Newbie here

[Sagebrush Dan]

Hi all. First time posting. Just dropped in to say hi. Was looking for churches to go to in my area online and came across the American Baptist page, one of which referred me to here.
I have a combination of Baptist and Charismatic backgrounds.
I met my Sweetie in 1978 and we celebrate our 29th anniversary on Memorial Day. Yay!

I'm sure you will get to know me better as time goes on.

BTW, are American Baptists affirming as a rule, or is it specific churches? I was raised Conservative Baptist, and they consider ABs to be the spawn of Satan. Consequently, I know little about them. Anyone out there know?

Thanks

[Emproph]

I know there are others here who can answer your Baptist questions, if you don't get a response here, consider posting a thread.

Just wanted to welcome you.

-Patrick

[Daniel]

Hi Dan,

Welcome to the forum. I'm not Baptist myself, though have experience in the charismatic/pentacostal department. I KNOW someone will turn up though. That's the cool thing about this place. People have a nice way of connecting.

Congrats on your anniversary that is coming up! My beau and I will celebrate our 16th year together this summer, but we can't hold a candle next to you! Lead the way!

Hope to see you around the joint.

Peace,

Daniel

[davidb]

Dan,

Welcome to the forums. I went to an American Baptist Seminary for a few years, but I have to admit it was a lifetime ago and I was not out yet.

Back then, the American Baptists were like many of the other mainline protestant denominations, they ran the gamut from accepting to condemning, and kind of ran along blue state/red state lines. Most of their social policy decisions are made at their annual convention, and the tenor of that meeting seemed to fluctuate greatly, depending on where the meeting was held.

For example, the Chicago Metro Baptists were a pretty open and accepting group, but members of my church were shocked at the hostility they encountered when they attended a convention in West Virginia (which has many ABC Churches and is socially very conservative). There was a vote about gay clergy at that particular convention, and the locals swarmed the event and made alot of negative publicity about the American Baptists going liberal, and if I remember correctly, the vote didn't go well.

Hope that helps.

[Zerbie]

Welcome Dan.

Congratulations on your anniversary! Wow, 29 years!! I've been with mine for just less than 4 - it will be 4 years next week.

I will let the others address your church questions, I have NO idea. . . .