Anyone observing "Great Communion"?

[HRoberson]

Report from Albuquerque....

About 600 in attendance, mostly I suppose Independent Christian and DoC.
A Capella singing was great.
Bell choir twice - second was during communion
No sermon
Various officiants - Pastor Debbie, Pastor Laurie, four or five male pastors, and our minister. Openning prayer by one of our members.
Responsive reading

People crying
People being over heard to say "I thought I'd never see the day!"

Cookies and cake afterward.

People hanging around afterward.

Good afternoon and good service.

[Livelysword]

Report from Albuquerque....

About 600 in attendance, mostly I suppose Independent Christian and DoC.
A Capella singing was great.
Bell choir twice - second was during communion
No sermon
Various officiants - Pastor Debbie, Pastor Laurie, four or five male pastors, and our minister. Openning prayer by one of our members.
Responsive reading

People crying
People being over heard to say "I thought I'd never see the day!"

Cookies and cake afterward.

People hanging around afterward.

Good afternoon and good service.

Lively:  a Pastor is a bishop, and a bishop must be the Husband of one wife.  So a woman is not qualified to be a Pastor, elder, Bishop...  three different names for the same office.


1Ti 3:1  This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.
1Ti 3:2  A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
1Ti 3:3  Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;
1Ti 3:4  One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;
1Ti 3:5  (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)
1Ti 3:6  Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.
1Ti 3:7  Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
1Ti 3:8  Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;
1Ti 3:9  Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.
1Ti 3:10  And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless.
1Ti 3:11  Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things.
1Ti 3:12  Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.
1Ti 3:13  For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.


Tit 1:5  For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee:
Tit 1:6  If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly.
Tit 1:7  For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;
Tit 1:8  But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate;
Tit 1:9  Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.
Tit 1:10  For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision:

[Snargles]

Report from Albuquerque....

People being over heard to say "I thought I'd never see the day!"

Thanks for the report. I never thought I would see the day, either. I still don't think we will ever worship together on a regular basis again but at least we might be able to recognize each other as Christians, albeit Christians with flaws (something that can be said of all of us).

I watched the live webcast of the Great Communion at Abilene Christian. There were about 55 of us on line. The crowd at Abeline was large but not huge, but it was in a large arena so it was hard to tell. Preachers from all 3 branches were present and spoke and lead prayers. I couldn't tell how many participants from each branch were there because despite what many of the conservative brethren think, we all look alike. Doug Foster gave a talk about unity. Singing was all a capella except for one song from a small choir seated in the audience that was accompanied by a piano. A children's choir sang and toward the end of their song they all started waving banners, something you would never see in a CoC.
The main things fire-breathing legalistic CoC people wouldn't like (aside from being in the same room as Disciples) were women communion passers and too much hand clapping.
I would be interested in seeing stats on how many people from each branch were present.

As for Lively's last post:
     
   

[Livelysword]

Report from Albuquerque....

People being over heard to say "I thought I'd never see the day!"

Thanks for the report. I never thought I would see the day, either. I still don't think we will ever worship together on a regular basis again but at least we might be able to recognize each other as Christians, albeit Christians with flaws (something that can be said of all of us).

I watched the live webcast of the Great Communion at Abilene Christian. There were about 55 of us on line. The crowd at Abeline was large but not huge, but it was in a large arena so it was hard to tell. Preachers from all 3 branches were present and spoke and lead prayers. I couldn't tell how many participants from each branch were there because despite what many of the conservative brethren think, we all look alike. Doug Foster gave a talk about unity. Singing was all a capella except for one song from a small choir seated in the audience that was accompanied by a piano. A children's choir sang and toward the end of their song they all started waving banners, something you would never see in a CoC.
The main things fire-breathing legalistic CoC people wouldn't like (aside from being in the same room as Disciples) were women communion passers and too much hand clapping.
I would be interested in seeing stats on how many people from each branch were present.

As for Lively's last post:
     
   

Lively:  Heaven forbid the truth be taught right?  I do not think I was off topic... the topic was about observing some special communion... which the bible does not authorize... and I simply pointed that out...  that was not off the topic, but on that topic...

[Snargles]

Sword, I wasn't saying you were wrong, just that we were discussing the Great Communion, not who can be an elder. As for the GC being authorized, it was on the Lords Day and I hope the participants used the occassion to think about the Lord's death. As for where the different GCs were on the continum from "honest effort to reach out to Christians with different views on the proper way to worship" to "dog and pony show to make us look inclusive" only the people involved know.




Besides, I have been waiting for an excuse to use that Off Topic smiley. 

[Livelysword]

Sword, I wasn't saying you were wrong, just that we were discussing the Great Communion, not who can be an elder. As for the GC being authorized, it was on the Lords Day and I hope the participants used the occassion to think about the Lord's death. As for where the different GCs were on the continum from "honest effort to reach out to Christians with different views on the proper way to worship" to "dog and pony show to make us look inclusive" only the people involved know.




Besides, I have been waiting for an excuse to use that Off Topic smiley. 

Lively:  Give the NT verse in which it was authorized by any of the prophets

[Snargles]

Lively:  Give the NT verse in which it was authorized by any of the prophets

Do you mean you want a verse authorizing the Lords Supper on a Lord's Day afternoon?

[Livelysword]

Lively:  Give the NT verse in which it was authorized by any of the prophets

Do you mean you want a verse authorizing the Lords Supper on a Lord's Day afternoon?

Lively:  the subject is the great communion is it not?  Give the verse for the great communion in which people of all different faiths meet to have communion with each other...

[DCR]

Lively:  Give the NT verse in which it was authorized by any of the prophets

Do you mean you want a verse authorizing the Lords Supper on a Lord's Day afternoon?

Lively:  the subject is the great communion is it not?  Give the verse for the great communion in which people of all different faiths meet to have communion with each other...

All different faiths?  I believe those who participated in the event discussed in this thread are all of the Christian faith. 

Christians came together to partake of communion together on October 4th, which was the first day of the week.

What's the problem with that, exactly?

[HRoberson]

As far as I know, all present were Christians - most of whom would have been baptized - if not all of them.

There may have been a Muslim or two, or perhaps a Jew or two. But I suspect they didn't participate in the communion eating and drinking.

[phoebe]

Sorry we missed it.  I'm sure we are the only CoC in our area who would have participated in such an event with the ICC and DoC's.  Heck, the other area CoC's won't even fellowship with us!

It would have been an honor to share Table with them.  An even greater honor to serve them.

[phoebe]

I need to know:  what did you sing?

[Mere Nick]

Maybe it was 728b.

[Mere Nick]

Christians came together to partake of communion together on October 4th, which was the first day of the week.

What's the problem with that, exactly?

None, as far as I know, providing they partook in an upper room in accordance with the examples.

[zoonance]

Christians came together to partake of communion together on October 4th, which was the first day of the week.

What's the problem with that, exactly?

None, as far as I know, providing they partook in an upper room in accordance with the examples.

Perhaps of because of "why" they came together on October 4.   Just because we are told to come together to partake of the Lord's supper to both recall his death and that the efficacy of such is directly bonded to our relationship as believers with each other doesn't mean we are still supposed to consider our corporate "having something against our brother" stuff as binding today.  It never mentions October 4 in the new testament, thus it must be unauthorized - unless we sing 728b a capella.