Blogging on leap year, just before St Davids Day.
Had a good day today, been in to Harrow and Watford. It's been ok, I'm glad that the babies are away for the weekend and eventually I'll get them back (but they can stay away for now).
I'm praying that they we have a good weekend.
Life goes on in Luton, with an invitation to be more involved in prayer for our town. Excited! Will put up pictures of the prayer room in it's current state.
Friday, February 29, 2008
Saturday, February 23, 2008
23rd Feb - Prayer day/concert
Being stuck inside all day isn't a bad thing when you get to hear some one like Dr Jonathan Oloyede speak for a few hours.
A man who is led by God as to what to challenge the churches in Luton.
Pray more.
Pray with authority (which is different from power)
Pray with each other
Pray in conversation with God
Pray the prayers of others
Young people came to St Hugh's tonight, and I was astounded by them. We pray for each other, we pray for the adults, we pray for our leaders. Mostly we pray.
I don't believe that God only works in mysterious ways, He works in the everyday, in the ordinary.
It's been said before coincidences happen when we pray and it's funny that they stop when we stop!
We will keep prayng. Hallelujah!
A man who is led by God as to what to challenge the churches in Luton.
Pray more.
Pray with authority (which is different from power)
Pray with each other
Pray in conversation with God
Pray the prayers of others
Young people came to St Hugh's tonight, and I was astounded by them. We pray for each other, we pray for the adults, we pray for our leaders. Mostly we pray.
I don't believe that God only works in mysterious ways, He works in the everyday, in the ordinary.
It's been said before coincidences happen when we pray and it's funny that they stop when we stop!
We will keep prayng. Hallelujah!
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Soul Sista, half term and essays
I got the feedback from my first essay for my masters today, a narrow pass and I know that I had a harsh marker, so it's ok, and I've taken it on board for the next one, which is due in two weeks.
The last week has been half term, and it's been relatively quiet. Only five weeks til Easter... yeay.
We headed to Soul Survivor today, with 600 other girls, we learnt about how amazing
we are. Amazing to be me, amazing to be a girl and amazing to belong to God. All good things. We had a very good talk about Hosea.Came home to some beautiful purple tulips.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Coptic Church, Stevenage. 8.30 am 10/02/08
Sunrise is undoubtedly the best part of the day, so as we travelled into a raising sun this morning I was expecting glorious things.
The Coptic Church is described as the Egyptian Othodox Church, so the service was performed in Arabic, sung and spoken English. It did feel like we were toruists in a foreign land at some points, but like St Hugh's we have our traditions when setting up for church, they did too.
Arriving at the church site you are greeted with a huge mozaic of Jesus and angels (the exact same mozaic is behind the altar table). Walking in through big wooden doors and then some nice glass ones, noticing that the nativity scene was up in the foyer.
In this church the patterns all match, the etched glass, the celing, the lectern, the panneling on the back wall. Was good to see that there was some continuity throughout. This place is a Cathedral, with LCD screens, a balcony, and a side room for baptism. Marble flooring made my shoes a lot louder than they are on the carpet at St Hugh's. Oh and did I mention the icons? No, well it'd be hard to miss them. They are quite huge.
We were welcomed with a very polite smile and a few questions from (what seemed to be) the second in command. Then when the preist had finished, a student read the first reading of the day in garbled English. Then we had the brief history before being lead to the side room.
An hour long ceremony commenced, which was the blessing of the water, and reading of scriptures, then baptism itself and confirmation.
**this bit I didn't understand, I need to find out what confirmation means to the coptic church, in order to understand why they have it done on the same day**
Baptism is by full immersion which the girls didn't like at all. The leader/preist guy wasn't pushy but he had a scary beard and getting your head pushed under water isn't nice even if you have been warned! Oh and only the parents renounce the devil (to the west) and confirm their faith in Christ (to the east).
Ther service for the regular members of the congregation was about to start, so we headed back to St Hugh's. Pleased with the experience and wishing the parents luck as they had another 4 hours or half-english/half-arabic to sit through in order for their children to take first communion. Boy I hope I get to see the parents this week to share with them.
Long winded, yes, but then the church has never been short. Where God guides we go... I'll keep trying to get around to other churches this year, it's an experience!
The Coptic Church is described as the Egyptian Othodox Church, so the service was performed in Arabic, sung and spoken English. It did feel like we were toruists in a foreign land at some points, but like St Hugh's we have our traditions when setting up for church, they did too.
Arriving at the church site you are greeted with a huge mozaic of Jesus and angels (the exact same mozaic is behind the altar table). Walking in through big wooden doors and then some nice glass ones, noticing that the nativity scene was up in the foyer.
In this church the patterns all match, the etched glass, the celing, the lectern, the panneling on the back wall. Was good to see that there was some continuity throughout. This place is a Cathedral, with LCD screens, a balcony, and a side room for baptism. Marble flooring made my shoes a lot louder than they are on the carpet at St Hugh's. Oh and did I mention the icons? No, well it'd be hard to miss them. They are quite huge.
We were welcomed with a very polite smile and a few questions from (what seemed to be) the second in command. Then when the preist had finished, a student read the first reading of the day in garbled English. Then we had the brief history before being lead to the side room.
An hour long ceremony commenced, which was the blessing of the water, and reading of scriptures, then baptism itself and confirmation.
**this bit I didn't understand, I need to find out what confirmation means to the coptic church, in order to understand why they have it done on the same day**
Baptism is by full immersion which the girls didn't like at all. The leader/preist guy wasn't pushy but he had a scary beard and getting your head pushed under water isn't nice even if you have been warned! Oh and only the parents renounce the devil (to the west) and confirm their faith in Christ (to the east).
Ther service for the regular members of the congregation was about to start, so we headed back to St Hugh's. Pleased with the experience and wishing the parents luck as they had another 4 hours or half-english/half-arabic to sit through in order for their children to take first communion. Boy I hope I get to see the parents this week to share with them.
Long winded, yes, but then the church has never been short. Where God guides we go... I'll keep trying to get around to other churches this year, it's an experience!
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
Raaaaah
To be honest, I have great respect for the law, I try my hardest to stick to it. Then a conversation like this happens and I think 'Is it really worth it?'
Me: erm 'cuse me are you actually going into church?
Man: no
Me: well, there is a service starting in church in a moment and we'll need the space (pointing at the disabled space man had plonked car in)
Man: well it's ok I'm police *smug grin*
Me: still annoyed 3 hours later!
I genuinely wouldn't have minded if there was something ACTUALLY going on, like robbery in progress at church, or attacker at church, or church burning down, you know things that really need the police...
Police man was attending an Audi TT which had been pulled over on LHS, which already had two police officers and a marked car blocking traffic and cycle lane.
I'm done. But I won't be taking 'well I'm Police' as an answer to breaking the law again, there is no need (and also there were about 6 other places he could have parked).
Me: erm 'cuse me are you actually going into church?
Man: no
Me: well, there is a service starting in church in a moment and we'll need the space (pointing at the disabled space man had plonked car in)
Man: well it's ok I'm police *smug grin*
Me: still annoyed 3 hours later!
I genuinely wouldn't have minded if there was something ACTUALLY going on, like robbery in progress at church, or attacker at church, or church burning down, you know things that really need the police...
Police man was attending an Audi TT which had been pulled over on LHS, which already had two police officers and a marked car blocking traffic and cycle lane.
I'm done. But I won't be taking 'well I'm Police' as an answer to breaking the law again, there is no need (and also there were about 6 other places he could have parked).
Saturday, February 02, 2008
Up and coming
Take what you will from this title, but if you happen to be in Luton on this day make sure you pop in to St Hugh's (Jeff has all the credit for the design)
Cracking on with life, and a bit moany about having to do lots of uni work over Easter, whilst trying to fast for 24hours (yes WorldVision are asking for money).
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