Christian chat thread continued

[Dutchoma]

A place to share and chat about our funny (and not so funny experiences) in and out of church.
Did anyone say coffee? That would be good

I have been very ill for the past 18months, I had 5 major operations last year & am still recovering.
I am taking my kids to Sunday school this week & I will be going to Church for the first time since I became ill.
I am so looking forward to it.
Just thought I'd throw that out there😁👍

Was at Spring Harvest Local this evening - it was fantastic but I'm now at hospital with DD1 as she's in so much pain we are in the surgical observation unit.

Monkey - so glad to hear you are on the mend and you are going to church. X love to you.

Hello Monkey. Sounds good . Prayers for your continued recovery.

Dragon - how is DD1 now?

What a lovely message Nightmaremonkey. I hope your recovery continues and that you and your children find a real blessing on Sunday.
Dragon, what a sad end to your lovely Spring Harvest evening. How is your dd1 doing now?

DD has been admitted, gallbladder stones complications, they going to remove most likely tomorrow.
I had mine out last year so she's have a week or two to recover but then at least pains are gone.
She's only 18 (well in a couple of weeks) and with DGS almost 11 months - she's been through it this last year, unknown pg until 3rd trimester, PND, a poorly baby at 3 months old and lots of pain (which has led to this diagnosis l) so I'll be glad for her when she's out other side.

Meanwhile I got 3hrs sleep last night, a good friend has DD2 for a play date so I can catch a nap and shower before tag teaming DH at hospital DGS looking after duties.

Well, I'm glad the cause of the trouble has been found and that it is being dealt with. But what a lot of stress for her, thank goodness she has yiu and your husband to look after her and her baby. I will keep you in prayer, let us know how it all goes.

Thanks so much for the kind wishes, it is very kind. That's one thing I have missed about getting to church, no matter what is going on, as soon as I go there, there is just so much love & compassion on offer regardless of who you are, where you come from etc...it is a beautiful thing👌

She's gone for surgery now! Thanks

How was alpha @Dragonnoodlecake? I start tomorrow. Lovely substitute vicar said well done as I left church this morning. I assume it was for catching my toddler chasing round church and generally keeping him placated after that. Nice he appreciated how challenging it is.

Hi all, just wanted to vent here a little as my church is doing my head in! I have totally thrown myself into helping out at my church and gmhave got involved in loads of things... Basically overcommitted myself somewhat and now people are moaning about me not publicising enough the things I'm doing, things that either that no one has ever done before or that no one has bothered publicising before! It is doing my nut. And these are all people who are full of ideas about what other people should do and don't really do any of it themselves. Aaargh. I was in tears while doing the coffee today because someone basically tutted that I hadn't publicised some meeting sufficiently ... While I was handing them a coffee. Gah.

aw building, there are always those who think they could do it so much better and have nothing to offer but moaning. Such a shame, it sounds like you're doing loads, ignore the complainers! Hope it all comes together ok.

Dragon, hope the surgery goes ok and DD is ok. Let us know how alpha goes.

You too cherry - hope you enjoy it :) I've had nothing but good experiences on all the alpha courses I've been involved in over the years.

Nice to see new people around!

Nickel, how are you - and Edd?

Broomstick, great that you have a new priest and the institution went well (even though imo no incense at all is a good amount)

Nightmare - welcome, and hope church went well, I completely get the whole going back after being ill thing. It's daunting but lovely, overwhelming but powerful. Hope you're feeling much better.

Just back from a weekend away celebrating FILs 70th birthday. It was lovely but I am so so tired. Still struggling to regain energy, and it's annoying.

Have to try and cut 5000 words from my manuscript this week. Deep breaths.

Building2017 can you give anything up? I took on too much and was really resenting it so after a couple of months built up the courage to say no to something. Feel much better for it.

Hi building. I'm at risk of that too, having thrown myself headlong into everything. I am having to apologise all the time now! This weekend intercessions training and PCC, including lunch. Leading our autumn bible study starting tomorrow. Discipleship course - quite heavy- on Tues for a year. Deanery Harvest supper weds. That would have been 5 days in a row. DP and DC would kill me! But I'm doing most of it. And praying it all works out.

I hope and pray you find the balance you need to make it sustainable. It's certainly a common issue - too few people doing too much with too many moaning from he sidelines. I think God puts them there as a reminder of the wideness of his grace!

Thanks all, glad you all can relate.

I have delegated the management of the Facebook page, so that's a relief.

What I really want is to ditch Sunday School as it is NOT my calling but the woman who does it has been doing it for years and it completely burnt out. It is only fortnightly. I should start working on getting some other people lined up.

Alpha was good this morning. The discussion was just getting interesting when we ran out of time. I'm not sure how I would have felt about it if I wasn't a Christian it seemed to be assumed you were.

I thought that Alpha was specifically for non-Christians

It's usually aimed towards non Christians or people who are feeling like their faith has gone dry or they've lost it a bit. Odd that you felt the expectation was that people were Christian - taking it that's the leaders as the course material doesn't.

We've had lots of Christians do it as it definitely gives a boost to faith, it's a great thing to do. Kind of a refresher on why we believe what we believe, and it's very much a reviver too.

One of the helpers made the point she wasn't a Christian when she took it. When we got to the discussion it became clear people had fundamental questions.

We do short intense small group Bible study twice a year for 4 weeks. The vicar always leads. For the first time ever she delegated so I was pretty nervous but it went really well. Phew. 3 more to go.

Edd that's great! Way to go!

I've never done Alpha or Emmaus (that's another discipleship course, not video based like Alpha and with some differences theologically), I'd like to see what they're like.

Just posting and running as I've got to go off and unlock the church and say (rather late) Morning Prayer.

Waving to all!

Ooh we didn't watch a video. Maybe my church is going off book.

I've done both Alpha and Emmaus niminy, and couldn't see any theological differences at all - alpha perhaps had a bit more emphasis on the Holy spirit and Emmaus more on social outreach but both covered both iyswim. They're both excellent courses. Done youth alpha and youth Emmaus too - rate them both.

Brilliant, Edd! Glad it went so well. Huge achievement!

Ah, that's interesting, mhd. Am feeling a bit frustrated atm as we don't do much at all in the way of Bible study or discipleship courses. I'm thinking of offering to do something during Advent, though I don't know what yet.

It's really hard to get anything done in Advent as people get so busy with that other big festival. I've tried reading groups or sermon series but both have fallen flat.