P L A N S.......

So what next? This Friday is the last in the series on love. The week after that, we have nothing planned. So we're going to meet to plan! So come on the 30th with fresh ideas. We'll have a DVD about stuff that God's doing around the country to inspire us.

CORRECTION:
The correct date is the 7th April, not the 30th (which was a Thursday anyway!)

G O D ' S L O V E

... is next the theme for next Friday (31st March).

How does it differ from human love? Can we ever hope to have a love like God's?

Read 1 Corinthians 13 (we vicars hear it a lot at weddings and funerals). Is that achievable for us mere humans?

Comment by clicking below. You can post anonymously but it would be good to know who you are. A first name would be enough

A f a m i l y i s . . . . .

...a group of people who play "beetle" together!

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/dice-play/Games/Beetle.htm

- well that's what we did this week at The Friday Service. We also thought briefly about families in the Bible, but finally left with the simple thought: don't let the sun go down on your anger.

F a m i l y L o v e

...is this week's theme.

What's the definition of a family?
- a group of relatives who share a home?
- a group of relatives who share a kitchen?
- a group of relatives who share a television?
- a group of relatives who share a microwave?
- a group of ralatives who share an internet account?

Opinions please....

S e x u a l L o v e

Next up (on the17th March) in the series about love.... sexual love. No need to sell this topic but some questions arise. Comments please...

Is sexual intercourse God's idea?

What are the limits?

Is the Bible really coy about the subject?

What's the retationship between eros and agape? (Greek scholars please help)

Did Jesus ever have sexual thoughts?

If Jesus taught (and He did) that lust is a sin just like adultery, when does admiration for a nude body (photo, sculpture, painting) become sinful?

Some people say a marriage that is not consumated is not a real marriage. Are they right?

St Paul said in 1 Corinthians that "because there is so much immorality" those who can't control their passions should marry. What of those who can't find a partner?

He also said that we should make love regularly for similar reasons, only stopping by mutual agreement to pray but even then coming back together soon. What thoughts does this prompt?

Emerging Church Conference

This week I had a good few days away at "Mission 21" a conference about "Emerging Church" and church planting. Lots of inspiration and ideas. I could do with another week to sift through my thoughts! Worship from Roy Searle and Northumbria Community - with lots of liturgy! Teaching from Gerald Coates, Graham Cray, Martin Robinson, Sandy Millar etc. Not bad for 3 days!

Good to meet up with our blog contributor "Phil" - his real name! - from Durham. He'll be with us on 7th April.

Good to hear so many stories of "emergent" congregations around the country, and the encouragement that many of them are small like us, not quite sure where they're going like us and experimental like us.

Good to hear Cameron Roxbourough's warnings about some of the dangers too - more on that another time.

(Photo nicked from Mark Berry - http://www.flickr.com/photos/markberry/110599469/in/set-72057594079244380/ )

Derek

O Brother, Where Art Thou?

After introducing "love" as a theme, next up is "Brotherly Love". At first sight it's a bit uninteresting, with future weeks looking at the Love of God, and Sexual Love...
... but then when you take another look at the Bible, there turns out to be quite a lot of stuff involving brothers. Post your thoughts by clicking on the link below - either before or after the evening itself.