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Starlight
Posts:75
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| 11/17/2006 9:00 AM |
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Hello everyone! *waves*
I've been reading about the UCC lately and I really like it, so I thought I'd join this site... it seems nice. :) I'm a Christian, but I don't really have a denomination... I think that the UCC is my favorite denomination according to what I've read, though... I like that it accepts diversity, and that it's really positive. :) Unfortunately, there are no UCC churches here where I live. Maybe if I ever move to the USA, I'll join an UCC church... :)
Anyway, here's the question I wanted to ask... what exactly is i.UCC? Is it sort of like an online church, like I've read on another site with a link to it? And what's the difference between the www.ucc.org, i.ucc.org and www.stillspeaking.com sites? I'm just curious... I'm generally a curious person. ;) Well, no matter what it really is, it seems quite cool and I'm going to check out all the stuff you have here... :) |
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ProudDog
Posts:498
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| 11/17/2006 5:47 PM |
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Hi Starlight again!
Welcome to i.UCC! We're this community of people who are involved in, interested in or somehow curious about the United Church of Christ. We come from all over the world. Some here are involved in local congregations and others aren't. We're here to have a conversation about Jesus. We're here to have a conversation abot God's extravagant love for everyone. We're here to pray together and to learn from each other too.
Your question about ucc.org and stillspeaking.com is one that others ask too. From my perspective, stillspeaking.com is one way people find out about the UCC while ucc.org is another. They're both a little different in how they present things, but both are ways to help people experience God's unconditional love. i.UCC is another place like that too!
None of the sites is a place where you 'should' or shouldn't go to find out about the UCC. We just have a few different ways for people to get acquainted. Different parts of the room -- but still the same party!
I hope you enjoy it here -- you're welcome anytime |
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-Kirk Moore |
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ball
Posts:37
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| 11/17/2006 7:44 PM |
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| Out of interest, where do you live now? |
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Starlight
Posts:75
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| 11/18/2006 6:57 AM |
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Hi Ball! I live in Poland. :)
Hi ProudDog! :)
Thanks for the reply :) That's interesting! It seems like a really good place. :) And the United Church of Christ seems awesome! Even though my only contact with it can be through the internet. I'll also look at the other two sites. :) |
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ProudDog
Posts:498
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| 11/18/2006 9:05 AM |
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Thanks, Starlight
We are connected with churches in Europe through the World Alliance of Reformed Churches. The Polish Reformed Church is part of the alliance too. Have you been to a Reformed Church near you? |
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-Kirk Moore |
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Starlight
Posts:75
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| 11/18/2006 11:17 AM |
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Thanks for telling me. :) No, there are no Reformed churches anywhere here... there are only a few Roman Catholic ones, and a Pentecostal one... Anyway, I think that church wouldn't be right for me, because I've read on a Wikipedia article about it that it has Calvinist beliefs ... to be honest, I find Calvinist beliefs scaryProudDog wroteThanks, Starlight We are connected with churches in Europe through the World Alliance of Reformed Churches. The Polish Reformed Church is part of the alliance too. Have you been to a Reformed Church near you? |
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ProudDog
Posts:498
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| 11/18/2006 9:47 PM |
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| Whatever you're scared of -- you're still welcome here! |
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-Kirk Moore |
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Starlight
Posts:75
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| 11/19/2006 10:19 AM |
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Thank you! It's a cool place :) I only wish it was sort of... more active, and full of life... kinda like an online UU comminuty which I joined recently, but I'm not sure if I'll be able to stay there for more than a month, and I hope to stay here for much longer than that. :)
By the way, I'm curious about one thing... I've noticed on one page that there are places where information about i.guides and UCC officers will be put... does it mean that the i.ucc site isn't complete yet and it's still under construction? :) |
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ProudDog
Posts:498
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| 11/19/2006 1:54 PM |
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Yup -- we're in the process of continuing to be community and to encourage each other as we grow together in faith. In that way we're going to continually be under construction. But we're also continuously working on improving the site and how people can interact with it.
Starlight wrote
Thank you! It's a cool place :) I only wish it was sort of... more active, and full of life ... kinda like an online UU comminuty which I joined recently, but I only joined it for a month, and I hope to stay here for much longer than that. :)
By the way, I'm curious about one thing. I've noticed on one page that there are places where information about i.guides and UCC officers will be put ... does it mean that the i.ucc site isn't complete yet and it's still under construction? :) |
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-Kirk Moore |
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Starlight
Posts:75
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| 11/19/2006 2:15 PM |
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That sounds great! :)
If you're curious, then I have some ideas which in my opinion would maybe help attract more people and make the site even better... :)
ProudDog wroteYup -- we're in the process of continuing to be community and to encourage each other as we grow together in faith. In that way we're going to continually be under construction. But we're also continuously working on improving the site and how people can interact with it. |
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ProudDog
Posts:498
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| 11/19/2006 3:09 PM |
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Thanks, Star
Andy -- are you reading? (Andy is the i.ucc chief kahuna)Starlight wrote
That sounds great! :)
If you're curious, then I have some ideas which in my opinion would maybe help attract more people and make the site even better... :) |
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-Kirk Moore |
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Starlight
Posts:75
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| 11/19/2006 4:11 PM |
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ok... these are things I've seen on other sites and online communities :) First, just a simple "who's online" list on the main page to see who else is on i.ucc together with you at the moment, and also a shoutbox somewhere near it for a quick chat or just if you want to say something to other people, but without posting it on the forum.
Another online community I've seen also has a special weekly discussion topic ... there's a new one each week, and other members can post their thoughts about it. It can be about anything ... God, life, people, the world. It's interesting. Maybe also a private message system, and a live chat (the "who's online" list could show who's at the live chat at the moment).
And maybe also a blog available for every member, where they could post their thoughts. The main site could show the links to most recent blog entries posted by members, posts in the forum, and the weekly discussion topic.
And my last suggestion is to give each member a sort of a personal profile page, where they could say something about themselves, and about what they like ... maybe also some pics. I think these things would increase the interaction between members, and also bring some more life here... :) What do you think about them? |
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ProudDog
Posts:498
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| 11/20/2006 12:25 PM |
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Thanks, Starlight
That's a lot for me to digest. Anything that gets the site more friendly and welcoming and works with our site provider would be good, right? I'm just one of the bloggers here - but I know the people who do design stuff are reading. |
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-Kirk Moore |
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Starlight
Posts:75
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| 11/20/2006 12:45 PM |
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| You're welcome! Well, these are just suggestions, I don't know how much of it would be possible here. These are just things which in my opinion would maybe attract more people, and encourage current members to visit more often. |
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ball
Posts:37
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| 11/28/2006 1:54 AM |
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Hi Ball! I live in Poland. :)
Dzień dobry! ;-) |
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Starlight
Posts:75
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| 11/28/2006 6:46 AM |
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| Dzien dobry! :) Czy tez jestes z Polski? |
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Andy Lang
Posts:0
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| 12/02/2006 5:32 PM |
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| Dear Starlight, sorry it took so long for me to respond to your question.
i.UCC is an online community for anyone who is exploring Christianity. It's not really an online "congregation" and we do recommend that people checking out the UCC for the first time should visit a local church, where all the action is. But we can provide here an experience in relationshp, opportunities for conversation and Bible study, multimedia aids for meditation, and real-time prayer every night at 9 p.m. (Eastern).
A lot of people joining this community are already members of a UCC congregation. They're explorers as much as anyone else--we are all, since faith is a lifelong journey. They find experiences here--like daily prayer--that complement and enrich their experience in their congregation.
There's more here. |
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Starlight
Posts:75
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| 12/03/2006 5:27 AM |
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| Hi Andy! Thanks for explaining. :) It's a nice place! Too bad I can't join in the online real time prayer here, because I think it's 3 AM then here where I live. But I think it's still cool. Right now, for me it's the only contact with the UCC which I can have, but if I ever move to the USA, at least for some time, I'll surely visit a UCC church! :) |
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kaz
Posts:2
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| 03/30/2007 7:30 AM |
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| Hi Starlight!
I'm living in Poland now, and used to attend a UCC church while in Boston. I would gladly get in contact with you if you want - just email me!
Kaz(imierz) |
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Starlight
Posts:75
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| 04/02/2007 1:37 PM |
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| Hi Kaz! Nice to meet you! I'll send you an email :) |
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Jack
Posts:95
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| 04/17/2007 8:33 PM |
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Jack O’Kelly, founder of what would become the Christian Church (one of the four branches to become the UCC) wrote, in 1798...
“We learn from the Book of God, that the church in general, includes all the real Christians in the world.”
Thanks Jack, how does this principle apply to the local congregation?
“Any number of christians [sic] united in love, having Christ for the head, and center of union, constitutes a church.”
While our understanding the various terms have changed or evolved over
the last 209 years, it still remains accurate even in a 21st century
context.
It does a very good job of defining the universal nature of Christ's
church in a congregational and ecumenical context. Yes, agreeing on the
Christians and their churches that meet these criteria should keep the
debates alive for generations. Nevertheless I find it sufficiently
inclusive.
Please forgive me for this quick tweak. Pastor O’Kelly broke away from
the Methodist Episcopal church. He originally called his new
denomination the Republican Methodist church.
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Jack |
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