Curiosity question: do you celebrate Sabbath, and if so, how do you honor the day?

[UberLutheran]

When I was growing up in a fundamentalist church, we observed a strict Sabbath which involved going to church twice during the day, and no movies, sports, rehearsals during the afternoon and evening.

As an adult, in my middle years, I still observe a Sunday Sabbath with some traditions I follow. Compared to the people I know at work (and even some on this board), what I follow is rather strict - but I've found a balance which works for me.

First: upon rising, I light the Sabbath candle, which stays lit the entire day until I go to bed. I also light the appropriately-colored liturgical candle for the season: right now we're in Pentecost (or Ordinary time) so the candle is green. In Advent, the color is purple; Christmas is white; Epiphany is green; Lent is purple; Passion Week is red, except after church on Maundy Thursday through Saturday evening, which is black; Easter is white; Pentecost is red, and the time after Pentecost is (as I mentioned) green.

I follow a fairly strict "no work" rule for the Sabbath, which means I don't work unless a situation arises where someone will be seriously impacted if I don't do something or an urgent problem arises. I am one of two Christians in my work group, but everyone is OK with my Sabbath observance.

I do play for services on Sunday morning and direct the choir, and on occasion I also preach (which is LOTS of fun). Sunday afternoon I take a nap (I really look forward to that nap!), and afterwards I fix dinner (which I really enjoy doing); after dinner, we watch TV or perhaps a movie.

At 9:00 pm we attend Compline at an Episcopal church downtown, which I love because the service is sung in chant, it's quiet, and it's the only service I go to during the week where I have absolutely nothing to do except worship. (Music directors need time to worship, too.) :prayer:

Before I go to bed, I take out a cedar box, open it, and smell the inside of the box (which obviously smells like cedar!) to remind me of the fragrance of the Sabbath; and then I pour a glass of very good wine which is used only for this occasion, say a prayer of thanksgiving for the Sabbath, drink the wine and blow out the candles. The wine symbolizes the sweetness of the Sabbath, and gives me something to reflect on during the week - particularly when I'm stressed - and helps me focus on getting through the week to the next Sabbath.

I implemented this several years ago - and the interesting thing is that I really, really look forward to the Sabbath, which is sort of a mini-Christmas.

How do you celebrate Sabbath? Do you do anything special to celebrate the day?

[Buttermilk]

I'm glad you enjoy your day.

Personally, I usually go to church in the morning where I help run one of the children's Sunday School classes. In the afternoon/evening you will usually find me undertaking one of my hobbies or interests, or else you will find me on here :D

I don't work because there is no requirement to in the job I do, but if there was I would have no problem with it.

[Bizzlebin Imperatoris]

Nope, I don't worship on Saturday :)

[seebs]

I don't actually do much about it. I do church on Wednesday nights anyway. But I have been thinking of trying to do something with my Sundays (or Saturdays) other than just socializing with friends; even though I'm very close to totally unemployed, I still tend to think of weekends as "time off".

[UberLutheran]

Nope, I don't worship on Saturday :)

Or do you not set aside a day for worship and rest (which is also covered in Romans 14)? :)

[Toney]

http://www.msnusers.com/2c19e35eqk4acjg7b8c3th3eu6/Documents/Pictures%2FFramedChallah.jpg

This painting by Martina Shapiro is titled "Challah," and with candles and wine, challah bread makes a Shabbat Table complete. In a Jewish household the celebration of Shabbat, which begins at sundown each Friday, is a celebration of the holiness of time; a day both Christians and Jews are commanded to keep holy.

Thank you UL for sharing the holiness of your Sabbath. Personally I have done some back-sliding, which you inspire me to correct.

[praying]

Wow Uber you truly make me feel like a liberal backslider ;)


What do I do, read and church.

Oh and laundry. :) Can't forget the laundry.

I actually find my commute time on the train to work my best worship time, although this obviously is not celebrating the Sabbath or maybe it my way of having a little bit of Sabbath everyday. I sit for the most part by myself and read my Bible and devotionals. It is pretty much the only time I have to be alone with God.

I am currently reading a Walk Through the New Testament a compilation of various Oswald Chambers pieces dicussing the you guessed it the New Testament.

[Im_A]

my worship time has been set with being aroung other Christians specifically every other sunday night and wedsnday night. currently in some driving problems, but my mom is willing to take me to sunday night meeting, and i pray that i find a way for wedsnday night. it is an hour drive, but it has been the best thing in my spiritual life in a long time.

i am also, sometime soon, going to be starting to read about the "Eternal Sabbath", mentioned in Hebrews, and forgive me right now for not knowing the exact quotations from Hebrews, but I will return with the exact quotations soon.

I got out of the mode, of feeling like i have to go to church grundgingly. i believe the Spirit of God will not work in us, unless we are willing to go with it, with a pure heart, not a soldier obeying the drill sergant's orders. now that i have found a place that i meet up with Christians, and we deal with the questions we have. it isn't in a church, it is actually downtown Toledo, Ohio, right next to one of the gay bars. a small little place rented out and we sit down, read the Bible, pray, talk for 2 hours and then basically hang out/fellowship as most churches would call it. hang out till most people clear out, and call it a night. i prefer wedsnday nights because it is easier to get the deeper questions of our faith out in a smaller group. there really isn't like a choir, or someone playing the guitar for songs. worshiping God i believe includes everything from singing, dancing, to slience in prayer, or just prayer. maybe someday we will haev a guitar player, or something, who knows, I leave that in the hands of God.

but this has brought me back to God. the issues we deal with, has made me want to get closer to God. i enjoy it, i want to go, so i can be around Christians and also, i feel another step closer to God through this, and it isn't emotional kind of stuff. i am hoping to move to that city in the near future, because the hour drive wears on my truck, and now with driving issues that have arised, boggels my mother down, but she is willing to get me up there, and the pastor is willing to come and get me for wedsnday nights, and if need be, stay the night there.

i am also looking into the catholic church too. i like the idea that they have mass everyday of the week. that's the way it should be with all churches in my opinion, but i am not at the head seat of some denomination.

with my work schedule the way it is, it is hard to be like the normal Christians out there. but this makes me want to do it, instead of feeling like i am grundgingly do it and i have felt the fruit growing inside of me ever since i started doing this, and i look forward to how it is going to be better in the near future.

p.s. i ask all those that read this and attend church every sunday to not take offense. i am not making a generalization of people. i am just stating things based upon from my own mistakes in my walk with Christ. i respect all Christians who are on their own spiritual path with Jesus, whether if it differs from mine or not. God Bless you all! <><

[sakamuyo]

I set aside one day a week to be free from work. 6 days a week I work. 1 day I rest.

During the summer months, that day has been Monday. Fall through spring, that will move to Saturday. Occaisionally, things come up that need to be done on Saturdays. Best as possible, I'll take Thursday or Friday off, then, instead.

What do I do? That all depends. Sometimes I nap or ready. Or, I might spend the day at the college football game. Whatever it is, it's something I consider rest, relaxation, and/or recreation.

[Treasure the Questions]

I know you are a pastor, Kevin, and Sunday must be pretty busy for you, but I wonder if anyone else feels Sunday isn't very restful, even though they aren't a pastor.

I find that sometimes there seems more to do on a Sunday, trying to get to church as well as everything else, than there is in the rest of the week. As well as the day to go to church it is also the day for family time, perhaps inviting people to dinner, or giving my husband more time than he can have in the week. Sunday doesn't seem to be a day for quiet reflection on scripture and on the Lord, and perhaps we need that as much as all the other good ways of "keeping the Sabbath".

Karin

[sakamuyo]

I think that's a good point, Karin!

Church-related busy-ness is still busy-ness. :)

[McCravey]

I try to be at rest with God all the time (which is really what it means to keep the sabbath) And I also go to church on Sunday mornings (and grit my teeth, and try not to say anything too controversial) ---I like being there though, God speaks to my wife and I quite often in Sunday morning services....maybe it's the people around us gathered together and he wants me there too.

[UberLutheran]

I know you are a pastor, Kevin, and Sunday must be pretty busy for you, but I wonder if anyone else feels Sunday isn't very restful, even though they aren't a pastor.

I find that sometimes there seems more to do on a Sunday, trying to get to church as well as everything else, than there is in the rest of the week. As well as the day to go to church it is also the day for family time, perhaps inviting people to dinner, or giving my husband more time than he can have in the week. Sunday doesn't seem to be a day for quiet reflection on scripture and on the Lord, and perhaps we need that as much as all the other good ways of "keeping the Sabbath".

Karin

...so Sunday mornings can be quite busy.

Very often, I improvise the music for a goodly part of the service (prelude, offering, Communion, postlude) and for me, improvisation is a form of prayer.

Literally, I don't know what I'm going to play until I start playing -- and then I just let go and pray.

[McCravey]

...so Sunday mornings can be quite busy.

Very often, I improvise the music for a goodly part of the service (prelude, offering, Communion, postlude) and for me, improvisation is a form of prayer.

Literally, I don't know what I'm going to play until I start playing -- and then I just let go and pray.

It's interesting that I try my hand at preaching. God has shown me that I am a priest (although I'm not exactly sure what he is talking about) But I enjoy teaching more.

My last sermon a couple of weeks ago was "Why Christ" It was about why we all need to be Christ....I got some pretty strange comments (like usual)

Even the fundamentalists don't understand that what we liberals are talking about is ultimately a much higher standard than what they beilieve should be followed.

Being a Christian is not the standard....the standard is being Christ.