Is it possible…

I absolutely LOVE what I see as the pure theology. I find it nowhere else in Christianity, at least to the same extent. It is a big reason I can stay active despite the issues I have with doctrinal extrapolations and cultural aspects that leave me shaking my head and, in too many cases, hurting my heart.

Is it possible to find one thing that you find comfort in, regarding the gospel, and be active in the church?

Yes, I think so. The rest of my answer goes with the second question.

Is that enough or do I have to be “all in” once more?

In my experience I’ve found that people at church want to frame things as all or nothing and will even try to push people in that direction but just because others are framing it that way doesn’t mean that I have to frame it that way.

I get to determine my level of activity. I event get to determine what “active” means for me. How others at church categorize my level of activity is outside my control, so I don’t worry so much about measuring up to someone else’s standard.

Taking that approach does create they dynamic that Roy mentions, feeling less than. At times my church community openly labels my participation as deficient but I have to remind myself that I shouldn’t be using someone else’s measuring stick. It’s tough because so much of the church experience feels like being measured.

I think there are a lot of “all or nothing” types in the church, and I think that’s a mistaken stance. I do think the gospel itself, which is really very simple, is pretty much all or nothing but not necessarily all black and white. The church, which is much more complicated, is definitely not all or nothing in my book. But I think you have to take a stance similar to Nibbler’s and not compare yourself to others, not allow others to compare you to an artificial yardstick, and be comfortable in your own skin/beliefs. I think Roy and Old Timer are also good examples of this, as are some others here. I agree with Nibbler, so much of the church seems to feel like being measured, especially against a “worthiness standard” which is an artificial standard. The pure gospel, OT’s pure theology, has no such standards.

Is it enough? If it’s enough for you, yes. God/Christ don’t really ask much of us.

He is the focus of my beliefs. Not the church. Not church policy or doctrine. Not Joseph Smith or the current leadership.

This view has been the result of my FC. My only interest in the church right now is how well it serves the role of helping me be closer to Him. Most Sundays, church’s only contribution towards that is the sacrament. I seldom find the time spent sitting through sacrament meeting talks and Sunday school to be worth it. I also never attend ward activities, have nothing to do with ministering and seldom do my family history calling. So I’m far from being “all in” and take my church participation buffet style.

This approach puts me in the less-active category in the eyes of the bishopric, but it fills my needs. Though, being a church that completely relies on volunteers, I get why they don’t want everyone being choosy like me. I’m biased, but my answer to the two questions is just take what you find comfort in and leave the rest. Christ’s burden is supposed to be light, and so I take that as justification to turn down whatever aspect of activity you’re not ready to take on yet.

Though, being a church that completely relies on volunteers, I get why they don’t want everyone being choosy like me.

My participation level has been and would be different in a small branch vs. a large ward.

I’ve found that in small branches it’s easier to know everyone and there’s a greater chance of feeling like part of the group. Beggars also can’t be choosers, people are generally more lenient towards non-conformists. Of course there’s also the negatives like holding down several callings and being asked to give a talk multiple times per year.

Contrast that with my current ward where there are a lot of people (we need to split our ward IMO). There’s no real sense of belonging, just a face in the crowd. Beggars can be choosers, people are less lenient towards non-conformists because there are so many conformists to divert all the attention to. Maybe it’s harder to “minister” to custom needs when there are too many people, so the approach gravitates towards one size fits all.

How do they know that we are choosy? I too have a Family History calling. I rarely raise my hand in class. I am never

asked to speak in Sacrament Meeting. I do little socializing. So, how do they know we are choosy? (I have the same feelings

as you on this issue.)

I can’t even get that far. When I go to my ward I wonder whether anyone at all even knows I’m there.

I wish I went unnoticed. I used to for the most part, but not with our new bishopric the past couple years.

Ha, yeah. The grass is always greener. I’m sure if I was in a small branch I’d be on here complaining about not being able to hide like I could in a large ward. :angel:

When the 100th lecture on “covenant path” doesn’t work for you, you’re left trying to salvage a community… only to find that lecturing about the “covenant path” is the community.

I like the people in my ward. I appreciate those who ask how I’m doing and how my children are doing. I appreciate those who come up to and say I did a good job on a talk or a lesson (even if I didn’t). I like ministering to my assigned family. They’re very good about really and truly contacting me WHEN they need help (there’s some medical issues there and so it does happen about once a month) and also just talking to them about how things are going. I like the hymns. I even like Sunday School and Priesthood (sometimes…depends on instructor). Yeah, there’s some things that are said and that occur that I frankly could do without. I despise Stake meetings as I think they’re a waste of time but I enjoy the conviviality of my ward meetings. I know all wards are not the same (the ward I lived in previously I would most definitely NOT have described as I did my current ward). But I appreciate that there are good people who want to do good things. So I go every Sunday and am not bothered by it. But I also respect those who choose a different way. So this is just me.