General Chat

Sunday 6th January - Today we celebrate the Feast of the Ephiphany - The Visitation of the Magi to the infant Jesus and the His revelation as God the Son as a human being.


Our vicar was poorly today :-(

Our retired vicar led the service and a visiting lady vicar preached. Very good she was too - reminding us that we are 'the revelation of Christ in today's world'.

She reminded us that, as Christians, we are to set a good example of the faith in today's world. Food for thought indeed.


We have a community of folk from the Philippines in the area and several of them attend church. One of the families have recently have been coming for several weeks since they came to England and they have gorgeous two year old twin girls who are obviously used to going to church.

The little ones want to place their hands on people's heads to bless them. This is part of what they are used to in the Philippines. They are so sweet.

The husband is a drummer and is looking forward to playing with the young people's group when it is their turn to lead the worship.


All in all, a good morning with a very good sized congregation - just hope our vicar recovers soon.


Hope everyone else has had a good day too. :-D

Chris. All three Houses of Synod voted overwhelmingly for female Bishops. It was simply that the "conservative rules" prevented straight majorities from succeeding.

It was quite an embarrassment for the Anglicans and perhaps this is one of the ways they will move towards a result that most Anglicans want. I note there is still a lot of internal criticism of this move towards allowing professed homosexuals to attain highest positions, and important that the C of E avoids any sort of schism over the matter.

My church has allowed women to hold every office (right up to President of Conference) since before I became a member back in 1987. But I do have a lot of sympathy for Anglicans, and they do need our love and prayers.

And they still won't admit women as bishops.

Heard today that a homosexual can be a priest and hold any ordained office as long as he or she says they are not a practising homosexual.

Lot of criticism within C of E, but I cannot see that is against the Bible. All are equal in sight of God, all are loved. Sodomy is frowned upon. But if someone says they are living with somebody of the same sex and not in a physical relationship - how on earth would anyone know any differently. :-)

Thank you Jiminy........as I said, it was just the way John phrased it.........nothing more. Noah is mentioned in the New Testament too.

Have a good night.



Thank you Kandj, hope your New Year is good too. :-D

Happy, Healthy and Peaceful New Year to everyone.

JC All Jewish characters became Christian characters as well because of the way the Christian church developed from Judaism. I think the Roman soldier at Capernaum (hopeless with names) was the first Gentile to be converted - before that the new Christian church was 100% Jewish.

So Noah was a character in Judaism and then also Christianity eventually.

And Islam has similar roots. And quite staggering how many other religions believed that there was a flood and that Noah was saved with his family and animals. And Ms Lumley found examples of religions a long way from Jerusalem who had a similar view of the flood.

I think John was inferring that Noah is acknowledged in Christian writing Jiminy. It's just the way he phrased it.


A very happy New Year to you and yours.

Lovely thoughts Cynthia.

Hope everyone has a wonderful and fulfilling 2013.

Blwyddyn newydd dda - happy New Year :-D <3

God Knows...

And I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year: “Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown.”
And he replied:
“Go out into the darkness and put your hand into the Hand of God. That shall be to you better than light and safer than a known way.”
So I went forth, and finding the Hand of God, trod gladly into the night. And He led me towards the hills and the breaking of day in the lone East.
So heart be still:

- Minnie Louise Haskins


A very Healthy, Happy and Peaceful New Year to all those who have contributed to this thread.



<3

On ITV at 5.15, there is a programme of Joanna Lumley searching for Noah's Ark - which was said to have come aground near Mount Ararat in south east Turkey.

Have seen it. Not too sure what to make of it myself. But interesting programme, and Noah is not only a Christian and Jewish character apparently.

Not that I'm aware John. I guess it's a non-conformist practice nowadays.


I know there is a Week of Prayer for Christian Unity - usually towards the end of January - where the local Anglican, R.C. and Methodists come together for a special service. They take it in turns to host the event.


Oh my word - it's been a long day :-D

I hope Mrs Vicar gave him a small piece of Christmas pudding ;-)

Cold churches (or cold houses) are something I hate. I will never forget my best friend getting married in Wrexham RC Cathedral. Must have been 40 years ago and it was freezing cold outside.

Inside, it seemed even colder. And the marriage service took about one and a half hours and most of it was in Latin. I was not a Christian in those days, and became an even more committed atheist after that chilling experience.

So glad the services today were so well attended and so enjoyable. Next week (usually first Sunday in January) we have our Covenant Service, which is a sort of New Year resolution for Christians. We re-commit ourselves to God. It was an Anglican tradition started in 17th century by Rev Alleyn but has been adopted as "best practice" by a few non-conformist churches. :-) :-)

Wonder if it takes place in any C of E or RC churches also :-S

Hope you were well wrapped up Dermot....... :-D


John, I quite agree about the Queen's speech. I only caught it this evening because we've been to our son's. She came over really well and her spirituality shone through. :-D


Considering we had 2 ordinary services on Sunday plus the the crowded Carol Service, I didn't really think we would get that many to the midnight mass and then this morning. However, I was told there were over 160 at the midnight - a lot of new faces too - and around 50 this morning. Really delighted with that.


On Christmas morning, our vicar asks the children to come to the front to show him what Father Christmas has brought them. They queued up this morning and he sat on the chancel steps in an effort to get down to the children's height.


One little girl, who has recently had surgery for a brain tumour presented him with a Furby - the latest model apparently. He was fascinated as she chattered non-stop about what this toy could do. When she told him that it 'talked' endlessly, he nodded sagely and said...."Ah....it's a female then"! When he asked how to stop it 'talking', she replied wisely "You have to put it into a dark room and leave it alone". He mused for a moment and then said "hmm......I wonder if that would work with Mrs Vicar". The place fell apart with laughter.


All in all, a very blessed Christmas indeed....... :-D

Could have done with just a little bit of heat in our church this morning. Otherwise an uplifting Mass.

Christmas Day nearly over already. Hope everyone enjoyed it and got some nice surprises. Daughter and son-in-law popped in on their way back from Germany and Paris and off to Australia after New Year to spend a fortnight on the "whitest beach in the world". Someone will know where that is - Queensland, I think. Great that they are doing so much with their young lives, but rest of us just left realising how the other half lives.:-D ;-)

I was delighted with the Queen's Speech. What she said at the end really showed what a deep personal faith she has. She has always taken her responsibilty of Defender of the Faith so seriously over all her 60 years of monarchy. :-D

Wishing everyone a very Happy and Peaceful Christmas.


<3 <3 <3 <3

So glad you made it there kandj - it's a very special time of year isn't it?



ooops...forgot to say hello to George who popped in earlier. Thank you for your greetings George :-D


We can't make it to the midnight service anymore because of my OH's health probs but, hopefully, we will be there at 10am tomorrow - even if it means we have to get up at 5.45am. Maybe we will bump into Father Christmas :-D

I also managed to go along and join in my village church Carols by Candle light with large tree all tiny white lights twinkling in the corner.... so pretty and magical. Our village brass band was there to play for the carols which is so special, I really felt uplifted and the black night sky was filled with twinkly stars....... awesome!

Taken my breath away too, Cynthia. :-D 300 people!!! Wow!!

Awesome text from John Chapter 1. And picked up again in 1 John Chapter 1.

"That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled....."

As Charles Wesley wrote: "God contracted to a span, incomprehensibly made man" :-D