Have A Break!

Please Note: There are no meetings of the Friday Congregation now until Friday 9th January.

When we return, Rod will be reminding us of Leviticus and where we are so far.

Meanwhile, watch this and enjoy...

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=MWzzRfMZO5o&feature=related

Christmas at the Inn

There's room for everyone at the Roebuck this Friday. Come and sing your favourite carols - arrive 7.30 so you've time to buy a drink then singing starts at 8pm.

See you there!

(No meetings after that until 8th Jan!)

Back Where We Belong?

On Friday (5th December) we return to the pub - 7.30 for 8pm as usual.

So is this where we belong? And what have we learned from our time back in church (cold, wasn't it?)

What have we learned from the Ddiscipleship Course that might make us do anything differently?

The picture is an advert from this site:

http://www.churchonthecorner.org.uk/

So we're certainly not the only ones! In fact, another group from St Mark's, all men, meets fortnightly in the same pub as us! Ask Simon about "Beer and a Bible".

The vicar will want to know what we talked about when he gets back...

Comments below!

IMPORTANT : PLEASE REPLY!

Hi

Important message for Friday Service regulars!

We are trying to plan events for December. The Discipleship Course ends on Friday then we are due back the pub.

We are looking to go Carol Singing in the Roebuck on the 19th and then cancel meetings on the 26th and January 2nd.

Which leaves 5th and 12th of December to fill. Robert and Barbara would like to host a meal as last year but we are not sure who can make either of these dates.

So... please e-mail the webmaster (that's the vicar to you!) and let us know when you are free!

Discipleship Week 6 : Church

So... what is the church? Does it even have a future in this country? What;s God's view?

What do you think? If you could make it different, what would you do?

Is the Church of England way of doing things the best way?

Join us in church on Friday and comment beforehand here!

After Salvation... What Next?

So after Discipleship week 4 - Salvation... what comes next.

This week we look at morality and mission; what does Epesians 2 mean when it says (after telling us we are saved by God's grace, not works) that God has prepared a life of good works for us to do?

Are works necessary? Surely if we're saved then that's it? We can't add to our salvation so do we need to do anything at all? What do you think?

Please comment or join us at 7.30 for 8pm on Friday.

PS: Only a couple more Fridays after this, and then we can go back to the pub....

The Sweet Song of Salvation

On Friday (7th) we will be looking at Salvation.

Surely will all know about that, now, don't we?

If we are all Christians do we really need to talk about this? Can't we do something deeper.

What do you think? Is this worth talking about or should we follow the writer to Hebrews in chapter six:

1Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, 2instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3And God permitting, we will do so.

Prayer : Does It Make Any Difference?

As we talked about the up-coming meeting, we reflected that Phil Yancey's book "Prayer: Does It Make Any Difference?" is one of those books that raises many questions but doesn't answer them.

So this coming Friday we will have a go at understanding prayer from a Biblical perspective.

What are your questions? Ask them here and come along for some answers (hopefully!)

Now Hear the Word of The Lord

So....

Discipleship Course Week 2

How do we know what God is like?

As we've heard, He reveals Himself to us in creation, in Jesus and and in scripture.

But how do we understand it?

Are there any keys to help us grasp what God wants us to know and do?

Friday 24th in church 7.30 for 8pm

Meanwhile... any comments on week 1. What did you think of Bruce Almighty and more interestingly, Marc Driscoll? Did you agree with him?

Comments please!

Back To Church (for 7 weeks only!)

IMPORTANT NEWS!

Next Friday (17th) we are returning to church for a seven week Discipleship Course.

All the St Mark's congregations are following the course so it seemed good for us to do it too.

Coffee/tea on arrivel from 7.30pm for 8pm start.

See you there!

IT'S A BOY!

Congratulations to our friends Tim and Emma on the birth of Joshua!

That's perfect timing because this Friday we will be trying to decide why a woman who gives birth is "unclean". (See Leviticus 12).

What do you think?

Please leave a comment - it's been very quiet recently on here!

Forbidden Food

No, not cream cakes!

A really challenging one, this.

Come on Friday and consider why God allowed the Iraelites to eat sheep but not pigs. Or stranger still, locusts were okay but not many other insects!

Why?

Come find out!

Comments welcome here in the meantime!

Ordination - The Story Continues

This Friday we return to the story, after several chapters of instructions (though even the instructions were part of the story..)

The central theme is the ordination of Aaron to the priesthood. But what does it have to teach us?

Should we allow it to speak to us about priesthood today (and does that mean a separate priesthood or all believers?)

Or does it teach us about the priesthood of Jesus?

Or both?


Below are a couple of websites that explore the topic.

Comments here welcomed or better still join us at the pub - 7.30pm for 8pm on Friday evening.




http://honoringtheministry.blogspot.com/2007/07/ordination-ears-thumbs-and-toes.html





http://biblestudiesnet.homestead.com/files/levlsn3.html

More of the same?

On Friday (that's September 12th, I think) we will look at the next part of Leviticus... which is remarkably like the earlier chapters. The first section of the book describes the various sacrifices from the priests' point of view. This section tells us the same thing from the worshipper's angle.

Why is the Bible so repetative? It is often suggested that it's because God wants to make a point, yet this seems a little dull and maybe irrelevant to today. But is it more important than that? What do you think?

Answers by comment here or on Friday in the pub with the usual suspects....

A Fellowship Offering? What on earth is that?

But surely it's simple... Jesus was the offering made for us. He died in our place on the cross, for our sins, didn't he? What are all these different offerings in Leviticus? If Jesus fulfills the requirements of the law, what are all these different laws about sacrifice?

Discuss... on here and at the pub on Friday!

Going with the grain...

After last Friday's fascinating look at animal offerings, this week it's grain. No, don't start thinking "that's boring" because... well....

Just come and find out!

Oh, and there's communion to share too. (It's the bread, you see. There's a connection.)

Living Sacrifice?

So after last week's intro we begin to look at the text of Leviticus.

Romans 12 tells us to offer our bodies as a "living sacrifice" to God as our act of worship. This might be worth keeping in mind as we hear what Moses was told by God.

There will also be plenty of blood....

See you on Friday.

Here Begineth Leviticus

So now we move on to Leviticus.

It will be fun!

Honest.

Introduction tonight : Friday 7.30 for 8pm in the pub as usual.

PS: I have a dressing gown just like Moses. No, really!

Reflection : What have We Learned From Exodus?

Last night we had the biggest turn out ever for the Friday Service since we moved to the pub (we're not boasting.. it was less than 20) as our look at Exodus came to an end.

So what have we learned along the way?

We split into two groups for discussion last night and our group particularly talked about Moses' Shiny Face! We felt that it would be easy to focus on the "miracle" of Moses face instead of the God who it reflected. The first 4 commandments are all about putting God at the centre, and we were struck by this quote:

Do not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.

(Exodus 34v14)

Would anyone else like to comment on what they have learned in Exodus? Comment below!

The Radiant Face of Moses

We think we might possibly - who know for sure - be close to reaching the end of Exodus this week.

Maybe.

So it's time to tidy up the loose ends of the story before we plunge headlong into the mysteries of Leviticus.

So... what's all this about Moses having a radiant face? What went on up the mountain?

If Jesus has opened the way for us to meet with God "face to face", why don't we all have shiny faces when we come out of the weekly service?
Discuss.

Is Idolatry The Most Neglected Topic and Worst Sin?

This Friday we return to the latter part of Exodus and discover that while Moses was chatting with God about the small print in the law, the Israelites were busy sorting out another god for themselves.

This story from thousands of years ago seems distant and unrelated to us. But is it?

Is idolatry even considered a sin nowadays? We even have programmes called "Pop Idol" etc.

Is it, however, the worst sin of all - putting something else before God?

Leave a comment with your thoughts.....

A Place for Women?

So there are to be women Bishops in the Anglican church. But this Friday we go back - further than the vote in synod - further back than the first woman Prime Minister - further back than women getting the vote. In fact, further back than Exodus!
A little step back into Genesis this week and all will be revealed in the pub. (By a man of course)
Meanwhile, comments welcome on women Bishops and related topics...

Celebrate!

This Friday we will be chatting about a brief mention in Exodus of three festivals that God commanded Israel to celebrate. What were they all about?

Join us at 7.30 for 8pm start in the usual inn. Oh, and we will be sharing the feast of the new covenant! (That's bread and wine)

One of the Crowd?

This Friday we will continue our survey of the laws given to Moses by looking at what the New International Version of the Bible calls "Laws of Justice and Mercy".

Interestingly, some of these are about individual attitudes. They are not all things that can be legislated, but instead they are sometimes issues of conscience:

"Do not follow the crowd in doing wrong."

We all know how hard that can be!

Sometimes it is suggested that in the Sermon on The Mount Jesus refers to the letter of the law and challenges his hearers about what is in their hearts. But there are hints of that here in the Old Testament.

What do you prefer. A clear law that says in black and white "this is wrong", or a commandment that speaks to your heart?

Comments please!

What Not To Wear?

Tonight (20th June) we are looking into the mysterious world of priestly garments. Turn up to find out more!

Boiling Baby Goats?

A good meeting last night with an extraordinary range of topics. R.T. picked some especially unusual Old Testament laws for debate, in particular the command that the Israelites should not boil a kid goat in it's mother's milk - a command which occures three times!

Someone pointed out that the command is very specific - that it does not forbid using milk, just not the mother's milk.

A brief survey of opinions on the net suggests that the context was the local Canaanite religions, who used the practice as a superstitious way of ensuring prosperity, and so the Lord was telling the Israelites to be distinctive.

Here are some examples:

Adam Clark and other historical commentators bring out that boiling a kid in its mother’s milk was a prosperity ritual among the Canaanites—the Eternal was telling the people in the "promised land" to give firstfruits and tithes if they wanted prosperity, and not to follow a Canaanite practice.
http://www.servantsnews.com/sn9712/s71211.htm

Canaanite ritual, according to excavations at Ras Shamra (ancient Ugarit), called for sacrificial kids to be boiled in milk, but the damaged Ugaritic text does not clearly specify mother's milk. If it were so, then it is understandable that Israel was being prevented from copying pagan idolatrous ritualism.
Another option suggests that the dead kid was being boiled in the very substance which had sustained its life, hence the prohibition.
Until more archeological information comes to light, the specific religious or cultural reason remains as supposition.
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080319201240AAkIPzO

What's Happening This Friday? Blasphemy!

R T writes : (see comment on the last post)

"Such gems as "do not cook a young goat in its mothers milk" - although that has some significance as you will hear!

No blasphemy - what do you consider to be blasphemy? We are not told the punishment for blaspemy in Exodus 22.

Plus I have done a little research into The Churching of Women which we touched on last week."

7.30 for 8pm as usual in the usual place.

P.S. - That's not a picture of R.T. by the way...

Understanding Holiness in The Old Testament Law (more exciting than it sounds)

Last night we looked at just four laws from Exodus and wrestled with why God gave these specific instructions. Simon explained that the law takes the form of an ancient Middle-East treaty. See http://www.aracnet.com/~wing/suzerain.htm for example.

But what's all this stuff about clean and unclean and not touching certain things - or even women at the wrong time of the month (some of the guys could see other reasons for keeping away...)?


It seems God was trying to help the Israelites understand holiness and the seriousness of sin. These diagrams may help...


This is the basic Old Testament understanding:

How do things change? By sacrifice or sin:

This is of course a picture of what will have it's greater meaning when Jesus comes:

Everything In Scripture Is There For A Reason

Last week we made the effort to look carefully at some of the (apparently) obscure laws in Exodus 21 and discovered just how brilliant and ground-breaking they are, setting the pattern for modern UK lawmaking, including lex tallonis, causuistry, case-law, and recognising the difference between murder and accidental homicide!

The "story" continues this week in chapter 22. Come and find out more!

Meanwhile... the passage last week seems to sanction the death penalty, albeit in a society where imprisonment was nearly impossible. Is capital punishment still appropriate today? Comments please.

Had An Accident At work

picture: http://www.talkoncepersonalinjury.co.uk/

Have you has an accident? Or what about your livestock? What about one of your donkeys?

This is what the law says:

33 "If a man uncovers a pit or digs one and fails to cover it and an ox or a donkey falls into it, 34 the owner of the pit must pay for the loss; he must pay its owner, and the dead animal will be his.

So over 3000 years ago, God was already sorting out compensation claims. But are today's laws a fair reflection of how God sees it? What do you think?

Come on Friday to discuss some more of the Maker's Instructions....

Come to St Mark's Next Sunday (Not The Pub!)

There will be no Friday meeting this week at the pub.

Instead join the other St Mark's congregations at 10 am in church for a United Celebration.

Ten people will be confirmed by the Bishop of Bradford. That's not him in the picture!

A Most Holy Place

Join us this Friday to explore the mysteries of the Ark of The Covenant. Rod has promised us a scale model - either this week or next week - and it will be better than watching Harrison Ford open the box!

Living Biblically?

Up to now it's been story time on a Friday night in the pub, but after a brief pause for theological reflection, this week we hit the diffficult task of exploring the laws given to Moses.

So on Friday we are attempting to understand 12 chapters-worth of The Maker's Instructions.

Any thoughts before we begin?

PS: Don't be put off commenting by the requirement to have your thoughts quality-assured by the blog admin. It's just to prevent some of the dodgy spam comments that link to dubious other sites.

DON'T GO TO THE PUB!

This Friday (2nd May) we will not be in the pub.

Instead we will be meeting at Robert and Barbara's so they can be at the meeting.

(Robert's recent op means he can't give Barabara a lift. In fact he can't lift anything for a little while.....)

Call them or the church office for the address if you need to know. See you there!

The Big Ten

Thou shalt not..

Thou shalt not...

Thou shalt not...

This next Friday (25th) Cat will take our story on to the giving of the ten commendments.

But.....

Why do we focus on those ten? Moses was given many other commandments. Why are these so important?

And...

Are they still relevant today?
Discuss here online or in the pub or both!

Water From The Rock

A miracle in the desert is our story this week.

But what can it say to us today? Have you heard preachers tell you that it shows God will provide in the "desert times" of our lives?

Is that true? Is that all?

Come and discuss with us this Friday.

This Week

Just in case there's any confusion...

We will be meeting in the pub on Friday as normal and any decision about the future pattern for our meetings will need to come from the whole group when we discuss it.

Warning

From the blog administrator:

If you see a comment on here that asks you to click on a link to another site, DO NOT CLICK ON IT! I have deleted a comment that links to a virus-infected site but it could re-appear. BEWARE!

Where To Now?

Aftre the excitement of Easter we were (ineveitably) small in number last Friday.

We also discovered that although the music was quieter this week, there was a loud party due at 8.30 so we retired to the vicarage. (to use Rod's phrase...)

It made us think afresh about the best approach to Fridays and we came up with the thought: why not meet in church for the first half (story, news, prayer etc) and then move to the pub for informal feedback from the story - perhaps in smaller groups? It's what we did on Good Friday!

This is only an idea - it would be great to debate this on the blog (please don't be anonymous) and next Friday night. What do you think?

PS: Congrats to Nigel and Jo on the birth of baby Daniel!

The Passion : What Did You Think?

(Picture copyright BBC)

The Passion.. what did you think of the BBC version? And our version?
I suspect we were more true to the Biblical account!
There were some strange things in the BBC version, such as Jesus sharing the bread at the last supper but not the wine. Odd. But good to have it on the box and for millions to be reminded why we have Easter.

Meanwhile this Friday we're back in the pub - 7.30 for 8pm as usual.

But leave some comment below to let us know you popped in on the blog. Thanks!

It Was Friday - But Sunday Was Coming

(Picture: St Mark's Church roof after a bad day's weather!)

Great to see so many guests join us for our Good Friday re-telling of The Passion, especially in the foul weather! If you were one of those guests, please leave a message by commenting below.

Did everyone else notice how much all the people telling the story highlighted the many fulfilments of the Old Testament scriptures that occured during Jesus' passion? Totally unplanned (I mean the way that that aspect came out. I'm sure God planned it!)

In the pub afterwards someone asked why the Jews of today can't see that their Messiah has come. Any thoughts?

More about next Friday soon!

The Passion... Retold

Don't miss the four-part BBC drama that begins tonight (Sunday).

But even if you can't see it, we are re-telling the story for anyone who wants to join us. The action begins with tea and coffee at 7.30pm in church (this is The Church of England...)

Then a group of the regular Friday Night gang will re-tell the story. After that, we retire to the pub to talk about what we have just heard.

For those involved, here's a reminder of who is doing what....

Palm Sunday - Simon

Cleansing the Temple - Derek

The Last Supper - Janette

Gethsemane - Rose

The Arrest - Rod

Peter's Denial - Cat

The Trial - Simon

The Crucifixion - Rod

The Burial - Cat

Mary at The Tomb - Rose

The Road To Emmaus - Simon

Thomas - Rose

Tea and Coffee - Helen, Dorothy and Sheila

(If you are a regular and missed out on a role... come and stand by in case we missed anything!)

The Passion : Telling The Story!

This post gives me an excuse to upload this picture, which was taken last week outside church!

In a couple of weeks time, on Good Friday, we hope to retell the passion story. It will be the last night of a Holy Week of nightly events - see the church website for details.

On Good Friday evening we will meet at 7.30 for 8pm in church - coffee served on arrival etc. We will retell to Passion story - offers for slots have begun - from Palm Sunday to Easter Day. Afterwards the plan is to retire to the pub and have discussion about what we have heard.

More planning : next Friday (16th) in the pub as usual!

How Was It Back In Church?

So.. how was it having a Friday Night back in church. Anyone who was there want to tell us all about the experience? And did you enjoy the film? Was it faithful to the Bible? Us the comments section below to let us know!

Behold The Power of The Lord! - But not in the pub..

IMPORTANT! IMPORTANT!

Please note that we will NOT be in the Roebuck this Friday but meet at the usual time (7.30 for 8pm) in church (St Mark's Utley) to watch a movie version of the story we have been telling.
The film lasts about 80 minutes so a prompt start at 8pm will mean we will not be too late for bedtime!

Over To the Other Side

LAST NIGHT we got the Israelites safely to the other side of the Red Sea.

The Lord once again showed his mighty power; He rescued the (moaning) Israelites and finally defeated the armies of Pharoah, in the process closing the door on a return to Egypt - once the waves returned there was no way back.

The most striking verse comes in Exodus 14v14:

"The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still"

Those who missed the evening may wish to catch up by reading Ex 13 and 14.

My notes for the story (for what they're worth) are below...

Firstborn male consecrated
Feast of unleavened bread (not even seen)
- seven day festival
- end with celebration
"Tell your sons"
Lord led them to Red Sea
- avoiding the Philistine road
- avoiding conflict
Moses took Joseph’s bones
Succoth to Ethon
Lord as pillar of cloud/fire
Turn back & camp at Pi Harioth
- by the sea
Pharaoh will think you’re confused
- I will harden his heart
- for my glory
P - 600 best chariots + others
- key officers
Israelites looked up - terrified
No graves? What have you done?
Didn’t we say leave us alone
to serve the Egyptians?
Better to live as slaves than die in desert
Don’t be afraid - Lord will fight for you
- just be still!
Raise your hand, Moses
Angel stood between
Moses raised hand
Waters divided, wall of water
Pharaoh pursues
Lord creates confusion
Chariots stuck
Stretch out hand
Water flowed back
When Israel saw they..
- feared the Lord
- trusted him
- trusted Moses his servant

Our God Is Bigger

The theme in Exodus so far seems to be God's revelation of himself as the only true God - a case of "our God is bigger than your god"

This seems very primitive - as though God is showing off?

Is that what is really happening?

PS: Click on the picture to get the idea....sort of...

What About Pharaoh?

It still seems that we haven't got to the bottom of the Pharaoh question.

Why does the Bible say God "hardened his heart". So if that was God's doing... why is he judged and condemned? Any suggestions?

(Video clip from Prince of Egypt. Let us know if this infringes copyright and it will be removed.)

Why not watch the movie sometime to see the full story?

Through The Sea?

This week on Friday Night we will hear how the Israelites escaped the chasing army of Egypt.

Do you believe it really happened as it is told in the Bible?

Why?

God Gets Tough

Join us on Friday for the last and worst of the plagues (there's a line you don't see very often...)

We will hear the story of God's final and most terrible proof of his power to Pharaoh, the story of the Passover, which Jesus would later celebrate with his friends on the night before God's only son died on behalf of us all.

So we will also share communion together... 7.30 for 8pm in the pub. Hopefully the guy in the picture won't be there.

Meanwhile... share your thoughts on the plagues, Moses, Pharaoh and what this might have to teach us. Comment below, please!

Battle of The gods!

Seems the weather probably put off a few last night but the six of us who made it had a fascinating time as Simon unpacked the first nine plagues(!) and showed how they were often misunderstood.

1. They are clearly an act of mercy and grace - God could have just destroyed Egypt but the plagues were a sign and a call to repentance.

2. The pagues are an attack on the false (unreal) gods that Egypt worshipped - each plague dealing with one or several of Egypt's deities.

See http://www.padfield.com/acrobat/history/gods_of_egypt.pdf for more detail if you missed last night - it's worth a read!

More news about next week soon - watch this space.....