At one time it was important

**turkeycall** · March-07-12, 04:23 PM

When I was growing up on Farmbrook, way back in the '50s, it didn't matter if one was Catholic or not; you lived in a particular parish. That's how the area was identified.

Farmbrook, between Southampton and Frankfort, was within the Saint Philomena parish boundaries.

Not everyone was Catholic. My family belonged to Bethany Lutheran; my next-door neighbor was Methodist. There had to be a Baptist or two in the neighborhood. Of course, ther were some who weren't connected with any church.

But for many, being a member of a church was a matter of importance at one tme.

I guess I'm more curious than anything . . . those who grew up in the various neighborhoods of Detroit and whose families were active members of a church - how many, no matter where you live now - are still active in their church?

As for me, moving from Detroit to Houston to Detroit to Huntington, Indiana, then back to Michigan in the Muskegon area, affiliating with a local Lutheran church was a priority.

Any input, or, is this subject matter too sensitive? If so, my apologies.

**Ray1936** · March-07-12, 05:29 PM

Not too sensitive among intelligent adults, as we have in this forum, turkeycall.

I was pretty much raised Lutheran, going to Sunday school as a kid and being involved in Christmas concerts in church, etc. But I wandered away early, and except for going to an occasional funeral or wedding, I've not stepped foot into a church since 1960 or so. I'm pretty much an agnostic. I don't buy the hoodoo voodoo of any church, yet I leave space for the possibility of some supernatural source that made the universe. Or universes, should that be the case.

Fortunately, my wife of 53 years is of the same ilk, so it worked out okay in my case.

Seemed like most of the kids on my block 60 years ago were Catholic. Most of 'em ended up in jail.........

9mile&seneca · March-07-12, 06:31 PM

"I was pretty much raised Lutheran, going to Sunday school as a kid and being involved in Christmas concerts in church, etc. But I wandered away early, and except for going to an occasional funeral or wedding, I've not stepped foot into a church since 1960 or so. I'm pretty much an agnostic. I don't buy the hoodoo voodoo of any church, yet I leave space for the possibility of some supernatural source that made the universe. Or universes, should that be the case." My beliefs exactly Ray! Did you hear about the Dyslexic Agnostic with insomnia? He was up all night wondering if there was a dog.

**mikefmich** · March-07-12, 06:50 PM

My dad's sister & her family spent some years on Farmbrook, we were over just the other side of Moross. Went to Bethany Christian on Cadiuex. Roots were very strong there from it's earlier location on E. Grand.

Many of us have wandered...some still attend there....but D of C churches are not awfully over abundant in the north. Technically I'm still a member there, I haven't affiliated officially anywhere since those days.

Hey Turkeycall....I think we used to play your Bethany Lutheran boys in softball.

It was a pretty tight knit group. The third generation there [[mine) are now pretty entrenched as old-timers. Tight enough they will be having a 100th anniversary get together in May, with a goodly number of folks from the earlier days attending.

**MidTownMs** · March-07-12, 07:04 PM

My grandfather was the pastor of a large Baptist church on the Eastside for over 60 years. I went there every Sunday until I moved to California in 1970. By the time I got back 10 years later my grandfather had died and I did not return to the church. When I moved to Ann Arbor in 1985 to go to college I started going to another Baptist church. I went every Sunday until I graduated and came back to Detroit. Every once in a while I go to church usually for a funeral or wedding. I guess right now you could say I'm a member of Bedside Baptist Church because I don't think attending church services is important...at least for me it isn't.

Ravine · March-07-12, 07:11 PM

Originally Posted by 9mile&seneca

"I was pretty much raised Lutheran, going to Sunday school as a kid and being involved in Christmas concerts in church, etc. But I wandered away early, and except for going to an occasional funeral or wedding, I've not stepped foot into a church since 1960 or so. I'm pretty much an agnostic. I don't buy the hoodoo voodoo of any church, yet I leave space for the possibility of some supernatural source that made the universe. Or universes, should that be the case." My beliefs exactly Ray! Did you hear about the Dyslexic Agnostic with insomnia? He was up all night wondering if there was a dog.

Nothing is funnier, to me, than downright shamelessly silly humor. Thanks. That one's a keeper.

**gazhekwe** · March-07-12, 08:06 PM

Baptized Catholic at St. Monica's, which then branched out to form St. Christine's, where I had First Communion. We moved to the Soo where I went to the Indian mission St. Isaac Jogues. The Parish thing OP described really didn't seem to apply up there. Moved back down to Epiphany, where I quickly lost interest. When I turned 18, I took responsibility for my own soul and quit the church. Told my Dad it was no longer his mortal sin if I didn't go to church. I just couldn't wrap my brain around the whole idea of organized religion. Too much pain comes down from the actions of the Church in colonizing our land.

Epiphany and St. Monica's are both long gone.

9mile&seneca · March-07-12, 09:11 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dG9tuuznL1Y

**oladub** · March-07-12, 09:16 PM

turkeycall, I sent you a message. Now to your query. I know enough theology not to blame anyone but myself. However, I sometimes feel like the seed that was sprinkled on barren ground; that the message has been toned down, lost it's teeth and become feminized and of little appeal. Maybe the difference between ELCA which I nominally am where I am now and the LCMS in which I was brought up. Same message but it comes out different somehow or is it me? I'm not sure. I still get into midnight Christmas services and am carried away when I hear various old tunes but found myself increasingly impatient with weekly services some years ago as they seemed increasingly vacuous.

Stopped in at the home church in Detroit some months ago for the first time in about eight years and had a strange participatory experience. It was the first time my wife had been there since we were married there decades ago. Only about forty people were in attendance; about one third black. A black vicar gave a very good sermon attacking his subject matter from every direction. After the end of the service, anyone who had an announcement to make could do so. After a couple of announcements about meetings, a 60+ year old white guy went up to the front and started blasting the vicar for not giving a sermon about 9/11 as it was the anniversary of 9/11. He said he drove in 15 miles and was disappointed. I couldn't stand listening to the guy berate the vicar anymore so my wife and I went into the lobby. Two black church members were also in the lobby for the same reason. We agreed to together, all four of us, go up and tell the vicar that we were on his side and to try to ignore the guy, which we did. I felt like I still belonged there. Funny that it didn't transport but still seemed there.