Help Finding a Good Church

Our church is not really close to there, but this one might be what you're looking for.

http://www.cedarcreek.tv/

the site should answer your questions, and I think you can even watch a service online

There are many, many, good churches in Toledo. It mostly depends on you and what you are looking for. Some people love the environment of Cedar Creek, I personally do not. I prefer a smaller, more traditional and formal church. But there are many in between. Visit a few. I think Westgate Chapel, Christ the Word, and the Christian Fellowship in Holland are pretty good choices if you like a conservative, Bible based church.

Just remember though, that no church is perfect, so wherever you go anticipate being dissappointed because understanding and learning to deal with that is part of what going to church is about.

Also, pray about it.

God bless!

What church in Toledo isn't "Bible based"?

A good starting point would be...are you Catholic? Baptist? Etc.

What church in Toledo isn't "Bible based"?

Some emphasize studying the Bible more than others, that's all.

A lot of churches are not bible based. The church of the Sub Genius for example. http://www.subgenius.com/

Wow – talk about lots of disposable free time.

And I don’t mean you Upso.

(now go get me a garbage salad!!!)

link:

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

Thanks for the input so far.

I'm not Catholic. Have no clue what what I am as far as denomination goes. I'm not a tongue speaker or anything like that... I'm 40 years old. Just trying to see if anyone has any suggestions for me so when I get to town I can hit the ground running.

I imagine I'll try a few out and I think the right one will make itself evident to me?

I googled some names of area churches... anyone know anything about North Point that meets at the YMCA? Also, Westgate Chapel (suggested earlier by ILoveToledo) came up as being close to where I'll be living.

I live near Westgate. It's basically a mega-church. But then, I don't see the fundamental difference between something like that and a small community church.

Are you looking for a church with a large membership, or would you prefer something with a smaller congregation?

No "right" or "wrong" answer on that one. I presume that being new to the area, making new acquaintances would be a plus. Some people would rather join a larger congregation where they can potentially meet more people. Some people may prefer to join a smaller congregation where they can get closer with a smaller group.

Also, welcome to Toledo :D

Here are three suggestions:

Bethany Community Fellowship
5757 Flanders Road, Sylvania, OH
(419) 882-7979

McCord Road Christian Church
4765 North McCord Road, Sylvania, OH
(419) 882-6703

Olivet Lutheran Church-Sylvania
5840 Monroe Street, Sylvania, OH
(419) 882-2077

The first two are non-denominational Christian churches. McCord Road Christian Church is probably the largest of the three, but I wouldn't hesitate to recommend any of these to my friends or family.

When I lived out of town I would generally call and talk to the Pastor a little to find out what the Church believed in and what kind of service to expect Sunday morning. In my experience I've found Churches that charge admission, Churches that sell coffee and doughnuts before and during services, Churches the lock the door when service begins - and refuse to unlock it until service ends.

These three are main stream Christian Churches.

Hope you enjoy Toledo.

Speaking of "Bible based", where does God want us to go in the first place? Is there any Biblical basis for that selection?

Where does God want us to go in the first place? Good question, but the Bible is remarkably flexible on the topic. Here are a couple of good links on the subject:

firstbaptistwheeling.org/Why%20Go%20To%20Church%20-%20Sermon%2011-8-09.doc

http://christianity.about.com/od/whatdoesthebiblesay/i/churchattendanc.htm

According to Romans 10:17, faith comes from hearing the Word. If you want to be a growing Christian, you should find a place where they respect the Bible and study it because that is basically what the Bible is about, Christ and being a Christian.

I think if you google the subject, such as "marks of a biblical church" or subjects about church selection, you can find all kinds of view points.

I second billy's suggestion. Have known people to go there and have never heard a bad thing. They seem to concentrate on the positive side of religion and community rather than dogma. So might make a good stop on your journey.

Hope you find a place you like, and welcome to Toledo :) as a transplant myself I can say this city has a lot to offer.

Someone please explain what "good" means in reference to a church?

I interpreted it as "good" in the sense of being a good fit for the person. Which, I think, is why so many people who responded tried to draw more information out of Doug.

Good = Salvation Average. You want something in the .300 range or better.

Doug, I would recommend checking out the Unitarian Universalist Church. I have several family members as well as friends that are members and they all LOVE it. it used to be in the old west end, but recently moved to Glendale near Byrne, across from MCO.

http://www.uutoledo.org/

Another vote for the UU church. Good luck on your search.

"What church in Toledo isn't "Bible based"?

http://www.uutoledo.org/ would be an example of one.

"What church in Toledo isn't "Bible based"?

http://www.uutoledo.org/ would be an example of one.

Not even the Jefferson Bible?

Thanks MadJack! I appreciate you taking the time to give the information!

I am gonna steer clear of the UU Church. I went to the website and looked around. It's not for me.

I appreciate all the input thus far... look forward to more suggestions.

Also, I'm not a transplant to Toledo. I guess I'm a replant. I grew up in Toledo and have lived in the South for a long time now. I am returning for unknown period of time... perhaps forever... who knows? My mother is getting ill and I feel I need to come back to not necessarily take care of her... but to be a presence in her life and see that she isn't so lonely.

I don't even have employment up in Toledo. I'm just following my heart and doing what I feel is the right move for me at this time.

I have a friend who's very involved with the UU church. She seems to really like it.

If I recall correctly, she & her husband also tried Cedar Creek before joining UU.

doug: admirable good sir, hope you enjoy your transition back, and hope your mom gets better.

Doug, out of curiosity (I am not religious by any stretch of the imagination) what about the UU church turns you off?

Hope things go well with your mom, Doug. And I wish you best of luck in finding the right church for you as well.

Perhaps you should plan to attend a service or two at a few different locations, to help you find the right fit.

I'm Catholic (attend St Joe's Sylvania), but didn't actually become Catholic until I was an adult. Attended services at a variety of churches/denominations when I was growing up, also went a pretty long stretch of time where I didn't go to any church at all.

I think can be good for people to explore different possibilities.

I could see UU not being the right fit for someone who was looking for something more traditional.

And, of course, I'm sure the less traditional factor is a huge part of the appeal for others. (My friend who's very involved with UU is pretty crunchy/progressive/liberal/hippie - I'm pretty sure she'd be miserable in a "traditional" church.)

I know I'm a little late to the party, but I'd like to suggest Ten Mile Vineyard, a church I'm heavily involved with. We meet at the Sylvania Senior Center (next to Tamoshanter) on Sundays @ 10:00. More information can be found at www.tenmilevineyard.org

I know I'm a little late to the party, but I'd like to suggest Ten Mile Vineyard, a church I'm heavily involved with. We meet at the Sylvania Senior Center (next to Tamoshanter) on Sundays @ 10:00. More information can be found at www.tenmilevineyard.org

P.S. Sorry about the double post above. Too much coffee this early in the morning, my jittery hand hit the button twice.

Welcome back and let me say thank you for understanding the value of family, I've been where you are and it's tough.

No matter where you attend, remember spirituality and religion are not mutually exclusive. But we can gain from being around other Christians if we go for purpose and not for show. Hebrews 10:24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works

Upso.... I'm not interested in the UU based upon what I read on their website. It just doesn't appear to be a Christ centered church. You click on the 'about' section.... not even a mention of following the teachings of Jesus Christ. Rather a crock-pot of beliefs all melded into one. FAQ section confirms that it is not a Christ centered church. Congregation is made up of Buddhist, Atheist, Agnostics etc...

It's my belief that Jesus is who he says he is or we are dealing with a mad man on the scale of which this world has never experienced. I doubt a mad man could shape the world some 2000+ years without being discounted or rendered a myth.

So I'm looking to meet like minded believers in a church that preaches the Word of God.

Ten Mile Vineyard has an interesting story of it's founding. I see they are meeting at North Point YMCA location. I asked about North Point earlier in the thread but assume nobody has any direct experience there as there were no replies.

Friday is moving day!

A good church?
Find a nice quiet wilderness area where you can be alone to reflect, or speak to whatever higher power you believe in.
There won't be a collection basket to fill.

Disclaimer; not trying to offend, just my opinion that pretty much all organized religions are bastions of BS.

This summer, we often attended St. Mattress of the Springs. Very relaxing.

Jeepmaker - I kinda feel the opposite. The strenght of many praying is great. Church (any) does wonders for the community. I have meet many great people because of our church.

There won't be a collection basket to fill.

Oddly Bethany Community Fellowship does not pass a collection plate or ask for an offering.

Question: When does the Holy flame war start?

They just ask for your free will.

Right on cue?

Just recently Ten Mile Vineyard and NorthPoint Church combined to become one church with two campuses. Eventually NorthPoint will become a Vineyard church, at which point both churches will be known as NorthPoint Vineyard Church. There will be the Sylvania campus (the current Ten Mile Vineyard) which meets at the Sylvania Senior Center, and the West Toledo Campus that meets at the West Toledo YMCA. The Sylvania campus will still be headed by pastor Ryan Snow, one of the founding members of Ten Mile. The West Toledo campus is headed by pastor Brad Wotring. Leading up to this "marriage of churches" pastor Brad as well as some of the other NorthPoint has spoken numerous times for the congregation at Ten Mile, and have done a great job. I can fully recommended either campus, though from the location you were looking in, the Sylvania campus is closer.

First, welcome back to Toledo. Hope you settle back in easily. You might want to look into Trinity Episcopal Church. It's downtown, but there's free garage parking, and isn't one of the charms of Toledo the ease of getting from one end of town to the other? This church is not typical "high Episcopal," although the liturgy is fairly standard and Bible-focused. But this is also a church where "asking the questions" is more than welcome -- no "believe or else" doctrine here. The congregation is very welcoming and open-minded and makes room gladly for all kinds of folks. You're more than welcome to come any time -- jeans and t-shirts are just fine, too!(I'm not the pastor or anything, btw, just a member.) If you'd like to learn more, check out trinitytoledo.org. And in any case, welcome back and good luck in finding a church where you feel comfortable and feel that indescribable connection.

seannymurrs, was North Point at one time located on Laskey and Harvest?

Do any Toledo churches kick out members, excommunicate them these days for certain sins or are most churches afraid to pass judgment on members and welcome all types of people, regardless of their lifestyle, into their church to have communion each sunday?

I have witnessed firsthand a certain church fire a pastor for his poor choices. This same church will not perform your marriage ceremony if you are living together. So it’s not as if there are no guidelines or examples that need to be upheld. But as far as whether they “welcome all types of people, regardless of their lifestyle”, um, that’s kind of the main point of Christs teachings. All are welcome.

My observations are that like any city, Toledo’s churches run the gambit from ultra conservative to ultra liberal. I know more than a few Christian churches that have gay clergy while other Christian churches that condemn gays to hell. I’ll pass no judgment in this thread as to keep it on topic.

On a side note:
When my parents married (before I was born) the Priest over at St. Charles wouldn’t marry them because my mom had been divorced.

@billy Yes, NorthPoint used to meet at Laskey & Harvest. They still own the building and the church offices are there. It's also still used as a "backup" building for both campuses. They had gotten to the point where they needed to have multiple services on Sunday to accommodate their entire congregation, and decided they needed a bigger space. They moved to the West Toledo YMCA just under a year ago.

From ToledoRamblingMan: Do any Toledo churches kick out members, excommunicate them these days for certain sins or are most churches afraid to pass judgment on members and welcome all types of people, regardless of their lifestyle, into their church to have communion each sunday?

I'm sure a few churches have asked members to leave or excommunicated members for one reason or another. One christian church in Toledo had a pastor who was mentally ill and the man did any number of terrible things to the congregation before he was replaced. I think he was pastor of this church for well over a year.

Certainly there is a reluctance to chastise members for their behavior, however I think that most churches will ask a member about questionable behavior, or inform them their behavior in in direct contradiction to Scripture and should be changed. I don't have any first hand knowledge of anything like this happening, but I've been told that it does happen on some occasions.

As far as welcoming everyone for services, I would say that not all churches fall into this inclusive category. There's one church here in Toledo that will refuse to allow any women into the service who are wearing pants. Women must wear a dress of very modest length. Men must wear a coat and tie to be admitted. Setting churches like this aside for a moment, the others will welcome everyone for services with the caveat that they conduct themselves appropriately. For instance, an alcoholic is welcome to attend, but not welcome to show up drunk, nor should the alcoholic expect to have their lifestyle affirmed as acceptable. Gay people are welcome to attend, but open displays of affection for their same sex partner are not welcome, nor should they expect the church to approve of their lifestyle. Divorce is a problem for some Christians who want to remarry. I think the Catholic Church has some kind of official divorce you can buy from the bishop or someone which allows remarriage.

Once you're seated, I don't think any protestant church would prevent you from taking communion (the Lord's supper). However, the pastor would likely inform you that communion is for believers only. If you aren't a believer, you shouldn't take communion.

While I wouldn't always agree with the reasons a church would ask you not to attend their services, I support their right to ask you to leave. They are private entities and should have the ability to choose who they allow in. Privacy does not always mean bigotry or racism as their is always a place of worship that is more aligned with your views.

Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster: http://www.venganza.org

I went to Westgate Chapels 10:30 service this last Sunday. I enjoyed it! It's so close to where I live. I can literally leave my house 5 minutes before service starts and be there 3 minutes early!

The band was pretty good. The pastor didn't seem like a bad guy. The message was good too! I'm gonna go back this Sunday!

Best church in town is Cornerstone! It wil absolutely change your life and your relationship with the Lord!

It is kind of arrogant to say one church is the best. I believe God knows we are all different and have different needs in order to help us in our walk with him. The best church for you might not be the best church for me. That's why we have so many different types. God knows what he is doing. I'm glad you liked Westgate Chapel, it is a fine church.

I am the other way. I am not saying one church is better or worse but I think it's kind arrogant to say that man has the authority in the first place to set up different churches to suit his own needs. Where in the Bible do you find God given authority to create a new denomination/church that is best suited for you. God knows what he is doing but he never authorized the thousands of churches we have today. Man made them up to suit their itching ear.

TRM. Good point. I think God trusts us enough and gives us the freedom. I don't even think there is a command in the Bible to "go to church." At most, it encourages us to meet together for our own benefit. Really the Church is not a building or a denomination, or a program, it is the people. As such, they are not perfect, but my belief is God trusts us to learn from our mistakes and failures whether as an individual or a fellowship. Also, ultimately, I believe he works through Christians, a very sound concept from the Bible. He promises that if we seek him we will find him and his will. So, I believe he leads us to where he wants us to be.

TRM, just thinking about the whole idea, I think the Bible clearly gives Christians a mandate to do just that, to build up the church, and bring people to Christ. That's what it is all about. He entrusted us to that job and even commands us to "make disciples of all nations." And if you look at the book of Ephesians you will see that the means to do that is the "church" or fellowship of believers. So, it is not arrogant at all, in fact it is being obedient to what Scripture says.

Doug - good for you! You were right to ask for advice, but then make the ultimate decision on your own. Proximity was also a factor when my wife and I were looking. We knew we couldnt/wouldnt be active in a church that was miles and miles away. (Yes, I know some folks CAN do that, folks do that in my church) I know that a decision cant and shouldnt be made after one service, but I hope this works out for you. I know a lot of people who go to Westgate, and they all really like it.

I'm with JeepMaker and Annie. Organized religion is mostly BS, and some of it is down right dangerous.

It is what you make of it - only you can control your relationship with God.

The "organized religion" argument is old and was started out of fear.

I base my "dangerous" observation on the results of the activities of organized religion. A lot of religiosity is fear based. Fear of an after life in some kind of hell fills a lot of church pews. To comment further would not be appropriate in this post.

Not being religious doesn't prevent me from wishing Doug well in his search for a spritual home.

I would hope not.

So much of what we believe is contrary to how we live. I love animals, but relish a good steak and wear leather shoes. I work for a paycheck, which translates to nothing more than fiat money -- an illusion of value if there ever was one.

I am a cradle Catholic, and attend church regularly (this summer notwithstanding; we traveled a lot). While I take issue with so much in the Church at large -- the misogynism, the pedophile cover-ups -- I love my parish and feel privileged to be a part of this faith community. I revere the sacraments and am bringing my children up in my faith.

So, sorry, Holland, I do believe in organized religion. I like to know that God watches over me, and knows my heart, and hears me when I thank Him for his blessings -- of which there have been many. And I want my children to know that what they do has consequences, even if they think no one sees their actions.

My previous post should not have been so flippant.

How nice for you.

Question: When does the Holy flame war start? posted by madjack on Aug 03, 2010 at 03:49:34 pm

Ya know, sometimes folks post out here about where to find this, or where to get hold of that, and if I dont have any idea, I dont post at all - I think most folks are like that.

So if someone posts about looking for a local church, why would athiests feel the need to stick their 2c worth in?

The assumption that an individual who rejects organized religion is automatically an athiest makes an ass out of the assumer. That aside, billy, you have a good point. This is not the place to debate the merits or failings of organized religion.