Comments for Stafford Carson : Presbyterian Pastor

Comment on Multi-screen church by Bertie McCaffrey

Bertie McCaffrey — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 20:18:35 +0000

Personal…….. If and when my comments are published may I be referred to as :-
“Ek View”

Comment on Belfast City Mission by Stephen

Stephen — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 09:41:00 +0000

My questions / observations don’t seem to be drawing much of a response; I’m quite happy to be told I’m off the mark with this one - maybe the silence is doing just that. However, in days when we are being told about a crisis facing the PCI in the city of Belfast in particular and the requirement of every congregation in the General Assemby to formulate ‘mission plans’, I am struggling to understand the relationship between the PCI and the BCM, both at a theological/ecclesiology level and in the practical everyday setting.

Is there a ‘crisis’ of numbers when BCM mission halls are filled with converts as the result of a PCI mission arm?

Does the BCM currently feature in the ‘mission plans’ of local Presbyterian congregations in Belfast?

The BCM website introduces the BCM as believing ‘intrinsically in the “Reformed Faith”… Bible based and unashamedly Calvinistic’. Yet intrinsic to the reformed faith are matters of ‘church’ & belonging / membership, of the word being rightly preached and the sacraments being rightly administered. Hence the earlier ecclesiology remark, and the related strong belief Presbyterians have in the means of grace.

I rejoice in the work of the BCM as outlined by Stafford and backed up by Bobi and Willie, and wish not to take away from it. If my questions / observations have no merit or are off the mark, tell me. But, how does the oft-made remark that “the local church is God’s tool in the world for evangelising the lost” feature here?

Comment on Women and Children First by Charlie Freel

Charlie Freel — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:46:08 +0000

As an ex army explosives expert and ex full time Belfast Fire Fighter,could i please make you aware of a few very important and crucial facts, which both the New York times and Al Mohler fail to recognize in their articles,thereby casting a shadow of shame on the innocent victims of the lucitania. First of all i would like to point out,that there was very little similarity between the two disasters,this fact automaticlly makes them totally unacceptable choices for a comparative study. The Titanic SANK slowly after striking an iceberg in peacetime.Most of the passangers did not realize the seriousness of the situation until well after the initial impact.This allowed time for people of cool head and strong heart,to exert a certain amount of control over the situation.The fact that women and children were put first is i believe, a perfectly natural,totally admirable, God given strength and the most sincere expression of undiluted human love, that a man can aspire to. The Lucitania was SANK during war time,it was hit by a torpedo,there would have been an unexpected massive explosion,fireball and intence heatwave reverberating throughout the wholeship.The ship would have began listing almost immediatly,wounded and burning victims would have been screaming and running blindly from the blast area,many of them deafened,shellshocked,and totally disorientated by the explosion.This charge of blind panic would have quickly gathered momentum and spread across the ship as a stampede as the poor victims sought to escape further expected torpedos. Women,Children,the sick and the Elderly,would nearly all have been trampled to death. I have absolutly no doubt that there many heroic men and women aboard the Lucitania who tried their best to help the weak,but trying to stop a panic stricken stampede of that magnitude,in such horrific conditions would i believe have been nearly impossible.

Comment on Women and Children First by Cheryl

Cheryl — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 19:35:39 +0000

I agree with much of this… but there are different types of “feminism”, and we shouldn’t all be lumped together. The morality of the Titanic is about protecting and providing for the “weaker”, “smaller”, less physically strong, and in general that applies to children, then women as against men. The responsibility isn’t on the men, as men, but on human beings as human beings, to use their strengh in the interest of others.
There are things some women are strong in, and we should be allowed - morally compelled, even - to use our strength, not to put men down, but for the benefit of any whose abilities in these areas is lacking.

Comment on Multi-screen church by Ferm Rant

Ferm Rant — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 16:09:01 +0000

Like Charlie and Bertie we use the usual I.T.to enhance worship in our church. It certainly helps enhance the quality and vitality of the service be it in praise,development of the sermon or supplement to the childrens talk. The content is not superceded by the use of IT but gives a greater devolvement to those in the pews.Gods love has no bounds so neither should a reasonable use of technology especially as the next generation have been brought up on it! Recently stafford used it to great effect in our evening service !

Comment on Multi-screen church by Alan in Belfast

Alan in Belfast — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 16:04:01 +0000

Charlie - your examples seem like a good use of technology. It provided a way for those in the congregation to relate to the folk while they were away and after they came back. That’s not gimmicky or distracting.

Comment on Multi-screen church by Charlie Freel

Charlie Freel — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 18:07:50 +0000

Dear Stafford,This morning at Granshaw,we had a fantastic family service of sincere Christian worship.Unfortunatly i suspect that a lot of your fellow bloggers would have disapproved.Granshaw by the grace of God has the priviledge of being responsible for the feeding and accomodation requirments,of 800 orphans at the Fairways Mission in Uganda.Three of our Granshaw volunteers have just returned from a very uplifting visit to Fairways.Thanks to God given modern technology, via video and big screen, our whole congregation was able to wittness at first hand the undiluted Christian joy, hope for the future,and ultimate hope of salvation that our humble efforts are providing for some of the least of Gods children in Uganda.Two weeks ago while our Granshaw volunteers where still at Fairways, we had a live link up during our Sunday service with Solomon the minister and adopted father of the orphans at Fairways.This again was a totally uplifting spiritual experiance. The second part of our family service today, was conducted by the seed sowing puppeteers from Comber.The large life-like totally believable puppets and the very real Christian message that they conveyed so enjoyably,ensured that even though the service ran over its time,young and old alike remained rooted to their seats. I sincerly hope Stafford that our past differences will not stop you posting this comment.

Comment on Multi-screen church by Bertie McCaffrey

Bertie McCaffrey — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 14:57:26 +0000

I am 78 yrs. old and I love Jesus with my whole heart, mind and strength. I also love my church family and ,like many of them, I continue to grow spiritually from the experience of being part of that fellowship. I believe that God’s word gives me the liberty to worship him with my whole being and to use whatever means, I.T. included, I find appropriate to give him all the praise the honour and the glory.
Are we not loosing many of our young people ? Is it not just conceivable that updating our means of presenting the gospel might help in this respect ?
Perhaps we should ask Jesus what he thinks !

Comment on Multi-screen church by Roy

Roy — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 14:07:10 +0000

I feel you have raised a very important point. What is becoming common is a blurring of the differences between everyday life and the church service. The church service is now more of an extension to television and technology-filled everyday life rather than a time set aside for the sacred, for contemplation, reflection and (self) discovery. To walk into one church I can think of is like walking onto the set of Coronation Street!!

In the future the youngest members of the church will not thank those responsible, even if done unwittingly and with the best of intentions, for failing to provide them with an awareness of the differences between the sacred and profane.

Comment on Moderator-Designate by J Trimble

J Trimble — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 01:21:26 +0000

I remember wee norman speaking in the greenmount hall the day after my work colleague was brutally murdered in January 2002. I wonder does he still drive the Peugeot 309 and does he still have an ecumenical love for Aidan Troy.