General Chat

Good morning :-)

Oh yes, it was St. David's Day yesterday.........sending good wishes to all those who hail from that wonder place called Wales. <3


FOR LENT DAY 9:

MEDITATE: Luke 13:3 “ No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as they did.”

PRAY: God, thank you for not expecting perfection from me. You know I make mistakes, and that’s why you sent Jesus to save me from all of my sins. Here I am, Lord, trying again, despite all the times I have fallen short. Thank you for your grace.

REFLECT: When and why have I been tempted to “give up” on Lent? How can I try again?


Cx :-)

Hello all

Thank you for your daily Lent posts Cynthia.

Sending Happy St David's Day wishes to all our Welsh GR friends who look at this Christian thread.

Good morning :-)


FOR LENT DAY 8:

MEDITATE: Philippians 3:10-11 “ I want to know Christ[and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death, 11 if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead.”

PRAY: Lord, in these next 40 days, help me to focus on you above all else. Show me how I can be your hands and feet in my community-- may I live out my faith in this season in new ways that give you glory.

REFLECT: What can I do this Lenten season to focus on Christ?


Cx :-)

Good morning :-)

FOR LENT: Day 7

MEDITATE: Matthew 6:1 ‘Beware of practising your piety before others in order to be seen by them; for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven”.

PRAY: Lord, may I be gracious toward all who choose to observe Lent, and all those who don’t. May I be cautious in how I share about my Lenten practices this month, avoiding hypocrisy and choosing love for my neighbours above all else.

REFLECT: Why am I sharing this thought or desire in this season of Lent?

Cx :-)

Hello all

Cynthia, thank you for the daily Meditation,Prayer and Reflection during Lent.

I'm doing the Stations of the Cross Friday evenings.
I have lovely memories from many years of taking part in this very special weekly service during Lent and leading up to Holy week.

Vera, do you have any details of your Diamond wedding anniversary plans to share with us all? This is very exciting news and there's not a lot of happy news around just now.

Good morning :-)



FOR LENT; DAY 6

MEDITATE: Mark 1:12-13 “12 And the Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. 13 He was in the wilderness for forty days, tempted by Satan; and he was with the wild beasts; and the angels waited on him.”

PRAY: Jesus, focus my heart and my mind on what you endured for me. Everything you did, you did for the salvation of all mankind-- I am eternally grateful. I am in awe of you, Lord. Thank you for the cross.

REFLECT: How can I be more aware of the cross today?

Cx :-)

Good afternoon :-)

Bit of a manic day!

The Collect (special prayer) for today.

Almighty God,
whose Son Jesus Christ fasted forty days in the wilderness,
and was tempted as we are, yet without sin:
give us grace to discipline ourselves in obedience to your Spirit;
and, as you know our weakness,
so may we know your power to save;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen

Cx :-)

Good morning :-)

FOR LENT day 4:

MEDITATE: Matthew 4:1-2 “Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 He fasted for forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was famished.”

PRAY: Jesus, help me to set aside time for worship and reflection in this season of Lent. Help me draw nearer to you and understand you more deeply. May I receive the overwhelming graces you have to offer me, today and everyday.

REFLECT: How can I honour the sacrifice of Jesus through my life?


Cx :-)

Good morning :-)

FOR LENT - DAY 3:

MEDITATE: 1 Samuel 15:22 And Samuel said,
‘Has the LORD as great delight in burnt-offerings and sacrifices,
as in obedience to the voice of the LORD?
Surely, to obey is better than sacrifice,
and to heed than the fat of rams?

PRAY: Lord, I pray that I won't make Lent about myself this year, but instead about your great love for me through your sacrifice of Jesus. May I focus on your love above all else-- thank you, Jesus, for giving your life for mine.

REFLECT: Where am I focusing my attention?’

Cx :-)

Good morning :-)


During Lent....

MEDITATE: Psalm 118:25-26 “ LORD, save us! LORD, grant us success! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD. From the house of the LORD we bless you”

PRAY: Lord, help me to dive into this season of Lent with intentionality and purpose. I want to know you better, love you more fully, and accept your grace more readily. Draw me closer to you, day by day.

REFLECT: How do you want to develop your Christian life this Lent? Praying more? Reading the bible more? Helping others more?

Cx :-)

Hello all

Forty days and forty nights
You were fasting in the wild;
Forty days and forty nights
Tempted, and yet undefiled.

Sending Happy Wednesday wishes to all on this holy Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent.

Good morning :-)

Each year, Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent. It is a 40-day season (not counting Sundays). It represents Christ’s time of temptation in the wilderness, where he fasted and where Satan tempted him.

Ash Wednesday is to help us focus, along with other things, on being sorry for past things and admitting to them. We are encouraged to concentrate more on prayer and to reflect on our lives as Christians.

Throughout Lent, we will have a short bible passage to think about, a prayer and something to reflect on during the day.

For today:
1 Peter 5:6 “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time”.

PRAY: Lord, I am not my own. I am a sinner and I have fallen short of your glory, yet you became a man to die on the cross in my place. Thank you for loving me that much, Jesus! In this season, may I be crucified with Christ so I can truly live.

REFLECT: How much am I going along with the ways of the world? What would it look like to follow the way of Jesus instead?

Cx :-)

Good morning :-)

kandji, not a clue what is going on around us - I don't think anyone knows what they are doing. I know my RC priest friend is all organised - they join with the local methodist and Anglican in his area.


Shrove Tuesday or Pancake Day?

No matter what we call it, the day remains the same. The day before Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent.

The date of Pancake Day changes from year to year because it is always 47 days before Easter – which this year falls on Sunday 9 April.

Lent, particularly when it was adhered to more widely and strictly, marked a time to eat simpler food, and give up things like sweet, rich and dairy ingredients.

With the bleak prospect of 40 days of discipline looming, it was perhaps inevitable that Shrove Tuesday would become an occasion to gorge oneself and cram in as much frivolity as possible. Enjoy your pancakes!

Cx :-)

Hello all

Vera, I hope you don't curse me. I often come away from church singing the last hymn on my way home in the car and quite often the tune stays in my head for hours afterwards.

Cynthia, no mention of a Lent Course just yet as we are still without a vicar who retired last March.

Last Sunday we had a Prison Chaplain officiating at our service. His sermon was so interesting that I could have listened to him for hours.

Prayerful support for those who are grieving today.

Good morning :-)

Amen to that Vera - there are far too many lonely people in this world. <3


And so to Lent……..almost

The Lent season is a 6-week time of sombre reflection and remembrance.
• It’s not all about giving up chocolate and biscuits
• It’s not all about ‘fasting’ on certain days.
• It’s about repentance and thinking more about the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.

The Lent season provides an opportunity for each of us to strengthen spiritual discipline – maybe by doing some bible reading or daily study – setting aside a special time of prayer or even going to church more frequently.
Let’s see where this Lent takes us.

Cx :-)

I looked on the thread yesterday evening and saw kandj had posted a verse of How Deep the Father’s Love. The tune popped straight into my head and won’t pop out again.. It’s still going round and round my brain. I am not sure whether to bless or curse you kandj ;-)

I thought it might be a Graham Kendrick piece but, having checked, it was by Stuart Townend. I do like a lot of the modern worship songs from both tthese gentlemen.

Yesterday was a friend’s birthday and a group of 12 ladies had a restaurant lunch of starter and main course and then all came back to my house where I provided desserts and coffee/tea. It was a wonderful day with so much laughter and joy that I went to bed feeling very blessed. So my thoughts today are particularly with anyone who is lonely and sad <3

Good morning :-)

Thank you for that kandj - it was a new one on me. Very thoughtful words indeed.


Collect (special prayer) for today:
Almighty Father,
whose Son was revealed in majesty
before he suffered death upon the cross:
give us grace to perceive his glory,
that we may be strengthened to suffer with him
and be changed into his likeness, from glory to glory;
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Today’s Gospel tells the story of the Transfiguration of Jesus

Cx :-)

Hello all

That's a well known verse from the bible and read out by a friend at our wedding service.

How Deep The Father's Love For Us.

How deep the Father's love for us
How vast beyond all measure
That He should give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure.
How great the pain of searing loss
The Father turns His face away
As wounds which mar the Chosen One
Bring many sons to glory.

Sending a gentle hug to those who need one today.

Good morning :-)

What is love? As ever, the bible has the answer


1 Corinthians 13:4-7
Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

1 Corinthians 13:13 - So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

Cx :-)

Hello all

Love that hymn and yes, I did sing along Cynthia.

So your diamond wedding anniversary Vera?
that's really exciting and definitely worthy of celebrating so many happy years being together.

Last August would have been our 60th too. Sadly we only made our 56th but I have lovely memories to look back upon and tried not to feel too sad.

Please do come back and share your plans Vera.