BP- Questions

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From:  ecok.internet."schulkdr@uwec.edu"
To: ecok.bus(park4864)
Date:  Thursday, October 5, 1995 12:15 pm
Subject:  questions

>To whom it may concern:
>I am a sophomore at a UW-center in Rock County, in Janesville. I
noticed
>your e-mail address on the UPC WWW page, saw you are from Eau
Claire, and >decided to write.
>I am doing a research project for a philosophy class on religions,
and since
>I am a former UPC member of 14 years from Wisconsin Dells, I
wondered if you
>could answer a few questions for me? You may have heard of me
through the
>grapevine of the UPC churches, my mother used to be actively
involved in
>Junior Camp back in 1985-1990.
>I find this religion odd, but fascinating, and because I am no
longer a
>member I can view from the outside and see how you work. I am very
skeptical
>of religion, especially the UPC church, so these questions may sound
>sarcastic at times. Sorry, not to sound mean or nasty.
>
>Here are my questions:
>
>Have you recently (in the past 5 years) noticed a growth or a
decrease of
>members in the UPC church?

Most of any growth I have seen has always been overseas.  My church
grew however from 15 to 110 but is down to 70 now.Lately im My state
Okla., I have seen only stability. niether growth or decrease.

>There is a book out by a UPC pastor from Sandusky, Ohio called "Neo
>Phariseeism", that deals with the inner problems of the UPC church
and
>problems with their dress and holiness standards, have you heard of
it? If
>so, have you read it? If so, have you noticed a decrease in members
since it
>has been published and read?

I have not heard of it. 

>Do you think that the people of the UPC church are separated too
much from
>the "world"?

Not really.  It depends on what you are talking about.  Allowing
children who are in sports to miss church and then allow them to take
part in Sun. Choir, no!  in cases like this we are too much like the
world.  

>Are you actively involved in church meetings and services? or like I
was,
>are you expected to go to church and feel you have to participate in
order
>to be accepted by the congregation?

Yes I active in the music and the youth.  But when sometimes you
don't shout or run the aisles, people have looked at me like "why are
you just standing or sitting there?"  In many places this has made me
uncommfortable and I have left the service.

>Were you raised in the UPC church? if not, when did you or your
parents join?

I have been raised in the church.  My parents joined in 1979 in
Richardson Tex.

>Do you have the holy ghost and/or been baptized? if so, when?

Yes, I was batized at the age of 11in 1987 and filled with the holy
ghost in 1990.  I was rebatized in 1994.

>Do you honestly believe that the UPC church is the only church that
has the
>true "Gospel", and that no other church (religion) is the right way?

Of Course Not!  I do not believe we have an monopoly on God.  Even
though I will not name names,  I have run into ministers in the past
who thought so.

>
>That is all the questions I have at the moment, you don't have to
answer the
>questions if you feel I have no right to ask them, but I am just
trying to
>get some answers to the questions I have for my research project, I
am
>asking these same type of questions of all people, of all types of
>religions, through the internet and e-mail.
>

>Bonnie Armstrong
>
>
>
>


I hope this helps.

Brandon .

baruch Hashem Adonai!!!!!!!!!!!