From:  (St.Athanasius)
Newsgroups: aus.religion.christian
Subject: Re: Watch Night
Date: Fri, 04 Dec 1998 10:14:38 GMT

In The Name of the Father,  the Son and the Holy Spirit,the One  God,
Amen.  Peace and grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.  

Dear Jean-Marc,
                           The Orthodox periodically have all night
vigil services. Here are some suggestions: Place two Bibles open at
the front of the Church. Pick certain books from each and have two
people read quietly to themselves (changed each chapter or two) the
whole Book. Do this as a spiritual exercise and learning tool as a
sideline to your other activities. This is done  by the Orthodox
during the Passion week when the whole Bible is read from cover to
cover. Also helps to keep reverence in the Church.
                      Pray the whole  book of Psalms out aloud to God.
This  is done on  many occasions by the Orthodox. You  may utilize a
number of people or just two.  (Although I have done this with one
other and the dawn arrived before we finished. We started pretty late
though). You can break the Psalms into lots of five or ten and every
break pray Kerie  Eleison or Lord Have Mercy a number of times.  
                      Spend one whole night meditating on one Psalm
like Psalm 51 by King David and commit it to memory.
                      Go for a long walk and pray the Jesus Prayer
(Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, Have mercy on me a sinner). This
prayer can be said so much that it becomes second nature and can be
said many times a day whilst doing other work. Some are able to repeat
it in their subconscious whilst asleep. Of course it springs to mind
whenever someone sins as well.
                         Of course these suggestions will not attract
huge crowds of people, but then Jesus spent the whole night in prayer
and He was usually alone. After His resurrection the Apostles started
doing the same. You may have small numbers, but they will grow very
deep in the faith and Scripture. 
                          Do not think that just because I know of
these practices that I am strong enough to do them.

In Him,
Greg  Scully.

On Thu, 03 Dec 1998 07:25:53 -0500, Jean-Marc Rollet
<> wrote:
>
>Question for all of you:...
>
>Our Church Young Adult Group has decided to sponsor a New Year's Eve
>Watch night.
>Did anyone around ever participated to one?
>What type of activities did you have?
>What was your service like?
>
>I welcome any comments and idea!
>
>Thanks for your help!
>
>Good Bless You!
>
>Jean-Marc Rollet
>Email: 
>