Graham, Gloria and Gossip! Religion Chat thread (part 4)

[nickelbabe]

I know we've not officially finished the last one, but I wanted to get the link in before we ran out of room!

Everyone welcome - the aim of this thread is to generally chat about church life, or just gossip in general!
You don't have to be a regular church-goer, nor do you have to know what we're going on about!
It's not about debate, it's just about chatting
:)

Yes that's it nickel, the christian calendar was deliberately set up to coincide with pagan festivals.

Jaffa yes I kwym and I'm not saying that to most it's not innocent fun, I am worried about what is underneath it all without most people realising and what it opens up (having seen various stuff) I love the idea of parties too and we always do the apple bobbing etc and dressing up tho we tend to go for bright dressing up rather than devils etc. Agree about the fun and social side and really want to reclaim that all and make it about community and fun together. There must be ways it can be done without being killjoys as such.

as usual, I agree with MHD. Don't want to stifle fun, but do not want to celebrate the dark underside of Halloween either. We'll make a pumpkin - with a cross, a smily face and a candle on, and go the light party at church. I strongly don't want my DC dressing up as the devil or a witch.

Hello! Remember me?Sorry for going AWOL for a few months. Things have been a bit full on here.

Interesting discussion on Halloween. Personally I think a bit of fun doesn't hurt but I think it's becoming more and more commercialised which I don't like. I've never experienced threatening behaviour from trick or treaters but I do feel as if I have to have treats in stock for Halloween. I like the fact that a lot of churches do alternative Halloween parties - it doesn't ignore the festival but hopefully gives a relevant context.
In the Catholic tradition, the month of November starts with All Saints Day on 1st Nov, All Souls Day on 2nd November but then the whole month continues with a focus on remembering the dead. We have a book where everyone can write the names of those family and friends that have died in it and it gets processed in to mass and placed on the altar throughout the month.

Anyway, how have you all been?

As I said things have been busy here. I've had a lot on at work and the group at church that I run has started again with 3 people joining us who are interested in learning more about Catholic Christianity.

I am also pg again. As you can imagine that is a whole rollercoaster in itself having had 3 mc in the past. I had an early scan at 6+2 which was all fine and we actually saw a flicker of a hb. I have another scan on Tuesday at 9+2 and am dreading it. Having said that I've been feeling so nauseous and tired, surely all has to be well? Would obviously appreciate prayers....

(Hope you don't mind me sneaking back in!)

Hello again! Thanks for all your prayers and concern - and sorry to disappear for so long. The internet stopped working in our house last weekend and never started again, which made selling our things more difficult for one thing!

So, we didn't get the extension, which, as I said I would be, I was pleased about. It was a ridiculous rush to pack everything up, but the DCs were getting more and more unsettled, so it wouldn't have helped much to have more time. We left on Tuesday night with 17 checked bags and 10 hand luggage. We did have time for various farewell events and there were lots of lovely things said about the work that DH has done and what a sad thing this is for the country that asked him to leave. The journey home was long and tiring (two nights on a plane), but we're back in the UK now, staying with my parents and starting to make plans for the next few months. The DCs are doing well at the moment - this is still like a holiday - but I think there will be times when they wish they could go back, and I wonder if church tomorrow could be one of them...

D'ya like the new nn? :o

Hello Lost. That sounds incredibly stressful, having to just pack up and go in such a short time. You sound so matter-of-fact about it all. I'd have been doing my headless-chicken thing. and crying and panicking and posting on here for virtual hand holding. Are you likely to be sent abroad again soon, or do you think you'll be back in the UK for a bit now? I hope that it's not all too unsettling for you all, anyway.

Hello again, SES and CONGRATULATIONS... prayers that this LO hangs on. Feeling rubbish is a good sign, so I'll be praying that the sickness and tiredness continues for a bit longer (but not too much). I've not been here either recently, but have popped back a bit in the last week, trying to take my mind off various work stresses.

My American friend has emailed that the pumpkin tree (that I mentioned on the prayer thread) is now up in their little town. I really loved that - nothing at all threatening about a tree made out of pumpkins. (In fact, I was struck that they didn't celebrate Harvest Festival in the US - except that I suppose Thanksgiving, in November, is kind of the same thing - so all the Hallowe'en pumpkins remind me of Harvest too... very autumnal. People kept giving us pumpkins - thinking that as poor uninformed Brits we wouldn't know that we needed to buy them for Hallowe'en , so I ended up making gallons of pumpkin soup.)

Hello Totally! Must check out the prayer thread and find out more about the pumpkin tree. Sorry to hear of your work stresses - I hope it's things that won't hang around too long.

Lost - I don't think we've chatted before but from what you've said it sounds like you and your family have been through a lot in recent weeks. Hope church today was ok and that your plans for the future start to become clear and fall into place.

SES - welcome back!
Fingers crossed for your pregnancy. It sounds good so far.
I take it you'll have scans more frequently because of your history?

our church always does All Souls' instead of All Saints'.

lost - welcome back to the UK!
I hope It isn't too hard for you to get sorted here. I did doubel-take at the nn, but it's clever

We did an anthem yesterday written by an old bloke from our church (old as in gone now) and the music was written by our ex choirmaster (so it's a bit pretentious and actually quite hard.) I was worried about it, becaus eit always drops in tone massively, but DH says it didn't drop too badly, so I might post it later on. (when I can be bothered.... )

I love pumpkins - shame they only seem to be around before hallowe'en - like noone knows how to cook them!
It's good, in a way, because then we can buy them ridiculously cheap in november!
We just use it as a normal vegetable - for roasts, and curries, and casseroles, and in pasta (nice done roasted then stirred through hot pasta with cream cheese), as well as soups.

mmm pumpkin soup yes!!

DD's pumpkin she made at guides is rotting somewhat :(

Hello SES and welcome back, have wondered how you were, congratulations on the pg and praying for a safe pregnancy and delivery for you. Indeed feeling crappy is good in that sense!

Lost, yes good new nn, 'welcome' back to the uk and I pray you will soon know why you have been brought back and what work God has for you next. It must have all been so harrowing for you.

My sermon with dh went well I think - got lots of lovely feedback. Have posted it on fb for anyone interested.

We're going to a light party now on halloween at the church we've been going to - sounds like it'll be great fun with all the traditional games and food etc. I'm glad because we usually do it and didn't want the dc to miss out.

oh dear.
you could chop it in to bits and freeze it.

blimmin' eck.
We've got a new chorister who started services this week. I sent them out during the "boring" part of the service (from after the gospel to the peace), because now there are two of them, it's a bit easier to do so.
After the service, the church warden said that they should be given something more constructive to do when they go in there "than just paying with Duplo".
Obviosuly I agreed, but now I'm the one who has to sort something out!
She suggested having activities relating to the readings.
Which would normally be fine, because that fits Choir in Context anyway, (because the music is normally based on the readings), but the readings this week are really heavy going for 9-year-olds!
1 Thessalonians 2.9-13 &
Matthew 24.1-14
The Matthew reading is tough for adults!

Even DH has chosen an anthem for communion based on general Jesus-ness rather than on the readings! (Bach's Jesu Joyaunce of my heart).

So I've decided that it would be more expedient (and less daunting!) to do some "homework" based on the anthem instead.

Apart from it being really hard work (and remember I'm not in charge of the Junior Choir anymore - I still end up doing all the preparation!), I have to make it interesting enough for them not to hate it, and easy enough for them to be able to do it in less than half an hour!

Never mind. I'm sure it'll be okay, it's jsut one more thing that I have to do...
(keep chanting )

Oh nickel it sounds like you've thought about it a lot and it'll be fine :)

My dc are in the school choir and they are going to that Young Voices event at birmingham NIA where loads of school choirs get together and just belt out what they've learned with a full orchestra/bands and apparently celebs turn up too - so excited, dh and I have tickets so will have an afternoon out in brum beforehand, it just sounds like it will have a wonderful atmosphere :) They're learning a complete mix of songs for it, from some Taize type Latin stuff right through to Rihanna

Agree with MHD, nickel... you've obviously thought this through a lot and it will be fine.

MHD - choir event sounds really good fun. Wish I could sing, but I am tone deaf, so try to mime or sing really really quietly (but sometimes I forget and then dd2 gives me a hard stare - like this -> !)

I really wanted to show you the pumpkin tree, and - hoorah for the internet! -here it is!

Mmm... nickel - the pasta with pumpkin and cream cheese sounds scrummy. Will have to try that. (You do get pumpkin quite a lot in Italy as a filling in ravioli, and I've also had some really good gnocchi di zucca (i.e. gnocchi made with pumpkin rather than potato)).

So glad the sermon went well, MHD. Not that I ever doubted that it would!

Just checking in as you've dropped off my 'I'm on'! I'm lurking and keeping up to date but v busy (surprise surprise). I'll be back properly soon!

Wow TUO, pumpkin tree is awesome! I like that a lot :)

Hi milly, you sound ultra busy, hope you are OK

So we had our first prayer meeting, and had quite a few people along, it was positive. So many people have so many different ideas about how we should go forward....but great to get ideas and input :)

cool pumpkin tree!

TUO - don't you listen to your DD about your singing! You're singing for her benefit, you're singing for God, and he can hear the tune in anyone's voice (sorry, that sounded a bit soppy! )

the vicar not pulling weight thread is getting more traffic than this thread :(

I've tried to recruit, but noone new has come over....

I've hidden that thread nickel as it was winding me up so much .

Am away for a few days from tomorrow though, so will be missing from here too!

Mary - have a fun trip away!

MHD - first prayer meeting sounds great to have so many people. I'm sure the different ideas will bring strength to the group. Have you settled well into your new home & ministry?
I read the sermon link on FB and thought it was fantastic! So good to have the links with scripture and actual real life experiences. I felt tempted to forward it on to a few people!

millie - hello!! Hope you're not too busy!

TUO - love the pumpkin tree. I'm feeling inspired to buy some pumpkins at the beginning of November to make some lovely soup and also that pasta with cream cheese that Nickel suggested does sound good.

Nickel - great that you have a new chorister. I think your plan for them is great - definitely better than getting them to look at the Matthew reading!
How's everything with you? You must be heading towards the 3rd trimester?

As for me, scan all went well yesterday :) I told my mum and she actually sounded really pleased! (I had been worried she'd start worrying about how we'll cope). She did ask whether it was planned though !

it has got a bit intense, Mary
But it's useful to see that not many people really do know what a vicar's job entails.

Enjoy your trip away. :)

SES - i've got 4 ½ weeks left officially!
which means it's only 4 ½ weeks till advent, everyone, so hope you're all prepared!
(we haven't done any advent prep at all! Got to start the Junior Choristers on it this week! (love putting that S on the end!! )
Glad your scan went well :)

SES so glad your scan went well :) Thanks for comments re sermon, feel free to forward it on, it's good that it can help some people.

nickel really only 4.5 weeks? Wow, are you all prepared? (for baby, not advent!!) Very excited for you.

Mary have a fab time away if you see this in time.

I don't feel prepared for either!
although, I do have lovely images of having the baby being the baby jesus in a nativity scene

aw yes that would be ultra lovely All your choristers can be the angels

I'm back!

Oo, anyone seen that the new series of Rev. starts on 10 November???? Can't wait! Hope its as good as the last!