I have learned that it is never okay to criticize the UPC (in my experience).
It was not okay when I was newly in the church because I was new and didn't "understand".
It was not okay when my husband was the assistant pastor and I was worship leader because we were just assisting.
It was not okay when we were in Home Missions because we were new pastors.
It was not okay when we started pastoring an established work because "they" said so.
It was not okay when we found embezzling going on because we were supposed to let the district superintendent handle it.
It was not okay when the district superintendent did not handle it but pushed it up under the rug.
It was not okay when we were leaving.
It was not okay after we left because we were "bitter" and "backslid".
It is not okay now because we no longer attend.
See, it just isn't okay.
Which means, according to the UPC, it is not and never was okay for me to have an opinion, a voice, a question, a comment or ANYTHING negative.
But it was okay when we assisted for free for 9 years. It was okay when we built a church and financed it for 5 years. It was okay when we pastored practically for free for another 5 years.
See, giving and praising and all that is okay.
But don't you ever, ever criticize, even if people are embezzling and the district superintendent is covering it up. Because that would be WRONG!
And there you have it.
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