Comments on: T. S. Eliot – a poet who rocks! http://vickybeeching.com/blog/t-s-eliott-a-poet-who-rocks/ Fuelling and Resourcing Worship Sun, 25 Jul 2010 23:29:15 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Bernd Breuer http://vickybeeching.com/blog/t-s-eliott-a-poet-who-rocks/comment-page-1/#comment-1760 Bernd Breuer Sat, 18 Oct 2008 10:16:24 +0000 http://vickybeeching.com/?p=263#comment-1760 Great to hear how t.s.eliot finds your apreciation. His mega poem The Waste Land has just been newly translated into german and I look forward to read it when it has been published. It is indeed a sort of prophetic poem. He really saw many future things like in a forecast. Another thing: When will You ever come to Germany? Would be so encouraging for many young people over here. Great to hear how t.s.eliot finds your apreciation. His mega poem The Waste Land has just been newly translated into german and I look forward to read it when it has been published. It is indeed a sort of prophetic poem.
He really saw many future things like in a forecast.
Another thing: When will You ever come to Germany? Would be so encouraging for many young people over here.

]]> By: Bethany http://vickybeeching.com/blog/t-s-eliott-a-poet-who-rocks/comment-page-1/#comment-1659 Bethany Sat, 27 Sep 2008 13:04:52 +0000 http://vickybeeching.com/?p=263#comment-1659 I think we need to do two things- show profound kindness to people we don't know, and genuinely love and care about people we do know. We have to throw out seeds, and then nurture the ones that take root! Here's what I mean... I grew up in a church that valued money, conformity, and comfort over the radical love of God. Anyone who didn't have enough money to dress like them was rejected... so I was miserable at every youth group service. In high school, the Young Life kids delighted in calling me fat. By the time I was 15, I hated Christians and I hated God for electing jerks to represent him. THEN while Christmas shopping at the mall, this other type of Christian appeared... one man handed me a bag and said, "God loves you, no strings attached!" I told him he was a cult member and walked away. An hour later, a guy around my age CHASED ME through the mall to give me a candy cane, and said "God loves you so much!" I called that one a stalker. When I went to leave, it was pouring cold December rain. A third crazy type of Christian came up and offered to walk my mom and I to our car with his umbrella. He walked with his umbrella over us and our bags, and he got soaked. When we got to the car he said, again, "God loves you!" I was dumbfounded. This radical kindness made me wonder if God was a big cosmic jerk, or not... so I found out what church those ^^ Christians were from, and started going. When I got there, I was immediately taken in by several women who had loved Jesus for a long time, and they led me to Christ! So... that's what I think the church needs to do... I think that's how we make an impact... and it requires getting outside of our comfort zones quite often! I'm no expert or scholar, I just know what worked for me, and I've seen it happen over and over at my church! I think we need to do two things- show profound kindness to people we don’t know, and genuinely love and care about people we do know. We have to throw out seeds, and then nurture the ones that take root!

Here’s what I mean… I grew up in a church that valued money, conformity, and comfort over the radical love of God. Anyone who didn’t have enough money to dress like them was rejected… so I was miserable at every youth group service. In high school, the Young Life kids delighted in calling me fat. By the time I was 15, I hated Christians and I hated God for electing jerks to represent him.

THEN while Christmas shopping at the mall, this other type of Christian appeared… one man handed me a bag and said, “God loves you, no strings attached!” I told him he was a cult member and walked away. An hour later, a guy around my age CHASED ME through the mall to give me a candy cane, and said “God loves you so much!” I called that one a stalker. When I went to leave, it was pouring cold December rain. A third crazy type of Christian came up and offered to walk my mom and I to our car with his umbrella. He walked with his umbrella over us and our bags, and he got soaked. When we got to the car he said, again, “God loves you!” I was dumbfounded.

This radical kindness made me wonder if God was a big cosmic jerk, or not… so I found out what church those ^^ Christians were from, and started going. When I got there, I was immediately taken in by several women who had loved Jesus for a long time, and they led me to Christ!

So… that’s what I think the church needs to do… I think that’s how we make an impact… and it requires getting outside of our comfort zones quite often! I’m no expert or scholar, I just know what worked for me, and I’ve seen it happen over and over at my church!

]]> By: Peter Harris http://vickybeeching.com/blog/t-s-eliott-a-poet-who-rocks/comment-page-1/#comment-1645 Peter Harris Wed, 24 Sep 2008 20:59:01 +0000 http://vickybeeching.com/?p=263#comment-1645 Eliot is probably the most important poet of the early twentieth century. His masterpiece, 'The Waste Land', speaks of the decline of civilisation's vitality after the First World War and draws on influences from Shakespeare and Donne. For those who want a taste of his Anglican Christianity, 'The Four Quartets' are recommended. On a lighter note, his 'Old Possum's Book of Cats', wich inspired the musical 'Cats', is gentle fun. 'Preludes' is my favourite short poem by Eliot; it captures the mood of the corrupting city. In that sense he is Blakean. Eliot is probably the most important poet of the early twentieth century. His masterpiece, ‘The Waste Land’, speaks of the decline of civilisation’s vitality after the First World War and draws on influences from Shakespeare and Donne. For those who want a taste of his Anglican Christianity, ‘The Four Quartets’ are recommended. On a lighter note, his ‘Old Possum’s Book of Cats’, wich inspired the musical ‘Cats’, is gentle fun. ‘Preludes’ is my favourite short poem by Eliot; it captures the mood of the corrupting city. In that sense he is Blakean.

]]> By: Martin http://vickybeeching.com/blog/t-s-eliott-a-poet-who-rocks/comment-page-1/#comment-1644 Martin Wed, 24 Sep 2008 18:55:04 +0000 http://vickybeeching.com/?p=263#comment-1644 I love T.S Eliot, glad you discovered him! Must have been 12 years ago for me and I fell in love with "The Journey of the Magi" and also "What the Thunder said". The last part of Journey of the Magi is my favourite quote I think: "All this was a long time ago, I remember, And I would do it again, but set down This set down This: were we led all that way for Birth or Death? There was a Birth, certainly, We had evidence and no doubt. I had seen birth and death, But had thought they were different; this Birth was Hard and bitter agony for us, like Death, our death, We returned to our places, these Kingdoms, But no longer at ease here, in the old dispensation, With an alien people clutching their gods. I should be glad of another death." The Rock you mention is very good as well. It was a reflection of that time but could be prophetic as well. The decay of the church, the abolishment of God, whilst being replaced by... nothing. Yes maybe power, wealth, money. All substitutes for the void that can only be filled by God himself. It was for the first time in history men replaced God by nothing. If you talk about constantly building, hear what the workers in The Rock chant: "There is work together A Church for all And a job for each Every man to his work" I think more and more christians are beginning to realize the importance of working together, and their own place in the body of Christ. I was moved the other day by a documentary entitled: "Lord Save Us From Your Followers" where the maker was asking the same question as you do now in this blog. The outcome of the documentary broke my heart. I witnessed Christ through the things being shown. That is what relevance is all about. Forgiveness, openness, compassion, LOVE. I'll check out Daley's site! And I'm curious about that book you mention Paul. Gotta check it out as well :) I love T.S Eliot, glad you discovered him! Must have been 12 years ago for me and I fell in love with “The Journey of the Magi” and also “What the Thunder said”. The last part of Journey of the Magi is my favourite quote I think:

“All this was a long time ago, I remember,
And I would do it again, but set down
This set down
This: were we led all that way for
Birth or Death? There was a Birth, certainly,
We had evidence and no doubt. I had seen birth and death,
But had thought they were different; this Birth was
Hard and bitter agony for us, like Death, our death,
We returned to our places, these Kingdoms,
But no longer at ease here, in the old dispensation,
With an alien people clutching their gods.
I should be glad of another death.”

The Rock you mention is very good as well. It was a reflection of that time but could be prophetic as well. The decay of the church, the abolishment of God, whilst being replaced by… nothing. Yes maybe power, wealth, money. All substitutes for the void that can only be filled by God himself. It was for the first time in history men replaced God by nothing.

If you talk about constantly building, hear what the workers in The Rock chant:

“There is work together
A Church for all
And a job for each
Every man to his work”

I think more and more christians are beginning to realize the importance of working together, and their own place in the body of Christ. I was moved the other day by a documentary entitled: “Lord Save Us From Your Followers”
where the maker was asking the same question as you do now in this blog. The outcome of the documentary broke my heart. I witnessed Christ through the things being shown. That is what relevance is all about. Forgiveness, openness, compassion, LOVE.

I’ll check out Daley’s site! And I’m curious about that book you mention Paul. Gotta check it out as well :)

]]> By: Paul Vasilko http://vickybeeching.com/blog/t-s-eliott-a-poet-who-rocks/comment-page-1/#comment-1642 Paul Vasilko Wed, 24 Sep 2008 17:09:19 +0000 http://vickybeeching.com/?p=263#comment-1642 I have been struggling with this idea for months now, after reading Tim Stevens' book "Pop Goes the Church," in which he asks the question..."If your church disappeared tomorrow, would the community surrounding it even notice?" Which is basically asking, "What difference is your church making in the community surrounding it?" I firmly believe that it is Christ-like to minister in a relevant way (after all, He used parables that spoke to the culture of the day, shepherds, etc.), but I am not sure what that looks like. There has been a lot of conversation about this recently over at my friend, Jeff Goins' blog: http://jeffgoins.myadventures.org/. You should check it out. I have been struggling with this idea for months now, after reading Tim Stevens’ book “Pop Goes the Church,” in which he asks the question…”If your church disappeared tomorrow, would the community surrounding it even notice?” Which is basically asking, “What difference is your church making in the community surrounding it?”

I firmly believe that it is Christ-like to minister in a relevant way (after all, He used parables that spoke to the culture of the day, shepherds, etc.), but I am not sure what that looks like.

There has been a lot of conversation about this recently over at my friend, Jeff Goins’ blog: http://jeffgoins.myadventures.org/. You should check it out.

]]> By: Jonathan http://vickybeeching.com/blog/t-s-eliott-a-poet-who-rocks/comment-page-1/#comment-1641 Jonathan Wed, 24 Sep 2008 14:27:33 +0000 http://vickybeeching.com/?p=263#comment-1641 Oh, I love poetry! Thanks for sharing about T.S. Elliot! I'm also a fan of Daley's work. I love messing around with photography in a little free time here and there, but Daley does some truly great things with light. Wow, what an artist! As to your question, it's easy (ok, it seems easier at least) to keep things neat and tidy (though this isn't exactly holy), if we stay holed up in our comfortable Christian community. However, when things really start to get messy and challenging is when we get outside those four walls and start making real friendships with people who aren't like us. I think that's one way to expose blind spots too – ours and theirs! Over the past several months, I've been asking God this same question. Musically, even though I think that direct adoration of God is the greatest and highest function of music, I'd really love to also write some great music that's just plain fun – that anybody could connect with. We'll see. :o) Oh, I love poetry! Thanks for sharing about T.S. Elliot! I’m also a fan of Daley’s work. I love messing around with photography in a little free time here and there, but Daley does some truly great things with light. Wow, what an artist!

As to your question, it’s easy (ok, it seems easier at least) to keep things neat and tidy (though this isn’t exactly holy), if we stay holed up in our comfortable Christian community. However, when things really start to get messy and challenging is when we get outside those four walls and start making real friendships with people who aren’t like us. I think that’s one way to expose blind spots too – ours and theirs!

Over the past several months, I’ve been asking God this same question. Musically, even though I think that direct adoration of God is the greatest and highest function of music, I’d really love to also write some great music that’s just plain fun – that anybody could connect with. We’ll see. :o )

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