Hang out with people
who are listeners and care?
Finding such is hard.
Saturday, February 4, 2023
Friday, February 3, 2023
Lunch
Are you sticking around after the service?
No, I've got a lunch.
Why not bring her to church?
She doesn't like church. She believes in God, she just doesn't like the church. Mostly because the church was very cruel to her Mum. Her Mum gave most of her life to the church. And the church just took, and took, and took. She sang, and taught, and administered, and sewed, and practiced, and coached, and brought her kids, and supported. And then, when she was forced to get a divorce, the church was really cruel and nasty over that. And, when she finally left, the church didn't really care. And, in the end, she was just a rental.
Thursday, February 2, 2023
Jesus movie screenings
Well, it isn't *exactly* the Jesus Film Festival, but the Church of the Nazarene is, at least, willing to screen the films. This will be happening over the next few months, with the initial suggestion being that we will be screening the films at the Church of the Nazarene on Saturday nights at 6 PM, with some discussion time to follow the screening.
The movies, sorted by length/running time, are:
"The Miracle Maker" - 87 min
"Godspell" - 102 min
"Jesus Christ Superstar" - 107 min
"Jesus" - 174 min
"The Greatest Story Ever Told" - 199 min
"Jesus of Nazareth" - 382 min
The reason for noting the running time is that, given a 6 PM start, we don't want to go too late on a Saturday night, and, particularly, not to start with. I am loath to start with a movie that has to be split into parts, but I also wouldn't want to start with one of the musicals ("Godspell" and "Jesus Christ Superstar") as some would consider them disrespectful. Ordinarily I would also want to put "The Miracle Maker" later in the run, as a children's matinee, but, given all the factors to consider, I think that is where we have to start. And I suspect that the next one has to be a two-part "Jesus."
So, based on a start date of February 11th, we get a schedule (always subject to changes) of:
Feb. 11 - The Miracle Maker
Feb. 18 -Jesus (part 1)
Feb. 25 - Jesus (part 2)
Mar. 4 - Godspell
Mar. 11 - The Greatest Story Ever Told (part 1)
Mar. 18 - The Greatest Story Ever Told (part 2)
Mar. 25 - Jesus Christ Superstar
Apr. 1 - The Miracle Maker (2 PM children's matinee) (cancelled)
Apr. 15 - Jesus of Nazareth (part 1) sc 1-26
Apr. 22 - Jesus of Nazareth (part 2) sc 27-50
May 6 - Jesus of Nazareth (part 3) sc 51-71
May 13 - Jesus of Nazareth (part 4) sc 72-90
(You will have noticed that I suggest "The Miracle Maker" be re-screened April 1st: this is not a joke, I would suggest it be available as a children's matinee on that date.)
Outline/precis of the films:
"The Miracle Maker" - 87 min
An animated, short, and fairly simple portrayal of Jesus' period of ministry, basically as seen by the daughter of Jairus, leader of a synagogue in the area of Galilee.
"Jesus" - 174 min
Originally a TV mini-series, the most recent title of the film series. Again, covers the ministry period of Jesus life. Gary Oldman does the most Machiavellian Pilate of the series. It is very interesting to compare the portrayals of Peter, and the motivations of Judas, in the different movie versions. (This was Gloria's favourite, as it portrays Jesus as very human, often joking with the disciples.)
"Godspell" - 102 min
One of the two musicals. (Interestingly, both musicals were written by Jewish authors, and both end at the crucifiction.) This is heavily influenced from the 60s. Interestingly, one character seems to portray John the Baptist, Peter, and Judas, all in one.
"The Greatest Story Ever Told" - 199 min
The "art film" of the series. Very beautiful cinematography, although sometimes very slow paced, as a movie. The characters of the disciples are very much subordinate to the portrayal of Jesus. (Also check for John Wayne's cameo, the most unintentionally hilarious moment of the whole series.)
"Jesus Christ Superstar" - 107 min
The rock opera. Some may find this a disrespectful portrayal of Jesus, as it very much stresses his humanity.
"Jesus of Nazareth" - 382 min
The longest and most complete version of the life of Jesus (starting with the betrothal of Mary and Joseph), but theologically influenced by the Catholic church in many places.
In future years, the film festival can be extended to the Christmas or pre-Christmas season. Part one of "Jesus of Nazareth" covers the nativity, and would be an obvious candidate. "The Nativity Story" is another. There are a number of versions of "Carols from Kings," which is a lovely recorded service of lessons and carols from Kings College, Cambridge. (There is also "Journey to Bethlehem," which is likely appealing in a number of ways, but may be theologically problematic.)
Posted to Facebook at https://fb.me/e/5dGl0UnMd
Posted to blog (which will be updated with changes) at https://fibrecookery.blogspot.com/2023/02/jesus-movie-screenings.html
Wednesday, February 1, 2023
Comfort
As a pastor, he is concerned about my situation, and my lack of comfort and fellowship. We had, in fact, being talking about listening, and I had noted that listening needed to be more than simply being quiet while the other person talked, and needed to be backed up by actual interest.
This turned out to be a mistake. He decided that what I was describing was a wife. He decided that what I wanted was a wife. He is, possibly, correct. He decided that I would not be happy in looking for a church until I found a church that would or could be a surrogate wife. It is possible that he is correct. It may be that it is impossible to be accurate about your own motivations in this regard, in this type of situation, in pursuing the depth of your own psychology, and accurately identify your own internal state. There is certain research in the field of logic that indicates this possibility. (This would create a problem for the psychological counseling and therapies that rely on the "talking cure," although it is possible that some benefit maybe derived, even when when is not completely accurate or correct about an internal state, or central internal state, or all internal states. Be that as it may.)
The thing is, he decided that this was the case. (Which I thought rather proved my previous point about listening: he only listened until he felt he had diagnosed the problem, and then stopped listening to anything else that I had to say.) At which point, he decided that there was no point in my looking for a church, as I was looking for the wrong thing. It is not reasonable to ask a church to fulfill the role of surrogate wife. It may not be possible, and, in any case, it would probably be unhealthy to try and do this kind of surrogate replacement.
I do not think that he is correct. He may be, of course. However, while he has made his decision, he did not present any evidence to support that contention, other than the mere fact of the illustration. So, I'm not convinced that his assessment is, in fact, accurate or correct. And, even if it's assessment is correct, it is not exactly helpful. Even if I could assume, for the sake of argument or development of strategy, that he is correct, what course am I to take in this regard? Am I to look for a wife in my current damaged, pained, grieving state? I am not, in this state, an attractive candidate for any type of romantic interest or involvement. Or, am I to change my requirements of what I am looking for, in a church? I have, in fact, two requirements of a church: I am looking for a church where I can provide assistance, and do work, and have a purpose, and I am also looking for comfort. If, in fact, I am looking for the wrong thing in terms of comfort, then the church will not be able to provide comfort: no church will. In that case, it is, in fact, impossible to obtain comfort. (Lord save me from pastors, and comforters, who are cheerful people. As with W in Delta, whom I told I would never go to for counseling or pastoral care, since he was a primarily cheerful person, and his sole experience with depression had lasted all of a few days, and terrified him, whereas I have faced it for more than five decades. Anything he could suggest would be facile and based on very limited experience, whereas I have long years of study and personal experience on the issue.)
And then I, seemingly randomly, run into F. And he tells me that the pastor does not understand and that we need to get together. That's a comfort, and I'm looking forward to getting together with him.
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