Choirs, worship songs, after service coffee - the all new religion chat thread

[niminypiminy]

A new place for us to share the lovely, silly and annoying things that happen in church life and share our great love of Graham Kendrick.

Oh, amamabear, that's cuttingly accurate!

Can I join? I was brought up Roman Catholic but in the last year have returned to attending church. It's Church of Ireland. I am really happy with the church. But not always familiar with some of the traditions or services.

What is Compline? There is one new yr eve?

You are very welcome Bootgirl
Compline is the last of the seven 'offices' (prayers) which are said throughout the day, mainly in monastic establishments.

It is my favourite service of the day and the only one I know bits of by heart, so I say them after lights out and often fall asleep to them. You can google the words, no doubt.

I love compline too! I say the last lines before I go to sleep as my final prayer of the day.

Really enjoying a few days off after the hectic lead up to Christmas Day. Lovely though to see a completely packed church on Christmas morning and my sermon using a set of nativity Russian dolls went well.

Love the sound of the nativity Russian dolls, niminy! How did you use them?

Welcome, bootgirl.

I'm fond of complime too. Dh and I sometimes say it last thing. It has a lovely calming feel. Beautiful words.

Enjoying a break away after the madness but chest infection won't let up.

I used them to talk about the meaning of the nativity story - so the meaning of the story is ... searching (wise man) , it's for everyone (shepherd), being ready (Mary), wonder and glory (angel), joy and pain (donkey), giving and receiving (Christ child). I gave each doll to a child to hold so I could end up with 'so this Christmas welcome the Christ child into your life and hold him in your heart as carefully as x is holding him in her hand.

They're still available from John Lewis.

PS That's really rubbish about the chest infection Madhairday. You're in my prayers.

Thanks guys. It sounds lovely I hope to get to it. This is the first time my church has it on. Sounds a nice way to end the year.
Hope you feel better soon Madhairday.

I never think about compline.
I do like evensong though.

Today is Holy Innocents' day.
I like the idea of the mediaeval practice of "ordaining" boy bishops to take the services on that day. I rwad an article saying they were nominated from.the junior choir.
That would be a cool thing to do if 28th falls on a Sunday one year.

I love Compline. I say it every night alone but sometimes it's held in church by candlelight and is beautiful. It's deliberately designed to have less variation than the other offices so it can be said by heart last thing at night.

Completely don't get the Holy Innocents though, never have. How can they be martyrs if they couldn't choose to give their life or even know they were being killed?

Your sermon sounds lovely niminy.
I have never said compline with anyone else. It would be nice to, some time...
Hope you feel better soon madhairday

Maybe one day we could virtually say it all together?

That's a lovely idea niminy. I'm in.

Me too.

I often post snippets from the Northumbria Community complines over on the prayer thread. There's a different one for each day of the week.

There was a fascinating programme on Radio 4 today about the feast of the Holy Innocents. I think it was this.

I've been lurking, and just discovered the Northumbria Community complines today, and really like them.

I'd love that too. Maybe on NYE unless we're all partying of course (I'll probably be in bed for 10 at this rate despite it being my b day on nye!)

Nickel- like it but don't forget to ordain some girls too

Hello Broomstick. Love the northumbria community stuff too.

The 'child bishop' in the church were I went on Christmas Day was a girl.

We do the Northumbria community evening prayer before our PCC meetings, I really like them.

A NYE compline would be fantastic. Is 10pm too late for you MHD? We could all say the Northumbria Compline - maybe check in before we start and as we finish to say Amen - or the Grace?

Or if NYE doesn't work for people we could do Sunday 1st.

We're having a new years party at my church x

Oh, I really like that idea.

I find the whole 'Boy bishop' thing a bit disturbing, because I first encountered the concept in one of the Merrily Watkins novels where it all goes terrifying.

mhd this one occasion I woukd go with boys only - it's theologically correct because Herod only killed boys. He was looking for a King so wouldn't have gone after girls.

Yes, I like the idea of a NYE compline.
We could have a separate thread for it.
And then everyone check in about half an hour before it starts.

I'll be away (possibly without much of an internet connection) on NYE but will be back by the evening of NYD if we go for that. Otherwise, I'll be there in spirit...

A NYE compline would be great but I couldn't join in. :(
We're not that cool about prayer in my house, as most of you know! And we have people coming round so I can't absent myself quietly.
Another time.