How was church today?

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We had a nice service. I had my second week at looking after the sound board/systems, because our regular sound guy is on his honeymoon. It sorta felt like "weekend at the church". I was there Saturday morning to help with the decorating (including yet another random "Pinterest attempt" by the worship team leader which involved multiple panels of sheers, various not-working-together curtain rods, white lights and a LOT of tape) and pick up my turkey to roast. After wrestling my way out of the tape and dodging highly allergenic pine boughs, I dashed home to roast said (not well thawed) turkey. The legs cooked faster than the frozen bottom, the breast dried out, and I attempted, unwisely, to attempt to carve it while it was still fairly warm. After dashing to back to the church to return the hacked bird (to their larger, safer fridge), and consulting re a sheer panel disaster, I returned home to fall asleep while baking pumpkin pies. Got there early Sunday and left a bit late due to sound board responsibilities and more turkey cooking consulting, returned at two to help finish the dinner, retrieved the old guy, returned to church to have a nice dinner, then finally left the church not to return until...tomorrow.

Oh, and during the Christmas decorating, there was an unidentified sound system crisis involving an unplugged cable that had me crawling around the pulpit during the service. Must do a simple sound check BEFORE service starts.
 
We moved the service to the Evening and it followed the format of a memorial hymn sing. The service was lay designed and lay-led so I was there just to look pretty and offer a prayer.

We started with the sanctuary in darkness save for the electric candles carried in by the choir. Low light and low activity generally cue my body to sleep so I was very relieved when they turned the lights on. Part of the service was dedicated to our Men's choir which came into being some 30 years ago and now, with the retirement of the choir director is wondering whether or not this chapter of this particular ministry is the last to be written.

A very strong community turn-out including a slightly stunned Town official who was my first in the community meeting. When I stopped into the town offices for directions to the Brigus Academy (where I was being interviewed for the vacancy) he gave me directions thinking I was applying for the job of working on the roof.

Baptism next Sunday which will be my first with this pastoral charge.
 
revjohn said:
We moved the service to the Evening and it followed the format of a memorial hymn sing. The service was lay designed and lay-led so I was there just to look pretty and offer a prayer.

We started with the sanctuary in darkness save for the electric candles carried in by the choir. Low light and low activity generally cue my body to sleep so I was very relieved when they turned the lights on. Part of the service was dedicated to our Men's choir which came into being some 30 years ago and now, with the retirement of the choir director is wondering whether or not this chapter of this particular ministry is the last to be written.

A very strong community turn-out including a slightly stunned Town official who was my first in the community meeting. When I stopped into the town offices for directions to the Brigus Academy (where I was being interviewed for the vacancy) he gave me directions thinking I was applying for the job of working on the roof.

Baptism next Sunday which will be my first with this pastoral charge.
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AD ditional rouff'rs? What a deep word ...
 
Lectionary for this morning had us consider John The Baptist (Mark 1: 1-8).

Schedules worked so that we also celebrated a baptism this morning and I, John, was the baptizer.

Sermon focused on how we, the congregation, hear the call to make pathways straight and how we respond to that call, which allowed me to play with many of the various understandings which rest on baptism.

Conor, this morning's candidate for baptism was a fairly engaged participant taking in events and actions with wizened wonderment. Cool water on the head produced the most intense look of puzzlement.

It was his coos of delight an huge smile during the final baptismal blessing that touched the congregation most and delighted his parents.

Outside, wind was kicking up quite the racket and there were a few moments I thought we might lose the roof. Hope we get some of that when it comes time to examine Pentecost, that would be wicked deadly.

And even though we have savage winds and driving rain today it is 18C.
 
We had the children's (musical) pageant this a.m. Different play, same story, well done, pretty solo by a friend's niece.

And given that it was "Peace" Sunday, we had an Amnesty International letter signing after service (along with a cake for a recently wed couple).
 
Church today was the Christmas pageant put on by the Sunday School. It was fine but it didn't really touch my spirit. Just my mood right now, I guess. Too much going on with my dad. And it is my first Christmas without my mom.

Postlude was Jingle Bell Rock. Secular music never works for me as a postlude although some folks seem to really like it.
 
paradox3 said:
Postlude was Jingle Bell Rock. Secular music never works for me as a postlude although some folks seem to really like it.
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Said it before, but I will say it again: one of my all time favorite Christmas service moments was the pianist busting out into the theme from A Charlie Brown Christmas as the postlude to a Christmas Eve service. It is such a lively, joyous number that it just felt perfect.
 
paradox3 said:
It might depend on the particular piece of secular music. I probably shouldn't generalize.
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And, to be fair to you, that was a UU service, though the minister did take Luke's nativity story as her text (And I was the lay reader so it got read very well;). Used the KJV that time just because that version of the story is so resonant.)
 
Mendalla said:
And, to be fair to you, that was a UU service, though the minister did take Luke's nativity story as her text (And I was the lay reader so it got read very well;). Used the KJV that time just because that version of the story is so resonant.)
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And context is everything, as well.
 
Hi,

We had guests, a hand bell group. They brightened the room with songs old and new. They stayed for a pot luck lunch following. A happy community gathering on a mild Manitoba morning in Steinbach.

Here are my thoughts from those moments:


George
 
We had a baptism today. I decided to talk about the Magi at Children's Time. I attempted to make a parallel between the three gifts given to welcome Jesus to the world with the three gifts that the church gives to welcome a new child to our family of faith.

Baptisms always make me cry. It was a beautiful service.
 
Hilary said:
We had a baptism today. I decided to talk about the Magi at Children's Time. I attempted to make a parallel between the three gifts given to welcome Jesus to the world with the three gifts that the church gives to welcome a new child to our family of faith.

Baptisms always make me cry. It was a beautiful service.
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What three gifts does your church give Hilary?
 
Attended worship with my sister at her church today. It was a fun inter-generational Christmas play that had a pleasant intertwining of the secular and the spiritual. Part of the play was in a shopping mall and part was in a park and another part in the manger with Mary and Joseph and baby Jesus. There was also a nursing home and a hospital as part of the play. Some fun secular as well as religious songs of the season as well. It was good to be in worship where so many aspects of the season were celebrated together rather than being segregated into an us versus them paradigm.
 
You just never know - you always seem to find things that give 'abundant life' at whatever church you attend.

Church here was good - actually one of the best messages I have heard from our minister, and I complimented her on it. Sermon based on the reading from Isaiah and the gospel of Mark quoting Isaiah. The hymn 'O Ccome O Come Immanuel' sung by the choir with the ccongregation joining in for the chorus, woven into the communion service, and an acknowledgement at the end of the closing prayer by Rev. Richard Bott. Nice to recognize a name from the early days on WonderCafe.
 
Is God diverse in many churches ... just to support valence ... so the thing could aphi lye ate later ... in self consummation?

Gives reason for the aboriginal a' parth eid ... were distinct from that ... or so it was believed ... in an isolated system like Mannanan Mac Lir ...

Has a counterpart in Hebrew mahaineim ... tis an isolated thought ... something emotionally denied ...
 
It's early; I'm feeling a little sick and I didn't hear back from anyone about hymn choices or Advent readings for the worship I am scheduled to lead today. I had nothing but nightmares about it. And the rest of the night, I just worried. Also, I'm just revamping an old sermon...something I have never done before. Somehow, God has to help me lead a worship that is fitting for the good people who come to church. I'm afraid that today, I am definitely less than worthy.
 
Nancy said:
It's early; I'm feeling a little sick and I didn't hear back from anyone about hymn choices or Advent readings for the worship I am scheduled to lead today. I had nothing but nightmares about it. And the rest of the night, I just worried. Also, I'm just revamping an old sermon...something I have never done before. Somehow, God has to help me lead a worship that is fitting for the good people who come to church. I'm afraid that today, I am definitely less than worthy.
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Oh Dear Nancy. I've had days like this too. I'll be thinking of you; and I trust that you will do OK - maybe not your best, but OK. And who knows, perhaps something in your message will be just what someone in the congregation needs to hear today. If not, well everybody has off days. Don't be too hard on yourself. And go home and rest!
 
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