General Chat

I so agree Carol.... :-) I don't drink tea and, when I've been visiting other churches and asked for coffee, it can cause quite a stir (pardon the pun). It's almost as though I have asked for a cup of devil's brew. :-D :-D :-D

An offer of an additional pair of hands at these functions often provides a solution. It's unthinkable to be without a cup of tea in the UK.

My mum used to say something along the lines: 'If you cannot see something to do around the house, that doesn't mean there is nothing to do'.

This is what I mean.

If there was no tea, there would have to be a very good reason for the situation.

Hard stare for coffee! Who would have been brave enough to ask for tea?

The WI & not a teapot in sight :-0

In our village that is usually the only drink available other than rather watery orange 'stuff' which they call Orange Juice!

Anyone asking about coffee is given a hard stare, a few granules are put into a cup & the cup then carried off to get water added.

The W I were catering the event. They were feeding and watering over a hundred people out of the vicarage kitchen.

I think there would be a good reason they did not provide tea.

Had I asked and been seen with a cup of tea, others would also have wanted one.

I may not be a good, or maybe even a bad, Christian but I am considerate.

It is not just ceremony within the religion that I would rather not be a part of. Just about the only thing I will even watch is the march past at the cenotaph after the service.

John 2:1-11

2 On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 2 Now both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding. 3 And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, “They have no wine.”

4 Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come.”

5 His mother said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.”

6 Now there were set there six waterpots of stone, according to the manner of purification of the Jews, containing twenty or thirty gallons apiece. 7 Jesus said to them, “Fill the waterpots with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. 8 And He said to them, “Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast.” And they took it. 9 When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom. 10 And he said to him, “Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now!”

Nothing about tea though it would be a strange English church / vicerage of any denomination without a teapot. Ask and it shall be given ...

It seems by some to be quite a radical thing these days to regularly attend church.

Hexcuse me Sharron, I don't wear 'strange' clothes when I go to church.......in fact, I will be in a rather fetching green outfit this morning ;-)



I understand what you mean though and you're not alone. There are many folk who are wary of vestments and liturgy........whereas I love them.


In a way, that's the beauty of the church - it is very broad and there is something for everyone. You have those churches where the clergy simply wear everyday clothes and those where the vestments dazzle and transport the mind.


I once heard a Vicar explain the symbolism behind each garment which is worn on special occasions and everything sort of fell into place and made sense.


And........why on earth didn't you ask for a cup of tea.........sheeeeeeesh...every church kitchen is stuffed with tea bags. ...... Shakes head in despair... ;-)

That is sad. It reminds me of when I had just become a Christian and my father in law died. We had a nice and suitable funeral with over 200 in attendance in a parish church in North Wales. The following Sunday the Rector invited the family to join his congregation. Few of us were regular church goers and I was thrilled when about 8 of us went up in two cars.

It was Sung Eucharist. There were 6 there before we more than doubled their numbers. And it was in Welsh. The Rector was not a native Welsh speaker, none of the 6 congregation were either and the pronunciation was "mangled". My mother in law (who is English speaking from Vale of Glamorgan) politely thanked him for his "message" as we left.

But a triumph of tradition over reality, I thought :-( An opportunity lost for the Rector and his dwindling congregation :-(

We went to church yesterday. It was a special anniversary for the vicar with a tea party at the vicarage afterwards.

It is important that Fred should get to everything he possibly can and he will go anywhere for a sandwich. Because we could not be absolutely sure that his lunchtime carers visit would be early enough for him to make the service, OH and I decided that we would go. We didn't want the vicar to think we were a family of freeloaders!

I don't go to church normally and I don't think I will go again, apart from funerals which are more about paying last respects to the dead.

Being there for the special event made me realize how much I have never liked all the ceremonial and ritual of the church, or anywhere else for that matter.
I think it must be why I avoid weddings like the plague. I just don't like being involved in something where people wear strange clothes and follow a pre-ordained pattern of behaviour.

Just to round things off, the spread at the gathering was sumptuous and delicious but there was no tea. There was wine. Can you imagine an afternoon without a cup of tea. Champagne doesn't do the job at all!