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Yea, I remember yesterday's sermon-God should be #1 in your life. The world puts money as the #1 thing.
Sunday I attended the local Lutheran (Missouri synod) church However, my primary church is the local Assembly of God. I like 'um both. The worship leader at the Lutheran church is a friend of mine and I play with the worship team there about once a month. I also play at the A-G.
It is interesting the contrast with communion. Grape juice and matza pieces at the A-G. Eveyone doing it at the same time at your seats.
At the Lutheran-real wine (Port) and wafers, we come up in groups of eight and kneel at an alterlike thing (except for the band-the pastor and elder come up to the band). Then the head elder and Pastor administer each element to each person, saying a short messege. I find this style more meaningful, esp when the Pastor says "Mr5150 this is the......" It was funny last Sunday, the wafer stuck to the roof of my mouth and I had to play right after they gave me the wine and wafer. Two songs with the wafer stuck.
I dont' attend any church however, I attend meetings with others with the same beliefs. We have annual meetings but not required to attend. The last one I went to was in April of 2009. The talk was about God and how much He loved all of us. How being Love was formost in our lives. We then talked about how each one of us has received His love and how it felt.
These meeting usually last a wek but we don't spend all day talking about God and Love. We spend time with each other getting to know who others are. We see the sights and just plain have fun. We also have prayer and we sing a lot.
I'm not sure exactly what you're asking, so if I'm missing the mark here, please tell me. We actually believe in essentially the same seven sacraments the Catholics do, though we interpret them somewhat differently and refer to them as ordinances. The one ordinance we call "the Sacrament" is the one you refer to as Communion, unless I'm mistaken (or perhaps, Eucharist or the Lord's Supper).
We don't believe in transubstantiation or real presence. To us, the bread and water (as opposed to wine, but that's too far off topic for this thread) are emblems of Christ's sacrifice and are taken in remembrance of His body and blood. When we take the Sacrament, it's to renew our baptismal covenants.
Interestingly, the Sacrament prayers are only two of three prayers in our Church that must be said verbatim. The prayer on the bread goes like this:
"O God, the Eternal Father, we ask thee in the name of thy Son, Jesus Christ, to bless and sanctify this bread to the souls of all those who partake of it; that they may eat in remembrance of the body of thy Son, and witness unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father, that they are willing to take upon them the name of thy Son, and always remember him, and keep his commandments which he hath given them, that they may always have his Spirit to be with them. Amen."
The prayer on the water goes like this:
"O God, the Eternal Father, we ask thee, in the name of thy Son, Jesus Christ, to bless and sanctify this water to the souls of all those who drink of it, that they may do it in remembrance of the blood of thy Son, which was shed for them; that they may witness unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father, that they do always remember him, that they may have his Spirit to be with them. Amen."
Does that pretty much answer your question?
It is refreshing,edifying and indeed fruitful, to celebrate those things that unite us.
Rather than what divides us.
Picture this: You are sitting with your friends in your shukkah on one of the days of Sukkot, also called the Feast of Tabernacles. You are enjoying eating there, chatting, playing games. Someone says, "Let's read Qohelet!" You open your Bible to Ecclesiastes, and someone begins to read the first chapter. The second chapter. The third.
Someone brings out a sweater and puts it on. You'd been so interested that you hadn't noticed your were a little chilled, so you go get your jacket --and a cup of hot cocoa, while you're at it. You continue studying with the group, which changes a little as people come and go.
You discuss the meaning of Qohelet, what Solomon must have been thinking, what thoughts brought on this and that statement. There is deep thought, comments, laughter, mystery, questions, amusement. Someone brings out a platter of hot chocolate chip cookies.
And so it continues to the end of the book.
This is the way it is every Sukkot, when we dwell in little temporary huts. In warmer climates, there is often more of a party atmosphere that continues well into the night; in cooler climates, only the more hardy continue so late, but even they often stay until morning sun on some days.
But what a great time it is!
And I have learned a lot so far, with many more days to go!
Picture this: You are sitting with your friends in your shukkah on one of the days of Sukkot, also called the Feast of Tabernacles. You are enjoying eating there, chatting, playing games. Someone says, "Let's read Qohelet!" You open your Bible to Ecclesiastes, and someone begins to read the first chapter. The second chapter. The third.
Someone brings out a sweater and puts it on. You'd been so interested that you hadn't noticed your were a little chilled, so you go get your jacket --and a cup of hot cocoa, while you're at it. You continue studying with the group, which changes a little as people come and go.
You discuss the meaning of Qohelet, what Solomon must have been thinking, what thoughts brought on this and that statement. There is deep thought, comments, laughter, mystery, questions, amusement. Someone brings out a platter of hot chocolate chip cookies.
And so it continues to the end of the book.
This is the way it is every Sukkot, when we dwell in little temporary huts. In warmer climates, there is often more of a party atmosphere that continues well into the night; in cooler climates, only the more hardy continue so late, but even they often stay until morning sun on some days.
But what a great time it is!
And I have learned a lot so far, with many more days to go!
sounds great! We build a community sukkah and have a pot luck. This year all the children came up during the service and took turns shaking the lulav and etrog. Those who want to camp out in the sukkah can do so. We also watched an Israeli movie outside on a big screen which was a blast. The kids made s'mores and fun was had by all! Sukkot is my favorite holiday!
sounds great! We build a community sukkah and have a pot luck. This year all the children came up during the service and took turns shaking the lulav and etrog. Those who want to camp out in the sukkah can do so. We also watched an Israeli movie outside on a big screen which was a blast. The kids made s'mores and fun was had by all! Sukkot is my favorite holiday!
We have a community sukkah as well as those in our homes, but did I understand correctly?? You had your service in the sukkah?? Wow!
We have a community sukkah as well as those in our homes, but did I understand correctly?? You had your service in the sukkah?? Wow!
yeah we do! My community is really small its a lay led chuverah with about 50 active families. I also attend a larger shul which is much larger. But the smaller community is where I am most active with and my kids do Hebrew school through the smaller chaverah.
Anyway every sukkot we have a sukkot camp out. We build a huge sukkah and those who want to can camp out in the sukkah.
We had part of the service in the sukkah and then the rest outside. The sukkot blessings were said in the sukkah and then we had the service in front of it where the kids all took turns shaking the lulav and etrog. This year we had 2 so 2 kids got to shake them at a time.
Next year I think we will try to build a sukkah at home. I am trying to find an easy way to build one since I am not handy.
yeah we do! My community is really small its a lay led chuverah with about 50 active families. . . .
How does your look?
That is fantastic! We had our service inside and our study in the sukkah. I know some ate in the sukkah, but I ate in the shul.
My Sukkah. I am embarrassed to tell you. I have wanted a sukkah -- the real thing -- for years, but my husband just wasn't into it for a long time. I used to get sick right at Sukkot, so I couldn't. Then the one time I tried to build my own, I was injured and ended up in the emergency room. So I bought a tent-canopy that goes up quite simply. That is what we use. Oh, well.
But anyway, now my husband is into it. I came home from work . . . . excuse me! He has called me out to the sukkah!!!!!! YES!!!!! I'll be back!
Back! He just wanted some time out there before going to bed.
I know our sukkah is not technically right, but it is what we can do. We be out there in our own little "sukkah," doing the same things others do in theirs.
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I have wanted a sukkah -- the real thing -- for years, but my husband just wasn't into it for a long time. I used to get sick right at Sukkot, so I couldn't. Then the one time I tried to build my own, I was injured and ended up in the emergency room. So I bought a tent-canopy that goes up quite simply. That is what we use. Oh, well.
