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
:)

Nickel here?s a question for you. Last night we sang a new (to me) hymn during Evening Prayer. The melody etched itself onto my brain (that happens quite a lot with me) and I thought I liked the words as I sang it, but, as it was new to me, I didn?t really concentrate on them if that makes sense and I?d like to go back and read it through again.
I think the melody was German. I also think it said from early 18th century, but I may remember incorrectly. And I remember the number as 315, but my friend who also was there thinks it was 316. Any ideas what it was called? When I checked online the only thing that came up was ?Once in royal David?s city?, which it most definitely was not!

What's your hymn book?

I can't remember . I tried to figure it out by going online during lunch today, but to be honest, all the titles look more or less the same to me. All I can say, which is not very helpful I realise, is that the ones that get handed to us is dark green with gold writing on the cover and about A5 size, maybe a fraction smaller.
Don't worry. I'll just have to check next Sunday.

Hello, am I too late for introductions? I want to talk about me too! :o

Hi Attilla, I'm lost. I've been married 10 years and have 4 dcs aged from 8 down to nearly 2 (gulp! growing up fast!). We've just recently returned to the UK after living in North Africa for 4 years. There were many wonderful things about living out there, but I am sooo happy to be back in cold, green Britain. Oh, and I broke my leg in a car accident on holiday recently, so if I occasionally gripe about limping, that's why!

Oh yes, and I go to C of E or Baptist or independent churches usually. I have sung in many cathedrals (when childcare wasn't such an issue), but I rather like drums in church too. Not that I've heard them for years. I'm rather a fan of Stuart Townend.

Hi Attila, I'm quite new to this thread, I'm mousie (usually, it seems) and am a single mum and have a 5yo DD. I had some time out of church, and returned a year ago having gained DD - mostly, people have been welcoming and not judgemental at all. I'm in a C of E church tho wouldn't say I was really an Anglican, play guitar/ saxophone and sing with music group, I would like it to be a little more free than it is but you can't have it your own way all the time and I see myself there to serve God's people with my skills. And I can't sleep but going to go back to bed now and try else I'll be even more exhausted tonight.

Oh Mousie, what a time to be awake. Did you manage to go back to sleep?

Hi I'm Panda, fairly intermittent poster! I'm married, my DC are 12 and nearly 10. I attend a joint anglican/baptist/free church, though was brought up in a methodist church. I suppose I am more of the happy clappy persuasion, and enjoy more modern songs in worship (one we sung on Sunday was written the week before!), but I also appreciate a choir and organ occasionally - I would prefer not every week [sorry Nickle!]

     We're currently in the throes of trying to move house.  Finally had an offer yesterday after 8 months on the market.  Trying to decide whether to accept it.

okay ginger - that sounds like English Hmynal.
Now, iot could be the Original English Hymnal or its update, the New English Hymnal.

315 in EH is : Jesus, gentlest Savior, thou art in us now
"Jesus, gentlest Saviour,
God of might and power,
thou thyself art dwelling
in us at this hour.

Nature cannot hold thee,
heaven is all too strait
for thine endless glory
and thy royal state.

Out beyond the shining
of the furthest star
thou art ever stretching
infinitely far.

Yet the hearts of children
hold what worlds cannot,
and the God of wonders
loves the lowly spot.

Jesus, gentlest Saviour,
dwelling in us now,
fill us full of goodness
till our hearts o'erflow.

Multiply our graces,
chiefly love and fear,
and, dear Lord, the chiefest,
grace to persevere.

316 is: Just as I am without one plea; which I assume you know.

In the New English Hymnal,
315 is: Word of the Father, source of all things living (can't get the text online)
316 is: Sing to the Lord glad hymns of praise (which would fit with your service, as it was Baptism of Christ)

DD has massive feet and hands, so we are hoping that she will be a great organist!

oh hello ladies! found you again! you'd dropped of my TIO list

nickel I sent you a FB friend request :)

as we are doing introductions, I'll do one for me too then
I'm Blue, I've been married for 5 years this year to my wonderful DH who I met in the Taizé community in France. I have 2 DD's, DD1 is 3 and the light of my life :) , DD2, my precious Sterre, died when I was 20 weeks pregnant with her last June.
I'm Belgian and until September 2010 we lived in Belgium and then moved to the West Midlands so I could become a Youth and Families Worker in the church here.
I've been brought up RC, but was welcomed in CofE last March.
I'm currently exploring my vocation to train for ordination

Nickel you wonderful woman! It's the 315 New English Hymnal! Thank you! The tune is till bugging me but at least it's better than Swinging on a Star that was pestering me last week. --"I don't wanna grow up to be a mule
"-- Gah!
Hi Atilla, I'm Gingercurl. I mainly lurk on this thread but do post occassionally. Originally from Sweden, but have been an expat here and elsewhere for most of my life. Work brought me here. Then I met a man, got married and now I've stayed much longer than I originally anticipated. We have a 4 yo DS. DH has three grown up children as well. I've a baptist background and that's probably closest to where I stand theologically, but am a bit of a mongrel when it comes to where I worship. I was pentecostal in my teens and was later part of RC Bible Study and prayer group. At the moment, DS likes the Baptist Church so I take him there on Sunday morning. Then, I go by myself to C of E on Sunday evening, which is my time purely for me. Musically, I like a mix of new and traditional. Whatever it is it needs to be played and sung reasonably well. I love the organ. I put that partly down to having friends that play but mainly down to having worked summers as a caretaker in a church where the organist was a professor of improvisation and all his students and he would come in an practice daily. It was constant. The only times someone wasn't playing was just before and after services and concerts.

awww, i love Swinging on a Star!
Glad my --geekiness- knowledge came in handy! :)

Blue - i've responded.
I also got a friend request from the midwife who delivered DD - she's a member of St Mary's, making DD a proper church baby!

I am so glad I found this thread

I didnt really know what to put on the 'about me' post. so i guess I should ask if anyone has any questions

Don't worry, we'll get to know you in ant out as you post :)

OOh late to this, I got mixed up in a load of stuff about DLA refrom yesterday and not sure what happened!!

I'm madhairday or usually MHD. Married to a pioneer minister in the c of e - that's basically part of the fresh expressions network, ie planting new churches and new expressions of church. We live in Telford. Have 2 dc, dd is 11 and ds is 8. I am too old, and presently sorting out all my old eighties CDs for my 40th celebration on saturday

Lovely to meet you.

I had JUST got "Swinging on a Star" out of my head! It's been there for about a week...

Happy sorting, mhd. Can you suggest a soundtrack to get rid of that earworm again?

Sorry, Lost! Annoying, isn't it? It just sticks.

Hi Attila, I'm jaffa. I tend to lurk often and post little so you might not see much of me! I have two DSs - 7 and 4. I'm also expecting a 3rd DC in early March. I attend a Church of Scotland. The worship style is fairly mixed with more of a focus on modern worship songs rather than old hymns, although I like both. In fact, one of my favourites is Be Thou My Vision.

:o Now happily singing Be Thou My Vision....

We sang some lovely hymns at evensong on Sunday.

what about this one from Easter/holy Week?

hehe... we did a rocked up version of Be Thou My Vision during one of our Celebration services... was well wicked

Ohh I love Be Thou... I really like the Robin Mark version...

we've already covered Be Thou - remember? there was a debate over whether the version with "Be thou" at the beginning of each line was correct or the one with "thou"
it seemed it depended on denomination, as the Methodist Hymnal had "thou" and the English Hymnal had "be thou".
The Hideous book is "thou" (which is wrong for anglican) and SoF has "be thou"

how about a lovely version of ?