I have been to church..we was singing beside me was someone who could sing like an angel..for myself I sing worse than a donkey(no offense to donkeys)..I learn alot from being there but I found I like to walk my own road singing my own tune..each to their own..

I am an atheist personally. But I can see why people go to church and find comfort in religion, it must be reassuring to feel you are in the hands of some higher power. Like JokeyJ I do my own thing and organised religion is not for me.

I grew up going to church, a small church, informal yet serious about it's purpose.
Some of the people I knew then made a difference in my life. I do believe in the principles of giving help, support, encouragement, comfort. That was a big part of the church I went to.
For me, church was the outdoors or a peaceful place.

In my early teens, my beliefs changed, but then maybe I did not have any definite beliefs yet, it was all I knew.

I have defined myself as agnostic, neither faith nor disbelief, now I see it as spiritual-
"of, relating to, or affecting the human spirit or soul as opposed to material or physical things"

synonyms: nonmaterial, incorporeal, intangible;
inner, mental, psychological;
transcendent, ethereal, otherworldly, mystic, mystical, metaphysical;
rareextramundane
"your spiritual self" "

I greatly miss the fellowship of church but I'm unable to tolerate the apostasy since I have been studying the Bible for myself. Church was much different when I was growing up. There was the same false teaching back then too, but it was a different time when the general program was more reverent and therefore, uplifting and spiritually refreshing..

A church should not regard itself as a club.

I love symbols & archetypes & rituals that try to explain the spiritual & the mystical. I avoid dogma & moral judgements.

Sorry, I see that the question was … who goes to church? At this time I still go to a Catholic church … but with reservations … as mentioned above.

Oh, I do like Pope Francis.

I grew up always going to church. I went to school there, then a Christian high school, chapel each day. Since being asked to leave after raising two children, and converting my husband, because I filed for divorce, I was jaded.

In a way, it was good. I joined a new church, friendly people, great messages. I go to my old church from time to time, and it's just not as friendly. I know we don't go to church for friends, but it makes it meaningful.

Hey!

Yep I go to Catholic church. As I mature I'm learning that Church is part of my faith....and my faith is for me!

So even if I get overwhelmed by the number of people at mass, the people next to me chatting, a message in the sermon that is difficult to interpret, it's ok!

My time at Church, is my protected time for thought, reflection, thanksgiving and peace. God is everywhere but you can't always get those things at home!

Respect to all of you.

Oh yes, very helpful. My relationship with God is the very best thing in my life. If any peace is to be found, any balance, any joy, it is from that relationship. You can have that without Church, of course, but fellowship with other believers makes for a stronger bond. Lately, I have found my private devotional time to be more rewarding that the church service, which feels sad to me, but it is probably that I just need to find another church for a more "alive" worship experience.

I "listen" to church - I download audio sermons. The church I listen to is a Metropolitan Community Church (San Diego - Gay oriented) - and the church's primary motto is "bringing people closer to God and one another" - that's IT! I am hesitant to return to church, because the hymns will most likely bring me to tears, and there is major hugging going on (major migraine triggers for me)! (Lucky me (being sarcastic here), being a member of a community that is MAJORLY into hugging!) But I do need those uplifting messages!

I really like Pope Francis too Janvier! I think he's making a difference in people's lives and is a realist. I was raised Catholic and raised my daughters as Catholic too, but something inside of me changed when my husband died. It became clear that organized religion is not for me, so I stopped going, and released the guilt connected to the manmade rules that I grew up with. I never stopped believing in a higher power and have experienced too many unexplained signs from my husband (and my dad) to not believe that there is something involved here. I've evolved into more of a spiritualist and have never felt closer to God. It's very freeing. I'm an Oprah's Super Soul Sunday kind of gal and love listening and reading the words of spiritualists around the world because they all have a similar message: The key to happiness is to make sure that every person is taken care of- no strings attached.

I was raised Catholic but stopped going as a teenager because it didn't feel right to me, Maybe I had some 6th sense even then that all is not what it seems.

Yes, I enjoy church and also an on-going class I attend where we get together to discuss principles of various religions and meditate together. I find it helpful for the fellowship and community as well as the lessons.