In the first 1,800 years of church history, Christians often enjoyed alcoholic drinks as a part of their everyday life. At church, during the Eucharist, they almost always used wine.
Early Christians believed the Bible and Christian tradition both said alcohol is a gift from God. They taught that this gift made life happier, but that drinking too much alcohol and becoming drunk was a sin.
In the early 1500s, the Protestant Church split off from the Roman Catholic Church. Over time, these two Christian churches started to believe some different things.
By the mid-1800s, some Protestant Christians moved away from the traditional belief that drinking a moderate (small) amount of wine was not bad. (This belief was sometimes called "moderationism"). Some Protestants decided that not drinking wine at all was wisest (this was called "abstentionism"). Others decided that drinking any alcohol was sinful (this was called "prohibitionism").
Today, there are many different types of Christianity, with many different beliefs. Most people still believe in the traditional position: that drinking some wine is all right, just not too much. Most Christians' opinions about alcohol depend on how they understand what the Bible says about it.
The Bible often mentions alcoholic drinks. Sometimes it talks about real wine. Other times, it uses the word "wine" to mean something else.
The Bible says that alcohol is a blessing from God that makes people happy, but it can also be dangerously and sinfully used.
The Bible uses a few different words for alcoholic drinks. Though prohibitionists and some abstentionists disagree, most people agree that the words were usually meant to be about intoxicating drinks (drinks that can make a person drunk).
Wine was an important and common drink in Biblical times. Because of this, the Bible sometimes uses wine as a symbol to teach about good and bad. Some parts of the Bible use wine as a symbol for good things, like abundance and health. However, the Bible also calls wine a mocker and beer a brawler (a person who fights too much). Other parts of the Bible use drinking a cup of strong wine and getting drunk as a symbol of God's anger.
City of Dunedin Choir
The City of Dunedin Choir a community choir in a city called Dunedin which is in the South Island of New Zealand. It has people from all age groups: some are old, some are young. They are all from the Dunedin area. The choir sings large classical choral pieces of music. The choir has about 140 members at the moment.
The choir sings many types of music, including music from these periods: Baroque, Classical and Romantic orchestral works, and also modern New Zealand choral music. The Choir usually sings in about four or five concerts a year, often performing with an orchestra called Southern Sinfonia. Choir practice is held every week in the Crypt of St Paul's Cathedral on the Octagon in the middle of Dunedin.
The music in the City of Dunedin Choir's recent concerts include:
Schubert: Mass in A Flat;
Orff: Carmina Burmana;
Elgar: Dream of Gerontius;
Bach: A Christmas Oratorio;
Ralph Vaughan Williams: Serenade to Music;
Handel: The King Shall Rejoice;
Purcell: Come ye Sons of Art;
Mendelssohn: As the Hart Pants;
Handel: My Heart is Inditing;
Haydn: Nelson Mass;
Handel: Messiah;
Bach: St. John Passion;
Faure: Cantique de Jean Racine;
Faure: Requiem and
Alexander Estrange: Zimbe!
Upcoming City of Dunedin Choir Concerts include a performance of 'Saint Nicolas' by Benjamin Britten.
The City of Dunedin Choir has been making audiences enjoy themselves around the region for nearly 150 years. The choir used to be two choirs, the Musical Union and the Choral Society, which were both made in 1863 and they joined together the following year with George West as conductor.
The name of the choir became Dunedin Choral Society Incorporated a few years later. The society stopped existing in 1888 but started existing with the same name as before in 1897 with James Coombs as conductor. It changed its name to Schola Cantorum in 1967, after joining together with the University Union Choir, and then it changed its name to City of Dunedin Choir in 1993, the year it had existed for 130 years. However, through all these "trading name" changes, the official name remains Dunedin Choral Society Incorporated.
Vice-Regal Patronage
The Choir's immediate past Patron was the Hon. Dame Silvia Cartwright. The choir's archives, which are at the Hocken Library, say that, Mr H.S. Chapman, Supreme Court Judge, was Patron in 1878 and Governor, the Earl of Ranfurly, was Patron in 1898. They also say that Sir Hercules Robinson, Governor from 1879 to 1880, attended several concerts during his time as Governor, but he was not a patron.
The archives of the City of Dunedin Choir are in the Hocken Library, Anzac Avenue, Dunedin, New Zealand.
The Choir has recently been listed on SOUNZ (http://sounz.org.nz), a submission process which includes details of the Choir's performances of works by New Zealand composers. Only 13 other choirs are listed on SOunz
Gisborne, New Zealand
Gisborne is a city on the East Coast of New Zealand's North Island. Gisborne is known as "the first city in the world to see the sun". This is because it is the first major city on the side of the International Date Line that sees the new day first.
Changi
Changi is a place in the east of Singapore. It has Changi Airport, Singapore Expo, Changi Air Base and Changi Naval Base.
Singapore had its international airport at Kallang and Paya Lebar. But it expanded so rapidly that the Singapore government worried about having not enough space for airport to grow bigger. There were many proposals for a new location and the Singapore government chose Changi in the end.
There are also other places in Changi, for example the Changi Prison, which had the Japanese Prisoner-of-war (POW) camps. These camps had the Allied powers prisoners staying there.
There is also the Changi Air Base, Changi Naval Base, Changi Point Ferry Terminal and Changi Ferry Terminal.
Southern Islands
The Southern Islands of Singapore is a group of islands at the south of Singapore. It features famous islands like Sentosa"(pictured)", the Sisters Islands and Kusu Island.
The Singapore Tourism Board has spent close to S$300 million and took about 15 years to develop the southern islands of Singapore. This whole project is to bring gas, water, electricity and telecommunication supplies to the southern islands.
Coupe de la Ligue
The Coupe de la Ligue is a French football competition. It is organized by the Ligue de Football Professionnel. It was established in 1994. Its current champion is Olympique de Marseille.
Wrought iron
Wrought iron is a type of iron. It has very little carbon in it. Most steels have much more carbon. It also has some slag in it. This gives it a fibrous look similar to how wood looks. It is tough, malleable, ductile, and can be welded easily. It was most common in the old days when cast iron was the only other type of iron. Now mild steel is used instead. If it contains too much sulfur, it becomes very brittle when heated. Wrought iron has a rough surface that can hold paint and zinc for galvanization much more easily.
Wrought iron was one of the most common types of iron in the medieval times. Its popularity has declined. It is needed to make historical items look historical.
Slag
Slag is a liquid residue from making iron. It consists of calcium silicate. The silicon dioxide in iron has to be taken away. The calcium oxide reacts with the silicon dioxide solid to make liquid calcium silicate, which is lighter than iron. It is drained out of the blast furnace. Slag can be used to make concrete. Air can be blown through molten slag to make a fluffy insulation made mineral wool.
Concrete made with blast furnace slag is almost pure white compared to ordinary concrete which is greyish.
2010 US Open – Women's Singles Qualifying