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 really think you're right niminy that we all express these things in the way comfortable for us, and that churches should remember this in teaching about things like the HS. I love the way you describe your experiences of the spirit - beautiful and profound. And as I've said I too have been burned a bit by some of the more extreme end of the charismatic expression of worship. But at the milder end I find it liberating and wonderful - for me. I think it's so brilliant that we here on this thread represent such a wide range of expressions of worship - praise God! We are all made so diverse, the image of diversity in the Godhead. I'm not at home in high up the candle services but I do appreciate the profound experiences of worship in them. It's like you say, it's in the daily living out of our faith where the Holy spirit really does her work - deeper experiences happen, but rarely.

Charismatic is all of us anyway, because we are living in the power of the spirit and practicing the gifts of the spirit. It's just become sadly equated with a more conservative evangelical position, and that's usually the place it's been abused and used for oppression.

I think it's fine to say alpha wouldn't work for some, though. I'm not that married to it just that my experiences have been positive. I'm really thrilled there are loads of ways people come to faith and courses to reach out to people.

I like that video ChristianDad. I guess we all need to be reminded sometimes we need to do the stuff more. . Never been to a Vineyard church. Is that evangelical charismatic?

inlovewithliz you know you're kind of right - I just wrote an essay all about just that - the broad and diverse spectrum of theologies in the C of E, but that is one of the things that some of us love about it. It was interesting that after the Evening Standard posted a spectacularly ignorant piece this week about Megan Markle getting baptised and confirmed before she gets married there was a lot of commentary on Christian Twitter including some friendly disagreement amongst CofE clergy about even whether the C of E is protestant or not!!

Hello all, especially newbies and hope everyone is doing ok.
Things are a bit flat around here at the mo, lots of fun pregnancy symptoms plus a cold plus prepping for Christmas without my dad, so haven't really had much energy to post. Have been lurking though!
Hoping 'Let all mortal flesh keep silent' will be sung tomorrow, not that I can do much singing at the mo!

Hi there. I've lurked on these threads and popped on from time to time. I'm feeling really low right now and rather let down by God. Today I found your that someone from my church had taken her own life. She was a person with many problems and mental health issues but also a genuine faith. It seems to have tapped into my own deep hurts and I'm just finding myself asking "Why does it have to be like this?", both for her and for me.

educatingarti, I'm sorry about your friend from church. Suicide is caused in most cases by severe depression, which is of course a disease. Other diseases like alcoholism and other types of addiction trigger profoundly self destructive behavior as well.

Illness has always been with us, and is far less a source of tragedy than it used to be. I think that this is why the message of healing was so prominent in the NT.

Dear Arti, such a very difficult situation to deal with. You are in my prayers. You ask: “Why does it have to be like that?” And of course nobody can answer that, it is the age old question about “Why suffering? Why do bad things happen to good people?” Nobody can answere that except God alone. And sometimes He is not very chatty and the silence is deafening. What helps me is realising that the worst thing happened to the best person in the world - and because of Jesus it may be shit now, but it isn’t always going to be like that. Hold on to Jesus in these very dark times, think about His love for you and look out for glimpses of light.

Oma and Miss, thank you for your thoughts and prayers. I am still feeling very low, but aiming to get on with my day the best I can. I know there are no easy answers.

Morning all. Hope you’re having a good Thursday. Can anyone recommend any good female Christian bloggers? Thanks.

There are probably loads. This is one I look at regularly and find inspiring and challenging.

EducatingArti, how are you doing today?

Was talking last night to a couple in our church who have lost two close friends within a week. It's so, so hard. Sometimes all you can do is to walk with people through the darkness, and hold on to the knowledge that God went through that darkness as well in order to win hope for us - even if that hope seems very, very faint and distant in the dark times.

Niminy ❤️

Arti, welcome and I'm so sorry to hear about your friend. I love what Oma and Niminy say here, that Christ is with us in the darkness and knows our pain - the amazing thing about God coming to earth among us is that God gets it. Jesus wept tears over his friend dying. He knows.

It doesn't give a why answer, but it gives us something to lean on, someone to share our grief with who will cry with us.

Much love.

Thanks Niminy. That looks interesting I’ve added it to my blog reader.

Niminy and Madhairday. Thank you for your welcome and kindness. It's been a tricky week with more stuff that has thrown me emotionally, but I'm recovering some emotional equilibrium slowly. I only work part time on Friday so have been able to have a sleep this afternoon and that has been helpful. Need to get some bits and pieces done this evening though ( self employed!)

Hi arti, how are you? I’m sorry to hear about your church friend.

Cherrypi, welcome. Tanya Marlow is another blogger you might like.

Everyone, any thoughts on which bits of the OT most deepen your understanding of God?

Ooh, Edd, what a great question.

There are so many bits in the OT that have helped me understand God. All the stuff relating to the Covenant - eg God's promise to Abraham, the non-sacrifice of Isaac - and God's repeated promises of faithfulness in Exodus, Deuteronomy and Ezekiel. Then the vision of God's transcendence - Jacob wrestling with God in Genesis, Moses and the burning bush, the end of Job. And the love songs of God to his people in the second half of Isaiah. And then God's love of justice, esp in Amos.

That's for starters!

Hello everyone!

Feeling tired this morning after a mega day yesterday. But the highlight was seeing lots of people with tears in their eyes at the end of our carol service, as the choir soared up to the descant to Hark the Herald Angels. It was a wonderful, Holy Spirit moment.

(Also slightly hung over after downing two glasses of mulled wine in quick succession after the service. I have no head for alcohol any more!)

That sounds so profoundly beautiful, niminy 💓 I do hope you can get some rest today.

We also had a wonderful carol service yesterday, we have a choir particularly for the Christmas services and they sounded amazing (yes, even with the organ! )

I love your thoughts on the OT too. I wa going to say Job, Psalms, Isaiah, Joel, definitely much of the first five books with the covenant stuff. I like some of the minor prophets like Joel, Amos and Habakkuk, and love Song of Songs for poetry expressing the nature of love. So much!

Oh, yes, the psalms. One of the wonderful things about saying the daily office (morning and evening prayer) is you get steeped in the psalms. Also Song of Songs is great.

I ❤️ the Old Testament.

Sorry, I've not been on here much recently. I've just read MHD's post from 1st December and wanted to say how much I agree - we are a diverse community on this thread and the prayer one too. I think the respect and, dare I say it, love, tolerance and patience shown to people from different church backgrounds are wonderful. Now we just need to encourage them in the wider church community.

I have been thinking about the OT a lot. A year ago I had hardly read anything of the OT. Now I am trying to sort my thoughts into ordered fashion it’s harder than I thought... 😳
I hope everyone is ok, sending love for Christmas.

Would you like to explore some of those thoughts here with us, Edd? There is much wonderful in the OT and some really really hard stuff too.

Hello applesandpears! Great to see you. How are things with you?

Went to a lovely crib service on hols this afternoon - dd wore her sheep costume (though vicar thought she was a donkey)! The vicar was fab and engaging and there were unexpected descants and a couple of carols sung by candlelight! Have a peaceful time, everyone.

Three services down, two to go. I'm shattered.

I bet you are, greenheart. Dh also did 3 today and has 2 tomorrow.

Glad you enjoyed the crib double, that sounds lovely.

A very blessed and peaceful Christmas to all of you

Adding my good wishes for a blessed Christmas. May we all feel God in our head and our heart.