Chapter 16: every tradition · Christianity
Free Methodist Church USA
A congregation, a Society in its Book of Discipline, of the Free Methodist Church USA, founded in 1860 for free seats, freedom from slavery and from secret societies, and freedom in the Spirit, and still Wesleyan holiness: it teaches entire sanctification as John Wesley held it. Worship is simple and sermon-centred, untrammeled by elaborate ritual, and often contemporary. Communion is open to all included in the general invitation, received humbly kneeling at the rail, with Christ really present in a heavenly and spiritual manner; infants and believers are baptized by immersion, sprinkling, or pouring as the family chooses, or children dedicated. The conference's Ministerial Appointments Committee, chaired by the bishop, appoints pastors for an indefinite tenure after talking with the pastor and the church's delegates, and has the final say; property is held in irrevocable trust for the denomination. Members are received by the Board of Administration and make covenant vows: abstinence, no gambling, Lord's Day observance, and a tithe. Joining a secret society or another denomination ends membership. Women have been ordained elders since 1974.
All 80 traditions · its profile in Faiths and traditions, with how to play it; How people feel, what every factor is.
At a glance
| Faith | Christianity |
|---|---|
| Its words | church, church, sanctuary; the pastor leads the service; the sermon; Sunday; the Bible |
| Worship | word focus, responsive, low formality (0.33 of 1); seated on pews |
| Music | band expected; chant discouraged |
| The room's sound | likes a dry room (the band) |
| Its year | western; pentecostal observance; fasts none |
| Leans | conservative on moral questions, neutral on economic ones |
| Polity | connectional; leaders come by appointment; property trust |
| Leaders | one leader, full time, trained by seminary; marriage any |
| Belonging | high commitment, formal discipline, admitted by board; exclusive |
| Giving | tithing expected; collected by plate, online |
| Way of life | alcohol abstinence, dress modest, sabbath observed |
The week's services
| Day | Time | Service | Led by | People look for it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunday | 10:30 am | Preaching service | the pastor | expected |
- Leader: a pastor. With none (a vacancy, or no one hired), the services are still held, but each costs everyone at it 0.10; on sabbatical a supply pastor stands in ($800 a month) for a little less.
- Communion (monthly), served at a rail: it needs an altar, communion table, rail, or communion station with clear floor in front of it, or communion can't be given that week. Everyone receives, infants too.
- Baptism: needs a font, a baptistry, or an immersion font, built and installed; until there is one, those wanting baptism wait.
- Lay helpers at each service: Optional: a Scripture reader, 2 communion servers (at communion).
Rites
- Child Dedication (per birth, +0.02 to those there): Parents bring their baby to the front, promise to raise the child in the faith, and the pastor prays a blessing over the family while the congregation promises to support them.
- Confirmation (yearly, +0.025 to those there): After a season of classes, young people (and adults) are confirmed: they affirm the faith they were baptized into, and the bishop or pastor lays hands on them and prays for the gift of the Holy Spirit.
- Anointing of the Sick (on request, +0.02 to those there, asked for 0.03 times a year by a household, 20 minutes): A priest or the elders pray over someone who is seriously ill, lay hands on them, and anoint them with oil, following James 5. It is usually done at home or in the hospital, sometimes at a communal service.
- Class Meeting (weekly, +0.015 to those there): Members meet weekly in small classes under a class leader to pray, read scripture and tell one another how it is with their souls.
- Camp Meeting (yearly, +0.03 to those there): Families from churches across the district gather for days of preaching, singing and prayer at a campground, with altar services each night.
Baptism, confirmation, and joining
- Baptized elsewhere: it recognizes any baptism in the name of the Trinity. Someone so baptized is received at a service after about 4 weeks (a week from another of its churches).
- Not baptized (or baptized where it doesn't recognize it): a candidate who prepares for 1 months (only months its class can meet count), then is baptized and received at the same service.
- Joining age: 12.
- The church's children are baptized as babies.
- Confirmation: from about 13, a class of 6 months (in a classroom or an office, led by the pastor or a sunday school teacher) prepares them, and the rite makes them full members at 13 or so. It's held only when there are candidates.
- Kinds of belonging: full members (votes, may hold office); youth members; associate members; received by its board.
- What it means: being baptized, confirmed, or received is worth +0.1 to the person, +0.05 to family there, and +0.03 to everyone else at the service. It roots them: a rooted household drifts away only 0.6 times as often, and if it does fall away, it has a 25% chance of coming home each Christmas Eve and Easter for ten years.
Giving, and what goes up
How its people give and what else comes in, as Money explains it for every faith.
- How it's given: the offering, by a plate passed at each main service, and giving online. A visiting household puts $5 to $25 in the plate. Those who give online give whether or not they come (8% more a month).
- Tithing is expected: people give 15% more.
- Fundraisers: only the modest ones (below).
- Owed above: Conference and general support, $180 a year for each member, to the Annual Conference; not kept, it costs the wider body's regard.
The pastor, the staff, and who decides
- How the pastor comes: sent by the Annual Conference, which moves them on; you can't advertise for or dismiss one, but can ask for a move.
- Paid: full time; housed or given an allowance, as you set.
- Who they are: trained at seminary; women among them (about a third); most married; about one married candidate in seven comes as a couple, caring for 75 more.
- Tenure: settled for about 8 years, then may be called elsewhere.
- Ranks: Conference ministerial candidate, Elder; a candidate holds one by skill, and rises with the years.
- Staff it can hire or name (see Staff and volunteers):
- Bivocational pastor ($22,000–$38,000; cares for 75)
- Pastor ($55,000–$85,000 + $18,000 benefits, full time; cares for 150)
- Associate pastor ($42,000–$62,000 + $15,000 benefits, full time; cares for 100 more)
- Consecrated deacon (unpaid; from the members; cares for 30 more)
- Choir director / organist / pianist ($15,000–$35,000; leads the music (up to +0.06))
- Caretaker ($18,000–$30,000; slows the building's wear)
- Church secretary ($20,000–$35,000; runs the office (+50 to the leader's reach, once))
- Youth director ($20,000–$40,000; up to +0.08 for households with young people)
- Its boards: the Board of Administration (deciding, over everything); the Membership Care Committee (advising, over calls and the spiritual life).
- Renovations: The Board of Administration votes.
- New construction: The Board of Administration votes, then the Annual Conference must consent.
- Who votes: full members, 16 and over.
Life together
What its Community screen offers it, with the dilemmas only its own faith or family meets; see The congregation in its community.
- Ministries of its own: Choir.
- Ministries every tradition can run that it's offered: Blood drive, Food pantry, Health clinic, Preschool, Youth group.
- Fundraisers of its own: Soup supper.
- Shared fundraisers it may hold (only the modest ones): Bake sale, Car wash, Rummage sale.
- Tenants it can take: A scout troop, Another congregation, Dance classes, Parties and receptions, Polling place and forums.
- Outreach: invitation Sunday, planting a new church (Community → Evangelism).
- Places beyond the congregation: the conference camp.
- Dilemmas of its own faith (besides those every congregation meets): A petition for cushions, The bells, again.
- Dilemmas its code of life brings: A candidates' forum, A Masonic funeral, A matter of discipline, A raffle for the roof, A recruiter asks for the hall, Champagne at the reception.
What the building needs
- required Communion railCommunicants receive at a rail, kneeling or standing.
- required Communion tableThe Lord's Supper is served from a communion table, recalling the table of the Last Supper.
- required Baptismal fontInfant baptism by pouring needs a baptismal font, traditionally near the entrance as a sign that baptism is entry into the church.
- required PulpitPreaching is the center of worship, so the pulpit stands at the center of the platform.
- expected Drum kitWorship is led by a band.
- expected Sound systemA band needs a sound system to be heard.
- discouraged CrucifixThis tradition uses an empty cross, proclaiming the risen Christ, rather than a crucifix.
- discouraged Flaming chaliceThe flaming chalice is another tradition's symbol.
- discouraged IconIcons are not part of this tradition's worship.
- discouraged StatueStatues are not part of this tradition's worship space.
What people here feel
- Architectural style: Colonial brick +0.052; Modern synagogue +0.034; Gurdwara +0.028; Japanese temple +0.016; Islamic +0.01; Shinto shrine +0.01; Chinese temple +0.004; Dravidian temple -0.002; Nagara temple -0.002; Thai temple -0.002; Jain marble -0.008; Gothic -0.014.
- Building fit: up to ±0.15 for everyone, the average fit of the characterful items in its worship rooms (the table below).
- Acoustics: it wants a dry room, about 0.9 seconds of reverberation: carpet, padded seats, a low ceiling. Up to ±0.05.
- Seasonal decor: it keeps the church year: paraments and the season's decor are worth up to ±0.013.
- The sermon lands by its topic and the tradition's leaning (below); the pastor's preaching adds or costs up to 0.08 more.
- Communion: each communion service runs longer; a slow one costs 0.05 for every 10 minutes the service runs over (0.2 at most).
How each sermon lands
The topics its leader can choose from (some are only for one faith or family), and what each is worth.
- Fire & Brimstone+0.08
- Marriage as God Designed+0.06
- Sanctity of Life+0.06
- The Last Days+0.06
- Faith & Family+0.04
- Faith of Our Fathers+0.04
- Obedience & Discipline+0.04
- Personal Holiness+0.04
- Resisting Temptation+0.04
- Spiritual Warfare+0.04
- The Authority of Scripture+0.04
- The Great Commission+0.04
- Biblical Stories+0.015
- Blessed Are the Peacemakers+0.015
- Called by Name+0.015
- Doubt & Faith+0.015
- Eternal Life & Resurrection+0.015
- Grace & Forgiveness+0.015
- Gratitude+0.015
- Hope & Comfort+0.015
- Joy in All Things+0.015
- Love One Another+0.015
- Sabbath Rest+0.015
- Saints & Witnesses+0.015
- Servant Leadership+0.015
- Songs of the Psalms+0.015
- Stewardship & Generosity+0.015
- The Church Year+0.015
- The Life of Prayer+0.015
- The Parables of Jesus+0.015
- Care for Creation-0.02
- Healing for All-0.02
- Wealth & Poverty-0.02
- Welcome the Stranger-0.02
- Social Justice Call-0.03
- Interfaith Understanding-0.05
- Reading Scripture in Context-0.05
- Swords into Ploughshares-0.05
- The Prophets' Call-0.05
- Women Who Led-0.05
- Racial Justice & Reconciliation-0.075
- Radical Inclusion-0.075
Every item, for this tradition
Fit runs from −1 (jars) to +1 (just right); the building fit is the average over the characterful items in the worship rooms. An item with no character (a table, a toilet) has no fit. A rule applies wherever the item is.
| Item | Fit | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Seating | ||
| Box pew | -0.333 | |
| Choir stalls | -0.167 | |
| Meeting bench | no fit | |
| Oak pew | no fit | |
| Row of chairs | +0.333 | |
| Liturgical furniture | ||
| Altar | -0.333 | |
| Baptismal font | -0.333 | required Infant baptism by pouring needs a baptismal font, traditionally near the entrance as a sign that baptism is entry into the church. |
| Baptistry | no fit | |
| Bishop's chair | -0.333 | |
| Brass eagle lectern | -0.333 | |
| Columbarium niches | -0.333 | |
| Communion rail | -0.333 | required Communicants receive at a rail, kneeling or standing. |
| Communion station | no fit | |
| Communion table | no fit | required The Lord's Supper is served from a communion table, recalling the table of the Last Supper. |
| Communion trays | no fit | |
| Confessional screen | no fit | |
| Coptic cross | 0 | |
| Epitaphios | -1 | |
| Flaming chalice | -1 | discouraged The flaming chalice is another tradition's symbol. |
| Foot-washing basins | no fit | |
| Haikal screen | -1 | |
| Iconostasis | -1 | |
| Immersion font | -0.333 | |
| Lectern | no fit | |
| Litany desk | -0.333 | |
| Mercy seat | no fit | |
| Octagonal stone font | -0.333 | |
| Paraments | no fit | |
| Pulpit | no fit | required Preaching is the center of worship, so the pulpit stands at the center of the platform. |
| Readers' desks | no fit | |
| Rood screen | -1 | |
| Sanctuary lamp | -0.333 | |
| Tabernacle | -0.333 | |
| Three-bar cross | 0 | |
| Thurible and stand | no fit | |
| Music | ||
| Brass band stands | 0 | |
| Chanter's stand | -0.667 | |
| Drum kit | +0.667 | expected Worship is led by a band. |
| Electronic organ | 0 | |
| Grand piano | 0 | |
| Hammond organ | 0 | |
| Handbell table | 0 | |
| Pipe organ | -0.167 | |
| Sound system | +0.667 | expected A band needs a sound system to be heard. |
| Upright piano | 0 | |
| Decor | ||
| Advent wreath | no fit | |
| Banner | 0 | |
| Christmas Eve candles | no fit | |
| Cross | 0 | |
| Crucifix | -1 | discouraged This tradition uses an empty cross, proclaiming the risen Christ, rather than a crucifix. |
| Easter lilies | no fit | |
| Eternal flame | no fit | |
| Flag of the church | 0 | |
| Great dome | -0.333 | |
| Icon | -1 | discouraged Icons are not part of this tradition's worship. |
| Memorial plaque | no fit | |
| National flag | 0 | |
| Painting of Christ | 0 | |
| Paschal candle | no fit | |
| Plain spire | no fit | |
| Small dome | no fit | |
| Stained glass window | -0.333 | |
| Statue | -1 | discouraged Statues are not part of this tradition's worship space. |
| Steeple and bells | -0.333 | |
| Votive candle stand | no fit | |
| Furnishings | ||
| Alms box | no fit | |
| Coffee pot | no fit | |
| Commercial coffee pot | no fit | |
| Computer | no fit | |
| Crib | no fit | |
| Desk | no fit | |
| Desk chair | no fit | |
| Folding table | no fit | |
| Full-length mirror | no fit | |
| Pillar | -0.333 | |
| Prie-dieu | -0.333 | |
| Projection screen | +0.333 | |
| Vestment cabinet | -0.333 | |
| Wooden table | no fit | |
| Utility | ||
| A/V rack | no fit | |
| Camera | no fit | |
| Cast-iron boiler | no fit | |
| Central air conditioner | no fit | |
| Commercial HVAC plant | no fit | |
| Commercial stove | no fit | |
| Congregation van | no fit | |
| Ductless heat pump | no fit | |
| Electric wall heater | no fit | |
| Gas furnace | no fit | |
| Hearing loop | no fit | |
| Lift | no fit | |
| Packaged heat pump | no fit | |
| Plumbing stack | no fit | |
| Ramp | no fit | |
| Shuttle bus | no fit | |
| Sink | no fit | |
| Solar panels | no fit | |
| Stairs | no fit | |
| Toilet | no fit | |
| Used school bus | no fit | |
| Wall camera | no fit | |
| Window air conditioner | no fit | |
| Grounds | ||
| Evergreen tree | no fit | |
| Flower bed | no fit | |
| Fountain | no fit | |
| Garden bench | no fit | |
| Hedge | no fit | |
| Lychgate | -0.333 | |
| Playground | no fit | |
| Shade tree | no fit | |
| Standing cross | no fit | |