General Chat

I have also learnt a lot through this thread.
Confused at times, most certainly.

One good thing it makes me think and the
easiest explanation I can relate to helps.

I had never heard that about Noah and the Flood, Pat - you learn something new every day :-) Do you know if Kataklysmos is celebrated by most of the religions of the countries around the Med. or is it mostly the Orthodox faith?

David, there are lots of people, me included, who struggle a bit with the concept of the Trinity. I think part of the problem is our limited human imagination. We tend to imagine God as a person which, of course, He isn't and I think that muddies the waters a bit. I find it difficult but in the past I have found the clover leaf analogy easiest for me to relate to. I can physically see three equal elements merging into one whole.

My goodness, you have made me think - and that doesn't happen very often these days :-D

The "Christian" and the Judaic calendars are very different

The flood means more to people of the Med. as there was a huge flood about 5600 BCE (or for those who like old money 5600 BC :-D) thought to be the basis of the Noah's ark story. They celebrate pentecost and kataklysmos together each year.
:-D

Cynthia, good morning, I have googled the issue more than on, and it doesn't make sense. The water being ice, water or steam, also two atoms of hydrogen to one atom of oxygen ? Mother, Father, child ? Sun, moon, stars ? Life and death ? Man made Dogma. Even his followers at the last supper were horrified. Drink blood, eat flesh ? isn't that cannibalism ? God forgive my lack of understanding.

Good morning :-)

That's quite a combination in one day Pat, Pentecost and Noah's Flood! Never heard of that before. One lives and learns :-D

Oh David! The mystery of the Holy Trinity is something which causes great discussion and, even then, it can leave you scratching your head a bit. There will be many explanations on google but, as a simple thought, the Holy Trinity is often likened to a four leaf clover (three distinct leaves-one plant), as water (liquid, steam and ice) or like an apple (skin, flesh and seeds). I like the apple analogy - the flesh representing Jesus ("eat of my flesh"), the seeds (to plant and grow like the Spirit) and the skin (God) which holds it all together. Not three separate things, but just one apple.

Cor (forgive the pun) that's a bit deep for 7.00am. :-D


Dear Lord Jesus, as I open my eyes in the morning I praise You for bringing me safely through the night and giving me this fresh, new day ahead of me, in which to draw closer to You.

Thank You for the refreshment of sleep and the joy and opportunities that a new day brings. I pray that You will lead and guide me through today and give me wisdom in all that I say and do. Amen

Cx :-)

Good afternoon fellow thread members.
The Christian Dogma of the Trinity is something I have difficulty in understanding.
If Jesus came to do the will of the one that sent him then he is not the equal of the one that sent him. And if Jesus died by crucifixion as reported in four gospels, who resurrected Jesus ?
I may have misphrased my misunderstanding :-S

Good morning from a very quiet Cyprus.

Today is a bank holiday - it is Pentecost and Kataklysmos

Kataklysmos is Noah's flood.

I must have slept through the early bells :-D :-D :-D :-D ;-)

Good morning :-D


Lord in the silence of this new day,
I ask you for peace, wisdom and strength.

Today I want to look at the world with eyes of love.
Help me to be patient, understanding,
humble, gentle and good. Amen.

Good morning :-)

TODAY IS TRINITY SUNDAY

The Collect (special prayer) for today

Almighty and everlasting God,
you have given us your servants grace,
by the confession of a true faith,
to acknowledge the glory of the eternal Trinity
and in the power of the divine majesty to worship the Unity:
keep us steadfast in this faith,
that we may evermore be defended from all adversities;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

The reading for today tells the story of Nicodemus questioning Jesus.


Love to all Cx :-)

Good morning :-)


And so to end our week of looking at Christian marriage and some of its traditions...


O God, who in creating the human race
willed that man and wife should be one,
keep, we pray, in a bond of inseparable love
those who are united in the covenant of Marriage,
so that, as you make their love fruitful,
they may become, by your grace, witnesses to charity itself.
Through Christ our Lord
Amen.


THE ART OF A GOOD MARRIAGE

“The little things are the big things.
It is never being too old to hold hands.
It is remembering to say “I love you” at least once a day.
It is never going to sleep angry.
“It is never taking the other for granted;
the courtship should not end with the honeymoon,
it should continue through all the years.
“It is having a mutual sense of values and common objectives.
It is standing together facing the world.
It is forming a circle of love that gathers in the whole family.
“It is doing things for each other,
not in the attitude of duty or sacrifice,
but in the spirit of joy.
“It is speaking words of appreciation
and demonstrating gratitude in thoughtful ways.
It is not expecting the husband to wear a halo
or the wife to have wings of an angel.
“It is not looking for perfection in each other.
It is cultivating flexibility, patience,
understanding and a sense of humour.
“It is having the capacity to forgive and forget.
It is giving each other an atmosphere in which each can grow.
It is finding room for the things of the spirit.
It is a common search for the good and the beautiful.
“It is establishing a relationship in which the independence is equal,
dependence is mutual and the obligation is reciprocal.
It is not only marrying the right partner,
it is being the right partner.”


Cx :-)

Good morning :-)

So what’s the meaning of the joining of right hands during the marriage ceremony?
In biblical times, in the blood covenant, the two individuals would join together the bleeding palms of their right hands. When their blood mixed, they would exchange a vow, forever promising all of their rights and resources to the other.

In a wedding, as the bride and groom face one another to say their vows, they join right hands and publicly commit everything they are, and everything they possess, in a covenant relationship. They leave their families, forsake all others, and become one with their spouse.

“I give you this ring as a sign of our marriage…..”

Whilst the Bible is silent about any tokens of love or devotion used in marriage ceremonies, Jesus underscored the importance of marriage as a lifelong commitment by referring back to God's institution of the marriage covenant (Matthew 19:4 - 6).

The use of a ring in a wedding most likely came from an old Roman custom that predates Christianity. At a time when arranged marriages were quite common, this token was likely a pledge to fulfil the marriage contract.

The ring is seen as an unending circle of love – a reminder of the promises made between the couple.

“Heavenly Father, as these rings encircle their fingers, may your divine and constant love encircle their hearts. Thank you that the value of these rings far surpasses that of gold and diamonds. They are merely symbols of the priceless commitment of this marriage covenant. May the blessings and power of the Holy Spirit be upon the wearers of these rings during the ups and downs of daily life.” Amen.

Love to all, Cx :-)

Good morning :-)

I agree Vera - we do tend to just accept a lot of things without realising the significance behind it don't we? Rather like this...…..


Why does the father of the bride escort her down the aisle?

In Jewish tradition, it was the father's duty to present his daughter in marriage as a pure virgin bride. The parents also took responsibility for endorsing their daughter's choice in a husband. The ‘giving away’ of a bride shows that the parents are happy to transfer the care and responsibility to the new husband.

Why a white wedding dress and veil?

The white dress has a two-fold significance. It is a symbol of the wife's purity in heart and life, and her reverence to God.

Similarly, the veil shows the modesty and purity of the bride and it also reminds us of the temple veil which was torn in two when Jesus died on the cross. The removing of the veil took away the separation between God and man. Since

Christian marriage is a picture of the union between Christ and the church, we see another reflection of this relationship in the removal of the bridal veil.

Lord,
the source of all true love,
we pray for all engaged couples.
Grant to them
joy of heart,
seriousness of mind
and reverence of spirit,
that as they enter into the oneness of marriage
they may be strengthened and guided by you,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Cx :-)

An interesting theme again this week Cynthia. I certainly hadn't realised the origins or significance of some of our wedding traditions.

If you are looking in Kandj, I hope things are getting just a little less difficult for you. You are still in our thoughts <3

Good morning :-)

Two more interesting facts about Christian marriage services.

Seating of the Parents
In Bible times, the parents of the bride and groom were ultimately responsi-ble for discerning God's will concerning the choice of a spouse for their chil-dren. The wedding tradition of seating the parents in a place of prominence is meant to recognize their responsibility for the couple's union.

Groom Enters First
Ephesians 5:23-32 reveals that earthly marriages are a picture of the church's union with Christ. God initiated the relationship through Christ, who called and came for ‘his bride, the church’. Christ is the Groom, who established the blood covenant first initiated by God. For this reason, the groom enters the church auditorium first.

Lord, we pray for those who are engaged to be married. We thank you for the blessing of parents, family and friends who love and support them as they contemplate their future together. Amen.


Cx :-)

Good morning :-)

Bride or Groom? That’s the question you are usually asked when you enter church for a wedding. But why?

One reason is, that long ago, the right arm was considered the sword arm of most fighting men. If a man had to protect his bride, he would hold her with his left hand, and fight off attackers with his right arm, so having his right arm free was an important strategy.

This tradition is followed today by when facing the officiant, having the bride and her family and friends to the left, and the groom and his family and friends to the right.

Lord Jesus Christ,
who by your presence and power brought joy to the wedding at Cana:
bless those engaged to be married,
that there may be truth at the beginning of their lives together,
unselfishness all the way, and perseverance to the end.
May their hopes be realized and their love for each other deepen and grow,
that through them your name may be glorified. Amen.

Cx :-)

Good morning :-)


We are still in the throes of the excitement of the royal wedding, so lets take a look at just what IS Christian Marriage and what’s behind some of the traditions we now take for granted?

Christian Marriage honours God above all else

Christian marriage is more than a contract; it's a covenant relationship with God. As Christians, it's important to focus on the purpose of marriage.

The biblical example encourages believers to enter into marriage in a way that honours God's covenant relationship, submits to the laws of God first and then the laws of the land, and gives a public demonstration of the holy commitment that is being made. For this reason, we see symbols of the covenant God made with Abraham in many of to-day's Christian wedding traditions. We’ll take a look at some of these traditions during this week….

Lord, we pray for those who are preparing for Christian marriage. We ask that not only would their love for each other grow stronger, but they would become more and more aware of your great love for them. Amen.

Cx :-)

Good morning :-)


We are still in the throes of the excitement of the royal wedding, so lets take a look at just what IS Christian Marriage and what’s behind some of the traditions we now take for granted?

Christian Marriage honours God above all else

Christian marriage is more than a contract; it's a covenant relationship with God. As Christians, it's important to focus on the purpose of marriage.

The biblical example encourages believers to enter into marriage in a way that honours God's covenant relationship, submits to the laws of God first and then the laws of the land, and gives a public demonstration of the holy commitment that is being made. For this reason, we see symbols of the covenant God made with Abraham in many of to-day's Christian wedding traditions. We’ll take a look at some of these traditions during this week….

Lord, we pray for those who are preparing for Christian marriage. We ask that not only would their love for each other grow stronger, but they would become more and more aware of your great love for them. Amen.

Cx :-)

Good morning :-)


I really enjoyed the wedding yesterday and the sermon from Bishop Michael Curry was well, amazing! :-D I will post the link so anyone who is interested can read it in full. Its not actually that long!

Today is a special day within the church - its Pentecost - the coming of the Holy Spirit.


The Collect (special prayer) for today:

God, who at this time taught the hearts of your faithful people
by sending to them the light of your Holy Spirit:
grant us by the same Spirit to have a right judgement in all things
and evermore to rejoice in his holy comfort;
through the merits of Christ Jesus our Saviour,
who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.


The Gospel reading is the story of Jesus telling his disciples that he must leave them so that the Holy Spirit may come and guide them into all truth.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-44186049


Cx :-)

Good morning :-)

And the day of the Royal Wedding has arrived! I know people get bored and fed up with all the coverage, but just seeing the excitement and happiness in Windsor must surely cheer most folk up. I love Happy. :-D


The Church of England has offered a special prayer for today.....

God of love,
send your blessing upon Harry and Meghan
and all who are joined in marriage,
that, rejoicing in your will
and continuing under your protection,
they may both live and grow in your love all their days,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Enjoy the day!

Cx :-)