Thanks for your responses to my JAFFA club dilemma...To my surprise (and pleasure) M's mum appeared to collect this afternoon, so I asked for a quick word and explained what I planned to do next week. Pleasure was, however, rapidly replaced by near panic, as the situation is
even more complicated than the school had suggested. There is indeed a strong Jewish connection but the mum describes herself as "Christian, but we don't do all the stuff that the church has added...like the festivals, because they are pagan anyway".
I asked where her boundaries lay in terms of acceptable teaching for her daughter, and we now have a coffee date lined up for Friday to explore more fully. All was entirely amicable, but I'm actually rather unnerved by the whole thing, and fearful that I'll say something crass and unhelpful or, in my anxiety to keep the channels open, bend over backwards so far that I end up gazing at the stars.
A few prayers for wisdom wouldn't go amiss, if anyone has time.
8 comments:
"Crass and unhelpful" is just not you!! I think the risk there is absolutely negligible!
Time to pray is not a problem - but my memory is, so I'll pray now!
You said "I'm anxious to steer their thoughts to the baby in the manger". That's not pagan, that's biblical! It's good that she's willing to talk to you - and Chris is quite right about the absence of risk.
How interesting that amongst all the fuss about mention of Christmas being offensive to people of other faiths (which it doesn't in practice seem to be anyway) you should have encountered a Christian for whom it's a problem. She's not a Jehovah's Witness is she?
Have prayed too - realistically, I'm likely to forget on Friday as I'll be in Hanover for a few days with a friend.
mary's JW suggestion is interesting - my several friends in evangelical Jesus is my Lord and very very very best friend 'house churches' (yes them) also refute the appropriateness of having 'festival' input for their children and don't celebrate. Apparently Christianity doesn't involve Christmas any more than it does Easter. I'm told that Jesus is/ was Lord in the beginning middle and end of all creation, so his human birth and death are mere cultural irrelevancies unworthy of Christ-centred recognition and teaching. No really, they are. honest. And besides, community halls and school halls can't be hired on bank holidays so they can't have the appropriate church services anyway even if there was a message to be heard...
oh i so wish i'd misunderstood them. I think i'll go back up the candle now.
hugs and prayers
Is it just me or do they sound to be Messianic Jews? People who believe in Jesus as Messiah but don't celebrate the festivals (because, as the mother rightly said, they're arguably pagan anyway...) and who usually shy away from Christmas... My MJ friend calls it Xmess, and she and her daughters have a Sabbath meal and exchange some simple gifts on Christmas Day. There's a wealth of information on Messianic Jews... I often think I could quite go in for it myself...
It might also be a stand against the commercial side of Christmas, which unfortunately too many churches seem to get caught up in too. IMHO Santa has no place in church Christmas services for examples.
I've been interested in the comments too. Christmas is celebrated at the time of a pagan feast no doubt - but I think it is important to celebrate Jesus' humanity (as well as divinity) - and having a birthday party for Him - well is just a good thing IMHO - provided HE (and not only us) is the focus.
When you think about it - giving presents to each other on someone else's birthday IS a bit strange. Yet I love giving - and that's why I buy into the commercial side of Christmas every time.
Lord give Kathryn all the wisdom and understanding that she needs. Help her hear YOUR voice above all. Amen
sorry, what's IMHO????
oh, got it.....
There's a fellow posting on surefish who holds very similar ideas. He's not actually Jewish by origin but seems to lead a Messianic fellowship on the IoW. He was trying to persuade us we are all wrong, and possibly doomed to hell, because we celebrate Christmas on 25th December. I would find it very difficult to have to engage in conversation about such things with someone in real life, so you have my utmost sympathy.
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