truthseeker

I am thankful for my life and all that is in it, the good and the bad. I am thankful that God granted me the blessing of life when just over a year a go he could have taken it from me.

I like that a lot.

Ok I am at an impasse. I have am in search of a name for my congragation. I am looking for some thing non denominational yet with a Gnostic Christian tone to it. All suggestions are welcomed maybe your ideas will spark a thought going in my mind.

My thoughts exactly.

I was sitting in prayer a few nights ago and was given a vision. I spent the most part of 2011 in the hospital fighting a fungal infection that landed me two surgeries, 3 trips to the ICU and almost took my life. It was in my darkest hour that I asked for a Priest and was baptised. The one thing I enjoyed after being moved to physical rehab was that anytime of the day or night I could ask to go to the chapel to pray, light a candle and just reflect on my life up to that point. In the fission I received there was a "church" that was open all hours and served the people in the very same way the hospital chapel had served me. A place to go at any hour to pray, receive communion, ask for absolution if that is what one wishes, light a candle for a sick or dying loved one. A place of worship and reflection that never closes.

Thank you.

That is a good point and has been my topic of though as of late. As for the book of common prayer used for the sole purpose of administration of the sacraments I am basing it on the Gospel of Philip which speaks greatly of the use of the sacraments. I wouldn't say I am offering an alternative more that I want to capture Christened church as I have come to understand it from my reading of the very gospels and scriptures that were labled heretical and left out of what we call the Holy Bible today. You have presented a good point and I think I have found an answer to my line of thought on structure. Each church should be independently governed with no hierarchy but that of the Holy Spirit.

After much thought, a lot of prayer and even more reading; I have decided to embark on the endeavor of starting a Gnostic Christian Church based on the scriptures and Gospels of the Nag Hammadi Library. I am at the ground floor at this point. I will use the Common Book of Prayer for the Holy Sacraments, the scriptures will come from the Nag Hammadi library it will be based losely on the structure of the Catholic church as far as structure of clergy goes. I already have a few people who are interested in seeing this happen. My goal as I have told them is to establish a church on the idea of an individual search for gnosis in Christianity with faith being established not because you go to church and someone tells you you have to believe, but because ones own search for knowlede through the wisdom of the teachings of The Christ through Jesus. The church would be solely a place to assist in each individuals search and to provide the sacraments to those who wish to receive them (no direct membership required.) I also want each church to be a place one can come for silent prayer or meditation between them and God. I am posting as I would like to hear from neutral people on this idea. All opinions welcomed ideas are very appreciated.

I will do that Rev'd Rattlesnake. Thanks for the suggestion.

As a minister Ordained through the ULC but more so as being new to as I call Christian Gnosticism I am curious if one wanted to start a "church/ministry" based on Christian Gnosticism could the book of common prayer be used to administer such sacraments as baptism, chrism, communion and the others. I am interested to hear others thoughts, as I have looked into the subject in depth and like the idea of one being able to receive the holy sacraments without the pressure of having to belong to the church as a "member." All opinions accepted.