# Ask the United Church of Christ member **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 2, 2008, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-united-church-of-christ-member/451420 "2008-06-02T01:24:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2008, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-united-church-of-christ-member/451420/1 "2008-06-02T01:24:55Z")
OK, so this thread is about people who want to talk about Obama and the UCC. Ask away! ---
**Author:** ![Caricci](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/85f322/32.png) [@Caricci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caricci)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2008, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-united-church-of-christ-member/451420/2 "2008-06-02T02:10:03Z")
Preachers kid here. Dad is a UCC minister, Bangor Seminary, '70 So my question is, are the dinner rolls as yummy at your church suppers as they were at mine? ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Tiger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6de8d8/32.png) [@Mama\_Tiger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Tiger)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2008, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-united-church-of-christ-member/451420/3 "2008-06-02T02:12:49Z")
I was raised in the UCC; I’m a heathen these days but my mom is still intensely involved. No questions here; I hear more about it than I ever wanted to know! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2008, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-united-church-of-christ-member/451420/4 "2008-06-02T02:13:38Z")
Well… How do you feel about Barack Obama, Reverend Wright, and the controversy? What aspects of the case have the media distorted? ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2008, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-united-church-of-christ-member/451420/5 "2008-06-03T16:11:23Z")
[QUOTE=Caricci] Preachers kid here. Dad is a UCC minister, Bangor Seminary, '70 So my question is, are the dinner rolls as yummy at your church suppers as they were at mine? [/QUOTE] Absolutely. We’ve got several restaurant owners in the congregation. The pancake supper on Shrove Tuesday was outstanding! ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2008, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-united-church-of-christ-member/451420/6 "2008-06-03T16:13:51Z")
[QUOTE=appleciders] Well… How do you feel about Barack Obama, Reverend Wright, and the controversy? What aspects of the case have the media distorted? [/QUOTE] I started to support Obama after reading his books. Rev. Wright is a media hound. I’m really hoping the whole story will now blow over since Obama left Trinity. I wonder if he’ll find another UCC church? As far as why he stayed so long? I’ve certainly rolled my eyes at a few things the pastors at my church have said. However, I haven’t left simply because the church is more than just the sermon. ---
**Author:** ![Two\_and\_a\_Half\_Inches\_of\_Fun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ea666f/32.png) [@Two\_and\_a\_Half\_Inches\_of\_Fun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_and_a_Half_Inches_of_Fun)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2008, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-united-church-of-christ-member/451420/7 "2008-06-03T16:21:38Z")
Maybe this is not specific to a UCC member, but what evidence do you see to support the hypothesis that a carpenter that lived 2,000 years ago was god? ---
**Author:** ![Revenant\_Threshold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@Revenant\_Threshold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revenant_Threshold)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2008, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-united-church-of-christ-member/451420/8 "2008-06-03T16:21:58Z")
How does the hierarchy work in your church? Are you required to follow the pronouncements of your General Synod, or are their thoughts considered advice rather than rules? ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2008, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-united-church-of-christ-member/451420/9 "2008-06-03T16:30:11Z")
[QUOTE=Revenant Threshold] How does the hierarchy work in your church? Are you required to follow the pronouncements of your General Synod, or are their thoughts considered advice rather than rules? [/QUOTE] Not at all required to. The UCC is congregational. Thus the individual congregation decides what they follow. For example, the same sex marriage pronouncement was not support by every congregation. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2008, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-united-church-of-christ-member/451420/10 "2008-06-03T16:31:22Z")
[QUOTE=Two and a Half Inches of Fun] Maybe this is not specific to a UCC member, but what evidence do you see to support the hypothesis that a carpenter that lived 2,000 years ago was god? [/QUOTE] Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. ---
**Author:** ![Two\_and\_a\_Half\_Inches\_of\_Fun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ea666f/32.png) [@Two\_and\_a\_Half\_Inches\_of\_Fun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_and_a_Half_Inches_of_Fun)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2008, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-united-church-of-christ-member/451420/11 "2008-06-03T16:40:27Z")
[QUOTE=dalej42] Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. [/QUOTE] Do you think these writings provide enough evidence to support the hypothesis considering the numerous issues that have been brought up by scholarly research? > **[The New Testament: A Historical Introduction to the Early Christian Writings:...](https://www.amazon.com/New-Testament-Historical-Introduction-Christian/dp/0195154622)** > > The New Testament: A Historical Introduction to the Early Christian Writings \[Ehrman, Bart D.\] on Amazon.com. \*FREE\* shipping on qualifying offers. The New Testament: A Historical Introduction to the Early Christian Writings ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2008, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-united-church-of-christ-member/451420/12 "2008-06-03T16:45:19Z")
[QUOTE=Two and a Half Inches of Fun] Do you think these writings provide enough evidence to support the hypothesis considering the numerous issues that have been brought up by scholarly research? [/QUOTE] This is a fine subject for a Great Debate, but it doesn’t fit with what **dale42** appears to be trying to do: sharing his experience and opinions as a UCC member. If you want to discuss the provence or historical accuracy of the Bible, please open at thread in GD. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2008, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-united-church-of-christ-member/451420/13 "2008-06-03T16:47:07Z")
never mind. ---
**Author:** ![Two\_and\_a\_Half\_Inches\_of\_Fun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ea666f/32.png) [@Two\_and\_a\_Half\_Inches\_of\_Fun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_and_a_Half_Inches_of_Fun)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2008, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-united-church-of-christ-member/451420/14 "2008-06-03T16:52:41Z")
[QUOTE=Marley23] This is a fine subject for a Great Debate, but it doesn’t fit with what **dale42** appears to be trying to do: sharing his experience and opinions as a UCC member. If you want to discuss the provence or historical accuracy of the Bible, please open at thread in GD. [/QUOTE] Why isn’t the understanding of a UCC member about the Bible and Jesus concerning his experiences and opinions as a UCC member? I believe the UCC uses the Bible and believes that the Jesus is God. I am interested in understanding how a UCC reconciles his beliefs with other areas of knowledge. Are only questions that concern Obama allowed? If so, why was Revenant Threshold not warned as well? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2008, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-united-church-of-christ-member/451420/15 "2008-06-03T17:00:29Z")
[QUOTE=Two and a Half Inches of Fun] Why isn’t the understanding of a UCC member about the Bible and Jesus concerning his experiences and opinions as a UCC member? [/quote] As you said yourself, you’re asking questions about Christianity in general, not the UCC in particular. If you’ve got any questions about the beliefs of the UCC, fire away, but I think you have a general idea of what Christians believe. If you want to argue about any of those beliefs, you can do it in GD. > [@](#): > > Are only questions that concern Obama allowed? If so, why was Revenant Threshold not warned as well? Nobody was given a formal warning, and the difference between your posts and **Revenant** ’s is obvious: he asked questions about the UCC, you didn’t. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2008, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-united-church-of-christ-member/451420/16 "2008-06-03T17:05:47Z")
Fellow UCCer here. Do you belong to an open & affirming congregation (i.e. gays are cool)? If not, what’s your congregations postion on homosexuality? Also, what’s the racial makeup of your congregation? (Mine is mostly white.) ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2008, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-united-church-of-christ-member/451420/17 "2008-06-03T17:17:50Z")
[QUOTE=Skald the Rhymer] Fellow UCCer here. Do you belong to an open & affirming congregation (i.e. gays are cool)? If not, what’s your congregations postion on homosexuality? Also, what’s the racial makeup of your congregation? (Mine is mostly white.) [/QUOTE] My congregation is about 99% LGBT. I’d say the racial makeup is about 90% white. There is a Hispanic service which draws about 70-100 people. Not a very large Black presence, but there are some. ---
**Author:** ![Caricci](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/85f322/32.png) [@Caricci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caricci)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2008, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-united-church-of-christ-member/451420/18 "2008-06-03T18:25:23Z")
[QUOTE=dalej42] My congregation is about 99% LGBT. I’d say the racial makeup is about 90% white. There is a Hispanic service which draws about 70-100 people. Not a very large Black presence, but there are some. [/QUOTE] And my dad’s congregation is and always been about 85% blue haired old ladies with wavery sopranos. UCC is a very diverse denomination. When I spoke to dad last night I asked if he still hoped never to perform a same sex marriage. Never one to answer a question directly, he said he hoped this friend of his wouldn’t ask him to perform his ceremony. That annoyed me so I inferred that he was senile.