Chatty, it sounds to me as if your church decided you couldn't be a Christian anymore. No sacraments? I would like to think that God should decide that and if so, I don't think He would ever turn any of us away.

When I stopped singing in Reno, my family decided I should only sing gospel music and not the music of the devil. But, when my husband started messing around on me and walked out on me and the kids on Christmas Eve night and refused to go to church anymore, it was decided I didn't have the right to sing in church anymore. Because of his actions. That is why I rarely go to church any longer and if I do, it's to a congregation that does not condemn or judge me or anybody else.

Dianne, that made me so sad. To think that he left you and the kids on Christmas Eve and that so-call reflected on you. What a complete jerk. I hope you find a loving accepting (and less hypocritical) congregation if you want one. You deserve so much better.

I'm not sure why I am writing this. I have almost forgotten this part of my life. Dianne's post keeps reminding me.
I once left a marriage at Christmas. He was older, very wealthy, and had a White House Appointment. He was an abusive alcoholic.
My kids and I lived like slaves and paupers. When his appointment ended, he disappeared to California leaving me and my two little girls terrified in D.C. then came back to get us. For some reason I went with him. We got to California and I had no money except a small check from my job in D.C. which I spent on my kids Christmas gifts. I made my family all kinds of decorator pillows from old clothes which I planned to mail home.
When things didn't get better as he promised, I got a job and packed up my van to move home to Oklahoma. He insisted on driving me back and packed my kids gifts on top of the van.
We got to my Mom's house late on Christmas Eve and on Christmas morning while the kids still slept, I went to the van to get their gifts only to discover that they had blown off the van and I had no gifts for them. It was the saddest Christmas ever.
Before leaving my job in D.C. my friends had given me a polaroid camera and I had bought film for photos of Christmas morning so I gave it to the girls and they seemed delighted with it.
I guess it all worked out, but it was definitley one of the worst Christmases ever.
smile

Smilinize,
That is heartbreaking! I'm glad you got away from that jerk though.