Ian

Merry Christmas to the 5 people who will see this post.

@TimVasbyBurnie Hah!

@FinallyHuman From today's sermon.

Christian, I know it’s tempting to eat all the cheese today but remember it is your solemn duty to keep on celebrating the birth of the Saviour for 11 more days. Pace yourself!

@FatherSJC Hah!

Do we know which Priest told a bunch of primary school kids that Santa isn’t real yet?

@FrJoshuaBell Move over Mariah Carey and Michael Bublé it’s @Psephizo we watch for the coming of the Festive Season now

@FinallyHuman This, and Ian Paul telling us there was no stable/donkey/innkeeper - that’s when you know it’s Christmas.

@thevicarswife @DrFrancisYoung @2D0XPS @DuncanHegan1 Awesome! I bet those were good.

@FinallyHuman @DrFrancisYoung @2D0XPS @DuncanHegan1 I love that book. I attended seminars at Word Alive in 1994 (I think) with Carson, that became that book. So interesting and helpful.

How old Mary was when she conceived Our Lord is irrelevant since no sex was involved. The Virgin Birth of Jesus is Islamic doctrine as well so I don’t know why Jvnior here is saying “their God” in reference to something his own religion teaches.

@DrFrancisYoung @2D0XPS @DuncanHegan1 Oh! Perhaps Carson’s Exegetical Fallacies should be required reading: eden.co.uk/christian-book…

@DrFrancisYoung @2D0XPS @DuncanHegan1 The use of Philo and Agape in the restoration of Peter in John’s Gospel. The existence of very narrow gates in the walls of Jerusalem. Jesus having his morals corrected.

This popped on my headphones and you know what? “Jesus is my boyfriend” music is good, actually.

"This holy tide of Christmas *all* others doth deface" is a pretty bold statement but I reckon it stands up.

@barukalas There’s an angle on this in the Lessons this Sunday. Ahaz was known to sacrifice his children to Molech. Nevertheless the LORD promises the sign to him that “the virgin will conceive and bear a son”.

The gods of the pagans demanded the blood of our children (Leviticus 18:21). In our sinful desperation, the thought of trading their lives for our atonement even presented itself (Micah6:7). Yet, the Living God did not desire to take — but to give — a child.

Jesus was not placed into a manger because of poverty. Jesus was laid in a manger because He is food.

I have a great spiritual diet in my Seminary but for sure one small commitment I’ve made is to find some sort of worship off-site with a different community to go along and attend. Work or Ministry cannot become the only time I pray.

Here's the Advent calendar you've been waiting for... copyright by 2025 Golden Ink, A WNB/TM Joint:

Great to catch up with Seminarian Ian Burgess at the Alma Mater. The House is in very good heart. Thanks to Fr Harri Williams and the staff for their wonderful hospitality. I am also delighted to report that the Christmas Conga continues.

I bring a "but have you heard the Sufjan version" vibe to the music at the Christmas party that normal Christmas Enjoyers don't really like.

What is there to be embarrassed about in the original words for Hills Of The North Rejoice?

Ok, I’m finally gonna explain it: “6-7” is the liminal point at which the sixth day ends and the Sabbath begins, and thus prefigures the dawn of the new creation.

@cath_cov @CyrilDash This is the day-chapel (I’m sure there’s a more technical term. It’s the place where the Divine Liturgy is offered daily) of the Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Charlotte NC. No Iconostasis.

Shared by @CyrilDash, illustrating how some newer Orthodox churches are restoring the more ancient design which had no iconostasis.