Hello, It's good to be here

[gr8wuf]

Hi all, My name is Jeanne and I found tentmaker many years ago. Was a real blessing to find a place that actually had put my beliefs in print. Felt like such a confirmation that I truly had NOT gone off the deep end.

Anyway, over the years I have come back to Tentmaker over and over to reconnect, usually when someone questions me about something.

Like today I shared with a friend why I wasn't going to attend a particular church (one that I thought she might like) and after a brief period of silence she said "You really don't believe in eternal punishment?" I explained what I believed about salvation and about hell and she said "well, not about hell ... there's lots of scripture that talks about eternal separation." which brought me back to Tentmaker once again.

So I'm glad to be here and see that there is now a forum. I'm sure I'll be in and out, at least reading and learning.

[jabcat]

Hello Jeanne, and welcome.  I guess what strikes me about your friend's comment is the 'eternal' part...aion, which I'm sure you're familiar with, might address that for her...also, I personally even question the separation part, because although some may be singled out for a period for corrective discipline, David commented that even if he made his bed in "hell", God would be there...that there was no place he could go that God wouldn't be...in fact corrective discipline would be God's working in/on that person(?)...the purifying Lake of Fire (fire and brimstone=divine purification) is presented as being "in the presence of the Lambkin"...  God's blessing, glad you're here.  James.

[hopeful]

Well hi there, Jeanne! 
So nice to meet you- I'm Holly.   :handshake: 
I'm glad you've come.   :icon_flower:

[SeekerSA]

Hi Jeanne

:welcome: to Tentmaker

Blessings

[Pierac]

Hi Jeanne,

:welcome: to the FORUM!  I too was at this site for a long while before I saw the forum.  :sigh:   In fact, I did not know what forums really were. I learned the hard way by being confronted by other sites  :mshock: about my beliefs before joining here.  :bigGrin:

Paul

[gr8wuf]

Thanks for the welcome all. I am really excited to be here. I've been reading as time allows and feeling very rejuvenated in my beliefs.

I wish I could just go to the yellow pages and find a universalist church listed, but no such luck. Tentmaker meets part of that need and I am grateful.

I do attend a great United Methodist church. I chose them specifically because their belief statements do not mention eternal punishment, hell, punishment, and in the 1+ year I've been there I've never heard a sermon that came close to it. Even communion is announced as "open to all." That's refreshing.

I've been burned and a sore thumb in other churches because I was working my way to the truth and went against the grain, so I have not gotten any further into the church setting than simply attending Sunday service. I really do miss the fellowship of interacting with believers, so I am doubly appreciative for Tentmaker.

Anywho, thanks for the welcome. I look forward to getting to know each of you.

[Pierac]

It's Ok jeanne,

I still go to church too! My family has not quite bought into my beliefs, They are getting close, but God has His own timing. Just keep going and looking for the truth :thumbsup:

Paul

[Loveroftruth]

Welcome Jeanne!
I am so glad you are here  :girlheart:

I hope you will feel comfortable to join in and share whats in you to share  :icon_flower:

[firstborn888]

Hi Jeanne. Welcome to the ET-free sanity zone.

- byron

[adam]

Welcome Jeanne.  Like yourself I also attend a church where the sermons rarely mention hell.  Its an Anglican church though so I havent had the courage to ask my vicar yet what he actually believes on the subject. One day maybe...   - I have been talking to other Christians about UR on the web and its going fairly well so far.  Its great having somewhere where we can chat about it freely and learn more about just how scripturally sound UR is. 

good to see you here!  :bgdance:

[Cardinal]

 :cloud9: Welcome to the group! May you be blessed in your time here.  :thumbsup: :icon_queen: :icon_flower: :dsunny: :welcome: :newb: :violin: :trampoline: :director: :icon_farao: