No meeting this week but...

Hi to any Friday regulars calling in here... there's nothing for you in church this week but Tim and Fiona welcome anyone to drop by at their place on Friday instead... 7pm for 7.30

Merry Christmas

...to our reader(s)!

'The Son of God became a man to enable men to become the sons of God.'

C. S. Lewis

Contemporary Christmas Celebration

... well it sounds dull I know but that's what it says in the church diary for tomorrow night.

Come and see what it means in reality.....

PREVIEW EXTRACTS FROM RUNNING ORDER:
Classic, twee nativity video. 2 or 3 minute clip. / Story about angel stealing Jesus / 21st century Holy Land pilgrimage / Discuss: how did you respond to this piece? Shock? Interest? Amusement? / church with things to see, read, touch, smell, taste / how can we help others to realise this baby is for life, not just for Christmas?

SOMEBODY SAY SOMETHING!

I know you read this because people have told me.

They say "nobody writes comments" but they don't write any themselves.

So, hey, write a comment.

Please...

More on poetry

For those still mulling over our debates last week, here's something that Bono did on a CD of Irish poetry a few years back:

First Appears On: Voices and Poetry of Ireland, 2003
Written By: Brendan Kennelly
Performed By: Bono
Someone had mercy on language
changed it into something else I can touch
I can touch grow to love, murmured Aceas
he heard the stranger talkingof how laughter comes from God.
Who, hearing words from his own mouth
and from others, can[not]* stop himself
laughing or freezing in terror
at sound bubbling up out of infinite
emptiness? Well fill it up with pride
and let vanity strut along for the ride.
When the ride peters out at the edge
of small daring, then that other sound
opens.This is the sound of God's laughter,
like nothing on earth, it fills
earth from grave to mountain-top,
lingers there a while, then like a great
bird spreading its wings for home
or somewherelike home, heads out into silence,
gentle and endless, longing to understand
children, killers of children, killers. Mercy. Silence. Sound.
Mercy. Sound. Word. Sound. Change, there must be
change. There is. Say flesh. Say love. Say dust.
Say laughter. Who will call the fled bird back?
Stand. Kneel. Curse. Pray. Give us this day
our daily laughter. Let it show the way.
Thank God someone has mercy
on the words we find we must say.

Note: * in the original text this word is "cannot." Bono, for reasons unknown, reads it as "can."

But is it art? Painting the Word

Well the poetry evening was much more interesting than I expected.

Now for an evening about religious paintings (mainly the classical Christmas ones) which we all probably remember seeing somewhere (on a chocolate box or in a magazine) but did we really look at them. These pictures were often painted to sit behind an altar instead of stained glass. What do they SAY to us. Is there a danger of differing interpretations?

Come and have your say. Be prepared for surprises!

Poetry????!!!

I think that I will never see
A poem that will interest me
Songs are really more my line
Instead of written words that rhyme
I think it really rather odd
That stuff like this would interest God
But if this Friday you're down our way
Come to THEFRIDAYSERVICE and have your say

Let's Dance!!

This Friday.... (2nd December)

... why do some Christians think dancing is not for church?
- or has that changed after Archbishop John's enthronement service at York?!

What were the Puritans worried about? Enjoying ourselves?

... and anyway... why is so much "sacred dance" so bad?

... and what has this go to do with hamsters?

Come on Friday to find out!

Open Forum 25th November

We had a good night last week discussing should Christians have unbelieving partners. This week we are having an Open Forum to discuss what topics people would like to cover in the future. Come with your ideas or even post them on the Blog. We are also having communion.

Christians shouldn't partner unbelievers

This coming Friday we are asking this question. What do you think. Should we partner unbelievers? We don't only mean marriage partners we are talking about business and beyond. Should we employ people who are not Christians if we are a Christian company? Should we buy from non Christian businesses?Come to think of it should we only give to Christian charities?

Official: Depression is not a sin

Well I guess you knew that and I think those of us who gathered tonight to discuss it already knew too, but we had a good discussion about the subject, especially discovering the Bible has more to say than we thought.

Of particular note: the story of Elijah and what happend after his great victory over the prophets of Baal. Amazing how God looks after him in his post-victory depression.

God helps the depressed Elijah in at least five ways:
1. he gives him food
2. he gives him drink
3. he lets him rest
4. he tells him some positive truths
5. he gives him some simple tasks

So now the challenge:
think of someone you know who is depressed and think of five things you could do to help them.
Clue: don't say "cheer up"

Depression.... a sin?

Upcoming this Friday is the next in the series "Christians Shouldn't...."

and this week the full title is "Christains Shouldn't Get Depressed?"

Note the question mark.

Comments please - click the link below right.

You need Java scripting enabled. Don't know what that means? Ask a 12 year old....

The Eastern Bride

Well I missed the movie last night and I know a few Friday Service regulars were away too. So if you were there, what was it like? Was it challenging/ inspiring / boring?

We'd like to hear your thoughts, please!

Mini skirts go down well....

Well, what did you think of tonight's discussions?

Did you think the film clips were suitable?

Did you agree with Megan: "We shouldn;t wear mini skirts because I can't imagine Jesus ever wearing one."

Life insurance?

Well, last week we discussed the need for Christians to have (life) insurance - and the whole question of storing up riches in heaven.

On Wednesday night an unwanted visitor put a slab through the glass door of the church and made off with the (empty) poppy collection box and the (empty) church collection box, but also with a bass guitar belonging to a church member - which is therefore not covered by the church's contents insurance. Doh!

Is God trying to tell us something?

This coming Friday (28-10) Should Christians Wear Mini Skirts?

Well, what do you think?

Of course the question is much wider than that...

... what do Paul's words mean today?
"I also want women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God."

Or Peter:...
"Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight. For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful."

First Post

Welcome to the first post on the St Mark's FRiday Service blog. This is so we can interact between meetings. You chance to comment, whether you're a member or not - but keep it clean since kids might read this, Thanks!