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Philosophy/religion

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Original poster

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

270 replies

EddSimcox · 30/04/2018 18:36

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

OP posts:
picklemepopcorn · 14/05/2018 07:33

Oma, Devon Thanks

For me, the limitless nature of God means our ideas about time and judgement just can't be valid. Who is to say when the 'deadline' for accepting him is? With an eternal God, I doubt it is limited by our timescale and experience.

Madhairday · 16/05/2018 07:34

Devon Flowers I'm so sorry to hear that. When something like that happens it is a real struggle to understand what God is doing in it all. I agree with Edd, I think we're living in a broken world and thus not immune to rubbish stuff, but there is a mystery of faith whereby God is alongside us in it, and because Jesus experienced brokenness in its most raw form he is able to empathise with us in the most profound of ways. So sorry.

Madmomma - gosh, what a sad experience of alpha. All I can say is he was actively going against what the manual advised - I've done it a lot now and it's all about gentle listening and never about imposing dogmatic statements. What a lack of compassion - I'm so sorry. There are other courses and other churches which you might feel more welcomed into. Flowers

Cish - 20s is the most under represented group in most churches. We have a few, mostly parents of young children - I'd love to have more single people in that generation. We're starting a 20s group as it can help to identify with others, though equally some love the home group system with its more multigenerational approach, I guess there's room for both. With the parents we have a very thriving and welcoming toddler group, Bible study etc. It's actually a growing section which is fab. But I don't really know the answers for the age group in general - we have quite a few teens but they all tend to go off to uni then settle elsewhere.

I've been to churches with a huge amount of that age group though - used to go to a vineyard church with hundreds of 20s. Lots of donuts and good coffee, but more to the point really good quality of teaching and good system of small groups so people can feel welcomed in and not too overwhelmed.

Sorry for the essay!!

I'm busy on last minute rewrites and have been quite poorly, so sorry for absence lately.

daffodildelight · 16/05/2018 15:04

Hi everyone, hope all is well. I pop on here occasionally, most recently about my kids getting confirmed.
I just wanted to let you know about a page I have found on Facebook called Kissing Fish. It's really great, sometimes thought provoking and sometimes uplifting.

www.facebook.com/KissingFishBook/

Worth having a look.

thegreenheartofmanyroundabouts · 19/05/2018 15:30

I hope everyone gets to hear the great sermon at the royal wedding today. I had a fairly clear idea about what I was going to say tomorrow but now it is back to the drawing board.

Loved the music, loved the dress and the little bridesmaids and page boys were great.

Madhairday · 19/05/2018 16:22

It was amazing, wasn't it green :) the power of redemptive love!

picklemepopcorn · 19/05/2018 17:11

He's made quite an impact, among people that generally wouldn't be interested.

Dutchoma · 23/05/2018 12:53

We are planning a meet up
here
Everyone welcome.

CalvinJohn · 25/05/2018 21:46

Hope it's ok to join in here. Name changed but pickle gave me a heads up on this thread.
Was a shame to see Smeaton deleted all their posts.

picklemepopcorn · 25/05/2018 22:59

Welcome, CJ!

picklemepopcorn · 26/05/2018 08:26

I didn't really do as well at Kingdom Come as I'd hoped. I was fine for the first week, but the last few days I missed completely. And now the app keeps pinging at me and makes me feel guilty!
I caught the preparation for a Beacon event while I was looking around Chester Cathedral.

Original poster
EddSimcox · 28/05/2018 22:41

Hi CJ who’s Smeaton?
pickle prayer is never a competition!

OP posts:
DragonNoodleCake · 29/05/2018 06:51

Would love to come to the meet up, but it's just not feasible with a new job and travelling to head down to London too. 😔
On a positive note - I had a meet up with the lovely @applesandpears33 for lunch and it was fantastic. It was so nice to talk openly about kids and faith with a delightful company for a couple of hours 😀
I've finished at my work on Friday, it felt so odd leaving the building. Redundancy is a strange thing (even after I went through it 13 years ago) I really felt the impact.
I'm off this week then start my new post on Monday 😀, I'm apprehensive but I'm sure it will be great.

DragonNoodleCake · 29/05/2018 06:54

@CalvinJohn I saw Smeatons post and thought it was very good they were exploring the big questions.I'm just sad that any exploratory post round here gets jumped on with vehement atheist comments trying to tell us how stupid we are. This thread is very friendly 😀

Orchidflower1 · 29/05/2018 07:10

oma a meet up is a lovely idea. I can’t make it- busy trains still too much for my anxiety but I shall be holding you all in my prayers that day ( I do regularly anyway!).

Hope that everyone was able to have quality time doing what you like to do and what makes you feel blessed over the bank holiday.

Lisette40 · 29/05/2018 07:17

Waves to orchidflower, lovely to 'see' you. Was thinking of you the other day.

picklemepopcorn · 29/05/2018 07:42

Thank you Edd! I needed that!

Orchidflower1 · 29/05/2018 17:54

Thank youlissette thinks are better than they were before and I praise god for that. Thank you for thinking of me😀

lucydogz · 29/05/2018 18:20

Hi all, what a great idea for a thread! In later life, I'm appreciating more ritualistic worship, something I never thought would happen, as I came from an Evangelical background. My DH and I worship at our cathedral, and I love the way that the beauty of the service draws me away from everyday life. Even when, occasionally, I'm not connecting to the sermon (because of the mood I'm in), my surroundings draw me into the experience.
I find Julian of Norwich, and reading Marylinne Robinson (the essays and her fiction) strengthen my faith. Also the experience of Pascal, a mathematics genius of the 17th century, who had a religious experience, gave up science and turned to writing about religion. He detailed his experience and had the account sewn into his jacket, where it was found after his death. I find it very moving.

SometimesTheSmallestThings · 29/05/2018 18:49

Hello all, been reading a little while and would love to join in... I joined just right at the end of last thread (mumsnet newbie, didn’t realise!) but glad to find a new one and been keeping up with it! @slippermaiden I have always had a Christian faith but was searching for somewhere to belong that fitted with my values and I also realised a couple of years ago that it is Quakers that is undoubtedly my spiritual home. I love that you said you just discovered you were a Quaker as that’s exactly how I felt too. I’ve gone to Meeting on and off over the last couple of years, as well as still sometimes to my local church, and although haven’t made it to either recently - have a young baby and life is busy! - I love to read Faith&Practice and find so much strength in the Quaker way as well as my Christian faith. @stars @Edd and @dutchoma loved the chat around “holding in the light” and also looking for Jesus in each person in try to love everyone - reminds me of a beautiful quote I read and always think of - “See the light in others and treat them as if that is all you see.” Especially as I don’t get out to church or meetings much at the moment would love to have somewhere just to share faith and chat with others day to day so if ok to pull up a pew I will :) Brew x

picklemepopcorn · 29/05/2018 19:31

Hello STST, and Lucy! It's funny what you say about coming to ritualistic worship later in life. I'm starting to want to go to evensong. I'm in a choir which is learning to sing it, with the aim of joining in with churches.

lucydogz · 29/05/2018 20:54

I love Evensong. You get the Magnificat AND the Nunc Dimittis. Heaven.

thegreenheartofmanyroundabouts · 29/05/2018 21:20

Except when you have to sing it. Oh my you are exposed. My voice is tolerable but the fear of the first time leading evensong in front of a full robed choir. Ahhhhh.

picklemepopcorn · 29/05/2018 21:48

I'm hoping to get lots of experience in the choir before I have to lead it, MHD.

I've always avoided it, but it's starting to call me.

Dutchoma · 29/05/2018 21:48

Evensong is my favourite too, but as I am not in a church choit I have to make do with the radio most of the time.
Nice to have some ‘newbies’. Have you all seen we are planning a meet—up? Newbies very welcome. Also lurkers: if you can bear to come right in: slide into a pew at the back and it won’t be long before you feel right at home.
I got a message from MN to say that my name had been mentioned, never had that before.

CishAndFips · 02/06/2018 08:44

Another one that can't make the meeting up. London is just too far for me sadly. Looking forward to hearing about it.