hideous hymns, vocal vicars and theatrical thuribles. Religious Chat Thread Number 6!

[nickelbabe]

Welcome to the Religion Chat thread.
We're mostly Christians, but all are welcome.
a lovely soace to talk about church life, spiritual journeys and stuff in general.
It's not about debate, it's about chat.
Come oldies and newbies!

this is the previous thread

Nimmy - I'm really sorry to hear this. It is really hard not to take it personally but it isn't about your calling, just the process which just seems to grind far too slowly.

(((((((()))))))))

hey! I would have loved it too.

dh is asthmatic and incense sets him off, so I'm not even allowed to wish for incense at church :(
it's almost enough to make me want to LTB.

Ninny sorry to hear about the bap. Has it been a long journey for you?

you're all lovely

Am beginning to feel a bit better. One more year won't make that much difference out of my entire life. And I'm sure when I look back on it I'll see God's fingerprints all over it.

Praying for you MHD, and feeling blessed to have you lot as friends.

Thats horrible niminy :(

:o re: incense, I may light some at home later :o

Re incense: thought I might go to Little St Mary's in Cambridge one day this week. It's incense central there (but freezing)

Wish I could cope with incense, I like the thought of it this time of year. Was going to go to a stripping the altar thing tomorrow but too bloody ill again.

niminy, keeping sending hugs and prayers. God has the right timing for you - when dh didn't get through his first bap we were so bewildered and upset, questioning our calling etc...but looking back it was totally right in several ways.

Have the most hideous pleurisy. not coping with it, pain is too much, had enough

niminy so sorry! Hopefully we'll bump into each other at our BAPs next year!

MHD (((((((())))))))) (except that you're probably in too much pain for hugs with pleurisy) and love and prayers

Hugs and prayers all round! I am lurking if not posting and you are all in my prayers. Sorry everyone seems to be having a tough time of it. Hopefully celebrating Easter will be like a salve to at least some of the hurts.

It isn't Easter here yet . For presumably cultural reasons the protestant church here celebrates Easter according to the Orthodox calendar so this year we have to wait until May!

We're gearing up for our first team to come next week and I'm trying to work out the logistics of 6 adult visitors plus us 5 in our two bed house. Plus what I'm going to feed them all. It will be cosy

Hello all... That was a lovely service. And luckily there wasn't a lot for us servers to do as the Eucharist part was very simple and everything was already on the altar at the start of the service, so the job consisted mostly of a little light processing and a bit of tidying up afterwards. The clergy (I mean, the cathedral clergy, plus the Bishop's chaplain, not those who were just visiting) had all the practicalities (topping up of supplies etc.) covered anyway and there was nothing to be done with the oil, which was just brought up by three deacons and blessed by the Bishop. I was a bit panicky beforehand, but it was a doddle in the end. Phew!

MHD - how are you feeling? Praying that you feel better very soon.

Hope it all goes well for you next week, Millie... it'll be a squash, but should be fun.

I'm back from a lovely Chrism Mass - superb singing from the cathedral choir and a short sermon from the bishop. I couldn't stay for the sandwiches and soup that were laid on for afterwards as I had to get back for a funeral but it all looked very good. Now for the holy week marathon of services....

Nickel the books have arrived! Thank you thank you!

Thankyou for the hugs and prayers everyone. Still in pain and grotty, but feel better in myself, decided this morning that instead of letting myself get weighed down by my sadness about not being able to join in Easter again I would blog about it to help others who are unable to get out for whatever reason. If this would help anyone feel free to pm me for a link :) Although most of you are on my fb I think.

milly, can't believe you have to wait until May!

Just back from our church Passover meal, which was mostly lovely -- except that we had to sing Servant King, my least favourite GK . Yeuch!

We sang Servant King too!
Exciting prospects here... My contract finishes here in October, and they have started way too late to apply for funding to keep the post on, so no certainty for me, hence I started applying for jobs. And first one I applied for I have been invited for interview it's a 1 year contract so would be ideal if I was to start college next year! :)

Just started reading In His Steps and the film is on over the weekend! Perfect timing. Really enjoying the book so far!

That's very exciting Blue. We had Servant King as well as Meekness and Majesty.

niminy so glad :)
I was panicking that Easter one wouldn't be here in time!

yeah, i was at dance last night, but DH took DD to the communion service at St Mary's and he said it was nice. oh, that's why i was mentioning it - modern music "plenty of GK" he said.

Does he like it Nickel?

That's exciting, Blue! Praying for it to happen if it is right for you :)

The Servant King - meh. It's far too overdone and has been so for the past 28 years or thereabouts Good words still though.

Hello

sorry to crash in like this, just wondered if it would be ok to chat here about holy week and some strange feelings.
I think I might be doing it wrong because it just feels awful.
I was very tired last night at the Maundy Thursday service and basically sobbed through the psalm (I am in the choir)
Was destroyed after the service today.
I know it is supposed to be sad but I am drained, snapping at everyone, dp did not go out on a rare night out tonight because he thought I was not fit to be left with dcs, too distraught

it is not supposed to be like this surely? During the services it felt important and cathartic but is is surely selfish and wrong to get so wrapped up and drained by it all that you are bad for your family

there is a part of me that thinks I should avoid it all, commit less to the church, maybe leave choir which also takes up a lot of time away from my family, and lead a lighter and more superficial life that would leave me more functional

what do you think?
does anyone else get this?

thankyou for reading, sorry to barge in

Do you normally feel like this curryeater, or has it just been this week? I do think that Easter can be a very emotional time and there's nothing wrong with that, it helps you to focus and deepen your faith.

Alternatively, could you be starting with a virus or have pms? Try to get plenty of rest and recharge your batteries next week perhaps.

Curryeater are you maybe run down or like hidden said perhaps coming down with something? Keep your eyes fixed on Easter Sunday and the wonderful hope of the resurrection of Jesus if you can ... And make sure you get enough sleep! I think a lot of people are pretty exhausted at the end of term and need a break.