IMMACULATE
CONCEPTION
PARISH
CHURCH

What is the Church?

    The Church - Person, Place, or Thing?

>What is the church? Is the church a building? Is it the place where believers gather to worship? Or is the church the people—the believers who follow Christ? How we understand and perceive the church is quite important in determining how we live out our faith.                                                                                  Christianity.about.com

The word church comes from the Greek word ekklesia, which means a consecrated gathering (calling out), a congregation.  In our case it refers to the gathering of Christians.  There are however a few perceptions of church and they include the following.

1. The building that Christians go to worship
2. The local assembly of believers
3. The religious institution called the Christian Church
4. The redeemed of all times (The complete Body of Christ)

The definition of the word church denotes a gathering of believers or a congregation.  We will see that number four above is the true church.  Church is really the Body of Christ and the place that you go on Sunday is only a meeting place for the church even though you call that place church.  We have replaced the true church with the organizational entity, which I will explain shortly.

                                                                                                                                                                WWW.pursuingthetruth.org

THE PURPOSE OF THE CHURCH

By William R. Cunningham
September 2, 2001

What do you think of when you consider church?  What do you suppose other people think of church especially the non-Christians?  Most of us think of church in terms of the organizational unit that we grew up in as a kid whether Catholic, Episcopalian, Baptist or whatever.  Church, in our minds, is the place that we go on Sundays to worship God and fellowship with each other.  Church is the place that has a plethora of activity, functions, and services.  Church is an organization or so we think.  Many even say that church should be run like a business—an organization.

However, do you really know what church is all about?  Do you really know the purpose of the church, which is the reason that it exists?  What if you were asked by a stranger to explain the purpose of the church?  Where would your mind wander?  Is your perception of church the organization or the body of Christ?  Do you think of church in terms of the Kingdom of God or the ways of men and women?

Well this lesson will hopefully change your thinking about church—the true Church of Jesus Christ.  Hopefully you will reconsider your perception and the concept that you have of Church and realize that church is much more than the place you go on Sundays.  Overall, I hope that you will be liberated by the bondage that has been placed on you by the place you call church so that you can operate in the true Church of Jesus Christ and fulfill your purpose and contribute to the fulfillment of the purpose for the church.

                                                                                                                                                                www.pursuingthetruth.org

THE TWO ASPECTS OF CHURCH

The church as we know it is composed of two components: the charismatic and the  institutional (administration).  The charismatic (comes from a Greek word that means gift) is the foundation of the true church (the body of Christ).  It identifies the church organism, which is a living body, the spiritual component of the church.  The charismatic, not to be confused with the charismatic movement, is the life of the church, the body of Christ.  This is the most significant part of the church. Let’s briefly discuss these two aspects of the total concept of church.

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE NUMBER  OF RINGS  FROM  A CHURCH

>  For centuries, church bells have summoned, celebrated, reminded and commemorated. Originally, they served communities as a tool of mass communication for both spiritual and secular matters. Today, though the onset of modern mass communication like radio, television and the Internet has decreased the breadth of church bells' communicative role, they nevertheless retain much of their original meaning.                                                                                                                                                  Ehow.com

Christian Crosses

The cross is one of the earliest and most widely used Christian symbol. In the most broad sense it symbolizes the religion of Christianity (and so appears at the top and left of this page). More specifically, it represents and memorializes Christ's death. A great variety of crosses has developed, some with specific symbolic meaning and others that have simply become culturally associated with certain groups.

	The simplest and most common Christian cross is the Latin cross. It may not have come into use until the 2nd or 3rd century. The empty cross, usually favored by Protestants, reminds Christians of the resurrection, while the crucifix, with the body of Jesus on it, favored by Catholic and Orthodox churches, is a reminder of Christ's sacrifice.
	The Greek cross, with arms of equal length, is the most ancient cross.
	The cross of Calvary or Graded Cross has three steps leading up to it, which can represent the hill of calvary or faith, hope, and love.

 

WHY ARE THERE SO MANY DIFFERENT RELIGIONS?

 Why are there so many different religions? How can we know which is right? And is it not true that all religions lead to God?
There are bound to be many religions in the world because people are always ready to ‘worship’ in ways which they have designed for themselves, regardless of whether these methods of worship lead them to really feel or know God.
Down the centuries people have invented numerous gods and religions. But what is the point of bowing down to lifeless statues, like the great stone beetles which were often used in the ancient east? What is the point? Why do people do it? For if we make gods ourselves, we know that they have no life, and any divine aura around them is merely projected from superstitious imaginations.

Why invent religions?

What is the point of wearily treading the interminable round of religious chanting and ceremonies, as prescribed by some religions, if these activities never bring us any sense of the presence of God, or any certain answers to prayer, or any other definite evidence of His power? Why do people do these things? Why should people invest their own religions?
One reason is - because many want a religion without God. It sounds strange, but it is a fact.

Why Does Religion Exist?

     

  Religion is a pervasive and significant cultural phenomenon, so people who study culture and human nature have sought to explain the nature of religion, the nature of religious beliefs, and the reasons why religions exist in the first place. There have been as many theories as theorists, it seems, and while none fully captures what religion is, all offer important insights on the nature of religion and possible reasons why religion has persisted through human history.                                                                                                                            Atheism.about.com

The Role of Priests in the Catholic Church

In the Catholic Church, a parish priest (also known as a pastor) is a priest appointed by the bishop to represent him to the local parish, which is a collection of neighborhoods in one small region of a county within a given state. A given city may support a number of parishes, depending on the Catholic population.

The pastor is helped by a parochial vicar (formerly known as a curate or an assistant pastor) and/or a permanent deacon, religious sister, or lay parishioners — all known as pastoral associates. The parish council and finance committee, which are made up of lay parishioners for the most part, advise and counsel the pastor but don’t have administrative or executive authority.