The Episcopal Church, as a denomination, definitely has the things you're looking for.
I don't know about the average age of people in attendance, the last time I regularly went to Good Shepherd was pre-COVID, but it is a pretty large church (I think they have around 800 members) and they're usually pretty busy with all kinds of activities and events.
If Good Shepherd doesn't do it for you, there are several other Episcopal Churches in Lexington you could try to see if they're more to your liking or have a congregation you'd get along better with.
ECLA Lutherans, UNITED Church of Christ, Disciples of Christ, Episcopalians, and Presbyterian U.S.A. denominations to name a few. You could try this one - https://www.southelkhorncc.org/
Young people in church are rare. Young people who want traditional service are rare. Young people who go to church with a choir instead of a rock band are rare. Churches who stray from rock band and also aren’t hating on other denominations or lgbt are rare.
You want a progressive congregation with a traditional service. Surely you understand this is incongruent. You want a pastor who appeals to young people with a service that doesn’t appeal to young people. You’re asking for a Yahtzee and wondering why you can’t find it. You might as well be asking why you haven’t won the lottery yet. No offense.
>You want a progressive congregation with a traditional service. Surely you understand this is incongruent.
No, that describes The Episcopal Church *perfectly*.
That's not incongruent, there's denominations that thrive on it.
They're quite nice, but he's likely to find a slightly younger crowd at Good Shepherd.
When they're big enough and have enough kids to have a full time minister for families and children, they're probably young enough as a congregation to be what OP wants.
Growing up in a church that had traditional music and disagreed with *checks notes* slow dancing, eating food inside the building, and all forms of alcohol, that wasn’t my experience.
Forget gay marriage. Divorce alone was enough to ban you from heaven. Even the same denomination that had *a kitchen or a piano* was going to hell.
If you think the church with the rock band is being judgmental then, oh boy, welcome to Kentucky.
Also, it sounds like you’re being a bit judgmental about Christians who like rock music. Good luck.
It’s the under 40 that’s difficult. My mom goes to a great church, Beaumont Presbyterian, but you may be disappointed with the age demographic. Good luck.
I think you’re right. I’ve been considering making a visit to the United Methodist church downtown after Thanksgiving vacation, but after looking at their YouTube channel, I suspect I’ll be one of the youngest there (I’m in my early 30s).
Edit: who is downvoting these comments and why? Chill out, lol. Don't be so angry all the time.
I attend the downtown campus of First United Methodist. The population isn’t necessarily super young but there are a good amount of younger folks there as well as young families. I think you will be pleasantly surprised. I would suggest joining for some of the Christmas services. The lessons and carols service on Sunday Dec 6th at 6 pm is always lovely (a lot of music) and the Christmas Eve services are great as well.
I’m in the sub 35 age category and attend First united methodist downtown too. Would agree with everything above. Avg age was actually one of the bigger considerations before joining but hoping to contribute to the solution there. Traditional church but sticking with the United Methodist in the recent shift.
I'm agnostic and have religious trauma from my Southern Baptist raising. I went with my boyfriend's family to a Disciples of Christ church and was pleasantly surprised. I was nervous about it, given my experiences in church, but as far as church goes, it was alright. They seemed accepting and progressive. They had a traditional choir.
I remember being shocked that women were leading prayer and passing around the offering plate.
If by "orthodoxy," you mean Catholicism or an Eastern Orthodox church, then you're correct, I'm not looking for either of those.
Political conservatism =/= orthodoxy in a theological sense.
Christian orthodoxy meaning what conservatives preach and believe. Yes that includes Catholics and baptists, Calvinists, whatever. Still all Christian but so badly wanna be their own thing.
Not the parables that the Bible is. You aren't gonna find that here.
Sorry friend, I think you don't actually understand the difference between politics and theology. Which, to be clear, I say as someone who's now functionally an atheist. But you don't understand what you're talking about or why the differences matter.
Like I said, political conservatism is not the same as theological orthodoxy.
American evangelicalism, for example, is very politically conservative, yet it's one of the youngest branches of Christianity.
Theological orthodoxy is typically associated with “high church” practices, as opposed to “low church” practices. In general, the older and more ritualistic a denomination is, the more theologically orthodox.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_church
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Low_church
I know a thousand other people have said it, but Episcopal churches sound like what you're looking for. St. Raphael's off Parker's Mill is small and very welcoming. Give it a shot. There are several Presbyterian churches that fit the bill too... I like Pisgah out behind the castle, but their pastor has been sick. Either way, they're also very open and welcoming.
Fwiw, I see all the people down voting you, and I understand exactly what you're saying and why they don't get it.
Seriously tho, just go to an episcopal church. Add St Michael's to your list, but basically try all of them until you find one you like. When I was a kid their 9 am service was the more traditional service, but they also had a gay and lesbian support group (not the language we'd use now but that's what I recall it being called then) that was genuine support in the 90s and that was relatively common at episcopal churches even then. There's some good methodists and presbyterians too but I think you'll find what you want at an episcopal church if you check through them a bit to find the one that suits you best.
I don't mean to pry, but may I ask where the age limit requirement is coming from? It just feels incongruent. If the other criteria in you posted question are satisfied, it doesn't seem an issue. Granted, that criterion itself may come with disqualifying criteria.
In my mind I'm courting an answer, but feel it may be alleviated elsewhere.
Good luck finding Your community.
People know people. Wherever you go you will find an expanded network, whether they are regularly present or not. They will have friends or family in other churches as well. In my experience, it's best to start somewhere and see where it goes. There will always be more communities to visit.
Central Baptist Church. Traditional worship style. Minister has a doctorate. Welcoming and progressive congregation. We believe God loves EVERYONE. It's a smallish church but there are younger families. A decent mix of young and old. Check us out.
I admit, hearing the word "Baptist" puts me a bit on guard (I'm picturing MAGA bumper stickers and whatnot) but I have seen people say good things about Central Baptist on here before.
I’m no longer religious, but if I were, I’d go to Central Baptist. They aren’t Southern Baptist, but what we referred to in seminary as “other” Baptist, from anabaptist tradition. They’re inclusive - with a statement on their website noting that they’re LGBTQ+ affirming.
We talked about dropping the Baptist name but why should we? Historically, Baptists are accepting and progressive. The evangelical wing are the ones who high jacked and stained the Baptist tradition. Trust me, this is not a MAGA church. Far from it. No one will proselytize, shame or otherwise make you feel uncomfortable.
Come by! I'm the usually the one handing out the bulletins. Just say I heard about you on Reddit. I'll show you around. Or you can message me for more info.
Peace
My wife and I have been attending [Embrace UMC](https://www.embraceyourcity.com/who-we-are) on N Limestone since 2015. The congregation is genuinely diverse in every sense of the word, not just racially: there are people of all incomes, ages, & backgrounds, married, single, young kids, child free, and several LGBT members. (My daughter and wife are both trans, and our church fully supports them both.)
The church is laid-back in the sense that the worship team members usually wear jeans and t-shirts, but it’s not in that “we’re trying hard to be cool and trendy and relevant and we’ll put on a concert on Sunday morning” kind of way. Services follow a basic, traditional format that follow the liturgical calendar, and the pastor is in his mid/late 30s with a solid theological background.
If you’re interested, you can check out their [YouTube channel](https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCSuNosSyztHhBPcmQfe4VvQ), which has both the full services (~1hr long) and the individual sermons (~20-30mins) to see what it’s like.
Even if you don’t check it out, I wish you the best in your journey to find a faith community!
I think the type of church you are describing getting so involved in politics and hate is a big turnoff to people under 40. Those ideas have been introduced to the people that have been in these churches slowly, like boiling a frog, so they don’t even realize how far from real Christian principles they have gotten. When people who haven’t been slowly brainwashed experience this environment, it’s repulsive. I left that type of church around 15 years ago when that started and haven’t been back in a church since.
I’m genuinely curious, but doesn’t *Christian* directly equal *other faiths are going to hell*? That’s kinda the foundation of Christianity. Jesus being the only way to heaven (or phrased another way: out of hell)
This is what got me to give up on churches. A lot of them DO preach that the only way to heaven is to accept Jesus Christ as your lord and savior and everyone else is going to hell. I always felt like that was a perversion. Some people haven’t even heard of Jesus. That’s not reason enough to damn them. 😑
Someone else asked this.
[https://www.reddit.com/r/lexington/comments/17zac3o/whys\_it\_so\_hard\_to\_find\_a\_good\_church\_around\_here/k9ydpee/?utm\_source=share&utm\_medium=ios\_app&utm\_name=ioscss&utm\_content=1&utm\_term=1&context=3](https://www.reddit.com/r/lexington/comments/17zac3o/whys_it_so_hard_to_find_a_good_church_around_here/k9ydpee/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=ioscss&utm_content=1&utm_term=1&context=3)
Evangelicals love to claim that their beliefs are “foundational,” but historically speaking, they are a very young branch of Christianity. He who is last to the party doesn't get to make the rules.
No, it's not even *remotely* the foundation of Christianity.
Perhaps spending some time over a r/ChristianUniversalism could explain it in more detail, but there absolutely are Christians, and schools of Christian belief going back to antiquity, which either argue that nobody is going to Hell, or that other religions can provide a path to salvation (Christ is the only way to heaven, but others may still benefit from His salvation albeit by other names).
I heard a pastor put it very well recently: that Jesus wants to save everyone is the idea behind evangelism (otherwise why would you take the Gospel to all nations?). So if you believe that some people will spend eternity in hell, you basically believe that Jesus will fail.
No, I don't. I recently moved away from Lex, but, in the years prior to my move, I could not find a church that had a place for a middle aged single woman. I was shunned in some Bible study groups. Felt like maybe the women felt threatened by me...who knows...I also prefer a church as you described, and one with some solid Christians who love God more than the fluff of religiosity or the idolatry I've found in contemporary church (essentially, church and pastor worship). Keep looking, though!
One woman in my bible study would not take her hands off her husband. She was constantly rubbing his back and arms during the 1.5 to 2 hours, and when she was not caressing him, she had her arm draped over his shoulder. She had a huge wall up with me--it felt like she was very put off by my presence. Chill out dude. I have no interest in your hubby. Geez. Oh, and another lady used to glare at me. One day she said, "I don't like those academic types", knowing I was a grad student... Like I said in my main post, I would like to find a church with some solid Christians.
I can unequivocally recommend Saint Michael’s of All Angels. https://www.saint-michaels.org/
They have two services the second being a full mass with choir and music. You can see recorded services on their YouTube channel. The Reverend Laurie Brock is the senior minister who is a brilliant preacher and published author.
The parish is open and inviting to LGTPQ people. See their statement on the website.
I wish you all the best finding your church home.
I hear that episcopal is like fun catholism- women priests, tolerant views, very socially oriented. Don’t know anything specifically about the Lexington churches.
Honestly, have you been to catholic church? I know, I know...but I think you would be pleasantly surprised at how kind people are and once you get used to the whole order of Mass, you may really enjoy it. I have yet to hear a homily (basically a sermon) talking poorly about others and I've been going to mass for 39 years. It's usually a message about how you can be a kinder, more accepting human. I'm doing a terrible job of convincing but just give it a try. I go to Mary Queen and it is mostly families there so a lot people in their 30s. I have been to Christ the king and pax Christi and have heard good things about Seton as well. Hope you find what you need!
The Catholic Church is inherently anti progressive, misogynistic, and abusive. It's utterly unavoidable. By going to Catholic church you are supporting a regressive political movement. Full stop.
Some churches/parishes are better than others, but yes, the problem is the institution itself. They've got a systemic child abuse problem that they still haven't really resolved. They aren't too kind to women, either.
Yep. I was catholic before switching to episcopal church as a kid so i get it. I'm not any kind of religious now but the Catholic church is still a toxic and damaging place regardless of whether you're christian or not. And I have several close relationships who are abused by clergy. In Kentucky. It's a problem everywhere and the church still hasn't fixed it.
Totally get it. But, at least if you decide to ever try it out again you will know the basics so there won't be a learning curve. 😇 Maybe an episcopal church is right up your alley, though?
Atheist here, but the Episcopal church should meet most of your needs. Grew up Episcopal and they continue to evolve welcoming women and lgbtq into church leadership.
I understand your needs but they may be difficult to fulfill without some compromise. If you want a congregation with a younger crowd, you might look at Southland or Crossroads. But typically the churches with a younger crowd are going to be oriented towards a more contemporary service. Tates Creek Christian Church(TCCC) or St Lukes Methodist both have traditional and Contemporary services. Of all these choices I found TCCC to be the friendliest and provide a good christian doctrine but they have a new Minister so I'm not sure if things have changed.
Good luck with your search.
I said this person would have to make a compromise. A large congregation of people under 40 means that the service is going to be quite contemporary. Which in turn, means a church like Southland. I don't know of any truly progressive church in Lexington that has all the qualities this person is looking for. Progressive, non-judgemental,under 40, choir robes and traditional service are counterintuitive when applied to local churches.
There are numerous loving, open hearted, tolerant Christian churches with traditional liturgy in lex. Many of the ones mentioned in this thread have groups for newcomers and all ages.
You're basically asking for a church that isn't Christian these days.
I have never, ever seen a church that accepts lgbtq people. Christianity teaches that it is a sin, and it doesn't waver on that.
It also says that yes, anyone who isnt a christian goes to hell.
Me thinks you aren't really a christian.
So do you just consider most mainline Protestant churches to be not-Christian? Because Episcopalians, United Methodists, and several branches of Presbyterianism accept gays—to name a few.
But most importantly, if you’re a Christian, I think you should reflect on why you consider non-acceptance of LGBT people (as opposed to acceptance of Jesus) to be the determining factor of whether or not someone is Christian.
Also, universal salvation has been around for centuries. It's not a new belief; several of the church fathers were thought to have believed that all souls will ultimately be saved. Endless hell did not become a doctrinal position until the 5th century.
>I have never, ever seen a church that accepts lgbtq people.
That's some rock you're living under there.
Lexington alone has many welcoming churches, this include both liturgical and non-liturgical. Some even have LGBTQ specific ministries (St. Paul comes to mind).
So the only way to hold this view is if you think like...over half of all churches just aren't churches. Which is...a wild way to live.
I personally think churches are all bullshit if you want my opinion. They're full of the most selfish, hypocritical people in the world. Like the saying goes... "There's no hate quite like Christian love."
I was a Christian for my entire life until last year. I'm 38 now. When Trump came to power, it showed me what Christianity really is. I'm not arguing about it anymore. When I opened my mind is when I stopped being a Christian. I learned to think for myself instead of listening to a book that has been changed by human hands countless times over several millenia. I listen to science and logic. I have been to countless churches in the area over my lifetime, and they've all been anti-gay. If they aren't now, then they've changed their minds, which reinforces my belief that the bible is false, because no words in the bible changed to suddenly say "gay people are okay". The churches just decided to say that to get with the times and to pull in youth so they can keep tithes coming in.
I'm sorry you had bad experiences. I totally understand what it's like to be fed up with conservative Christians. I had to call in sick to work after the Nashville shooting last spring because I was so disgusted at all the hate suddenly being directed at the LGBT community; it felt like the Nazis were back, and I didn't feel like I could go to work and avoid arguing with Republicans. Trust me, I get it.
I also think that science is limited in what it can provide for us, both in terms of knowledge and quality of life. IMO, faith has both personal and social value. If you never go to church again, then I wish you the best; I sincerely believe that God loves you and won't punish you for non-belief. But if you do decide you want to go back to church in the near future, you're welcome to come with me.
I believe in a form of Predeterminism now. I believe something created the universe. What that is, I have no idea, and I don't think I will ever know.
I believe that everything after the big bang is predetermined due to cause and effect at the smallest level of particles interacting with each other. I don't think we have free will. Any decision we make is the decision we will always have made at that exact moment due to the series of cause and effect interactions at the molecular level in our brain, and the influences that are, again, cause and effect.
I believe in some kind of god. I don't think it's the christian god, and I don't think that whatever it is loves us or cares about us. It may not even know about us. For all intents and purposes, I think we're on our own as a species.
I wish I thought Christianity was real. I don't enjoy thinking that there is no afterlife and that all of my passed loved ones are gone forever and that I'll never see them again. But I don't.
You’re welcome to your own beliefs, but just so you know, all of that falls under the umbrella of faith. None of it is any more empirically provable than the wildest myth.
I agree. My belief just has more evidence than Christianity (in my eyes, that is).
I'm not saying Christians are bad. My best friend is one. We both just acknowledge that we have different beliefs.
To be honest, the "modern" christian that accepts lgbtq people and doesn't say all non-Christians are going to hell should have it's own name. It needs to differentiate between conservative Christians who are extreme and the Chrisitans who welcome everyone.
There are really only a couple of things that stop me from being a Christian, and they break logic.
The biggest one: If god knows everything that will ever happen, then that means we have no free will. The bible says that we do. Those conflict with each other.
If we have free will, then god can't know our entire future and every decision we will ever make. If he does, then that means our actions are predetermined and that we have no free will.
If that is the case, then god knows who will go to hell before he creates someone, so he's creating them to doom them to eternal fire and torment.
My Chrisitian friends say that yes, we do have free will, and yes, god knows our futures. They don't see the break in logic there. This is where they answer, "You just have to have faith". And I can have faith, to an extent, but not when it breaks logic.
The other is that there is a plan for everyone. What kind of god creates a beautiful baby just to have them die in some hideous manner (like a tornado or house fire), knowing they will perish like that, just to be part of a plan that involves strengthening someone else's faith as a trial? What kind of terrible monster does that? That isn't love.
If Christians would say EITHER god gave us free will and he doesn't know our futures OR we don't have free will, then I could accept it.
But they don't.
I would prefer to be a Christian, but it doesn't work if I don't believe it. I would LOVE for someone to make sense of the things that seem to break logic. Nobody has. I understand some things we don't know, but logic is pretty evident in this case.
Free will and determinism aren’t opposed, actually. Google “compatiblism”—it’s a mainstream philosophical position.
And like I said, not all Christians believe in eternal hell. Universal salvation is also a common belief.
Hey, if you want to be ignorant and hateful yourself, I suppose no one is stopping you. Can't dislike it too much if you're embodying it.
I was raised evangelical and abused within the church, but healing seemed more appealing to me. Hate sucks.
This response proves my earlier comment that you want a religion that aligns with your political beliefs. Thanks for the affirmation. Good luck to you.
I responded to that comment, actually. And my comment here is consistent with what I said there. If you need help understanding what I wrote, feel free to ask.
I go to a Baptist church in Lex that does none of these things. A real Christian will accept you and love you no matter what. These people you refer to are the ones who are not 'real' Christians. But this is a theological debate I choose not to have on Reddit. Just know that there are real ones out here
Not necessarily. It’s more that I don’t want a church that pushes a set of political positions on me.
I don't care if the person worshipping next to me has political views different from mine. But I do care if they turn to me and say, "You aren't a real Christian if you voted for someone I don't like."
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton is pretty nice if you don't mind Catholics and a lack of choir robes
(I grew up there before anything thinks I'm knocking Catholics)
I can also attest to First UMC in Lex. They have two very liturgically traditional communities, with a third that is liturgically traditional, but will use contemporary music. The campus on High Street will have the most under 40’s
I would recommend doing some serious church hopping. That’s what I did when I was seriously looking several years ago. I went to a different place every week until I finally found something that felt, while not perfect, was the most right for me.
I've seen others suggest Good Shepherd, and I'm a member there if you have any questions! We do have a quite large population of older members, but virtually all of the new members I've seen over the past year and a half or so have been more in your demographic. I'm more in the middle age-wise being in my late 40's. And honestly I feel like the different generations mesh MUCH better at GS than the church I previously attended. Sermons and services are all on YouTube if you have any interest in checking them out. I hope you find a church that's a good fit for you!
Here to second, third, fourth, Good Shepherd. Hits everything you want. I’m under forty and was looking for the same things. I found it at Good Shepherd.
Lexington has a ton of churches, but like most of Kentucky, there’s a lot of evangelical Christian churches. If there’s a specific branch of Christianity that you’re looking for, I’d start by visiting all of those churches.
I’m not a Christian but my husband is and was looking for most of what you’re describing. He ended up converting to Catholicism. If you’re not comfortable with that (as I know some Christians believe Catholics to be pagans), perhaps Anglicanism? Not my style but seems to meet the general criteria. I am not sure of the availability on Anglican churches around here though.
I agree, I don't like religion at all but was raised catholic. The clergy are educated and despite what some say they are very accepting of other points of view. Of course large groups of people tend to resemble each other, so yeah, all these groups are batshit in their own special way. I think catholics have a longer history than most of these niche churches, thus more things you can point at. The whole pedophilia thing is terrible, but as a child in that church, I encountered none of that.
It’s not “difficult to comprehend.” It’s simply inaccurate.
Deities aren’t friends, and “imaginary” is very obviously condescending. Pretending you meant otherwise is just dishonest.
I know you think theists are stupid, but no one is that stupid.
I did not realize you meant you wanted people under 40 years old. I thought you wanted “a SIGNIFICANT number of weekly attendees that is less than 40 people” I was so confused
many have commented individual churches from this denomination, but most churches which are Christian Church - Disciples of Christ (any church you see with a red chalice and a white cross on it) will fit this description. Traditional services, progressive beliefs, younger membership. Crestwood Christian, Central Christian, Twin Pines, South Elkhorn, East Second Street (if you’re black), so on.
Not my thing, but Good Shepard Episcopal is what you are looking for.
Thanks, I’ll take a look
Actually try Christ Church downtown.
IME, the preaching is better at Good Shepherd, but the music is better at Christ Church. Both are well worth a visit.
Or St Raphael's
The Episcopal Church, as a denomination, definitely has the things you're looking for. I don't know about the average age of people in attendance, the last time I regularly went to Good Shepherd was pre-COVID, but it is a pretty large church (I think they have around 800 members) and they're usually pretty busy with all kinds of activities and events. If Good Shepherd doesn't do it for you, there are several other Episcopal Churches in Lexington you could try to see if they're more to your liking or have a congregation you'd get along better with.
Robin Williams called Episcopals as “catholic lite”. And really after reading OPs post, I think that’s perfect for them :)
[удалено]
I’m not up early enough to be anywhere at 8 anyway lol.
ECLA Lutherans, UNITED Church of Christ, Disciples of Christ, Episcopalians, and Presbyterian U.S.A. denominations to name a few. You could try this one - https://www.southelkhorncc.org/
Young people in church are rare. Young people who want traditional service are rare. Young people who go to church with a choir instead of a rock band are rare. Churches who stray from rock band and also aren’t hating on other denominations or lgbt are rare. You want a progressive congregation with a traditional service. Surely you understand this is incongruent. You want a pastor who appeals to young people with a service that doesn’t appeal to young people. You’re asking for a Yahtzee and wondering why you can’t find it. You might as well be asking why you haven’t won the lottery yet. No offense.
>You want a progressive congregation with a traditional service. Surely you understand this is incongruent. No, that describes The Episcopal Church *perfectly*. That's not incongruent, there's denominations that thrive on it.
I was going to suggest St Michael’s, but they aren’t especially young or hip, just nice.
They're quite nice, but he's likely to find a slightly younger crowd at Good Shepherd. When they're big enough and have enough kids to have a full time minister for families and children, they're probably young enough as a congregation to be what OP wants.
Weirdly enough, it’s the rock band churches that tend to hate more—in my observation.
Growing up in a church that had traditional music and disagreed with *checks notes* slow dancing, eating food inside the building, and all forms of alcohol, that wasn’t my experience. Forget gay marriage. Divorce alone was enough to ban you from heaven. Even the same denomination that had *a kitchen or a piano* was going to hell. If you think the church with the rock band is being judgmental then, oh boy, welcome to Kentucky. Also, it sounds like you’re being a bit judgmental about Christians who like rock music. Good luck.
oh were you raised Church of Christ too? Joking aside, I do agree that OP is looking for a unicorn but I hope they find what makes them happy.
ah my church of christ person. was looking for a church of christ comment
I’m not saying there aren’t exceptions.
I’m saying you are looking for a needle in a haystack in an ocean. And asking why it’s hard to find.
There’s plenty of churches that hate on gays and have a rock band.
This is also true. Still, unicorn church. Shouldn’t be shocking it’s hard to find.
Christ Church Cathedral, First Presby, Second Presby - all fit the bill except maybe as to age. That’s tough for any church these days.
Lol. I basically said that before I started reading the comments
It’s the under 40 that’s difficult. My mom goes to a great church, Beaumont Presbyterian, but you may be disappointed with the age demographic. Good luck.
I think you’re right. I’ve been considering making a visit to the United Methodist church downtown after Thanksgiving vacation, but after looking at their YouTube channel, I suspect I’ll be one of the youngest there (I’m in my early 30s). Edit: who is downvoting these comments and why? Chill out, lol. Don't be so angry all the time.
Good Shepherd Episcopal has good people I know.
I attend the downtown campus of First United Methodist. The population isn’t necessarily super young but there are a good amount of younger folks there as well as young families. I think you will be pleasantly surprised. I would suggest joining for some of the Christmas services. The lessons and carols service on Sunday Dec 6th at 6 pm is always lovely (a lot of music) and the Christmas Eve services are great as well.
I will be out of town visiting relatives at Christmas, plus I’d rather visit at a less chaotic time. Early December might be good.
I’m in the sub 35 age category and attend First united methodist downtown too. Would agree with everything above. Avg age was actually one of the bigger considerations before joining but hoping to contribute to the solution there. Traditional church but sticking with the United Methodist in the recent shift.
I've been attending Beaumont Presbyterian for 30 years. I think it ticks all of your boxes. #allarewelcome. [https://bpclex.org/](https://bpclex.org/)
A good friend of mine goes to [St. Michael’s](https://www.saint-michaels.org/) Episcopal on Bellefonte and really likes it.
I'm agnostic and have religious trauma from my Southern Baptist raising. I went with my boyfriend's family to a Disciples of Christ church and was pleasantly surprised. I was nervous about it, given my experiences in church, but as far as church goes, it was alright. They seemed accepting and progressive. They had a traditional choir. I remember being shocked that women were leading prayer and passing around the offering plate.
There are some DOC churches that aren’t particularly gay friendly. And some that are 100% accepting.
Crestwood christian sounds like it would be a good fit for you.
Big fan of Crestwood Christian for all these reasons.
I second this!
Thank you for asking this question. We are in a similar church hunt, and the answers gave me some possibilities I hadn't considered before.
What sounds like to me is that what you want is not Christian orthodoxy.
Why would you say that?
If by "orthodoxy," you mean Catholicism or an Eastern Orthodox church, then you're correct, I'm not looking for either of those. Political conservatism =/= orthodoxy in a theological sense.
Christian orthodoxy meaning what conservatives preach and believe. Yes that includes Catholics and baptists, Calvinists, whatever. Still all Christian but so badly wanna be their own thing. Not the parables that the Bible is. You aren't gonna find that here.
Sorry friend, I think you don't actually understand the difference between politics and theology. Which, to be clear, I say as someone who's now functionally an atheist. But you don't understand what you're talking about or why the differences matter.
Like I said, political conservatism is not the same as theological orthodoxy. American evangelicalism, for example, is very politically conservative, yet it's one of the youngest branches of Christianity. Theological orthodoxy is typically associated with “high church” practices, as opposed to “low church” practices. In general, the older and more ritualistic a denomination is, the more theologically orthodox. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_church https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Low_church
Nothing he said ruled out traditional Christian orthodoxy.
Remember that central KY is mostly evangelicals, and they think they're "orthodox" despite being at the opposite end of the theological spectrum.
I know a thousand other people have said it, but Episcopal churches sound like what you're looking for. St. Raphael's off Parker's Mill is small and very welcoming. Give it a shot. There are several Presbyterian churches that fit the bill too... I like Pisgah out behind the castle, but their pastor has been sick. Either way, they're also very open and welcoming.
Fwiw, I see all the people down voting you, and I understand exactly what you're saying and why they don't get it. Seriously tho, just go to an episcopal church. Add St Michael's to your list, but basically try all of them until you find one you like. When I was a kid their 9 am service was the more traditional service, but they also had a gay and lesbian support group (not the language we'd use now but that's what I recall it being called then) that was genuine support in the 90s and that was relatively common at episcopal churches even then. There's some good methodists and presbyterians too but I think you'll find what you want at an episcopal church if you check through them a bit to find the one that suits you best.
Good shepherd. Episcopalian. Right on main street
I don't mean to pry, but may I ask where the age limit requirement is coming from? It just feels incongruent. If the other criteria in you posted question are satisfied, it doesn't seem an issue. Granted, that criterion itself may come with disqualifying criteria. In my mind I'm courting an answer, but feel it may be alleviated elsewhere. Good luck finding Your community.
It's coming from the fact that I'm under 40 myself.
Right, but is it because you're trying to meet someone for dating? Why does age matter in a church worship scenario? You're there to worship.
I’m trying to meet people for things like Bible study. It’s nice to have others my age to talk to.
People know people. Wherever you go you will find an expanded network, whether they are regularly present or not. They will have friends or family in other churches as well. In my experience, it's best to start somewhere and see where it goes. There will always be more communities to visit.
Central Baptist Church. Traditional worship style. Minister has a doctorate. Welcoming and progressive congregation. We believe God loves EVERYONE. It's a smallish church but there are younger families. A decent mix of young and old. Check us out.
I admit, hearing the word "Baptist" puts me a bit on guard (I'm picturing MAGA bumper stickers and whatnot) but I have seen people say good things about Central Baptist on here before.
I’m no longer religious, but if I were, I’d go to Central Baptist. They aren’t Southern Baptist, but what we referred to in seminary as “other” Baptist, from anabaptist tradition. They’re inclusive - with a statement on their website noting that they’re LGBTQ+ affirming.
We talked about dropping the Baptist name but why should we? Historically, Baptists are accepting and progressive. The evangelical wing are the ones who high jacked and stained the Baptist tradition. Trust me, this is not a MAGA church. Far from it. No one will proselytize, shame or otherwise make you feel uncomfortable.
This makes me want to check them out
Come by! I'm the usually the one handing out the bulletins. Just say I heard about you on Reddit. I'll show you around. Or you can message me for more info. Peace
My wife and I have been attending [Embrace UMC](https://www.embraceyourcity.com/who-we-are) on N Limestone since 2015. The congregation is genuinely diverse in every sense of the word, not just racially: there are people of all incomes, ages, & backgrounds, married, single, young kids, child free, and several LGBT members. (My daughter and wife are both trans, and our church fully supports them both.) The church is laid-back in the sense that the worship team members usually wear jeans and t-shirts, but it’s not in that “we’re trying hard to be cool and trendy and relevant and we’ll put on a concert on Sunday morning” kind of way. Services follow a basic, traditional format that follow the liturgical calendar, and the pastor is in his mid/late 30s with a solid theological background. If you’re interested, you can check out their [YouTube channel](https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCSuNosSyztHhBPcmQfe4VvQ), which has both the full services (~1hr long) and the individual sermons (~20-30mins) to see what it’s like. Even if you don’t check it out, I wish you the best in your journey to find a faith community!
I wanted to like Embrace, but I just couldn't handle the band and the lack of traditional liturgy. Sounds like OP is looking for something else too.
I think the type of church you are describing getting so involved in politics and hate is a big turnoff to people under 40. Those ideas have been introduced to the people that have been in these churches slowly, like boiling a frog, so they don’t even realize how far from real Christian principles they have gotten. When people who haven’t been slowly brainwashed experience this environment, it’s repulsive. I left that type of church around 15 years ago when that started and haven’t been back in a church since.
I’m genuinely curious, but doesn’t *Christian* directly equal *other faiths are going to hell*? That’s kinda the foundation of Christianity. Jesus being the only way to heaven (or phrased another way: out of hell)
This is what got me to give up on churches. A lot of them DO preach that the only way to heaven is to accept Jesus Christ as your lord and savior and everyone else is going to hell. I always felt like that was a perversion. Some people haven’t even heard of Jesus. That’s not reason enough to damn them. 😑
Someone else asked this. [https://www.reddit.com/r/lexington/comments/17zac3o/whys\_it\_so\_hard\_to\_find\_a\_good\_church\_around\_here/k9ydpee/?utm\_source=share&utm\_medium=ios\_app&utm\_name=ioscss&utm\_content=1&utm\_term=1&context=3](https://www.reddit.com/r/lexington/comments/17zac3o/whys_it_so_hard_to_find_a_good_church_around_here/k9ydpee/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=ioscss&utm_content=1&utm_term=1&context=3) Evangelicals love to claim that their beliefs are “foundational,” but historically speaking, they are a very young branch of Christianity. He who is last to the party doesn't get to make the rules.
You go ahead and tell them that. 😀
I do. Often. They get mad, but hey, when have facts not angered them?
No, it's not even *remotely* the foundation of Christianity. Perhaps spending some time over a r/ChristianUniversalism could explain it in more detail, but there absolutely are Christians, and schools of Christian belief going back to antiquity, which either argue that nobody is going to Hell, or that other religions can provide a path to salvation (Christ is the only way to heaven, but others may still benefit from His salvation albeit by other names).
I heard a pastor put it very well recently: that Jesus wants to save everyone is the idea behind evangelism (otherwise why would you take the Gospel to all nations?). So if you believe that some people will spend eternity in hell, you basically believe that Jesus will fail.
Here's a sneak peek of /r/ChristianUniversalism using the [top posts](https://np.reddit.com/r/ChristianUniversalism/top/?sort=top&t=year) of the year! \#1: [Everybody](https://i.redd.it/abd388ozu2qb1.png) | [34 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/ChristianUniversalism/comments/16qgjai/everybody/) \#2: ["What's the point of Christianity if hell isn't forever?"](https://i.redd.it/r6gkm5fsmb3a1.jpg) | [19 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/ChristianUniversalism/comments/z9togm/whats_the_point_of_christianity_if_hell_isnt/) \#3: [Thought y'all might enjoy this](https://i.redd.it/363wjpclp9rb1.jpg) | [17 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/ChristianUniversalism/comments/16voxfc/thought_yall_might_enjoy_this/) ---- ^^I'm ^^a ^^bot, ^^beep ^^boop ^^| ^^Downvote ^^to ^^remove ^^| ^^[Contact](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=sneakpeekbot) ^^| ^^[Info](https://np.reddit.com/r/sneakpeekbot/) ^^| ^^[Opt-out](https://np.reddit.com/r/sneakpeekbot/comments/o8wk1r/blacklist_ix/) ^^| ^^[GitHub](https://github.com/ghnr/sneakpeekbot)
No.
I feel your pain.
Do you currently belong to a church in the area?
No, I don't. I recently moved away from Lex, but, in the years prior to my move, I could not find a church that had a place for a middle aged single woman. I was shunned in some Bible study groups. Felt like maybe the women felt threatened by me...who knows...I also prefer a church as you described, and one with some solid Christians who love God more than the fluff of religiosity or the idolatry I've found in contemporary church (essentially, church and pastor worship). Keep looking, though!
One woman in my bible study would not take her hands off her husband. She was constantly rubbing his back and arms during the 1.5 to 2 hours, and when she was not caressing him, she had her arm draped over his shoulder. She had a huge wall up with me--it felt like she was very put off by my presence. Chill out dude. I have no interest in your hubby. Geez. Oh, and another lady used to glare at me. One day she said, "I don't like those academic types", knowing I was a grad student... Like I said in my main post, I would like to find a church with some solid Christians.
Yikes. I worry about some of that stuff, too, being single in my 30s.
I getchya!
All churches have those people.
Yes, you are right!
I can unequivocally recommend Saint Michael’s of All Angels. https://www.saint-michaels.org/ They have two services the second being a full mass with choir and music. You can see recorded services on their YouTube channel. The Reverend Laurie Brock is the senior minister who is a brilliant preacher and published author. The parish is open and inviting to LGTPQ people. See their statement on the website. I wish you all the best finding your church home.
You should check out Christ Church Cathedral downtown. Age range is varies but might not actually meet your criteria
I hear that episcopal is like fun catholism- women priests, tolerant views, very socially oriented. Don’t know anything specifically about the Lexington churches.
Check out Maxwell Presbyterian
2nd
Honestly, have you been to catholic church? I know, I know...but I think you would be pleasantly surprised at how kind people are and once you get used to the whole order of Mass, you may really enjoy it. I have yet to hear a homily (basically a sermon) talking poorly about others and I've been going to mass for 39 years. It's usually a message about how you can be a kinder, more accepting human. I'm doing a terrible job of convincing but just give it a try. I go to Mary Queen and it is mostly families there so a lot people in their 30s. I have been to Christ the king and pax Christi and have heard good things about Seton as well. Hope you find what you need!
The Catholic Church is inherently anti progressive, misogynistic, and abusive. It's utterly unavoidable. By going to Catholic church you are supporting a regressive political movement. Full stop.
Some churches/parishes are better than others, but yes, the problem is the institution itself. They've got a systemic child abuse problem that they still haven't really resolved. They aren't too kind to women, either.
Yep. I was catholic before switching to episcopal church as a kid so i get it. I'm not any kind of religious now but the Catholic church is still a toxic and damaging place regardless of whether you're christian or not. And I have several close relationships who are abused by clergy. In Kentucky. It's a problem everywhere and the church still hasn't fixed it.
I grew up Catholic. Would rather not do Catholicism again.
Totally get it. But, at least if you decide to ever try it out again you will know the basics so there won't be a learning curve. 😇 Maybe an episcopal church is right up your alley, though?
It doesn't suprize me you are having a hard time finding a traditional church with non-traditional values.
Methodist or Episcopalian perhaps?
Atheist here, but the Episcopal church should meet most of your needs. Grew up Episcopal and they continue to evolve welcoming women and lgbtq into church leadership.
Very curious why you've ruled out Unitarian Universalist?
I can see why you are having trouble finding that.
Just simply don't go to church. They just want your sweet sweet untaxable donations. Just be good to people, that's really all it takes.
>traditional service > >no prejudice lol I'm thinking this is a troll post.
I understand your needs but they may be difficult to fulfill without some compromise. If you want a congregation with a younger crowd, you might look at Southland or Crossroads. But typically the churches with a younger crowd are going to be oriented towards a more contemporary service. Tates Creek Christian Church(TCCC) or St Lukes Methodist both have traditional and Contemporary services. Of all these choices I found TCCC to be the friendliest and provide a good christian doctrine but they have a new Minister so I'm not sure if things have changed. Good luck with your search.
They said they want a progressive church without rock bands and you recommend Southland of all places? lol
I said this person would have to make a compromise. A large congregation of people under 40 means that the service is going to be quite contemporary. Which in turn, means a church like Southland. I don't know of any truly progressive church in Lexington that has all the qualities this person is looking for. Progressive, non-judgemental,under 40, choir robes and traditional service are counterintuitive when applied to local churches.
These are all iterations of fundamentalism. Not what what is looking for.
Lol
The congregations you mention are all very conservative theologically and anti lgbtq. Also they don’t have particularly traditional liturgy.
That's unfortunate. I hope the OP finds what they are looking for and if they do they should post it for other people to see.
There are numerous loving, open hearted, tolerant Christian churches with traditional liturgy in lex. Many of the ones mentioned in this thread have groups for newcomers and all ages.
You're basically asking for a church that isn't Christian these days. I have never, ever seen a church that accepts lgbtq people. Christianity teaches that it is a sin, and it doesn't waver on that. It also says that yes, anyone who isnt a christian goes to hell. Me thinks you aren't really a christian.
So do you just consider most mainline Protestant churches to be not-Christian? Because Episcopalians, United Methodists, and several branches of Presbyterianism accept gays—to name a few. But most importantly, if you’re a Christian, I think you should reflect on why you consider non-acceptance of LGBT people (as opposed to acceptance of Jesus) to be the determining factor of whether or not someone is Christian. Also, universal salvation has been around for centuries. It's not a new belief; several of the church fathers were thought to have believed that all souls will ultimately be saved. Endless hell did not become a doctrinal position until the 5th century.
[удалено]
Fundamentalist, atheist...funny how hard it is to tell the difference sometimes.
>I have never, ever seen a church that accepts lgbtq people. That's some rock you're living under there. Lexington alone has many welcoming churches, this include both liturgical and non-liturgical. Some even have LGBTQ specific ministries (St. Paul comes to mind). So the only way to hold this view is if you think like...over half of all churches just aren't churches. Which is...a wild way to live.
I personally think churches are all bullshit if you want my opinion. They're full of the most selfish, hypocritical people in the world. Like the saying goes... "There's no hate quite like Christian love."
People keep telling you that not all churches are white conservative churches and you don't want to listen. Who is the closed-minded one now?
I was a Christian for my entire life until last year. I'm 38 now. When Trump came to power, it showed me what Christianity really is. I'm not arguing about it anymore. When I opened my mind is when I stopped being a Christian. I learned to think for myself instead of listening to a book that has been changed by human hands countless times over several millenia. I listen to science and logic. I have been to countless churches in the area over my lifetime, and they've all been anti-gay. If they aren't now, then they've changed their minds, which reinforces my belief that the bible is false, because no words in the bible changed to suddenly say "gay people are okay". The churches just decided to say that to get with the times and to pull in youth so they can keep tithes coming in.
I'm sorry you had bad experiences. I totally understand what it's like to be fed up with conservative Christians. I had to call in sick to work after the Nashville shooting last spring because I was so disgusted at all the hate suddenly being directed at the LGBT community; it felt like the Nazis were back, and I didn't feel like I could go to work and avoid arguing with Republicans. Trust me, I get it. I also think that science is limited in what it can provide for us, both in terms of knowledge and quality of life. IMO, faith has both personal and social value. If you never go to church again, then I wish you the best; I sincerely believe that God loves you and won't punish you for non-belief. But if you do decide you want to go back to church in the near future, you're welcome to come with me.
I believe in a form of Predeterminism now. I believe something created the universe. What that is, I have no idea, and I don't think I will ever know. I believe that everything after the big bang is predetermined due to cause and effect at the smallest level of particles interacting with each other. I don't think we have free will. Any decision we make is the decision we will always have made at that exact moment due to the series of cause and effect interactions at the molecular level in our brain, and the influences that are, again, cause and effect. I believe in some kind of god. I don't think it's the christian god, and I don't think that whatever it is loves us or cares about us. It may not even know about us. For all intents and purposes, I think we're on our own as a species. I wish I thought Christianity was real. I don't enjoy thinking that there is no afterlife and that all of my passed loved ones are gone forever and that I'll never see them again. But I don't.
You’re welcome to your own beliefs, but just so you know, all of that falls under the umbrella of faith. None of it is any more empirically provable than the wildest myth.
I agree. My belief just has more evidence than Christianity (in my eyes, that is). I'm not saying Christians are bad. My best friend is one. We both just acknowledge that we have different beliefs. To be honest, the "modern" christian that accepts lgbtq people and doesn't say all non-Christians are going to hell should have it's own name. It needs to differentiate between conservative Christians who are extreme and the Chrisitans who welcome everyone. There are really only a couple of things that stop me from being a Christian, and they break logic. The biggest one: If god knows everything that will ever happen, then that means we have no free will. The bible says that we do. Those conflict with each other. If we have free will, then god can't know our entire future and every decision we will ever make. If he does, then that means our actions are predetermined and that we have no free will. If that is the case, then god knows who will go to hell before he creates someone, so he's creating them to doom them to eternal fire and torment. My Chrisitian friends say that yes, we do have free will, and yes, god knows our futures. They don't see the break in logic there. This is where they answer, "You just have to have faith". And I can have faith, to an extent, but not when it breaks logic. The other is that there is a plan for everyone. What kind of god creates a beautiful baby just to have them die in some hideous manner (like a tornado or house fire), knowing they will perish like that, just to be part of a plan that involves strengthening someone else's faith as a trial? What kind of terrible monster does that? That isn't love. If Christians would say EITHER god gave us free will and he doesn't know our futures OR we don't have free will, then I could accept it. But they don't. I would prefer to be a Christian, but it doesn't work if I don't believe it. I would LOVE for someone to make sense of the things that seem to break logic. Nobody has. I understand some things we don't know, but logic is pretty evident in this case.
Free will and determinism aren’t opposed, actually. Google “compatiblism”—it’s a mainstream philosophical position. And like I said, not all Christians believe in eternal hell. Universal salvation is also a common belief.
Hey, if you want to be ignorant and hateful yourself, I suppose no one is stopping you. Can't dislike it too much if you're embodying it. I was raised evangelical and abused within the church, but healing seemed more appealing to me. Hate sucks.
Nail on the head.
Yeah, yeah, we know. OnLy MAGA pAtRiOtS aRe rEaL ChRiStiAnS. Tell me more about how Jesus was your favorite American. Lol.
This response proves my earlier comment that you want a religion that aligns with your political beliefs. Thanks for the affirmation. Good luck to you.
I responded to that comment, actually. And my comment here is consistent with what I said there. If you need help understanding what I wrote, feel free to ask.
I go to a Baptist church in Lex that does none of these things. A real Christian will accept you and love you no matter what. These people you refer to are the ones who are not 'real' Christians. But this is a theological debate I choose not to have on Reddit. Just know that there are real ones out here
Lol why are all these shitty people groups shitty?
Because anyone with over a room temp IQ thats indoctrinated into Christianity leaves by the age of 14.
What you really want is a church that aligns with your political beliefs...
Not necessarily. It’s more that I don’t want a church that pushes a set of political positions on me. I don't care if the person worshipping next to me has political views different from mine. But I do care if they turn to me and say, "You aren't a real Christian if you voted for someone I don't like."
It has been a while since I attended one of their services, but check up Beaumont Presbyterian.
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton is pretty nice if you don't mind Catholics and a lack of choir robes (I grew up there before anything thinks I'm knocking Catholics)
South Elkhorn Christian! Marks off everything on your list. DM me with questions!
I can also attest to First UMC in Lex. They have two very liturgically traditional communities, with a third that is liturgically traditional, but will use contemporary music. The campus on High Street will have the most under 40’s
Try Episcopal churches. As far as the under 40, that could be tough. Younger people aren’t as likely to attend.
central Baptist church in front of Fayette mall. not exactly many under 40, but not many churches these days will have a lot of younger people.
I would recommend doing some serious church hopping. That’s what I did when I was seriously looking several years ago. I went to a different place every week until I finally found something that felt, while not perfect, was the most right for me.
I've seen others suggest Good Shepherd, and I'm a member there if you have any questions! We do have a quite large population of older members, but virtually all of the new members I've seen over the past year and a half or so have been more in your demographic. I'm more in the middle age-wise being in my late 40's. And honestly I feel like the different generations mesh MUCH better at GS than the church I previously attended. Sermons and services are all on YouTube if you have any interest in checking them out. I hope you find a church that's a good fit for you!
Here to second, third, fourth, Good Shepherd. Hits everything you want. I’m under forty and was looking for the same things. I found it at Good Shepherd.
Good Shepherd Episcopal Church
*no prejudice That’s built into the religion itself. The way into heaven is through belief in Jesus, everyone else…well…. 🤷♂️
Lexington has a ton of churches, but like most of Kentucky, there’s a lot of evangelical Christian churches. If there’s a specific branch of Christianity that you’re looking for, I’d start by visiting all of those churches.
I’m not a Christian but my husband is and was looking for most of what you’re describing. He ended up converting to Catholicism. If you’re not comfortable with that (as I know some Christians believe Catholics to be pagans), perhaps Anglicanism? Not my style but seems to meet the general criteria. I am not sure of the availability on Anglican churches around here though.
I agree, I don't like religion at all but was raised catholic. The clergy are educated and despite what some say they are very accepting of other points of view. Of course large groups of people tend to resemble each other, so yeah, all these groups are batshit in their own special way. I think catholics have a longer history than most of these niche churches, thus more things you can point at. The whole pedophilia thing is terrible, but as a child in that church, I encountered none of that.
More likely the shitty politics, misogyny, and anti queerness of Catholicism 🙃🙃
It’s quite possible to live a rich, meaningful, fulfilling life of generosity, kindness, and service without ever stepping foot inside a church.
I didn’t say it wasn’t.
You might like Maxwell Street Presbyterian if you don't find what you're looking for elsewhere
Bluegrass United Church of Christ! I love it there, check out the Facebook
Good Shepherd Episcopal checks all those boxes, in my opinion. Or Maxwell Street Pres.
So you're looking for the best group of people that have an invisible friend. Alrighty.
Having invisible friends sounds preferable to being a jerk who insults strangers for no reason.
So you are suggesting that pointing out someone has a friend that is invisible is an insult?
Yes. It’s an inaccurate and condescending way of describing religious belief. But of course, you don’t need me to tell you this.
I suppose when I word it in the literal terms of what people believe it does sound a bit difficult to comprehend.
It’s not “difficult to comprehend.” It’s simply inaccurate. Deities aren’t friends, and “imaginary” is very obviously condescending. Pretending you meant otherwise is just dishonest. I know you think theists are stupid, but no one is that stupid.
Let's start at the beginning. Do you believe snakes can talk?
No, and I’m finished with this conversation.
I did not realize you meant you wanted people under 40 years old. I thought you wanted “a SIGNIFICANT number of weekly attendees that is less than 40 people” I was so confused
many have commented individual churches from this denomination, but most churches which are Christian Church - Disciples of Christ (any church you see with a red chalice and a white cross on it) will fit this description. Traditional services, progressive beliefs, younger membership. Crestwood Christian, Central Christian, Twin Pines, South Elkhorn, East Second Street (if you’re black), so on.