2007-11-28

FIEC and the Westminster Presbyterians

Just some interesting info:

The Westminster Presbyterian Church, a small Presbyterian denomination mainly in Western Australia, has 13 churches throughout Australia. They began in the early 1970s I think.

The Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches, which started with the formation of Central Coast Evangelical Church, has 14 churches. They began in the mid-1990s.

Looks like the FIEC is the bigger "denomination". Yet the Westminster Pressies have their own theological college...

17 comments:

A Birdy said...

I have just started to attend a Westminster Presbyterian Church since October.
Previously I went to a Church of Christ.

Neil Cameron (One Salient Oversight) said...

I've heard lots of good things about the Westminster Pressies.

What's your (positive) experience so far?

A Birdy said...

All my experience (4 Sundays) of the WPC church have been positive so far.
The church I attend is small – I counted about 50-60 people including children.
A Friend is Pastoral Assistant and gives the sermon once a month.
The sermons have been good – Currently going through the Gospel of Mark.
The people are friendly.
Communion is once a month and after the communion service there is a shared lunch at the church.
(I stopped going to church for about two years before attending this church).

Neil Cameron (One Salient Oversight) said...

I like small, unassuming churches - they are a bit more genuine underneath I would think.

BLBeamer said...

Up until recently, I attended a very large church (5-6 services, >3000 attenders). Prior to that I attended a small church of ~100. There are advantages and disadvantages to both.

I'm still undecided as to which I prefer least.

Neil Cameron (One Salient Oversight) said...

Where are you now?

You at Mars?

Anonymous said...

I think I'm at Venus... but that could be my mid-life crisis talking.

BLBeamer said...

You at Mars?
I assume that was directed to me?

No, they are too far from my home. Two of my brothers and their families attend Mars or one of its offshoots. I'm in a different county. I'm still searching. We are in a relatively unchurched area, which until the last ten years or so was mostly rural. The last dairy farm closed down about a year ago.

There wasn't even a Catholic church in our town when we moved here in 1989.

I did locate an evangelical reformed church about 30 mins. drive from my home which we will be trying out once the situation with my son moving back home settles down.

All of the recent church startups in the area have been of the seeker-sensitive variety like my prior church was.

Neil Cameron (One Salient Oversight) said...

We are in a relatively unchurched area,

An unchurched area in America??

From the look of my page stats, I'm assuming you're in Tacoma?

Ever thought of starting up your own church?

BLBeamer said...

Yes, as a matter of fact, Washington is among the most unchurched states in the Union, particularly the region
west of the Cascade mountains where Seattle is. "The wet side".

I'm the same county as Tacoma, but ~30 km east, where the foothills of the Cascades begin. The reformed church I mentioned is in south Tacoma.

Neil Cameron (One Salient Oversight) said...

(Wow, you're using kilometres)

I'm interested - are there any Christian radio stations you listen to?

And being in a country area would that make it reasonably Republican politically? I know that Washington is reasonably left-leaning.

BLBeamer said...

And being in a country area would that make it reasonably Republican politically?
Good guess! Our Congressional delegation of 11 (including two senators) is made up of 3 Republicans and 8 Democrats. My district is the only one from the west side (district 8) that has a Republican member in Congress. We actually retained our GOP Congressman in the 2006 Democratic slaughter. The other two Republicans represent the east (dry) side of the state, which is predominantly agricultural. Interestingly, district 3 is even more rural and conservative than mine, but has significant logging interests with a long history of labor union support so has been Democratic almost exclusively for as long as I can remember.

Nearly all the statewide offices are held by Democrats due to the high population in Seattle. It's not uncommon for the entire state to vote one way, and to have the Seattle vote decide the matter in the opposite direction.

I'm interested - are there any Christian radio stations you listen to?
No, I prefer my mp3 player. I listen to messages from here instead of the radio. No commercials and I can be selective.

BLBeamer said...

How do you know about Mars Hill?

Anonymous said...

We get articles about Mars Hill in "The Briefing".

BLBeamer said...

What is "The Briefing" and do you have an example of an article? My brothers might find them interesting.

Anonymous said...

Ahhh, "The Briefing" how do I love thee? Let me count the ways... One one-thousand Two one-thousand Three one-thousand...

BLBeamer said...

Thanks, Dave. Do you have a link to any of the articles where Mars Hill is discussed? When I search on Mars Hill, the list is too long.