Christian Coffee House - Prayer/Chat thread. No rubbish church coffee allowed.

[Madhairday]

With the latest prayer thread coming to an end, we thought we would create a new thread for prayer and general chat too - we had chat threads running for years alongside prayer threads, and we thought it would be great to combine them. I try and collate some of the prayer requests from the last thread in the next few days. In the meantime, dive in! Lurkers/newbies - you are welcome to post. Feel free to start any chat subject about Christianity, church, worship etc, and do share any prayer needs.
Would love to hear from those who were on previous threads and haven't been around for a while, too. Come and let us know how you are.

That is very understandable Joyce and my prayer for you today is that you will be able to’Be still and know that I am God”.
Think of the picture of the bird caught under a net: if it struggles to get out, it will get more and more entangled. If it is still, it will realise that the strwaberries are on its side!

Hi Joyce, welcome. I have added you to my prayer list I pray that God will give you strength, build up your faith, give you hope and (to use the cliche, but a nice one), walk with you.

Please try watching Fr Mike Schmitz on YouTube. He is my go to suggestion for many ills. I love his advice. He is very Catholic, apologies if thats not your thing but try him anyway.

video called "why does God let bad things happen?" is helpful and hopeful [[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=0NOTU1g0Z8w]].

I also like the video called "Finding God in darkness" where he argues that continuing to reach out for God when you don't feel him there changes our souls to make us more able to love God the way we should: inately and not just for what He can do for us. It's also nice to realise that everyone, even saints, find themselves lacking in faith and unable to discern God sometimes.

I'm sorry you lost your dad and there are so many other bad things happening to you right now. Know one thing if nothing else: God is not punishing you. Take heart.

m.youtube.com/watch?v=0NOTU1g0Z8w

Sorry my link to "Why does God let bad things happen?" in my previous post didnt work.

Welcome Joyce. I completely agree with all the lovely words said here and just wanted to send you

I'm so sorry to hear about your dad and all the other things you're going through right now. It's so hard. My experience is not that knowing Jesus makes our lives more comfortable or stops the bad stuff happening, but that knowing he also went through suffering and understands is massively liberating and the peace he brings is different to the peace we get through circumstances - it's underlying, it's supernatural, and even when we don't feel it we know it's there as God is there holding us through pain. It always helps me that the Bible gives permission for us to shout out our pain - the Psalms for eg are full of stark agony, the writers asking where God is in all of this (check out Psalm 42 for s good example). Yet they always remind themselves that God is still good and worthy of praise and draw the reader towards hope, it's a perspective shift rather than a change of circumstance.

For me it's Jesus. God was not afraid to get into our pain and mess and experience it in the most raw way possible. I've suffered from painful chronic illness all my life and yet found God deep in my valleys, holding me in the pits as well as the heights. If there were no pits the heights wouldn't be as high or as beautiful, the mystery of pain, suffering and free will.

I pray for you today. May you know the peace beyond understanding only God can give. May you know a new perspective in your suffering and consolation in your mourning. May you be lifted by the presence of the God who loves you and holds you in everlasting arms.

Amen to @Madhairday's prayer.

How are you doing today @JoyceByersWasRight ?

That's a lovely prayer MHD. I know I always say things like that but you put things well.

Joyce, hope you are OK. Will continue to pray for you.

Happy Trinity Sunday to those in liturgical churches and Happy Sunday to everyone else!

Sorry I haven't been on here for a while.

Have you seen the news that we might be able to get churches open for private prayer soon?

How is everyone's virtual church going? We are having zoom Mass and zoom youth group. A couple of friends and I are about to start a zoom prayer/study/discussion group for the parish, though i expect not many will join us.
I'm really struggling with the lack of community though. We have a church WhatsApp, but if anyone posts anything other than a church related-notice, then someone will get offended and flounce off, then nobody dares post for while! I've made some new friends from the parish though. People who like to respond and chat. So that is good.

Thank you for your prayers, I did check out the video, which was a little helpful. Im not doing great, but thank you for praying for me.

Thanks for letting us know how you are Joyce, we will continue to pray.

Thank you for letting us know Joyce, I wil continue to pray, do keep in touch if you can.
Isittheholidaysyet, yes I know that churches might soon be open for private prayer, but can’t quite see the point. You don’t need a building to pray and what I miss, like you, is the community, the opportunity to worship God together. And that is a long way off. Our church, which is incredibly old will not be open for quite a while as it is not safe.
Our online worship is going from strength to strength, we have a message from the Bishop each week, as well as from other people from far and wide. Seoul, today.
Is anybody doing the Big Music Day from the RSCM next week?

Yes @Dutchoma I agree, church buildings are not necessary for prayer!

I guess it benefits those in higher churches, who value symbolism more in their worship (is that a fair definition, hope so?) and also, and this is definitely something to give thanks for, those non-church goers who might actually want to enter a "sacred space" at the moment? But realistically, is that many?

We meet in a primary school, I wonder if we'll ever return there tbh. But we'll work something out, I'm sure.

Yes I agree about churches. It's funny how the government just released that info last night without bothering to tell dioceses and clergy - how are they supposed to facilitate this with all the extra opening of churches and especially the cleaning that will entail - they'd basically have to clean after every person who comes in - at the moment anyway. Agree you don't need a building to pray but some people do like the sacred space thing and find themselves closer to God in a building I suppose. I struggle with that but everyone is different.

Our online stuff also going from strength to strength, we have a lot going on from youth groups to home groups to toddler groups to online church and worship nights and Bible studies etc etc. We're actually feeling called to start something new out of all this, plant a new congregation if you like, online, after things go back to normal as we have so many people joining us unable to access church in the usual way that we don't want to lose giving them support and reaching out to others to. So dh made a video about this new idea for this morning and people are really running with it so that's exciting too. All over the country I'm hearing similar stories of online church reaching those who've been excluded in whatever way and it's so great - about time really, but nothing but something like this crisis would have forced our hand as a church as it were to get out there and do this well to engage those on the margins.

Hello Joyce - glad you've come back. Sorry you're still struggling a little. Can I recommend the Lectio365 app as a place of peace and stillness to help you get centred for the day and locate something of God's presence in the midst of all the horrible stuff? I think you'd like it

About the church re-opening thing. Although as you say Dutchoma And strawberry you can pray anywhere, I think personally there are three reasons to open.

1. I can pray at home, in theory. In practice with the kids and the dh banging about and needing me constantly, I can't find mental space, and often not physical space either. It's hard to get into prayer if you know you are going to be disrupted constantly. So it is about sacred space and safe, quiet set-apart space.

1. I'm Roman catholic, so actually, when in church I'm in the presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. (Which I know is not everyone's theology)

1. And I think this is most important point, and especially for Anglicans. The church buildings represent the church in the world. We Christians know that the people are the church. But outsiders don't see that. For them, the church being shut signals that God can't help us and the church has abandoned you.

Just my own thoughts.

Obviously any opening has to be done with great care, and many will not be able to come. But for those who are working, with kids in school, who are going out to shops, it makes no sense to say you can't visit church.

isittheholidaysyet Three valid points, the first holds the most water for me and I feel for everyone who has a very busy life and people around them that need constant attention. I’m sure God understands too.

I understand those reasons too, isittheholidays. I understand that for many the physical church is really important and especially taking the Eucharist together. We've been taking it at home together along to FB live but I guess that's not quite the same for many, although for others it's wonderful as for the first time in a long time they are included in church.

How's everyone doing today?

@Dutchoma I would like to join in Big Music Sunday, but not much time left to learn the hymns. I like a hymn sing along.

@JoyceByersWasRight I'd hoped you really like Fr Mike, I love him but I can see hes a lot Catholic which might not really help. If I find anything else I will pass it on. I suppose there's no magic bullet, just plodding on in prayer and hope for a breakthrough. Or to use another cliche I guess you just have to give yourself a break and acknowledge its going to be hard for a time but it will get better. I dont like to think of you trudging on in grief and hopelessness. At least you know a bunch of internet strangers care and pray that you will turn a corner and feel supported in your faith to boot.

Hello MHD you are lucky to receive communion at home. One of the many benefits of being married to a pastor! I don't miss communion as such. I attend virtual mass most days so I am seeing more of the rites than usual. I do miss being in church for it. Sometimes it's hard to concerntrate or feel like you are really taking part. My mind can wander more than in church. I guess its less effort to attend and noone is watching me but why do it if I dont want to dedicate time to the Lord?

As for private prayer in church I agree with Dutchoma. I can't get too excited. I think it sensible to stay away and pray at home. I'd go for socially distanced mass. In the week it would be so quiet. Much safer than shopping or other permitted activities! I mostly wish they'd restart confession. Hoping that confession will restart with private prayer. Pretty safe if you are in separate rooms. Can you catch covid-19 from a confessional? What if they cleaned after each person?. Most of the time there's only a handful go.

ZenNudist did you buy and print the music? I didn’t have to buy the music myself as our choirmaster got them for us. It’s £5 from the RSCM website. You can join in with as much or as little as you like, I’m not doing everything.
I have never been to confession, but what I have seen of it, it looks like it would be possible to catch it unless some rigorous cleaning went on between users(?)/customers(?)

@ZenNudist no I meant the whole congregation are having communion along with the FB live feed. Obv not consecrated but more of just an act of remembrance as Jesus told us to do and most people in our church are not very fussed about such things as the priest consecrating (I know to some that is important and don't want to do that down at all). It's not really labelled communion or Eucharist as such, just grab yourself some bread and wine or juice if you like and then the priest does the communion service for people to join in with the responses. I've been so appreciating it after not taking communion so long before this due to being really ill for 6 months and never really getting round to getting dh to do it with me! This feels a lovely sense of community - not formal Eucharist but to me a real communion of together being thankful for Jesus' sacrifice.

Dioceses have different rules but you can read between the lines. Basically priests cannot 'consecrate' online but nothing to stop congregants having a little meal

For me, personally, from a mental health point of view I’m excited about the church being open for private prayer. It’s a sort of safe space for me where I can get away from the anxiety etc in a way I find more difficult just praying at home.

The confessional is difficult. It would need cleaning down between each person.

Yes, we did that sort of Communion service at our church, it was called an Agape meal and to me was very meaningful in a “Do this to remember Me” way. We are doing it again on Sunday. The online services have brought out a lot of different things, families doing Lego scripture readings to mention just one thing.
I miss the singing together most of all and that is still a very long way off.

It's lovely isn't it Oma.

Yes I feel the same about singing. I so miss worshipping together. I sing along with the live stream but it's not the same.

I understand that Rafa. It's good to have a safe space and church can be so calming and a place we really encounter the presence of God. Hope you are ok

Hi everyone,
Can anyone enlighten me what Corpus Christi means? I have seen a lot of it on twitter feeds of the various vicars I follow but prefer to ask here, in an anonymous forum.

I am a Christian of quite a few years but didn't go to church growing up so I find these unfamiliar terms baffling sometimes!
Google hasn't really helped - I need simple terms! I know it's a feast but I have never heard of it and the church i go to (a modern one) hasn't mentioned it as far as I can recall from previous years.

I have started to follow a few of the local but more traditional churches during lockdown - hence coming across these more traditional words. I have recently learnt 'intercession' and the 'collect' too (always thought the collect was the collection plate going round!). It's fascinating to see the different flavours of churches.
Thanks all.

It is a feast day in the RC church which has made its way over to the more catholic end of the C of E. It isn't my tradition but in non covid days there would be a full on smells and bells service with priests dripping in lace and as many acolytes and servers as you can get round the altar. If it gets you closer to God then go for it!

It is a feast that celebrates the sacrament of the Eucharist, also know as Holy Communion. I think it is the belief in the Roman Catholic chuch that the bread and wine with which we celebrate the presence of the Lord actually changes into the body and blood of Jesus. Protestant churches believe more that it is a remembrance of what Jesus has done for us.
Corpus Christi is therefor a more important feast for Roman Catholics and those people in the church of England that tend to Catholicism. When I worshipped with a Baptist church I had not come across it either.

Ah I understand why I hadn't heard of it before now. Thanks very much. MN can be great sometimes.