Does anyone on this forum go to church?

[Angela Woodford]

So it was interesting to be speaking on the phone to the owner of a Christian Book Shop in Cambridge a couple of days ago...... it transpires that she spent a few days some years ago testing her vocation.....at the Poor Clares House in Arundel. I'm looking forward to meeting her and learning more about the order

I'm a little bit baffled. Would the owner of a Christian Book shop test her vocation by spending time at the House of the Poor Clares? Wouldn't it be more likely that a Poor Clare would test her vocation by spending time at a Christian Book Shop?

[Chris Blewett]

Lovely juxtaposition!

I think it more likely that a spiritual soul was searching for the place that it was supposed to be at and found the book shop to be that place!
Religious houses are not for the faint hearted!!

[Angela Woodford]

Exactly, Chris!

I'd think it would be far tougher in the House of the Poor Clares than managing a Christian Book Shop! Never, never would I think that belonging to a Religious House would anything but hard, hard work! Maybe that's why Miss Gamble was a woman with such poor communication skills? Perhaps an interior life of austerity was more important to her?

Managing a bookshop. That's pretty worldly!

[Chris Blewett]

The sad thing is that people will assume that God wished them to die or that they weren't genuinely ill.

Neither of these positions is one that I recognise - neither do I see anything of the God that I know in this article.

[Angela Woodford]

My sister remembers collecting my mother from an impromptu prayer meeting held in the front room of my fierce old piano teacher. About ten elderly ladies were standing in a circle praying that one of them would be healed from cancer.

"When two or three are gathered together in Thy Name, Thou wilt grant their requests!" my mother declaimed with the shining eyes of total faith. "You are healed!" the ladies cried together, rejoicing.

We never knew if a miracle actually had taken place at no 1 Telford Avenue, Streatham...

[NEILL THE NOTORIOUS]

Regrettably, God, being omniscient, has a choice ----
Since we mortals are not so omniscient, we tend to believe that miracles occur, when we want them to -----

Re the Bish of Durham, and his disbeliefs ---
I was in Ephesus, being shown round "Mary's House" by a Muslim Scholar. He said "As an Archeoligist, I have no proof that Mary lived here -- but the circumstantial evidence of date, area outside the City, John being given care of Mary, and being Bishop of Ephesus, I believe to be pretty substantial !

He also commented on the Bish, who had doubted the Virgin Birth -----

"This is mentioned in the Koran, and therefore, to all true "Believers" must be true"

Can you imagine a "Fatwah" on the Bish ?

[DavidRawlins]

I was speaking to a Greek Orthodox monk in Patmos who told me that the Orthodox believe that it was Mary Magdelene who lived in Mary's house outside Ephesus. This fits in much better with what one knows. The Virgin Mary stayed in Palestine till she died, looked after by St John. He then moved to Ephesus. This would explain why he never met St Paul at Ephesus. We are not 100% certain that it was the same John, though Greek tradition says it was. St John was later exiled to Patmos, for about 3 years, and then returned to Ephesus where he was buried.

[NEILL THE NOTORIOUS]

Yes, you are probably right.

I am detailed, tomorrow, to read from Revelation 21 v v 1-7, as the Morning Reading, from John at Patmos.
I would have liked to do it from the King James, of recent anniversary -----rather than NIV.

But rules is rules, in the C of E !

[kerrensimmonds]

Well, that's funny? I too am due to read tomorow.. Advent Sunday. I have Isaiah 64 1-9 and Psalm 80, 1-8 and 18-20. What Lectionary does your Church follow, Neill?

[Katharine]

Kerren, I am reading the same Isaiah as you, and 1 Corinthians 3-9. The psalm set for the day is also 80 but we (Church in Wales have less of it!) 1-7 and optional 17-19.

[sejintenej]

I was speaking to a Greek Orthodox monk in Patmos who told me that the Orthodox believe that it was Mary Magdelene who lived in Mary's house outside Ephesus. This fits in much better with what one knows. The Virgin Mary stayed in Palestine till she died, looked after by St John. He then moved to Ephesus. This would explain why he never met St Paul at Ephesus. We are not 100% certain that it was the same John, though Greek tradition says it was. St John was later exiled to Patmos, for about 3 years, and then returned to Ephesus where he was buried.

Unfortunately, David, we will never know. Another story given some credence locally is that as a prophet, it would be normal for Jesus to be married. He is said to have been married to Mary Magdalene who fled Palestine after the crucifixion, landing at Stes Marie-de-la-Mer in the Carmargue. It is independently known that there was a substantial Jewish community to the west of there at the time.
The Bible was created by those who sought to lead the Church and many books were ignored including the Gnostic Gospels; it would be interesting to see what they would have written about such a suggestion

[Angela Woodford]

But rules is rules, in the C of E !

This statement fills me with anxiety.

My FIL died on Wednesday, and we will be going back to Devon and talking to a vicar about our funeral wishes on Tuesday. I know perfectly well that my FIL would want a traditional funeral service. What on earth will I say if the Vicar is obliged to conduct the latest modern rite? There'll be many old soldiers and elderly people there.

Oh no! Oh no!

[J.R.]

........... and people think that 'back-stabbing' is limited to politics and business ?

[NEILL THE NOTORIOUS]

No No ! --- this is "Scriptual disagreement " ----

[NEILL THE NOTORIOUS]

But rules is rules, in the C of E !

This statement fills me with anxiety.

My FIL died on Wednesday, and we will be going back to Devon and talking to a vicar about our funeral wishes on Tuesday. I know perfectly well that my FIL would want a traditional funeral service. What on earth will I say if the Vicar is obliged to conduct the latest modern rite? There'll be many old soldiers and elderly people there.

Oh no! Oh no!

Sorry to hear of your loss Angela.

Just tell the vicar, that you want a traditional Funeral Service. I cannot believe that he would refuse !
If he does not agree, but wants to be "Trendy" ----- is there another church ?