How was church today?

Welcome to Wondercafe2!

A community where we discuss, share, and have some fun together. Join today and become a part of it!

Register Log in
paradox3 said:
Mr Paradox was interested in the message our minister planned to give today. So of course I asked him to come along and hear it for himself. Alas, he declined but still wants to hear a recap later.

Good thing I didn't follow the advice about looking for a fellow Christian spouse. I would have missed out on 42 good years with Mr Paradox.
Click to expand...

Our pastor contends that marrying outside one's faith group will only serve to weaken one's faith.

Course, I married outside my faith group. :D Yobo's a Presbyterian. :D
 
Jae said:
Our pastor contends that marrying outside one's faith group will only serve to weaken one's faith.

Course, I married outside my faith group. :D Yobo's a Presbyterian. :D
Click to expand...
Ah, you're a rebel Brother Jae!

Mr Paradox was raised Presbyterian as well but he does not follow that path.
 
Jae said:
Why did he leave it?
Click to expand...
His story is much like mine. Drifted away as a teenager. But in his case he did not feel the pull to return. Happily for me he has always been supportive of my return to church life and my wish to expose our children to religious faith when they were growing up.

He is a private sort of guy who sees faith as a very personal thing.

It would have been extremely difficult for us if he were anti-religion. I see your pastor's point to some extent.
 
Tis like emotions on the surface of the braen ... moving in too much a rush to sink in as deeper wisdom, thought and all that resides in the Death Wishes buried there ... physical release?

Causes mix-ups in logos ... antilogos ... painless learning through myth? Does set some riffles in citii ... a late site for emergence? Kind 've like the 17 year logos ... locus's?
 
Attended worship at Knox today. Fabulous music on the organ and grand piano and by the choir. Sermon by Rev. Greg Glatz was on how peace will not happen on a larger level until we get it right on an individual person to person level. The idea that us versus them thinking will never lead to a larger peace. Prayers were said as well for the family and friends of the hockey players and others on the team bus who were killed in Saskatchewan and prayers as well for those in hospital recovering from the crash. On a lighter note, while sitting waiting for church to start it occurred to me that it is a good thing church is not like the airport where they do baggage checks. Ha ha ha my sister who is still in hospital had asked me to go to her bedroom and find some bras to bring when I came to the hospital to see her today. Since I didn't know which one she wanted I grabbed 10 or so and put them in my knapsack which I had on the pew beside me since I was planning to go to the hospital after church. Probably the only time I will ever be in church with bag full of bras....;)
 
You just never know said:
Attended worship at Knox today. Fabulous music on the organ and grand piano and by the choir. Sermon by Rev. Greg Glatz was on how peace will not happen on a larger level until we get it right on an individual person to person level. The idea that us versus them thinking will never lead to a larger peace. Prayers were said as well for the family and friends of the hockey players and others on the team bus who were killed in Saskatchewan and prayers as well for those in hospital recovering from the crash. On a lighter note, while sitting waiting for church to start it occurred to me that it is a good thing church is not like the airport where they do baggage checks. Ha ha ha my sister who is still in hospital had asked me to go to her bedroom and find some bras to bring when I came to the hospital to see her today. Since I didn't know which one she wanted I grabbed 10 or so and put them in my knapsack which I had on the pew beside me since I was planning to go to the hospital after church. Probably the only time I will ever be in church with bag full of bras....;)
Click to expand...
Hahaha!
 
My pastor spends a lot of time, I think, delivering sermons to help "deprogram" fundamentalists, and then awaiting blowback. It takes courage. He himself used to preach at a more fundamentalist evangelical church, then his mind changed along the way. They are not unlike UCCan sermons that much, but the UCCan ministers are maybe not all taking as much of a leap of faith to say something like "Jesus' most important commandments were to love God, and like unto it, love your neighbor. And since we can't "see" God, then logically, how we love God is to love our neighbour." He also talked about not making an idol out of the Bible itself, and talked about how, historically, even illiterate Christians got the message even if the only two commandments they knew about were Love God, and Love your neighbour". There were a few people, raised in evangelical Christian private schools, and churches, taught that it was really important to memorize chapter and verse and take it all very literally. The pastor's trying to bing them out of that onto a different train of thought. They are, but there's some tension/ resistance to letting go. Unlike at the UCCan sometimes, he's not preaching to the choir. Some wouldn't have appreciated it...I could see a couple of people looking a little uncomfortable. I was sitting there appreciating how much guts that took. It's interesting to be there, where for several, this is really new. Even though, the pastor tied in some of his lesson to ideas that go back to St. Augustine...which is someone many would not have heard of in the churches they grew up in.

We had lunch afterwards. Home made soup, and veggies and fruit and buns, and cookies, brought by a different "home group" (we have home groups we meet with semi regularly, where we do Bible study, church chat, and socialize because they don't have use of the space all day everyday) once a month. A couple of people had walked in off of the street when they heard the music at the end of the service (the music is great here...a few talented house musicians), and were invited for lunch. It's like, if anyone leaves because they are uncomfortable, new people are already coming in.
 
Last edited:
Seelerman and I were 'Greeters' at church Ssundaay - a job I enjoy - welcoming people as they come in, shaking hands or an occasional hug, a brief chat with friends or acquaintances, inviting newcomers to sign the guestbook, turning them over to the ushers to receive their bulletins and be shown to a pew. A great way to get to know the congregation.
The children's time was interesting. Our choir director had a new drum from Africa - interesting how he played it while leading in singing #59 from More Voices "Allelula, Praise to God". Our minister talked to the kids about Nigeria and I learned that it is the most populated country in Africa. I located Nigeria in my mind from remembering a map my Grandson is working on as he studies Africa for his Grade 8 class. The theme of the talk with the children today was of the sharing that can and does taake place between people. Probably over the heads of the youngest children, but they love the minister for her warmth and friendliness - and everybody loved the ddrum.
Yes, the bus crash was mentioned and prayers were sent; but not in the sermon. I think our minister prepares her message well ahead of time - researching, meditating, thinking about it - this week's theme was 'faith and doubt' - from the lectionary reading.
Then during annoouncements, Ky got up to speak. She is middle-aged and I know she has MS although I have never seen any symptoms (she's in the Writers' Group I participate in at the church). Her voice seemed weak, then partly though her face seemed to change, her words were blurred, then she sstopped speaking altogether and just stood there shaking. At first I thought she was being emotional aboout her annoouncement; then two people hurried forward from the ocngregation (one a nurse practioner), and the minister (who was sitting a bit to the side and behind where she stood) reached her. She continued to shake, then turned to them and said "I'm alright" - weakly she continued her announcment, then the two from the congregation who stood beside her, escorted her down from tthe pulpit and out the side door to the hall.
The service continued. At aboout the same time as the benediction was given and the congregation was asked to exit through the front doors, we heard the ambulance.
I wondered if she had had a seizure of some type. Someone else mentioned the possibility of stroke. We have been holding Ky in our hearts and praying silently as we went about our day. Later today, I will try to find out more.
 
You just never know said:
Attended worship at Knox today. Fabulous music on the organ and grand piano and by the choir. Sermon by Rev. Greg Glatz was on how peace will not happen on a larger level until we get it right on an individual person to person level. The idea that us versus them thinking will never lead to a larger peace. Prayers were said as well for the family and friends of the hockey players and others on the team bus who were killed in Saskatchewan and prayers as well for those in hospital recovering from the crash. On a lighter note, while sitting waiting for church to start it occurred to me that it is a good thing church is not like the airport where they do baggage checks. Ha ha ha my sister who is still in hospital had asked me to go to her bedroom and find some bras to bring when I came to the hospital to see her today. Since I didn't know which one she wanted I grabbed 10 or so and put them in my knapsack which I had on the pew beside me since I was planning to go to the hospital after church. Probably the only time I will ever be in church with bag full of bras....;)
Click to expand...

And a brasserie to you too ... a place to have a cool drink after handling the untouchables ... some words are like that! Just way to funny ... or plain odd? God comes to us through the medium ... even with wisdom of the functioning ... praxis ... or pax roma?

If you think not read the Song of Solomon and reference to Twin Peeks ... unveiling as V Nous? My step mother said a great boob was a soft place to rest wee heads ... impressing adequate gentle Ness?
 
We were out of town this weekend and so attended a United Church in Calgary that feels familiar to us having tried it once before. I didn't pay much attention to the message but really appreciated the musical selections. It was a baptism Sunday there too which included the children in the sacrament. Each child gathered was invited to wet their fingertips in the font and touch the baby's head before the minister performed the "official" baptism. It was very moving to see how seriously it was taken by the children and how excited they were to participate.
 
Today was the 9th Anniversary of Hillhurst being an Affirming congregation. Sermon was by our Affirming Coordinator Keith Murray. Sermon was about seeing the whole perspective not just the perspective of our own little clique. Had an interesting video about folks who are colour blind and only see certain colours. A company has developed special glasses so these folks can now see the full spectrum of colours. A great video seeing the reactions of folks who had gone there whole lives with only seeing a couple of colours and now they could see it all. Keith suggested God is like the folks in the video seeing it all not just the limited spectrum that a lot of folks see. He also had something interesting to say about the Final Judgement. His take was that it will really be about the end of being judgemental so final in that way. I like Keith's approach to spirituality and his ability to see the larger picture. Hope he preaches again sometime as it was a treat today.
 
I missed church at my church today...tired, still packing to move. I saved my energy for an event at another church tonight. Just got home and I feel like I might work into the wee hours. Feeling more motivated. I can sleep when it's all done.

There was an arts/ music interfaith/ ecumenical festival this weekend, and a closing service/ concert at a small Anglican Church in a quiet neighbourhood, that I made it out for...packed to the rafters and fun, and contemplative, and inspiring. Shane Claiborne gave a sermon. It was a unity and social justice sermon - what he does best. That Shane Claiborne, yup. We shared Anglican Eucharist with Shane Claiborne. We made eye contact and exchanged hellos after I walked up to take communion, and went past him on the aisle. He was chatting and shaking hands with people, as was everybody with everybody else. If you didn't know who he was, he just blended right in.

There was a lot of conversation and song - old and new, modern and litergical, southern gospel vibe, and Latin chants (really cool evening) around being in God's hands, but doing God's work with our hands. A couple of older/ longtime members of my church were there. I sat with them. I'm so glad I managed to go! I was really surprised this happened here (I only found out about it by accident last week) - I thought this might be the least Christian little city in Canada, but I thought wrong. Shane Claiborne came here...to me that means something special is happening here, if there's an audience for him. An all ages, all backgrounds, audience.
 
Last edited:
Busy and interesting.
We had baptism - four babies and one adult. The adult was the father of one of the babies.
Among the other babies:
one had a single mother - supported by her parents
one had two Moms
aand one had an older sibling as well as his parents

The church was crowded with god-parents and families of those being baptised. Our usual pew was taken - we usually sit up front. Although we arrived quite early we had to sit half-way back, possibly displacing whoever usually sat there. I noticed that quite a few people were not in their usual places. It made for an interesting time during the 'passing of the peace' when we turn and greet those sitting near us.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top