any American Baptists, as opposed to Southern Baptists on here?

[davidinalameda]

I have some questions

[Critters2]

1. I went to an American Baptist seminary,

so I can probably answer your questions. What's up?

[davidinalameda]

2. I'm probably headed to an American Baptist seminary in about a year myself

American Baptist West in Berkeley

trying to find out how much of a culture shock it will be for me

I'm only four years back in church; attended an Episcopal church for a year and now at a UCC for the past three

[Critters2]

3. I don't think it'll be much culture shock.

I went to Andover Newton, which is related to both the ABC and the UCC. In New England, the two denominations are very similar. In the Midwest, the ABC is more conservative. I can't really say how things are in California.

I do know that a friend who's ABC and had done her undergrad at Berkeley went to California, stayed with her brother there and tried to get a call. She learned that ABC churches there wouldn't call a woman, and wouldn't call a pastor who's last church hadn't grown by some percentage--hard to pull off when you serve in a community that's losing population. She finally gave up, came back to the Midwest and got a call right away.

So, my impression is that the ABC is pretty conservative in California, but seminary faculty and students tend to be more conservative than local churches, of all denominations. So, I still don't think the culture shock will be too severe.

Where are you now?

[davidinalameda]

4. I'm in the bay area

there are two churches in my area that are both ABC affiliated and liberal; one is a hybrid ABC/UCC in San Leandro, just south of Oakland, and the other one is in Oakland and it's ABC/Alliance and Welcoming

I was talking to my church's former youth minister and he knew someone who went to ABW and is now serving at an MCC church

I'm not sure if I want to serve as a congregational minister but if that's what God wants from me, who am I to say no!

I've been trying to avoid the call to ministry for a way long time and I've come to the conclusion that resistance is futile, to quote the Borg

I was raised Catholic and almost entered seminary after high school; I was unchurched for the last 20 years or so; when I came back to the Episcopal Church, I was going to enter deacon studies but left after a year; I knew that I had a call to the ministry when I started attending my UCC church; not sure how supportive my minister may be right now; she's a hard one to read, but I'm not the only one who feels that way! if I do enter ABW, I'm thinking maybe God wants my voice and my gifts in the denomination as well

I'm going to check out the church in San Leandro in the next few weeks and the one in Oakland afterwards