Being Methodist

Christians have a distinct philosophy as described by a writer in 200 A. D.:

"Christians are not distinguished from the rest of mankind by either country, speech, or customs; the fact is, they nowhere settle in cities of their own; they use no peculiar language; they cultivate no eccentric mode of life...Yet while they dwell in both Greek and non-Greek cities, as each one's lot is cast, and conform to the customs of the country in dress, food, and mode of life in general, the whole tenor of their way of living stamps it as worthy of admiration and admittedly extraordinary...They take part in everything as citizens and put up with everything as foreigners. Every foreign land is their home, and every home a foreign land...Their board they spread for all, but not their bed. They find themselves in the flesh, but do not live according to the flesh. They spend their days on earth, but hold citizenship in heaven. They obey the established laws, but in their private lives they rise above the established laws. They love all men, but are persecuted by all...In a word--what the soul is in the body, that the Christians are in the world."

A few members of LAUMC put this in more contemporary terms:

"I'm beginning to find out who I really am, and so I'm becoming my own person. I'm therefore free to make, and to carry out, responsible decisions.”

"My experience in this church has really changed me. I see that I'm different, but most of all, my husband sees the difference. He said that 'since you have been going to that church you've really changed for the better.'"

"It really feels good to find out I'm a worthwhile person. It is the most important insight I've ever had."

This social and personal "difference" is available to all. It comes through Faithful Membership.