Welcome to CCS

Nice overview of belief, Marty.

Thanks Mac,

I am actually surprised! You know when you read something from years ago, you look at it and say, "Man, was I off!" When Gina posted back in December, I was reading it thinking this is good! (hehehe) Then I remembered, "EEjit! You wrote it!" Thankfully, at the time, I had gotten a lot of help from people on several other Yahoo boards with their input. Also, I had been reading for a few years before that. So, it really is more of a compilation of many people's efforts! Hopefully, posting it here again will spark some discussion...

Slan
Marty

Hi Common:

"I do have one question for the board though, is doctrine something you can develop on your own or is it essential to develop in a public forum in order to maintain a proper viewpoint."

Both, I would say. As for "on your own," a great deal of time can be spent alone in studying the Bible and weighing various doctrinal resources. At the same time, I believe we need our brethren who have gone before us, because we don't want to have to rediscover what they have already set down.

A word of warning, though. A lot that passes for sound doctrine in churches today and is preached from the pulpits amounts to misconceptions about what the Bible teaches. I call this pop theology. It often has its source in popular Christian ministries, TV shows, radio shows, tape ministries, and Christian bookstores. In what comes from those outlets, there is plenty that's good with the bad mixed in. I wish I could point to a source of sound doctrine that is totally pure. But, with me, everything gets some scrutiny. That's why we should read our Bibles closely.

That's also why we need the Holy Spirit. Jesus promised His disciples that He would guide them into all truth. I think one of the best ways to detect error is to listen to the inner promptings of the Spirit. We should not put much stock in our own ability to figure it out without flashes of insight, which I attribute to the workings of the Spirit within.

I don't claim to be infallible in being taught by the Spirit, and I don't accept any claims of infallibility in the Church. Sometimes I may stray a bit far afield, but I have also let the Holy Spirit reel me in. I like to know if people think what I am saying is sound or unsound. It helps me and may confirm the direction I should go after I weigh what they have said. I don't know that everything that seems unbiblical is heretical. I consider anything. Maybe God just wants to teach me a new way of interpretting something. And some things people believe, they never intended to cause factions (the definition of heresy).

Laurence Schell

I enjoyed the meditation for January 29, 2007.

Prayer from Celtic Treasure by J. Philip Newell
Journey and Promise

Book Two
Day One

Our beginnings are in Eden, O God;
our genesis is in you.
Open to us the gateways of your presence in life
and the doors that lead us further into your mystery.
Awaken our memory of the garden of our beginnings
that we may find ourselves again in you.

I was reminded of the many Creation stories found in the garden. I see the connection between humanity and tending the land. A connection forgotten in today’s technological world.

I have come to the conclusion that that first garden is not concealed from view but rather seen and passed by everyday. I believe that humanity has transferred the garden around the world to be enjoyed.

In the Creation Story, I hear the garden is created for humanity and humanity for the garden. This relationship parallels the relationship of Humanity and God. I believe to put it simply, to care for one another.

Humanity moves away from the initial reason of the Creation Story and them needs to be reminded of the garden and what it is about. Once we remember, then we find ourselves, one another and God.

The study of history teaches me that the easiest portion of ourselves to transfer as we migrate around the world is the relationship with God. Once we get to our destination, then the reminders of God go up (i.e. church, shrines, stones).

And when all is said and done in the present realm, then the awaken memories will be the place we return and meet God.

In concluding, I would like to leave you with another thought that I had during my meditation. There is no mystery in our spirituality or the miraculous. It is simple knowledge accepted when peace is found.

Greetings Halloway,

Thanks for your post, I'm glad that you are enjoying J.Philip Newell's devotionals. If you go back a few months you will see some of his other works posted here as well. I enjoy the theology of his prayers. He is a well known teacher and author of Celtic Christianity. Every evening for the next few weeks I'll be posting the 'Prayer' section from his latest book Celtic Treasure as an evening devotion.

In your post you stated, "There is no mystery in our spirituality or the miraculous. It is simple knowledge accepted when peace is found. Perhaps it is the finding of peace that is the 'miracle'!

Slan
Marty

Prayer from Celtic Treasure by J. Philip Newell
Journey and Promise

Book Two
Day Three

Let us dream of the angels that connect heaven and earth.
Let us imagine the threads of the eternal woven into time.
And let us know you among us now, O God.
In this time and every time may we know your blessings among us.

Hi there,

Posting again here as I realised most had moved here from the old board.

I'm looking for a christian celtic artist. Want to commission a complex cross design for some specific requirements.

Please post here if you can help!

Dia anseo isteach!

Greetings g,

And welcome to CCS. My name is Marty Farrell and I moderate this site. I'm sorry but I haven't come across anyone who is involved in the graphic arts on this site. Musicians... we have plenty of them but not artists! If you'd like me to be an extra set of ears for you, send me an address where I can reach you at mfjfarrell@yahoo.com . I'll ask around on some of the other CC boards where I am a member.

Also, if you have an interest in Celtic Christianity, please feel free to join us here as a regular. We're a nice group of good people who love meeting others from all over the world. Thanks for stopping bye!
May the Lord of all Creation bless you in your quest...

Slan
Marty

I was listening to a CD this morning from Michael Schroeder. He has a great song that reminded me so much of the travels of St. Brendon.

Send the storm, Lord, so that I may fall,
Back into your awaiting arms,
For when I’m Weak, then I am storm,
So I will reach for You- send the Storm

2 Cor 12-9-10

Scotty

Greetings all,

The year is moving along swiftly! Tomorrow is February 1st, the Feast of St Brigid, (La Fheile Bhride)(law AY-leh VREE-jeh)(please excuse the absence of 'fadas' - not permitted in HTML!) or in the Celtic Cycle, Imbolc (IM-bulk). It is the second in the cycle of four festivals that marked the Celtic calendar. It celebrated the promise of the return of life coming in Spring. Christians of the time saw it as a promise of a warmer, brighter future with the returning of the Lord. (In this bitter NE winter that's something I can latch onto as well!)

I did a little research on it earlier this morning and found a nice site that goes into detail, both Pagan and Christian, about this day. If the pagan references offend you, skip down to the middle of the page and pick up with the coming of Christ. http://www.chalicecentre.net/imbolc.htm The Celtic Christians of the past lived in harmony with their traditions, converting all that went before into something that was a reminder of what they knew of Christ. We live with realization of the 'two worlds' within us! This world and the Eternal Kingdom of which we are already citizens. These festivals were lessons or reminders to the people of the 'Cycle of Life' that it at the core of their Celtic Cross. So, while I'm not espousing the pagan side of the day, I'll remind you of the way the earlier Celtic Christians viewed this day, as new hope, in the midst of the bleakness of winter, that God would return and restore them to Himself! If you want to light a few candles and thank God for His return... well... that's up to you!

May the Lord of Light and its warmth return for us soon!

Slan
Marty

Hey Scotty,

When you mentioned about the 'voyage of Brendan' I thought I remembered having an album along that line. So I went to check out all my CC CD's but couldn't find it! Checked harder and suddenly realized, it was the voyage of Colm Cille! (duh!) Its the same album that has the Deer's Cry that I love so much done by Rita Connolly.

Actually, I wish there were a way to 'legally' share our music with each other. I keep looking for free CC music stations on the internet but so far to no avail! I've got over 19 hours of select CC music I play constantly on my machine and there's always Celtic Christian Music and Celtic Spirit on Live 365. I think its so much better having CC in the background of my life to reinforce a Celtic mindset than anything else!
Well, thanks for the post, buddy!

Slan
Marty

marty,
that's why i'm a fan of "Livewire" i paid i one time fee of $38.00 and i can legally download all i want. (though since i have only been using the internet at work, i havent done any down loading for a while)

you said
"In this bitter NE winter that's something I can latch onto as well!)"
 AMEN! it's been in the teens here! yesterday it only got up to 17 degrees!

icey!!

i never kept track of calander holidays. i mean, if it werent Christmas, Easter, or 4th of July. i didnt really pay attention. but i have been wanting to observe the feast days this year.
how are they celebrated? are ther traditions like for feast of St. Nicolas where kids put their shoes out? (honest to goodness i only just heard of that like 2 christmases ago!) are there traditional meals or meditations?

Hello G!
to be honest when i saw that there was an entry by the name of "G" i thought "did i forget to type the rest of my name?" hahaha, and well, i went by G for the longest time. nice to meet another one. welcome and feel free to join our conversations!

Blessings!

Hey Gina,

Thanks for the lead... A few months ago I joined MusicETC, which is a network of normal people who have music collections. The idea of the software and subscription is to search each others hard drives for songs that you are looking for. Is that what Livewire is? I'm not too happy with MusicETC, not their fault, CC music is hard to come by! The nearest I could come to what I was looking for were Contemporary Christian singers (Michael Card, Sheila Walsh, Michelle Tumes, etc) who had some Celtic influences to their music. Still great stuff but it was impossible to find Nick & Anita Haigh or Louise Fellingham's Before thy Throne. They're just not available! If Livewire has them, then I'm in! Is there a way to check out before joining there?

As for the NE winter! Since when are you on the East Coast? Miss Middle America! (hehehe) Although, I won't blame you... its those Canadians and all their Arctic Air!!!

Celebrating holidays or feast days is something that you can do on a daily basis if you want. Each day has its own saint. In the Celtic Cycle of the year, there were four major festivals to make the advancing of the year. On the 1st of every fourth month starting with the Celtic New Year (Samhain - Halloween) All Saints Day, there is another of the four festivals. For myself, I just include a prayer of thanksgiving at dinner time. Well, actually, it is my wife who lights the candles and prays before meals on that day, much like Advent. Its just a way to work in the Celtic Cycle along with our religious traditions. That's something the Celtic Saints were good at! And, I like being a part of the heritage of my ancestors as well. My Irish Catholic grandmother always kept them!

If you noticed on the link I posted, they made suggestions for observing this feast at the bottom of the page. First suggestion was to clean up the Christmas decorations! But I liked the idea of putting Brigid's cross in the kitchen as a reminder of the work she did in feeding so many and blessing the food we prepare. I'll upload some shots of her cross and the Trinity candle my wife and I use for these feast days. Its really up to you whether you commemorate them or not. As I said, I just like holding onto my own roots!

Wanna hear something funny? When my Outlook Express brought in this mornings mail and I saw a post from CCS with the name G... I thought it was you but your forgot to sign in fully! (hehehe) Glad I didn't say anything stupid!!! Actually, my second thought was to ask if he/she were related to D.! (sorry, that's only funny to those who migrated from the previous board!)

Well, thanks again for the post! May the Lord of all Celebrations lead you in your choices this day...

Slan
Marty

The traditional Bridid's cross made of straw...

Trefoil candles we light on the four Celtic feast days before dinner...

oooppps, sorry it's liMewire!!! my bad- livewrie is a call girl thing in the area! BIG mix up!