The Greatest Commandment

This week we consider a short passage but obviously an important one.

Jesus discusses what is the greatest commandment. Do you agree with Him?

And what does it mean?

Paying Taxes to Caesar

This week we consider an odd little story about paying tax.

As usual we will be asking: How does it apply to us today?

Write your thoughts in the comments below!

Bonus Cartoon

From http://asbojesus.wordpress.com - images from that site are copyright free

Rejected

The story told by Mark moves up another gear as Jesus' authority is questioned and he tells an extraordinary parable that summarises Israel's history and prophesies his death.

Wow.

Come discuss.

Friday 8pm.

Usual venue

The Mystery of The Fig Tree

This post comes after the meeting for once. Tonight we discussed the incident where Jesus curses the fig tree, a story told either side of the "cleansing" of the temple.

We agreed that it was probably an enacted parable of judgement upon Israel.

Further research bears this out - read the prophetic text from Hosea 9

Jimmy and Johnny - Too Big For Their Boots?

This week we learn how a couple of brothers - Jesus' best mates - had big ambitions.

Were they wrong to do that?

They certainly ended up as key people in Jesus' plans for his church.

Comments below or discuss in the pun at 8pm on Friday.

Seen and Not Heard?

This week we come to a short but important passage in which Jesus welcomes little children. In the old translations it says "suffer the litle children". "Suffer" seems to mean "allow" but it suggests that the disciples didn't like children crowding round. Why?

And - usual question - what does it mean for us today?

PS: This blog now has "share" buttons below so you can tell your Facebook friends about it!

Divorce: Does God Really Hate It?

Heavy stuff this week.
At the end of the Old Testament, Malachi says that God hates divorce. In our passage from Mark's gospel for this week, Jesus is asked what he thinks.

Is it ever right for Christians to divorce? If so, what are the valid reasons?

Contribute your thoughts below or come and discuss on Friday.

Evil Spirits?

It's time to think about evil spirits on Friday this week. Ironic that in a world where we have tried to rationally explain away anything supernatural with a scientific analysis, the most popular movies are films like Avatar and Twilight.

Why is this? Do people still secretly believe in the supernatural while at the same time debunking traditional religions?

Discuss.

Transfiguration!

On Friday we will explore what the Transfiguration is all about.



We'll also meet two people who have had a big transformation in the last week. The new St Mark's curates will be with us for the first time.



In some theological viewpoints, there has been a material change in the nature of someone who becomes a priest (John and Debbi become priests next year). Probably no-one at St Mark's would agree, but what is the significance of being ordained? Discuss...



Pictures here...



www.bradford.anglican.org/documents/100704ordination/index.php

Back To Normal?

Just a note to say that we meet "as normal" this Friday (2nd) when Cat will help us catch up with where we are (if that makes sense!).

Roebuck

7.30 for 8pm

Be

There

Off To See The Bishop

There is no meeting in the pub this week. Instead join Cat and others in a trip to Leeds to see Bishop Tom Wright (seen here doing his impression of Tommy Cooper).

Cat says:

Tom Wright, Bishop of Durham, is speaking at the WYSOCS (W Yorks School of Christian Studies) summer lectures in on 11-12 June. For those who haven't heard him/heard of him, he is a fantastic speaker and thinker - quite surprising for a Bishop - who is very highly respected and well worth hearing.
His talks are on Wisdom, Glory and Virtue, and are headlined Human Flourishing in Tomorrow's World, details as follows:
Wisdom: Fri 11 June, 7.30 for 8 pm
Glory: Sat 12 June, 9.30 for 9.45 am
Virtue: Sat 12 June, 11.15 for 11.30

Although they are presented as a threesome, you could easily take any of the three as individual sessions. Cost is £7 (per talk) if you've got a paid job, £4 if you would describe yourself as a concession (not working, retired, student etc). (If you wanted to go to all three talks the cost is £18 or £10 respectively.)
The talks are going to be in Leeds at St George's Church on Great George Street, which is easy walking distance from the station.
For more information have a look here http://www.wysocs.org.uk/ (click on Life Matters and then Forthcoming Events).

BE BOLD!

Come and join us this Friday (we have a few people unavailable so we need all the help we can get!)... when we will be hopefully giving out some World Cup booklets produced by Our Daily Bread to the other punters in the pub.

If you can't be there, then please pray. Thanks!

UPDATE: We have confirmed permission this evening from Caroline, the Roebuck landlady.

Who Do You Say I Am

So eventually Jesus took all his disciples away for a few days. Away from the crowds he asked them "who do you think I am?"

This picture was released a while ago and claims to be an image of Jesus as he might have been according to "experts" - nothing like the traditional images from paintings.

But who knows? What does matter is not his image but his identity. Who do YOU say he is?

Friday Night - usual place. 7.30 for 8pm. Discuss!

Very Special Guests

We have very special guests this week, all the way from Ghana. Pastor Theo and his wife Monica will be with us at the usual venue. Come early (7p.m.) if you want to join them for a meal, or 8pm otherwise.

They will be very happy to answer (and ask!) questions, so if you want to know what it's like to lead a church in Africa, come along.

They will also be at our United Celebration on Sunday morning at 10 a.m. when we hope everyone from all our congregations will join us! There will be other special guests and announcements too!

Like Trees Walking

Lovely to meet some new friends last night as we were joined by visitors from Halifax who are exploring new ways to reach out for Jesus Christ.

Although we had a hearty meal to say farewell to Robert and Barbara, they are still with us this week when Robert will tell us the tale of how Jesus healed a man at the second attempt. How come it didn't work the first time?

Any thoughts? Write them below and come to discuss. Friday. 7.30 for 8pm.

PS: Watch out for news of some special visitors the following week!

A Sad Farewell

We gather early this week at 7pm to eat together and say a sad goodbye to Robert and Barbara, founder members of the Friday Service as they move to pastures and pubs new.

Food is also on the menu for discussion as we hear the conversation Jesus had with his disciples about bread and yeast. Once again Jesus appears a little rude and impatient with his disciples.

You wouldn't get the Duke of Edinburgh being like that, now, would you?

Was Jesus Downright Rude?

Last week at the Friday Service we noticed that after calming the wind and the waves, Jesus turned to his disciples and asked "Are you so dull?" We wondered how this fitted in with sinless perfection.

This week it's worse. Jesus calls a Gentile woman and her daughter - or all Gentiles - "dogs". That doesn't seem very nice.

What do we make of that? Comment here or come and discuss - 8pm start in some part of the usual venue.

Clean And Unclean (Remember?)

Do you remember this picture?

Go back to June 2008 on this blog and read the entry about "Understanding Holiness" . We were studying Leviticus way back then. This week we will examine Jesus' views on the subject from Mark 7.

If you are a visitor, we will be somewhere in the Roebuck!

The vicar will be late so don't look for a dogcollar. Look for some "holy" looking people!

How To Walk On Water

Quick update: tonight (16th April) we look at Jesus stroll across the Sea of Galilee.

Join us if you can - on foot, by car, but probably not by plane...

Lots of Food!

This week we're back in the pub and Bob will tell the story of the five loaves and two fish that Jesus used to feed 5000 men plus women and children (so it's not the "Feeding of the 5000, it's maybe three times that...)

On the left is a picture I took in the church built over the place where the miracle was said to have occured.

But how did it happen? Did bread suddenly appear? Was it in Jesus' hands or in the disciples' hands as they distributed it?

What do YOU think?

GOOD FRIDAY

This Friday we meet at Julie's house to celebrate the Lord's Supper and retell the Easter Story.

If you want to come, get in touch and we'll tell you how to get there.

Happy Easter!

A Dead Girl and A Sick Woman

We forgot to update the blog last week - perhaps the demons got in before they reached the pigs (insider joke for those who were there)

Anyway, this week it's more from Mark 5 and the title above is taken from the New International Version, which manages to make the whole thing sound very dark and miserable, when it's about healing and raising the dead!

Do you think the little paragraph headings in some Bibles are unhelpful?

This Friday : More Parables

This Friday... more parables. It does exactly what it says on the blog.

See you there!

Parables: Cute Stories But What Do They Mean?

This Friday we have reached Mark 4, and Jesus starts to tell parables.

But what do they mean?

And why doesn't he just tell us what to think?

Express your views below - simply or in story form...

.. and then join us the the pub at 8pm!

Angels and Demons?

No, that's not the vicar on a bad day...

Mark 3 this week and there are several references to demons to ponder.

What do we make of this? Are demons real? If so, what do we know about them?

Why are they mostly mentioned in the gospels - much more than anywhere else in the Bible?

Express your opinion below or in the pub on Friday.

Racing Ahead...

This Friday we are already on chapter 2 of the shortest gospel. If you have been planning to come sometime, join us soon before we finish Mark!

On Your Marks...

Sorry about the pun...

This week we start a gospel - Mark - and we're back in the usual pub at the usual time 7.30 for 8pm.

See you there!

Movie Night Next Week

Next Friday we will be at Julie's house at 7.45 to watch "Children of Men" together.
Here's the review of one writer at the Internet Movie Database:
"This movie is a revalation from start to finish"
It is number 182 in the best movies of all time (as voted for by thousands of IMDB members) ahead of Good Will Hunting, The Exorcist, Brief Encounter etc etc.

Here's a link to the trailer on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NikEQy1XxDE
(but I think it might spoil some surprises in the movie so beware!)

Check To See....

Check with the church office or the vicar (you know the number!) if you are planning to come this week, to see if we are getting together.

No-one could get through the snow last week and it could be worse this Friday!

Meanwhile, here's a picture of the church in the snow.

(click the picture for a larger version)