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megan
Posts:1
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| 04/11/2006 1:23 AM |
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Hi,
I'm megan and I'm 20 living in New Orleans. Great advertising by the way because I never look into things that I see on tv...
I'm in college and work almost full time. I have a loving and supportive boyfriend and a great group of friends. Basically, I'm very happy right now.
But for the past couple of years, I feel like I've had a cloud surrounding me. I feel like I'm just floating through life. Yes, I have a "plan" but most of the time that just doesn't do it for me. I was diagnosed with depression last year but the medicine only worked for a little while. So I've been thinking if it's maybe something that is missing from my life.
I'm a confirmed, but non-practicing catholic. I went to a catholic school my entire life. None of my friends go to church, but I have been thinking if i need this? Is this what is missing?
bottom line, I smoke, drink, use drugs occasionally, and have sex. None of these things rule my life in a way that I avoid my obligations and responsiblities, therefore, I don't have a problem having those things in my life. What is the UCC's thoughts on those things.
I read in another post that the UCC doesn't believe in heaven? Maybe I have that wrong, but seeing as my father died when I was two, the one belief that I hold close to is heaven and being able to be with my father again. Does the UCC believe in heaven?
Finally, this may seem stupid, but the UCC is a catholic church right? Would I have to leave catholicism if I decided to join?
Sorry about the length. I guess I have been thinking a lot.
thanks again,
megan |
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AychJE
Posts:1
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| 04/11/2006 11:29 AM |
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Hi Megan,
Welcome - I'm glad you made your way here! I think you'll find this to be a great place to explore your questions. I should probably say right up front that I'm not one of the "official" hosts, but I'll chime in until they find your post :-)
One of the things that it's important to know about the UCC is that we are gathered together in covenant relationship, not bound by creed. What does that mean? It means that our relationships - church to church and person to person - are defined by a promise that we're together in the big beliefs (like that God is real) and that we'll be tolerant of each other in the "other, smaller details" (like what kind of songs to sing during worship), so to speak. In the "Stretch Your Mind" section, under "What's the UCC?" you'll find our statement of faith. These are the things we generally agree upon. Most of us. Most of the time LOL There's room in all things - even our statement of faith - for respectful discussion and even disagreement.
Sooooo..... what does that mean for the questions you asked?
The UCC doesn't have an official position on the questions you asked about smoking, drinking, drugs or sex. There are certainly people in my church who would shrug and say "What's the big deal?" The Parish Nurses in my church might want to be sure you are having safe sex and they'd advise you to stop smoking and doing drugs, cuz they're nurses and they worry about things like cancer and adiction. If you were to sit down with the minister at my church, she'd probably ask you if you thought you were living a life that honored God. The answer to that is in your own heart, so she'd leave it at that, unless you wanted to talk about it further. If you asked 10 different people in my church their opinion about all of those things, you'd probably get 10 different answers, and most people would finish their answer with "What do YOU think? What's in your heart?"
I didn't see the other post, so I'm not sure in what context the statement was made that the UCC doesn't believe in heaven. I don't believe that's true. I certainly expect to be with my loved ones again in heaven, and I believe you will be too.
The UCC is a Protestant church, not a Catholic church. There's a big umbrella "Christian church" that arches over both Catholic churches and Protestant churches - that's because we believe lots of the same things. There are some significant differences though, and that's why people protested - hence the name Protestant - the things that the Catholic church was teaching that they didn't believe were right. One of the big names in that movement was Martin Luther, who was around in the late 1400's. In the United States, pretty much anything that's not Roman Catholic comes from the Protestant movement - though it can be confusing because there are so many names now, like United Church of Christ, Baptist, Lutheren, Methodist, Episcopal, Assembly of God... and that's just the tip of the iceberg!
Wow. I just read over this and it's all kinds of long, so I'm going to stop now and let you digest, and if anything doesn't make sense, you can just ask :-)
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RuralUCC
Posts:27
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| 05/18/2006 11:55 AM |
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Hi Meagan,
You wouldn't be the first Catholic to come to the UCC. Welcome aboard if you join us. You have every right to believe in Heaven; I DO TOO. As far as your lifestyle in concerned, the UCC welcomes all people, no matter where you are on life's journey. I would highly recommend working on quitting drugs and keep drinking to an absolute minimum---because these things can cause depression and make it worse. I've had very happy friends turn to that lifestyle and become angry and sad all of the time. That is just my opinion and I can't make your decisions for you. I am addicted to caffeine and it does at times effect my personality--I imagine something stronger would do worse. Nevertheless, you are welcome aboard the UCC right now, where you are. There are not any barriers for people of faith to join us, we all have issues and problems. Bless you, we love you and welcome you. May God continue to bless and nurture you. |
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lisa
Posts:38
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| 05/22/2006 9:31 AM |
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Hi Megan. I'm Lisa, one of the "official guides" on this web site, although the answers you've had so far have been great. This is a Protestant Church, not a Catholic Church, as has been said. Would you have to leave catholicism if you decided to join? That's a different question. You never completely "leave" the faith in which you were raised, and anytime you want to attend a Catholic Church you'd be welcome to go ahead and do that. The drinking, drugs, and sex question -- they don't seem to be making you happy or filling that hole you find in your life, so you may have answered your own question about that already. You'll have to decide that for yourself as you go along. It is said that everyone has a God-sized hole in their hearts and that they will never feel complete until that hole is filled. We try to fill it with other things, but nothing else fills the hole the way God can. So, welcome to the i.ucc community. I hope we have helped to answer your questions, or start you on the path to answering your questions yourself. You can try asking God, too. It isn't hard and doesn't have to be formal. In any case, you are welcome here in our community. May God bless your journey.
Lisa |
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WWJD
Posts:40
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| 08/09/2006 11:41 PM |
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Hi, I missed your post when you first posted. I don't know if you are still around, I hope you are. It sounds like you are medicating your depression with drugs and alcohol and possibly sex. All three will make it worse. First, please find someone to help treat the depression. It make take a while but it will go away.
While you are certainly welcome at the UCC and could still consider yourself Catholic if you went (there are Jewish people who are members of the UCC I go to) it will not fix your depression, either. Although being involved with a supportive community can certainly help the problem is not there because you aren't going to church.
I hope things are going better for you. Take care. |
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Booktender
Posts:14
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| 08/16/2006 3:03 PM |
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Sorry I didn't see this until now!
You are welcome here. I'm UCC from birth and, while I don't believe in a physical heaven or hell, I do believe in an afterlife. So you can see, we do all vary in our beliefs within the UCC!
The others have addressed your post pretty well. I've been diagnosed with depression since I was 21. I wanted to add that if a depression medication doesn't work for you or only works for a little while, you would be well-served to return to the doctor or find a different doctor to try other meds. There are a ton of them and sometimes it takes a while to find the right dose or combination. You may also want to go to counseling to help you find ways of dealing with and actually heading off depression. I speak not as an authority but as a person with this disease.
If you came in the door at the UCC and asked for help in dealing with that or anything, the clergy would be glad to help in the least judgemental possible way a human being can.
The love, support, and fellowship offered by my growing-up church has been vital to my parents, brothers, and I as I cope with and they experience my disease. |
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