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The Christian Thread

Discussion in 'Religion and Spirituality' started by The Rev, Apr 22, 2008.

  1. padre31

    padre31 Premium Member Luxury Box

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    Ohiophinphan, if you don't mind my asking, but what does a Chaplain do in the way of services?

    Are you for example expected to know the various services for the majority of Denominations? Like weddings and baptisms and communion?
     
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  2. DOLPHAN1

    DOLPHAN1 Premium Member Luxury Box

    i truly enjoy reading your posts, they have a very comforting feeling. i hope that my posting here is not an intrusion, but i wanted to comment on the act of forgiveness or forgiving.

    often we think of forgiveness for the person receiving it and leave it at that. not following through the process, we leave things incomplete. forgiving or forgiveness is as much, if not more for the one giving it. it is a release. a release form the power that the one receiving has over the one giving. when you say i forgive, and truly mean it, you release your self from that which causes the conflict. the person receiving no longer has the power to inflict pain.

    sorry if this is inappropriate to post in this thread but i wanted to add that to this discussion. if it does not fit, please disregard this. thanks all.
     
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  3. Alex44

    Alex44 Boshosaurus Rex

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    Serious question.

    If two people think they are right and God is with both of you, what does that mean? Does it give an advantage to both, or just assure that the outcome will be best for both?

    Again I'm not Christian and don't want to disrespect you guys in any way, just curious.
     
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  4. dolphindebby

    dolphindebby Season Ticket Holder Luxury Box

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    It's a beautiful post. Thanks.
    You have put it into words better than I ever could.
    Posts such as this are always welcome.
    Debby
     
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  5. Ohiophinphan

    Ohiophinphan Chaplain Staff Member Luxury Box

    It depends on the setting. My principal gig is that of a parish pastor so I perform the normal services of my denomination. When I serve as an emergency chaplain, then my duties are mostly giving death notifications alongside of law enforcement, counseling for first responders who have experianced trauma, and occasionaly funerals and weddings. Since folks desiring the latter are coming to me because they have no regular parish home they get a slightly modified (depends on circumstances) version of my regular liturgy.

    If you are a hospital chaplain, which I have also done in the past, your work with staff is largely counseling though the same applies to weddings and funerals. With patients, it is helpful to know the basic prayers, etc of a variety of religious traditions.

    Now military chaplains also need to be able to connect personnel with leaders of their respective traditions while on base and provide services in the field as they are able. The military has a variety of literary resouces for chaplains to use and where conscience and tradition permit, they are expected to be familiar with all of them.

    On this board my duties are principally counseling (as we are able in writing) and prayers.

    Is this what you were looking for?
     
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  6. Ohiophinphan

    Ohiophinphan Chaplain Staff Member Luxury Box

    Very well said, thank you. You have hit the nail on the head. We forgive at least in part to relieve ourselves of the burdens of anger and hate.
     
  7. Ohiophinphan

    Ohiophinphan Chaplain Staff Member Luxury Box

    Your question is fine. Thank you for asking.

    I am reminded by the question of the startling revelation some troops had in WWII that both sides in Europe were using the same prayer books in some cases. It was sobering.

    The reality is that sometimes people are wrong even when they believe God is on their side. We are able to rationalize almost anything. It is also true that evil sometimes comes out on top here on earth.

    It is best to remain humble and work hard at prayer and discerment when one is in an argument to discover where a truth lies. Even the truth, not told in love, can be a club not a blessing.
     
  8. dolphindebby

    dolphindebby Season Ticket Holder Luxury Box

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    Your answers and opinions are always so gracious and gentle. No wonder you were called to be a Chaplain.
    I have been praying for discernment. It's already better for me. God is so good!!!!!
    Thank you.
     
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  9. Ohiophinphan

    Ohiophinphan Chaplain Staff Member Luxury Box

    You are most welcome. Please know your concerns have been added to my prayer list.
     
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  10. The Rev

    The Rev Totus Tuus Staff Member Administrator Luxury Box Club Member

    I am doing the meeting at the church's marriage group my wife and I attend.
    The topic is "Spiritual Bucket List" or "things that I would like to accomplish for God before I die.

    I am using the following song for the meeting:

    http://youtube.com/watch?v=7mHaFMqde6A

    It's not a Christian song but I love it nonetheless, especially the reference to his father (Tug) in the end.



    I am using 1 Thessalonians 5:


    Pastor Keith has been great with his advice for the meeting. So I ask you all this:

    What would you include as part of your spiritual bucket list?
    Please share. :wink2:
     
    Last edited: Jun 17, 2008
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  11. Ohiophinphan

    Ohiophinphan Chaplain Staff Member Luxury Box

    So how has it been going?
     
  12. Celtkin

    Celtkin <B>Webmaster</b> Luxury Box

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    I received this in the mail and thought I'd share it:

    As a young minister in Kentucky, I was asked by a funeral director to hold a graveside service for a homeless man, who had no family or friends. The funeral was to be held at a new cemetery way back in the country, and this man would be the first to be buried there. I was not familiar with the backwoods area, and I soon became lost.

    Being a typical man, I did not stop to ask for directions. I finally arrived an hour late. I saw the backhoe and the open grave, but the hearse was nowhere in sight. The digging crew was eating lunch. I apologized to the workers for my tardiness, and I stepped to the side of the open grave. There I saw the vault lid already in place. I assured the workers I would not hold them up for long, as I told them that this was the proper thing to do. The workers gathered around the grave and stood silently, as I began to pour out my heart and soul. As I preached about 'looking forward to a brighter tomorrow' and 'the glory that is to come,' the workers began to say 'Amen,' 'Praise the Lord,' and 'Glory!'

    The fervor of these men truly inspired me. So, I preached and I preached like I had never preached before, all the way from Genesis to Revelations. I finally closed the lengthy service with a prayer, thanked the men, and walked to my car. As I was opening the door and taking off my coat, I heard one of the workers say to another, 'I ain't NEVER seen nothin' like that before, and I've been puttin' in septic tanks for thirty years!'
     
  13. Ohiophinphan

    Ohiophinphan Chaplain Staff Member Luxury Box

    I love it !!!!!!!
     
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  14. dolphindebby

    dolphindebby Season Ticket Holder Luxury Box

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    That's great Mal.:sidelol:
     
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  15. Ducken

    Ducken Luxury Box Luxury Box

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    This is a great thread. Here is the audio from last Sundays service. I thought it was a great message and pastor Andy is IMO a great speaker, you can feel the spirit working through him every Sunday morning.

    http://htcde.podcastpeople.com/posts/24641
     
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  16. dolphindebby

    dolphindebby Season Ticket Holder Luxury Box

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    I was getting ready for church and thought I'de wish all mt friends a beautiful Lords Day.
    I'll remember you in prayer during services.
    Love,
    Debby
     
  17. dolphindebby

    dolphindebby Season Ticket Holder Luxury Box

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    Taste my Jesus

    Loved this thought I'd share it with you.
    TASTE MY JESUS

    At the University of Chicago Divinity School each year they have what is called 'Baptist Day.'

    On this day each one is to bring a lunch to be eaten outdoors in a grassy picnic area.

    Every 'Baptist Day' the school would invite one of the greatest minds to lecture in the theological education center.

    One year they invited Dr. Paul Tillich.

    Dr.Tillich spoke for two and one-half hours proving that the resurrection of Jesus was false.

    He quoted scholar after scholar and book after book.

    He concluded that since there was no such thing as the historical resurrection the religious tradition of the church was groundless, emotional mumbo-jumbo, because it was based on a relationship with a risen Jesus, who, in fact never rose from the dead in any literal sense.

    He then asked if there were any questions.

    After about 30 seconds, an old, dark skinned preacher with a head of short-cropped, woolly white hair stood up in the back of the auditorium.

    'Doctor Tillich, I got one question,' he said as all eyes turned toward him.

    He reached into his sack lunch and pulled out an apple and began eating it.

    'Docta Tillich.. CRUNCH, MUNCH 'My question is a simple question,... CRUNCH, MUNCH...

    'Now, I have never read them books you read..CRUNCH, MUNCH..

    'and I can't recite the Scriptures in the original Greek...CRUNCH, MUNCH...

    ' I don't know anything about Niebuhr and Heidegger... CRUNCH, MUNCH...

    He finished the apple. 'All I wanna know is: This apple I just ate, . . . . . . was it bitter or sweet?

    Dr Tillich paused for a moment and answered in exemplary scholarly fashion: 'I cannot possibly answer that question, for I haven't tasted your apple.'

    The white-haired preacher dropped the core of his apple into his crumpled paper bag, looked up at Dr. Tillich and said calmly, 'Neither have you tasted my Jesus.'

    The 1,000 plus in attendance could not contain themselves. The auditorium erupted with applause and cheers. Dr. Tillich thanked his audience and promptly left the platform.

    Have you tasted Jesus? Please pass this on Saints! Jesus has risen... and He's coming back one day...



    Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him.

    If you have, rejoice in the hope of the resurrection that your faith in Him brings.

    Psalm 34:8
     
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  18. dolphindebby

    dolphindebby Season Ticket Holder Luxury Box

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    Yea me!!! I actually posted something I copied and pasted. Maybe I'll conquer this computer yet. :pointlol:
     
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  19. The Rev

    The Rev Totus Tuus Staff Member Administrator Luxury Box Club Member

    Very proud of you, my friend. Thanks for sharing. Great story! :up:
     
  20. dolphindebby

    dolphindebby Season Ticket Holder Luxury Box

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    I was just wondering where you've been. Haven't seen you on here much.
    How is every thing going for you?
     
  21. dolphindebby

    dolphindebby Season Ticket Holder Luxury Box

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    Good Morning. I'm off to church.
    Hope all of you have a blessed Lords Day.
     
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  22. Ohiophinphan

    Ohiophinphan Chaplain Staff Member Luxury Box

    Just back from worship. Very good day on many levels but let me share two.

    First, I am again this year an intern supervisor. This is my sixth student from our seminary who get assigned to me for a year of "practical" theology. This young man came to me straight from college and seminary. My first commennt, last August, was, "I have grass that isn't as green as this kid!"

    Today he gave a sermon that any pastor would have been proud of! There was law and gospel, text and context, illustrations drawn out of the congregational situation, in short all the elements you look for and they were hung together in a cogent fashion. I am very proud of the growth of this young man and am convinced that in a year or so, he will make some congregation a fine pastor.

    Second, we had something today, I have only had three times in 24+ years of ministry. A public recognition of an emergency baptism. Let me explain.

    Lutheran Christians practice infant baptism. Typically it is done as part of the worship service when a child is 2-6 months of age. However, little Frederick, was born without any "plumbing" below the stomach and spent most of the first three or four months of his life being operated on. Within 12 hours of his birth the chaplain of the hospital, a fellow Lutheran and good friend, did an emergency baptism at the family's request.

    Yesterday was Frederick's first birthday and today was the first anniversery of his baptism. His family brought him to worship and we acknowledged and celebrated that baptism within the worship service. It was a glorious occasion!

    Thanks for letting me share the stories and hope your worship time was also a blessing!
     
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  23. padre31

    padre31 Premium Member Luxury Box

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    How uplifting Ohio, I have to say that brought a smile to my face and a touch of celebration to my heart!
     
  24. dolphindebby

    dolphindebby Season Ticket Holder Luxury Box

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    What a beautiful story.
    Let me share mine also.
    We had baptism today. We had it at our pastors house in his above ground pool. (our church is on well water and we try to conserve it when possible)
    We have a wonderful man in our church that has a nerve dis-order and is totally confined to a wheel chair. Well, he had never been able to be baptized, so today, two of the young men in our church picked him up, sat him on the pool steps and our pastor held him up and baptized him. It was so beautiful to see. His tears were so beautiful. All of us were very moved.
    That to me is just one of the beautiful things in being a Christian.
    I think we both have a lot to be thankful for today and every day.
    GB
     
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  25. PMZQ

    PMZQ Banned

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    Debs did everything turn out okay ?
     
  26. PMZQ

    PMZQ Banned

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  27. PMZQ

    PMZQ Banned

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    Well I guess this is where we are supposed to share our stories of our spiritual journey through Christ.

    Here is my journey, and its a very long one with some unexpected twists.

    I was born and raised a Southern Baptist and attended Flagler Street Baptist Church here in Miami (Flagler & 35th Ave) right down the street from where we used to live. Spend many days and hours there, and its where I gave my life to the Lord in 1969 when I was 9 years old. I had a very religious upbringing, with church Sunday morning & night and every Wednesday night after Fellowship Dinner. Did choir practice and RA's on Wednesday nights too.

    Anyone else in RA's when they were a kid ? Of course thats where I got to go camping in the Everglades and was introduced to snipe hunting :tongue2: and shaving cream fights :wink2:

    Well we moved from in town of Miami to the Westchester area of Miami in 1971, and subsequintly changed churches. That was the start of a spiritual downfall of sorts for me. We changed churches to one closer to us, and I never really ever felt at home there.

    Then in 1976 something happened that I blamed God for, that of course was not his fault, but was just His plan for my spiritual journey. I was a regular attender of our choir practices and we prepared for a summer tour of the midwest and I was very psyched for it, and made sure I did what I needed to do, so that I could go. I NEVER missed a practice. Come some time in May, the choir directer Rev Kooistra, dropped a bombshell. The fundraising efforts fell short, and each one of us would need to contribute $ 1000 or not be able to go.

    Now where we started going to church had a lot of "well to do" members for whom $ 1000 was not much of a problem, even in 1976, but for my folks, that was a lot of money. It seemed as if I was not going to be going, and I didn't get to go. But what made me angry, and very hurt with God, was the fact that the church bent its own rules and allowed several kids, many of whom had only made a couple of practices buy their way in, and those like myself, and another friend of mine Jim Akers, were told "no pay, no go".

    Well needless to say, I was angry. Angry with the church, angry with God, and angry with my self, because I had given $ 600 to the trip fund, and when I wasn't allowed to go, the church refused to give me back my money. I shouldn't have asked, Jesus wouldn't have asked, but I was not spiritually right at the time. I didn't understand, and never fully understood why until years & years later. God does things the way He wants, and its not always for us to understand these things until years later, if ever. His plan was working in my life, even through disappointment.

    This anger at church led me to what I always call my years of "Church of the NFL" :lol: I became a Dolphins season ticket holder in 1977 and remained a ST holder until the move to Dolphin Stadium in 1987. I was an EndZone Animal at the OB. Section CC, row 22, seats 34, 35 & 36 (I paid for my parents tickets too). I was there for all the games, playoff games and was not walking with the Lord. I even tried to play off that I was an athiest. The Lord knew differently, but He was also letting His plan for my life unfold.

    Then of course came some self-discovery along the way. I knew I was gay, and had always been so very confused about how I was preached at that "gay people are evil and go to Hell" and I knew I was gay. I decided I wouldn't think about it at all. I had my Dolphins, Hurricanes and school. I didn't have time to be gay or straight. At the time, I also didn't have time for the Lord.

    Many years passed, and I graduated from the U, started working for Southern Air Transport in the accounting dept, and worked my part time weekend job at Publix.

    I finally has a spiritual rebirth in 1999 when I was with my 2nd lover Roger. He was a member of the Orthodox Church of America. We started going to the Miami OCA church Sts. Peter & Paul Orthodox Church and I have been a member since. I met some great people there, Father Theo and his wife Sophie, and then after Father retired in 2001, Father Thad and his wife Marina I have been so blessed by God the last few years, and my growth spiritually has been enormous. I am gay, and will always be, and I know God loves me, and that I am good in His eyes.

    Let me share my favorite You Tube video, one that I visit several times a day :

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFmu1eUouaA

    I hope this song blesses you and your family. It makes me cry for joy when I hear it.
     
  28. PMZQ

    PMZQ Banned

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  29. The Rev

    The Rev Totus Tuus Staff Member Administrator Luxury Box Club Member

    God bless you, brother. Thanks for sharing your witness and I love that song, too. :wink2:

    We hope to see you around here more often. :yes:
     
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  30. PMZQ

    PMZQ Banned

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    As stated previously, I am old school at 48 years old and remember "Old Church" and all the old hymns from my childhood being played on the organ. One of the great guys on You Tube is Organpipe8, who played in churches in Florida and NY state for 27 years. Here are a few of his best :

    A Mighty Fortress is our God

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8iQUHV4J5g

    Holy Holy Holy

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=una7Q2z0WME

    To God be the Glory (my favorite)

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IezZ25lxURE

    All Hail the Power of Jesus name

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d54CqTpLW9E

    All Creatures of our God and King

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3oFLByoL2U0

    Blessed Assurance

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2ysxrjQUP4

    Love's Devine all loves Excelling

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5n4D_qgOoQ

    What a friend we have in Jesus

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PtJVZeyjj7Y

    Because he Lives

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sINcIiAF9cM

    I know a lot of these are probably too "Old School" for the younger ones, but this is the music on the organ I remember as being "CHURCH" as a kid. I hope some of you enjoy.

    Try to drop OrganPipe8 (Lance) a note at You Tube and let him know you enjoy his efforts. He has 397 videos of his organ hymns up. I listen to them all day sometimes :up:
     
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  31. PMZQ

    PMZQ Banned

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    I hope to be Rev, I sure hope to be. Are you a real pastor Rev at a local church in Miramar ?
     
  32. PMZQ

    PMZQ Banned

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    Very profound Dolphan1, very very profound :up:
     
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  33. unluckyluciano

    unluckyluciano For My Hero JetsSuck

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    I think rev just asks for money on tv :tongue2:
     
  34. PMZQ

    PMZQ Banned

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    :sidelol:
     
  35. DOLPHAN1

    DOLPHAN1 Premium Member Luxury Box

    :pity:



    :lol:
     
  36. gafinfan

    gafinfan gunner Club Member

    Something I would like to share with all of you. I've asked my daughter, Jennifer, to read this at my funeral. It, pretty much, sums up my feelings.

    HORIZON

    Anonymous

    I watched a sail until it dropped from sight
    Over the rounding sea. A gleam of white,
    A last far-flashed farewell, and, like a thought
    Slipt out of mind, it vanished and was not.

    Yet to the helmsman standing at the wheel
    Broad seas still stretched beneath the gliding keel.
    Disaster? Change? He no slightest sign,
    Nor dreamed he of that far horizon line.

    So may it be, perchance, when down the tide
    Our dear ones vanish. Peacefully they glide
    On level seas, nor mark the unknown bound:
    We call it death-to them ‘tis life beyond

    God bless you all. My mom has been with the Lord for 22 years now and I still miss her.
     
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  37. The Rev

    The Rev Totus Tuus Staff Member Administrator Luxury Box Club Member

    No, brother. I use "The Rev" to remind me how to behave and to share my witness whenever I can. :wink2:

    You're just upset because you acutally sent me some. :tongue2:


    Amen, brother. Thanks for sharing. :up:
     
  38. dolphindebby

    dolphindebby Season Ticket Holder Luxury Box

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    It sure did. She's back at work and doing fine. She travels all over the country for AFLAC.
    Thanks for all the prayers for her.
     
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  39. dolphindebby

    dolphindebby Season Ticket Holder Luxury Box

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    You rock. Keep coming in and talking to us. The Rev and the other guys are great in here.
     
  40. PMZQ

    PMZQ Banned

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    Coolness :up:

    I just took Mom to the doctor for her checkup, and she seems to be fine, except for a little ear problem. We'll clear that up here soon and she's good to go :up:
     

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