Spirit. This is more commonly known as tongues, speaking in an unidentifiable language of prayer, a gift from God to give you the power of praying for His will. The catholic church does not share this belief. The catholic church believes that it is a gift from the Holy Spirit, but thinks that what the Pentecostal church promotes is false. They believe what the Pentecostal church teaches is tongues, is in fact just nonsensical gibberish. They believe they have Biblical evidence that the way the Protestant Pentecostals speak tongues is ‘condemned by the Bible’. (http://en.allexperts.com/q/Catholics-955/Tongues.htm) This will always be a point of debate, but the only one with the true answer is God.
Another difference in the Catholic Church and the Pentecostal church is their view on divorce. The Pentecostal church believe divorce may be acceptable in some cases, such as one person in danger. They accept people whether or not they have been divorced or remarried, as a person’s past is exactly that, in the past. Everyone deserves a fresh start, and the Pentecostal church supports that. The Catholic Church however holds a firm view on divorce being a terrible sin, something that no catholic should execute. They also do not believe in any form of contraception, seeing it as preventing someone from being born. The Pentecostal church’s belief on contraception is that of personal choice, so long as the couple are married.
The Catholic Church and the Pentecostal Church are very different, in more ways than one, in both their beliefs and their actual services. Though both churches are based on the Trinity of God the Father, God the Son, and the Holy Spirit, their interpretations of the bible are both distinctly opposite.
Monday, June 14, 2010
Part A: Comment on Bronte Thomas's Blog
Comment on Bronte Thomas’s Living Faith Uniting Blog
Both Bronte and I attended the Living Faith Uniting Church at different times, and I find her reflection on the church much like my own, and I agree with what she has stated. I agree that the church felt welcoming and friendly, like the people already knew us. We attended on different weeks, but had very similar experiences. I agree that not many people arrived late despite the early commencement, and that even though the church was small in number, they gave the spirit of a large church. She makes a good point by saying that because of the smaller size, the church was closer and had tight connections to each other, supporting each and every person. I agree that the Uniting church felt like a cross between Catholic and Protestant, upholding tradition and structure but at the same time, sharing beliefs of the Protestants. I feel that Bronte didn’t go very in-depth as far as the beliefs of the church, only brushed the surface. One thing she did not include was that their beliefs are set on the Basis of Union, a list of beliefs written out in detail that are the foundation of the Church. I agree with Bronte that little hints of tradition were shown throughout the service, like lighting the candle and opening the Bible. These were things that I also noticed during the service and made note of, and although the Church was different to what I am used to, I also felt welcome there from the start. I agree with pretty much all of what Bronte has stated, although a little more detail in some areas was needed.
To see Bronte Thomas's post: http://www.brontethomass.blogspot.com/
Both Bronte and I attended the Living Faith Uniting Church at different times, and I find her reflection on the church much like my own, and I agree with what she has stated. I agree that the church felt welcoming and friendly, like the people already knew us. We attended on different weeks, but had very similar experiences. I agree that not many people arrived late despite the early commencement, and that even though the church was small in number, they gave the spirit of a large church. She makes a good point by saying that because of the smaller size, the church was closer and had tight connections to each other, supporting each and every person. I agree that the Uniting church felt like a cross between Catholic and Protestant, upholding tradition and structure but at the same time, sharing beliefs of the Protestants. I feel that Bronte didn’t go very in-depth as far as the beliefs of the church, only brushed the surface. One thing she did not include was that their beliefs are set on the Basis of Union, a list of beliefs written out in detail that are the foundation of the Church. I agree with Bronte that little hints of tradition were shown throughout the service, like lighting the candle and opening the Bible. These were things that I also noticed during the service and made note of, and although the Church was different to what I am used to, I also felt welcome there from the start. I agree with pretty much all of what Bronte has stated, although a little more detail in some areas was needed.
To see Bronte Thomas's post: http://www.brontethomass.blogspot.com/
Part A: Reflection on Living Faith Uniting Church
The Living Faith Uniting Church is a branch of the Union, founded on the 22nd of June in 1977. The Uniting church is a combination of the Presbyterian, Congregational Union and Methodist churches, and is in conversation with the Anglican and Lutheran churches about joining with them also. The Living Faith Church is in Carindale, on Pine Mountain road, opposite Metropol. The Church is a part of the Uniting Church Australia Synod. The service began at 8:30am on Sunday morning, the only service for the week. Despite the early time frame, all the people arrived on time. Although the Church attendance was small in number, they had enough space to accommodate for a lot of possible visitors, though sadly, many of those seats remained unfilled. Upon arrival, we were warmly welcomed by a few people, including the Minister, who after the service told us a bit more information on the Uniting Church.
The Uniting Church bases their beliefs on the ‘Basis of Union’, which is their statement of faith. The church believes in the Trinity, God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The Church is centred around Christ, and much like the Pentecostal or Charismatic churches, they believe in a personal relationship with God, and serving in the church. Living Faith Uniting Church believe in the Old and the New Testament, and believe it is vital for our walk in Christianity. The church believes in Baptism, that it is a move for those who confess a Christian faith, to be incorporated into Christ’s body. They take Holy Communion, and offer it to those who attend. They mostly hold similar beliefs to the Pentecostal and Charismatic churches, although the actual services are held differently.
The service commenced by lighting a candle on stage, then a Bible reading, and a song. The songs were sung by a few of the church’s older ladies, to a backing track and hymn-like words, although the pace was faster. After the song, announcements were given, then sharing their experiences with God for the week. This was a time where anyone could share their story, and I found it to be a really pleasant time of the service, something where all could participate and reflect on the miracles happening within the church. They then prayed, for more revelations of God, and then took up offering. Though there were only a handful of people at the church, no more than 40, they all gave money into the offering. The offering was prayed for and blessed, something I hadn’t seen in a long time, but I felt should happen more often. The sermon then commenced, and everyone was quiet. This showed that respect was very important in the church. The preaching was Bible based, the woman told a bible story, then related it to modern day and how it applies to our lives. I found it was relevant, although I did find it a little hard to concentrate, as most of the people in the Church were a lot older than myself, so it was more related to them. The preacher included memories and stories from her own life to make the message more interesting. After the message, they prayed again, then the Lord’s Prayer. This shows that they are keeping a little bit of tradition, even with the relevance to modern day life. The service ended with more singing, and finished quite early.
The Uniting Church believes that social justice is a big part of being a Christian, and they reach out to the community in many ways. They have Chaplains in hospitals, in the military, Blue Care, and caring for young disabled people. They care for lots of different people, going overseas, to the outback, and in isolated communities.
The church was a very different experience for me, as I am very used to the fashion-forward, loud music and darkly decorated styling of Citipointe Christian Centre, so seeing a different church like this was eye-opening as to how other people worship.
The Uniting Church bases their beliefs on the ‘Basis of Union’, which is their statement of faith. The church believes in the Trinity, God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The Church is centred around Christ, and much like the Pentecostal or Charismatic churches, they believe in a personal relationship with God, and serving in the church. Living Faith Uniting Church believe in the Old and the New Testament, and believe it is vital for our walk in Christianity. The church believes in Baptism, that it is a move for those who confess a Christian faith, to be incorporated into Christ’s body. They take Holy Communion, and offer it to those who attend. They mostly hold similar beliefs to the Pentecostal and Charismatic churches, although the actual services are held differently.
The service commenced by lighting a candle on stage, then a Bible reading, and a song. The songs were sung by a few of the church’s older ladies, to a backing track and hymn-like words, although the pace was faster. After the song, announcements were given, then sharing their experiences with God for the week. This was a time where anyone could share their story, and I found it to be a really pleasant time of the service, something where all could participate and reflect on the miracles happening within the church. They then prayed, for more revelations of God, and then took up offering. Though there were only a handful of people at the church, no more than 40, they all gave money into the offering. The offering was prayed for and blessed, something I hadn’t seen in a long time, but I felt should happen more often. The sermon then commenced, and everyone was quiet. This showed that respect was very important in the church. The preaching was Bible based, the woman told a bible story, then related it to modern day and how it applies to our lives. I found it was relevant, although I did find it a little hard to concentrate, as most of the people in the Church were a lot older than myself, so it was more related to them. The preacher included memories and stories from her own life to make the message more interesting. After the message, they prayed again, then the Lord’s Prayer. This shows that they are keeping a little bit of tradition, even with the relevance to modern day life. The service ended with more singing, and finished quite early.
The Uniting Church believes that social justice is a big part of being a Christian, and they reach out to the community in many ways. They have Chaplains in hospitals, in the military, Blue Care, and caring for young disabled people. They care for lots of different people, going overseas, to the outback, and in isolated communities.
The church was a very different experience for me, as I am very used to the fashion-forward, loud music and darkly decorated styling of Citipointe Christian Centre, so seeing a different church like this was eye-opening as to how other people worship.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Part A: Reflection on Citipointe Church
Citipointe Christian Centre is situated in Carindale, Brisbane, and is a Pentecostal/charismatic church. Citipointe was first formed in 1974 with only 25 people attending. It has since grown into a huge movement, with over 1000 churches in 31 countries. Citipointe Brisbane is the base church of over 4500 people with a few other campuses around Brisbane. The pastors of the church are Mark and Leigh Ramsey, who took over in September 2000, with guest speakers coming every now and then, and other pastors for different age groups working on the staff. The church couldn't be further from 'traditional', breaking the barriers of the stereotypical churches that come to mind. With modern furnishings and decorations, music, lighting and the fashion of the people who attend couldn't be more stylish. This church is a symbol to non-Christians that church doesn't have to be the boring, dull image that you may think of when you hear the words "Christianity" or "Church".
The beliefs of the church are based around the reformation, believing in both the Old and New Testament, the blessing of speaking tongues, and they believe anyone can be saved through the forgiveness of Jesus Christ and the trinity. This means that the church believe in the Holy Spirit, and the blessing of tongues is a powerful gift from God, but if you do not have the blessing, that doesn’t mean you are any less ‘holy’. The church is a denomination descending from the Reformation, so the 95 Theses are basic beliefs that are agreed with and applied. The church does not support homosexual relationships, but accept people for who they are. The church believes that Jesus is the saviour of the world, the utmost God. Nothing comes before him, or close to it.
They also believe in taking communion, but do not think it literally becomes the flesh and blood of Jesus. When the church gives communion, it is passed around to all the members, including the visitors. Citipointe believes that a personal relationship with God is essential, no one can be judged on their faith by anyone but God.
The church does not discriminate, as Jesus said anyone that repents shall be forgiven, so members of the church come in all shapes and colours, with people from all kinds of countries and ages. Citipointe is open to anyone, visitors are welcome to come and go, as the church is large in number.
Services are held on Sundays, twice in the mornings, and twice at night. The 5pm service is for mostly older people, and the 6:30pm service for the youth and young adults. The church holds a youth group on Friday nights for teenagers between grades 7-12 to attend as a younger, more ‘fun’ service. The music at Citipointe is a big part of the church. They boast a large, talented music team of young adults, who write, record and sing all their own original songs. The praise and worship is always loud and people can feel free to go out the front, jump around, sing as loud as they want, and it’s all round a fun and light-hearted atmosphere. The message was relevant and easy to follow, and the speaker was really enthusiastic and kept it light with jokes. The speaker was not a guest preacher on the particular night service attended, Mark Ramsey spoke. He was easy to relate to, as he knows the youth can find it hard to concentrate for long periods of time, so he was entertaining to keep the young people’s attention.
The appearance of the church was not what you would expect at first glance. The church had dimmed lights, with dark coloured paint on the walls, and dark coloured carpet. The stage was lit with various coloured bright lights, with smoke machines adding to the effect. The atmosphere was not bright and airy or open, but was better suited to people who didn’t mind going unnoticed on a visit to the church. The church and the facilities around it are all rather glamorous, but not in a way that is overly boastful. Overall the trip to Citipointe Church was fun and suited to people of all ages, especially the youth and young adults. It was not intimidating or unwelcoming, and was very enjoyable.
The beliefs of the church are based around the reformation, believing in both the Old and New Testament, the blessing of speaking tongues, and they believe anyone can be saved through the forgiveness of Jesus Christ and the trinity. This means that the church believe in the Holy Spirit, and the blessing of tongues is a powerful gift from God, but if you do not have the blessing, that doesn’t mean you are any less ‘holy’. The church is a denomination descending from the Reformation, so the 95 Theses are basic beliefs that are agreed with and applied. The church does not support homosexual relationships, but accept people for who they are. The church believes that Jesus is the saviour of the world, the utmost God. Nothing comes before him, or close to it.
They also believe in taking communion, but do not think it literally becomes the flesh and blood of Jesus. When the church gives communion, it is passed around to all the members, including the visitors. Citipointe believes that a personal relationship with God is essential, no one can be judged on their faith by anyone but God.
The church does not discriminate, as Jesus said anyone that repents shall be forgiven, so members of the church come in all shapes and colours, with people from all kinds of countries and ages. Citipointe is open to anyone, visitors are welcome to come and go, as the church is large in number.
Services are held on Sundays, twice in the mornings, and twice at night. The 5pm service is for mostly older people, and the 6:30pm service for the youth and young adults. The church holds a youth group on Friday nights for teenagers between grades 7-12 to attend as a younger, more ‘fun’ service. The music at Citipointe is a big part of the church. They boast a large, talented music team of young adults, who write, record and sing all their own original songs. The praise and worship is always loud and people can feel free to go out the front, jump around, sing as loud as they want, and it’s all round a fun and light-hearted atmosphere. The message was relevant and easy to follow, and the speaker was really enthusiastic and kept it light with jokes. The speaker was not a guest preacher on the particular night service attended, Mark Ramsey spoke. He was easy to relate to, as he knows the youth can find it hard to concentrate for long periods of time, so he was entertaining to keep the young people’s attention.
The appearance of the church was not what you would expect at first glance. The church had dimmed lights, with dark coloured paint on the walls, and dark coloured carpet. The stage was lit with various coloured bright lights, with smoke machines adding to the effect. The atmosphere was not bright and airy or open, but was better suited to people who didn’t mind going unnoticed on a visit to the church. The church and the facilities around it are all rather glamorous, but not in a way that is overly boastful. Overall the trip to Citipointe Church was fun and suited to people of all ages, especially the youth and young adults. It was not intimidating or unwelcoming, and was very enjoyable.
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