Pull up a pew and join the Christian chat thread, continued...

[EddSimcox]

Church chat and all related things... weak coffee, dodgy tunes, rubbish attitudes... and the uplifting, inspirational, and hilarious too.

It’s a very strange story, isn’t it MHD? I think Jesus is meant to be the king going to a strange country, in the context of v11, where it says that people expected Him to overthrow the Roman occupation etc. ‘I’m not that sort of King’, He seems to say, but the rest of the story is so very strange; especally v27 does not make the least bit of sense.
The thing we can take from it is of course that we should use the gifts God has given us and act from wishing to be of service and not out of fear.
One of those stories where you have to take what you can and leave the rest.

Yes, I think you're right, Oma. I always want to understand every word, but there are some that remain just out of reach. I think you're right about what we can take from it, though, about using what we have.

Oh greenheart - what a pain that sounds. I completely understand how it feels when people seem to get mortally offended about you doing or not doing things. One thing's for certain; you can never please everyone... grrrr. Hope you're ok today!

How's everyone else doing?

I was helped greatly by a theology professor who drilled into us that the parables were not what we would understand as allegories today. So it wouldn't be all that helpful to read them as we would read Pilgrim's progress, for example, where it's a carefully crafted story where everything signifies something specific.

Parables have a single point, they are word pictures, designed to drive home a possibly controversial (at the time ) thought in such a way that would be remembered in situations where people were passing information on orally.

So when I am dealing with some of the more challenging parables, I try to stay away from trying to work out too much nuance in the detail, because I almost have an image of Jesus standing next to me going "Nah, mate, you're way over thinking this..."

I thought I'd find this thread and say hello.

How is everyone?

It's my book launch event today and I wanted to say thank you for all your support over the years. You've been amazing! (I mentioned you and the prayer thread in the acknowledgements )

I'm feeling very poorly today, so getting through is going to be difficult. But it's where the book is coming from, the depths of this. Could do with some more strength, though. I can't believe it's finally here.

Would love to hear how you're all getting on.

Ooh so exciting that the book is finally here Madhairday! Will order my copy today! I'm so looking forward to reading it and recommending it to people.

It's mega-pants that you're feeling so poorly on the day of your book launch. Prayers for strength so that you can enjoy it properly.

There could be some changes here in the offing, but I can't say anything about them at the moment ... exciting but a bit scary.

In the meantime I've got to co-ordinate an absolutely massive remembrance day service tomorrow which I've been organising for months. Just hoping all the different groups turn up, do their thing, and nothing major goes wrong. Looking forward very much to and at the end of it!

Sorry to hear you are feeling rubbish MHD. I hope everything goes as well as expected.

I'm still Greenheart in disguise. I will sort the name change out at some stage.

Looking forward to an exciting announcement from Niminy.

We are very low key tomorrow but tonight I said I'd do a vigil and I just hope a few people come or it will be me and the iPad for music and a lot of silence.

First Remembrance Day service in the new church as it is the first of everything in the new church. There is an amazing display of poppies outside the church. We are singing :For the Fallen with the text by Laurens Binyion. Yesterday I heard from ‘Digital Nun’ of the iBenedictine website that it should be: nor the years conTemn, non conDemn, so contempt, not condemnation. It makes so much more sense.
Being in the ‘new church’ has been an amazing experience, still all very new, but quite liberating.

Just wanted to say thank you for all your support. Today is publication day! But bittersweet because I'm in hospital on IVs. I should have been speaking on Premier Radio and at a conference I was so looking forward to. I feel so very weak but its exciting to see what God's doing in this all.

Ps read the acknowledgements

🎄☃️🎅

How many carol services are we all doing? With practices last Tuesday I counted ten. Two practices have now gone, singing in the shopping centre on Saturday, two services on Sunday, one on Monday, practice on Thursday, two services on Sunday, Midnight service and Christmas morning. Thats 11 in total, counting from before the last practice (more of a party) last Tuesday. I bet there are people who can beat it though. And have to lead them, not just be in the choir.

Just found this thread, not only do I go to church but I work there. If I hear another Christmas carol I could scream - we've had over 1500 kids through the buildings for carol services and they all sing the same carols. I sound like a real Scrooge I know. I see the delight on the parents faces, that's the rewarding bit. Long day tomorrow...

I haven't yet gone to a carol service dutchoma and anniehm - I really should. Will look one up now.

I really can't sing. I'm never in tune.

Welcome Anniehm. This thread has been a bit quiet lately, I suppose everyone is busy.

Two carol services down, two to go. Then from Sunday 23rd to Christmas Day 5 services. It will be OK but my get up and go has got up and left....

Welcome @anniehm :)

Hoping to do a carol service tomorrow evening, as I didn't make any at all last year it would be lovely. DH has many to do!

Fingers crossed MHD. Hope you are better.

Crossing my fingers too MHD

May I join? I renewed my faith in March and started attending my local c of e (but very modern) church where I was baptised on Easter Sunday.

You are very welcome abi. It’s been a bit quiet here as Christmas is a busy time for most of us on here. Tell us a bit about yourself, I can’t remember the questions Nickel asks, apart from the one about Graham Kendrick and whether you like him.

I plan to be more focused with my Bible study and wondered if anyone could recommend any books please? I remember a house group leader at a previous church suggested we all use something but can't remember what. I'm currently browsing on Eden shop website looking at "Every Day with Jesus", "Daily Bread", "New Daylight", etc. as I'm sure it was something like this. Any suggestions? Thanks. B