I'm curious about SDA churches in other countries...

[Toni]

and in different parts of the USA too.

I am a memeber of a homeschooing group that is very diverse. Some Christians, some non-Christians, and those that are Christians are different denominations.

One of the non-Christian moms has just had a new nanny move in with them from Colombia, and she is SDA.

I met her today, and with out limited communication (she speaks very little English) she seemed dismayed that the local church where she will be attending (my church) doesn't meet on Friday evenings, and all day Saturday, and Sunday night...Wed. night, etc.

We do have occasional Friday night meetings (and she is young, so she may be thinking of youth things..and I do know our youth meet on Friday nights...I wish I had said that!) and Pathfinders is one night a week, and camps...etc. But mostly, we have a potluck the last Sabbath of the month, and we have two morning services and Sabbath school, and that's about it.

One SDA friend of mine (I don't see her often...she often goes to many different SDA churches around)is from the South (I'm here is the NW USA), and she explained that churches there often do meet all day, have things planned together, etc.

I like this idea, and wished we did that more here.

How often does your church meet...what are Sabbath's like where you attend? Do you have church activities all day on Sabbath?

I'm planning to hopefully show this nanny around and have her over after church some time. She seems like she thinks we are really strange here! I've only ever been to my church.

Toni

[Gregory Matthews]

Toni:

I have lived in Central America (Panama), and in Asia (S. Korea). Each country has different customs, and some differences in beliefs and practices. I can understand the feelings of the nanny. Based upon living in Panama, I suspect that she came from an area where such meetings was an expectation of the Conference. And, it is possible that churches were expected to hold such in order to remain as recognized SDA churches. I.e. Churches that did not hold such were considered to not be worthy of being called a SDA Chruch.

Let me give you another example: Some years back a Conference in another country was likly to disfellowship a member who was seen in public wearing blue jeans. That was considered, in that country, to be a sin of such magnitude that members should be kicked out of the church. I do not know if that is still the norm in that country. But, I have been told that it is still considered to be a strong sin.

Another example: The SDA Church used to have a youth leader in the General Conference who was known for playing his accordian. He traveled a lot in doing his job. In one area of the world, when he was invited to participate in youth meetings he would officially be asked not to bring his accordian as it was considerd there to be a major sin if associated with anything religious.

While at the Seminary, I once shared living quarters with a man from the Middle East. He was appalled at SDA dating standards. He simply did not udnerstand how we could tolerate going out alone with a person of another gender.

I attended a "workers meeting" (a meeting with ministerial workers) in a Conference in another country, and heard the President tell the workers that they should never be seen with a woman in the car with them unless their wife was also in the car.

There are quite different standards in other countries. Some are appalled at what they see here in the U.S.

[darlene]

We have several ethnic churches in our conference, especially in the Metro Vancouver area. Yes, especially the Filipino, Hispanic churches meet Friday night and all day Sabbath. They meet as one big family and all participate in everything whatever age they are. I think Caucasian churches in North America would do well to learn from them.

[Clio]

There aren't very many towns in Alaska, nor many SDA churches. Those that are here tend to be in regional hub cities and towns.

In there Fairbanks area there is a choice of one of two churches. One is very small, mostly older people, with possibly 10 children of various ages in the church. It is challenged by only one or two people who play the piano, one quite well and the other not quite as well. There is one service on Sabbath, one Sabbath school class, potluck twice a month, and the Quilting Guild one night a week.

This church must share it's pastor with the much larger, meeting in the school gym, church in Fairbanks... which has a plethora of musical talent, rotating weekly with 4 teams so no one is over-burdened. There are a number of children in all age ranges, active in Pathfinders, Youth activities, Family night, Mid-Week service, and weekly potlucks. This church gets the lion's share of the Pastor's time... because with that many people, it just takes that much time.

Those are your choices. Or drive 100 miles south.

It seems in everything, no matter what it might be, Alaska is a land of diveristy and contrast. We attend the smaller church, but occasionally visit the larger.

It's the first time I've been a part of a body of believers who didn't have a Pastor dedicated to them. There are also the efforts to reach the First Nations in the bush in their villages... But that's primarily a summer thing.

In this state, conference airplanes are a necessity. Geographically it is 2.8 X larger than Texas.

Clio

[LifeHiscost]

Quote:

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darlene said:

I think...churches...would do well to learn from them.

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Whatever happened to,

[:"red"] "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus." [/] Gal 3:28 NKJV?

No judgements made or intended, Darlene. Just asking the question.

[Nan]

We are all products of our culture, and these differing customs are surely expressions of those differences. There is not any difference in Christ - of course. But there will be people in our own group whose Christian practices may be a good example to us, as there are in other cultures.

[LifeHiscost]

Quote:

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Nan said:

We are all products of our culture, and these differing customs are surely expressions of those differences. There is not any difference in Christ - of course. But there will be people in our own group whose Christian practices may be a good example to us, as there are in other cultures.

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In perfect agreement. And I might add, those different cultures exist from family to family. That's why I long so much for this promise to be fulfilled.

[:"red"] "And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd." [/] John 10:16 KJV

Keep the faith!