How was church today?

[Mendalla]

damn me, if she didn't do that most awful of prologues to her sermon: "May the words...ever acceptable in your sight, Oh Lord".

I remember that being fairly commonly used back in my UCCan days. It's derived from Psalm 19:14 so I imagine that's why it was popular. Don't recall hearing it in the UCCan congregations I have visited in recent years, though so perhaps others share your reaction.

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be acceptable to you,
O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

 

[KayTheCurler]

On a different day I spotted a bird that isnt usually seen - a merlin that was busily hunting.

My youngest grandboy delighted us all as he rapidly figured out how to use a paddleboard.

 

[BetteTheRed]

I remember that being fairly commonly used back in my UCCan days. It's derived from Psalm 19:14 so I imagine that's why it was popular. Don't recall hearing it in the UCCan congregations I have visited in recent years, though so perhaps others share your reaction.

It is quite out of favour among the worship leaders/ministers I know. It's often made worse, by saying "the words of my mouth and the meditation of OUR hearts", just to make sure we're all included in the worthless department.

 

[Luce NDs]

It is quite out of favour among the worship leaders/ministers I know. It's often made worse, by saying "the words of my mouth and the meditation of OUR hearts", just to make sure we're all included in the worthless department.

Is the worthless department something that can lead us to humility as we face empty space ... that may be an allegory for any number of body orifices ... devoid psyches? These are rumoured to exist after certain types of discussion about intercourse over cursive notes that are misunderstood! Possibly a secret code between people up to nothing and no good ... way past bad, ugly and beautiful!

Believe someone will oppose it to support militantism ... as ideation!

Can ideations form spontaneously in dark mysterious domains ... as they form up?

Sounds like a mental escape to me ...

 

[Kimmio Laughterlove]

Today, church was about courage...and how it’s not about the absence of fear, but about confronting/ overcoming fear. The pastor spoke about a member (with the person’s permission), who recently witnessed a hateful, threatening rant directed against a small group of people of colour (apparently the man uttered threats, and told them to go back where they came from, and other awful things), downtown - the person shouting was not well - and nobody of the several people around, including this person, stepped in and did anything...and the shame and regret this person felt. She had wanted to do something but didn’t know what to do, and was likely scared of doing anything alone...whether that be to confront the verbally abusive behaviour and ask them to stop and to leave, or to call the police. The victims of the diatribe left the situation...but inaction on the part of everyone nearby, had felt like a failure of courage. She mentioned we have to do more, also, to help those in mental health distress who would behave that way, to heal whatever caused them to behave that way.

I was glad it was somewhat social justice focused today...more outward looking. It was a good sermon...various bible verses and advocates of social justice, who are Christian, were quoted.

 

[BetteTheRed]

I was really delighted with the service today. Toni Morrison died only this week, but it inspired our Jeffrey to make the idea of "otherness" a theme for today's service. He grabbed the spirituals from VU/MV, found an inspirational speech by Toni, it was a really good service. What I really love about this young man is how engaged he stays in connecting any service he conducts to the real life, real time, place he finds himself serving.

 

[Mrs.Anteater]

Lunenburg Folk Festival Sunday morning gospel concert. Lovely mixture of folk artists singing meaningful songs together and single as well as involving the audience ( a coupe of hundred people).

 

[You just never know]

Rev. Don's sermon was about the wild things in all of us. Idea was that it is better to engage and look our wildness in the eye instead of trying to surpress it. And in a bit of Sunday serendipity, on the way into church I came upon some wild thing street art.

 

[Kimmio Laughterlove]

I know how it feels.

 

[Luce NDs]

Supply Minister spoke on words and story ... a whirlwind that could sink a physical soul in an imperfect rabi'd hole ... suggesting that thoughts may be nothing when you examine them from the down side (negative) of when you've foolishly lost all common sense ...

Leads me to say that Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore ... and why things are heating up ... as Al Isis was a cool terminology for ethical ends to avarice ... and you are swept off in time. Some people ignore all time past, present and future as if tomorrow won't come even if you are not here to admire the function ...

It's just how it goes ... go west?

 

[Nancy]

It is quite out of favour among the worship leaders/ministers I know. It's often made worse, by saying "the words of my mouth and the meditation of OUR hearts", just to make sure we're all included in the worthless department.

Wow! I didn't know it was out of favour. I have heard others say it and think...Oh I wish I felt comfortable saying it, but I don't, so I don't. I just launch right into the sermon, sometimes commenting on the title I've chosen, or, like last week, apologizing for a misplaced apostrophe in the title I had chosen. I said that I wished it could be blamed on spell check, but instead it had to be blamed on my own personal think check.

 

[Nancy]

I led worship for a fairly large congregation yesterday. I am more used to 'crowds' of 10 to 20 people. So this was a pleasant change. And there was an amazing energy that really helped me in the pulpit. People were appearing engaged, nodding, smiling, looking thoughtful. And there was a soloist who sang the Lord's Prayer, and filled the church with the kind of praise that gives goosebumps. It was a wonderful worship experience.

 

[Luce NDs]

I may be crazy ... but the best way to fit in congregations --- Nietzsche's theory on great chaos ... it's soude there given all the poorly understood words and letters as a sign ... there has to be a better place as the present is far from perfect to a hoard of people less than rich ... wee gnomons land? You can't see it from greatest perspectives ... get down to it! That's partisan defined ...

Admit it ... we don;t know much of eternal things as it'stuff ...

 

[revjohn]

This morning I wrap up my second summer appointment with the St. Anthony Pastoral Charge. They like me. They really, really like me. Tomorrow is the long haul back to Logy Bay and then on Tuesday, I begin a new appointment (Until December 31, 2019, at the very least) with George Street United Church. George Street will be declared vacant before too long and I have been cleared by the Region to apply for that vacancy. Topsail United Church will be declaring a vacancy sometime in the Spring of 2020 so prospects for a new long-term ministry are hopeful.

 

[chansen]

Sounds promising, John. I assume your beard game is on point?

 

[revjohn]

Sounds promising, John. I assume your beard game is on point?

More furball than pointy.

Put me in a flannel jacket and I can be at home on both ends of George Street.

 

[Luce NDs]

George St ... now that's an interesting position!

 

[Nancy]

I attended my own church on Sunday, as a member of the congregation. Now this is going to sound awful, but....I was bored. The stories and ideas I had heard many times before. Maybe having the same minister for a very long time is not always a good idea??? Or, for you ministers out there, how do you keep things fresh and interesting?

 

[Luce NDs]

Look for strange things ... like foreign intelligence ... difficult for those preoccupied with what they know as all there is!

Say no more you'll upset those on fixed thinking budgets! The outthought is beyond us ... like outhouses!

 

[Mendalla]

Maybe having the same minister for a very long time is not always a good idea???

I know Grandad (UCCan Minister for over 50 years and involved with theological education and ministry at GC Executive level) thought a decade was enough. Into the end, though, it is going to last as long as the minister and congregation are happy, I guess.