General Chat

Cynthia, thank you for the explanation re the orange in the Chistingle service. As a Baptist we didn't have that service and I have often wondered what it was for.

Yoga I used to go to some years ago, very good for exercising the body and relaxing the mind. Thanks Paula for the explanation. I wonder why the church seems to be frightened of it. Churches in this area have refused to allow yoga classes in their halls.

When we made Christingles at home...well the decorated oranges.....with the offspring, we had a candle in it which signified Christ as the Light of the World.

Oh good grief DET......I forgot all about the candle! Of course - yes - the candle signifying Christ.


Tell you what, old age is doing me no favours whatsoever.... :-D


Paula, it will be the spiritual element of yoga which causes concern to many churches I guess. My concern is, that having got into one of the positions, I wouldn't be able to extricate myself from it. :-D :-D

Don't worry Cyn - since you didn't include it, I assumed that 'elf'n'safety had knocked that aspect on the head :-0

Over the years I have attended Yoga classes in two church halls,. In my opinion I think it says more about the individuals within the churches that are banning Yoga rather than any concern for the spiritual element.

When I was in the church Young Wives Group.. VERY MANY years ago now ha ha
I was always being told off in the nicest possible way because I used to eat the raisins that we used as fruits of the earth and we often ran out oooeerr!!
Good job that the little village shop was across the road from the vestry and so I could run across and buy more, hey ho..happy days but lovely memories of special Christmas events spent with church friends who are no longer here now.

Asked somebody today whether there was a Midnight Chistmas Eve Mass locally. None she replied. The main church in my valley is at 6pm.

Not as well attended as old Midnight Service, she said. It was always packed to rafters (church holds over 700 seated)

Why was it changed from midnight to 6pm? Because Father Ted (not his real name) was upset with the amount of drunks.

Hummmm. In the last big revival down here in S Wales in 1903, it was fuelled by the drunks and the atheists. The worst rebels to God became the leaders of that revival. If we can't share worship in a 700-strong church with about 30 rowdies worse for wear once a year, what is the church coming to? :-S :-S

"People should worship God, not necessarily in churches or temples, but in spirit & in truth, & in every deed rather than in passing words".

I don't know who said this. As a cradle catholic, I have always attended Sunday Mass although I can rarely remember much of the priest's sermon one hour later. Congregations like to be scolded from time to time but they stubbornly resist being reformed.

Amen!

Dermot. I think that is a lovely thought and I agree with it 100%. To a cradle catholic from a cradle atheist who hopefully now worships in spirit and in truth. Not sure yet about the deeds and passing words, but am a work in progress :-D ;-)

And good thoughts will take me many more years yet :-( :-(

One old boy used to leap to his feet in a prayer meeting and shout out "I am a sinner saved by grace". That is what I sing in my heart, and wish I had the confidence to shout it like him. :-)

Hi Dermot - we have a greeting within the C of E services which reads "God is spirit, let us worship Him in spirit and in truth." There's a great similarity between both the RC and the C. of E. main services - just a pity that there is still that bloomin' divide :-(


Sermons are funny things really....unless there's something which really hits home, they're very easy to forget. I said this to a clergyman once and his reply was along the lines of ....think of all the meals you've eaten in, say, the last month. Can you remember all of them? No of course not but, you have still been fed and nourished without really realising or thinking about it. It's the same with sermons, we may not think we have gleaned much but who's to know what has taken root within our hearts and souls. I've never forgotten that.



We still have a midnight mass John but I haven't been for a while. We tend to go to the Christmas morning service.


It's a shame when these services are moved to the early evening - I always remember the feeling of excitement which used to build up as the time to leave home to go to church drew near. To join with so many others and listen to the old familiar words was not only comforting but you felt that Christmas had really begun.... :-D :-D




If anyone stood up and shouted in our church like that John, it would certainly cause a stir!!! ;-)

One sermon I will always remember was delivered by Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones on "The Blood of Christ". It is available on CD from Banner of Truth press.

It was a forensic examination from the Bible of the cause of death of Jesus. And proof of death was provided by the sword being plunged in his side and blood and water gushing out. I won't spoil it too much in case anyone ever has a chance to listen to his sermon.

Why it was so powerful was that he was a Doctor. In fact, he worked for Lord Horder, the Physician to King George V. Lloyd-Jones was Surgeon to the Duchess of York, who later became the Queen Mother. And he approached the death of Christ as an autopsy. Absolutely brilliant sermon. :-D :-D

Many moons ago when I was in London, an American priest used to come to stay in our parish for a month or so during summertime.

Like ‘The Missioners’ of old, he brought a breath of fresh air to our church. He possessed a book of religious jokes & at the end of his sermon, he would read out a joke relevant to the Gospel reading of the day. The only one I can remember from some 30 years ago went something like this.

‘A priest visited a junior school & read for the class of 10 year-olds the story The Prodigal Son’. Before he started, the priest encouraged the youngsters to pay great attention because he intended to ask the class a few questions when he had finished the Gospel reading.

His first question was: ‘Who was unhappy to see the prodigal son returning?’ No answer - complete silence in the classroom. The priest encouraged anyone to give some sort of a reply.

Little Johnny down at the back of the room tentatively raised his hand. Right Johnny, said the priest, who was unhappy to see the prodigal son returning? Young Johnny replied - well, he said, I’m not sure but I’d say that the fatted calf was not too happy to see the errant son returning.

Not much of a joke - was it? Funnily enough, I cannot remember anything more of the priest’s sermon on that day.

Dermot. :-D :-D

Maybe in those days Dermot, people weren't used to laughing in church....it was probably considered the wrong thing to do. All so strait laced :-D

It's so different now.......if our vicar doesn't make us laugh somewhere in the service than he's not well........ ;-)


There are actually websites for church jokes which are quite good. A lot of folk seem to think that we never laugh or are just sooooo deadly serious all the time. hahahahahaa.......as if!


ps. I had heard that joke before but didn't want to spoil your punchline :-D

There is the one about the Vicar talking to the Sunday School before they leave the congregation.

Today I am told you will be learning about Isaac in Junior Church. Tell me, who was his famous father?

One little boy's hand shot up. "Jesus Christ, sir"

What an interesting answer? Why do you say the father of Isaac was Jesus Christ?

Because, when you do this talk, the answer is always Jesus Christ, sir :-)

End of the world before midnight? Lot of speculation on other threads about that.

I remember in one chapel a Deacon used to hand me a copy of a little quarterly booklet called "Watching and Waiting". Cannot remember much about it, but I do remember that no one will know the last day - it will creep up like a thief in the night.

But there are signs and foretastes. The most significant foretaste was when Herod's Temple and Jerusalem was sacked by the Roman army in AD70.

And does it not say that the final destruction will come from the east? China, India, Pakistan, Japan, Iran? Nuclear weapons? Meteorites?

Happy Christmas :-( :-( At least we know that will be the start, not the end. Whether alive then, or long long dead. :-D

"If you follow just one major news trend, make sure it is what is unfolding in the pivotal city of Jerusalem.

World events to the end of this age are going to revolve around Jerusalem. This city is going to be the very epicentre of all major events in the future".

(Taken from 'The Philadelphia Trumpet' - August 2012).

Unfortunately, Dermot, I do not believe that the prophets were talking of a physical Jerusalem. New spiritual Jerusalem is anywhere you find new spiritual Israelites, I believe.

So events could centre round Jerusalem as of old. But probably not. My guess is Market Harborough. The last battle could start anywhere, if I understand things correctly.

And the time. Well, the "second" coming (or advent) of Christ appears to have been predicted for 38 years after his death. And there is evidence he appeared to his followers in AD70. THta is why the destruction of the Temple is described as a foretaste of what is to come

But I am pretty sure that the final coming (the official Second Coming of Christ) will be clear to his followers, and the final battle could start anywhere at any time. I personally believe it will follow a short period of relative world peace - hence few will be expecting it. :-)

But just as momentous as the First Advent that we celebrate in 2 days time. :-D

And as momentous as the first Easter Sunday that we celebrate today and every Sunday. When the Paschal Lamb that had been slaughtered for you defeated the last great enemy, death. :-D :-D

Market Harborough............? Different! Can't say that crossed my mind :-D


You're right about each Sunday being an 'Easter' day John - and it's something we can often forget.


Today we will be lighting the last of our Advent candles and then it's the carol service tonight. :-D

Cynthia. Hope the next time we have a Mayan prediction or similar that there is not a huge rush to Market Harborough. I always head for the hills myself - somewhere high up like Dowlais Top (1200 ft above sea level).

We have got no preacher today at my chapel, but everyone (about 20-25 of us) is asked to do a couple of minutes about what Christmas means. So we light the fourth candle, pick our favourite carol, read a small Bible passage, or a poem, ar a passage from a book with a Christian theme. And we finish by saying the Grace holding hands in a circle.

Works very well as long as we only do it a few times a year. And a cup of tea and piece of Christmas cake afterwards.

I hope, whatever everyone is planning on this fourth and last Sunday of Advent, that it is a good day. And if you are attending a place of worship or watching a service on TV or listening on radio, I do hope that God speaks to your personally today.

God bless :-) :-)