Hello. New? Possible Baptist...You Tell me lol

Brothers and sisters in Christ I would like your ear and input as I don’t know who else to ask at this point..

So first off,
Female 56, single. Brit in the UK. Grew up in a Catholic Church... sometimes it still feels like I always have to do something to get to Heaven. Yes The Lord has finally shone a light on how the Catholic church has had an Huge influence in my life and Its been so utterly exhausting!

So recently I have just moved to a new area (and about to go to a baptist church this sunday because the church that is the nearest to me I have been attending since I moved here is Anglican) and we had a small bible study here the other week and when I answered a question about what they were asking I remembered an Old Testament passage and one of the congregants pointed out something about what I said and told me Baptists know a lot of the Old Testament and it made me wonder, if then I may suit being a baptist, because some of the Old Testament writings make sense to me.
Anyway, We also have a woman minister here, and only a handful of people, and even she doesn’t always attend as she has to go and serve at others churches in the benefice( its Anglican Church of England)

I strongly agree that only men should lead the congregation unless there is no men. I am not against women in positions of power, but in church I do believe it's a mans job to lead a congregation in spiritual matters. Perhaps this has been because of my upbringing. It sure feels strange having a woman minister from growing up as a catholic. Also, every very time as a kid I went to a Catholic Church I always felt judged and cannot shake the feeling of being scrutinised. There is something about going to a Catholic Church that puts me off even though I like the symbolism and the church architecture.

So to continue, I have met someone at the local community centre and they go to a baptist church round the corner, so they invited me. I have never been to a baptist church before so dont' know what to expect.. There is only a handful there But a "male Pastor' Leads.

Throughout the years, people attending church has been disappearing at an alarming rate here in the UK, people don’t go to church anymore. it's sad yet also enlightening. Perhaps most of them attending the 2 main denominations of Anglican and Catholic also felt put off with feeling judged or having to do works to get to Heaven.. I don't know...

So how are we to get together? Pubs I hate so I dont go and instead I go to the community centre to volunteer. The area has been designated a deprived area where I have moved to so I help out each day however I can.

I just would like someone to give me a low down of what to expect attending a baptist church. Any info I can read about your denomination and 'Pastors" as you call them who I could listen to or read their sermons to get a flavour of your denim.





Thanks.



God Bless.

 

Sounds good to me.
Thanks for the welcome

 

Thanks.
I never thought about how a church should define themselves before. I mean, I "get" what a Statement of faith is, ( I think) but it never crossed my mind to search and understand one before committing to a church before.
I suppose it's a bit like a business and what their aims and values are.
In hindsight I have made the mistake of going to churches and just " going along with them" before knowing what I am getting into.
Saves a lot of time when one does their homework first.

Blessings.

 

Thanks.
Incidentally, having just read your churches Statement of Faith, its going to take me some time to go through any Baptist churches I come across, as I am baffled by some of the statements and may need some time to really grasp what they mean. Hope you dont mind if I end up asking on here.
Who would have thought a church could be so "in depth'.
But I like it nonetheless...
it helps me to understand some biblical terms.

 

Well I went this morning to the local baptist church and the first thing the Pastor did was...

You guessed it, shook my hand haha
and I laughed and he said what are you laughing for, and I said I was expecting that hehe

 

UPDATE:

well I had a really great time at the baptist church this morning, so much so, that I spent almost 4 hours there in testimony and the Pastor is really cool. Very relaxed chap, and very expressive and attentive to my needs.
I Liked it that much I am going back tomorrow. I have never felt a good vibe like that at the church, everyone felt, well, normal and I felt more attuned to the songs of praise there.

In other words it felt more like home

Thanks everyone, I think I can say I am on my way to finding connection where it was lacking before in the other church(Anglican)

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They do like to eat!

It was quite nice actually, because yesterday I went for another relaxed chat andmeetup with the congregation and the men were all....wait for it, EATING , around the table. Toast of all things lol, at lunch time, all chatting away about the Scriptures and stuff. It felt really relaxing. Then me and the Pastors wife just chatted in the kitchen and left them to it haha