Attending church in another parish (Anglican)

[WanderingSouls]

I'm new to Christianity, not yet baptised. I've been attending my local church but it hasn't really clicked.

Then last week I went to a service in a church about 30 mins away from my home and absolutely loved everything about it, to the point of getting quite emotional (not in a noticeable way, I wasn't making a hoo-ha like screaming in the Sistine Chapel 😉). It just felt right, the sermon was great, the building was beautiful, everyone was friendly. But is it ok to keep going? I think a lot of people there don't live locally (it's in a city centre and has lunchtime services for local workers) but I don't work locally either- I'd be making a special trip.

Is this likely to be a problem? And once I've been attending for a while, can I talk to the vicar about baptism or does that have to be my parish church?

Thank you.

Many city centre churches are gathered and most of the congregation will be travelling to get there. I've worked in one like this and the issue for the leadership is that no one is around midweek but in terms of attending you just have to get there in time to park!

It might be worth keeping up some sort of a relationship with the local church as they are embedded in the community in a way that the gathered church can't be.

Check sooner rather than later if it's important to you to get baptised. A lot won't do it, just confirmation for adults which requires going to classes. I personally wasn't interested in spending my evenings with a bunch of teenagers.

Tbh I'm still annoyed that the church won't christen me or my children, and won't recognise my service because I'm not christened.

It's absolutely not a problem at all! I used to go to a church 40 minutes on the tube away from me. I only stopped when it got too difficult with a baby. I got confirmed with a church that was a 20 minute drive from me. Loads of people attend churches quite far away from them for loads of reasons.

The Church I have fairly recently started attending has so many people who don't live in the Parish. I'm fairly new to the Anglican church and don't know all the ins and outs yet, but it seems to me the overwhelming majority of people I've spoken to at this Church must live much closer to, or have to drive past at least 2, and in some cases more other Anglican Churches to get to this one. But this is where they have found their home.
I can't see a good reason to try to restrict people to only being able to attend a local Church if they feel more at home in a further one.

Is this an Anglican church? You can't be confirmed without being baptised, they are usually done together at the same service for adults. It's definitely not the norm to not offer baptism to anyone who wants it for the right reasons, I would look for another church if this is important to you - in my experience, most churches love an adult baptism service, we do total immersion in a pool and it's such a joyful, meaningful service.

Thank you - apologies for my ignorance (and after all those years in the choir too! 😳).

I think churches who are willing to do same sex marriages also have a biblical understanding, but just not the same understanding as the evangelical churches.

Are you trying to imply that those Churches who follow Jesus's teaching about love, don't understand the bible ?

Yes, anglican. I didn't write it well but yes I know the baptism would have happened with the confirmation, they just wouldn't do it on its own. I was regularly attending multiple churches, so I did ask around at the time. At the end of the day I just didn't have time for classes on top of the 5+ hours a week I was giving to the church (because life involves other things like jobs). I've moved on now I just remember feeling really unwelcome which is why I suggested asking early what the options are.

Nice little dig at those of us who are support same sex marriage I believe God is love and love is the great foundation - that is developed from my biblical understanding.

In some churches, including C of E, it's possible to be baptised at Easter without attending the usual course/ red tape faff. You would normally still need to read out a personal testimony, detailing your faith journey, reasons you want to be baptised etc. Do ask around and I'm sorry you haven't felt welcome.

This is going to be a massive topic at GS2023, which has the potential to split the Church of England.

If my pithy comment upsets you, there is a lot more to come!

Im aware it’s a huge topic that is potentially very divisive. But I’d hope that we can approach our fellow Christians in love, prayerfully and respecting our deeply held beliefs. Not making sarky comments

Absolutely agree @TooTiredToWork

@CraftyGin - maybe you should take a look at the Methodist approach, culminating in the 'God in Love Unites Us' report before the Methodist Conference voted to allow all couples who love God to get married in his Church. Yes there was a lot of talk along the way and a lot of compromise and recognition that people come from different standpoints, but, you know, it was talked about and prayed about and didn't involve making sarky comments.