General Chat

Good morning :-) :

The Collect (special prayer) for today:

Almighty God,
whose only Son has opened for us
a new and living way into your presence:
give us pure hearts and steadfast wills
to worship you in spirit and in truth;
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.


Gospel
Mark 7.24–37


Cx :-)

Hello all

Another challenging week. I have this Serenity Prayer card pinned on my kitchen notice board.

God grant me the serenity to accept the things
I cannot change.
Courage to change the things I can, and
The wisdom to know the difference.

Gentle hugs for all who are hurting today.

Good morning :-)

'
'This and That'

A sick man turned to his doctor as he was preparing to leave the examination room and said, ‘Doctor, I am afraid to die. Tell me what lies on the other side.’

Very quietly, the doctor said, ‘I don’t know.’

‘You don’t know? You’re, a Christian man, and don’t know what’s on the other side?’

The doctor was holding the handle of the door. On the other side came a sound of scratching and whining.

And as he opened the door, a dog sprang into the room and leaped up on him with an eager show of gladness.

Turning to the patient, the doctor said, ‘Did you notice my dog? He’s never been in this room before. He didn’t know what was inside.

He knew nothing except that his master was here. And when the door opened, he sprang in without fear.

I know little of what is on the other side of death, but I do know one thing…

I know my Master is there and that is enough for me.’

Author unknown

Cx :-)

Good Morning :-)


Does anyone remember the children’s hymn ‘Jesus Loves Me’?

Well, here is the senior version!

Jesus loves me, this I know,
Though my hair is white as snow
Though my sight is growing dim,
Still He bids me trust in Him.
(CHORUS)
YES, JESUS LOVES ME… YES, JESUS LOVES ME…
YES, JESUS LOVES ME, THE BIBLE TELLS ME SO.

Though my steps are oh, so slow,
With my hand in His I’ll go
On through life, let come what may,
He’ll be there to lead the way.
(CHORUS)

When the nights are dark and long,
In my heart He puts a song..
Telling me in words so clear,
“Have no fear, for I am near.”
(CHORUS)

When my work on earth is done,
And life’s victories have been won.
He will take me home above,
Then I’ll understand His love.
(CHORUS)

I love Jesus, does He know?
Have I ever told Him so?
Jesus loves to hear me say,
That I love Him every day.
(CHORUS)

Enjoy! :-D

Cx :-)

Good morning :-)



‘This and that’………..

Looking for interesting snippets, I came across this….

During the coronavirus epidemic, we will be separated. We still have to stick together.

Let’s show who we really are, as Christians in our day. This is our moment.

“Stepping back for a moment, it is worth asking why the Christian church has and is now again called to live in such a sacrificial way. The answer in part is the description of Christians as “citizens of heaven” (Phil. 3:20). That is, our hope is not in this life but in the one to come.

In one famous example, the church historian Eusebius describes a fourth century epidemic that swept through the Roman Empire. Far from fleeing the cities or shutting off their homes from others, Eusebius records that “all day long [Christians] tended to the dying and to the burial, countless numbers with no one to care for them. Others gather together from all parts of the city a multitude of those withered from famine and distributed bread to them all.” As a result, Eusebius concludes, “[the Christians’] deeds were on everyone's lips, and they glorified the god of the Christians.”

Faced with what was likely a far more severe pandemic than our own, 4th century Christians modelled a faith that is truly compelling. That pandemic revealed who Christians really were — this one will probably do so as well.

Cx :-)

Good morning :-)

A week of 'this and that'......

We are all used to churches holding necessary fund raising events. I found this little snippet in one of our church magazines from about the 1950's.

CHURCH ROOF APPEAL
This neat little apron is given to you
And this is what you are asked to do.
Place a tape measure around your middle,
Not too tight, you mustn’t fiddle.
For every inch you measure round
Into the pocket put a penny or pound.
This game is fair, you must admit
You ‘waist’ your money and we ‘pocket’ it.
Mother, Father, kids can measure
Adding to our treasurer’s pleasure.
At least six thousand pounds we need
So measure now and act with speed.
Don’t be shy if you are rotund,
All the more for our roofing fund.
We make no apologies for our verse
We’re only interested in your purse.

Please give your donations to any of the clergy, churchwardens, sidesmen, members of the P.C.C. or any church officers.


£6,000 then, would be worth around £210,254 today. Can you imagine the faith, prayers and commitment which went to raising that amount of money? We thank God for those faithful people who worked so hard to keep both the church as a building and the church as a people, alive and active in the community. Respect.

Cx :-)

Good morning :-)

This and that....



Many people know that they sing ‘Abide With Me’ at every cup FA cup final at Wembley, before the teams appear on the pitch. But why do they do this? And when did it start?

This hymn was written by Henry Francis Lyte, (1793-1847) an Anglican vicar who once visited an old priest who was on the point of death. The dying man kept repeating the words ‘Abide with me’ and this made a deep impression on Lyte.

Unfortunately, Lyte suffered from TB and was hoping that some Mediterranean air would help. Before he left England, he preached his farewell sermon to his congregation and, that afternoon, wrote ‘Abide With Me’ and gave it to his daughter. Sadly the Mediterranean air could not cure him, and he died two weeks later. He was just 54 years old.

The words of ‘Abide With Me’ were paired with various hymn tunes. But in 1861 William Henry Monk was asked to write a new melody. Monk was in deep mourning as his young daughter had recently died and he wrote the tune ‘Eventide’. It has become the inseparable companion of Lyte’s words ever since.

The new hymn soon proved popular and Nurse Edith Cavell sang it on the evening before her execution on 10 October 1915.

As for the FA Cup Final, Sir Alfred Wall, the Secretary of the Football Association, introduced ‘Abide With Me’ in 1927 to replace Alexander’s Ragtime Band, which had been the opening tune for the Cup Final until that time. The initiative was fervently supported by King George V and Queen Mary, who both loved the hymn. So nobody was inclined to disagree. Two years later, the Rugby League followed suit at their Challenge Cup Final. ‘Abide With Me’ is still sung at both matches every year, an annual moment of faith for a people who are not always religious.

Cx :-)

Good morning :-)

A 'this and that' week



A single guy decided life would be more fun if he had a pet. So he went to the pet store and told the owner that he wanted to buy an unusual pet.

After some discussion, he finally bought a talking centipede, (100-legged bug), which came in a little white box to use for his house. He took the box back home, found a good spot for the box, and decided he would start off by taking his new pet to church with him.

So he asked the centipede in the box, "Would you like to go to church with me today? We will have a good time."

But there was no answer from his new pet. This bothered him a bit, but he waited a few minutes and then asked again, "How about going to church with me and receive blessings?"

But again, there was no answer from his new friend and pet. So he waited a
few minutes more, thinking about the situation. The guy decided to invite the centipede one last time.

This time he put his face up against the centipede's house and shouted,
"Hey, in there! Would you like to go to church with me and learn about God?"

This time, a little voice came out of the box, "I heard you the first time! I'm putting my shoes on!"


Cx :-)

Good morning :-)

Flowers are beautiful I agree kandj - but I am a hopeless flower arranger!! :-D


The Collect (special prayer) for today:
Almighty God,
who called your Church to bear witness
that you were in Christ reconciling the world to yourself:
help us to proclaim the good news of your love,
that all who hear it may be drawn to you;
through him who was lifted up on the cross,
and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.


Cx :-)

Hello all

Thanks as always for your daily posts Cynthia.

I love seeing flowers in my garden and in my home.
I've planted Cosmos, Pansy, Foxgloves, Petunia and Poppies all from last years seeds and have been rewarded with pretty colourful flowers that have cheer me up daily.

"Life is like a flower when we don't take care of it, it can wither and die." (Davene Taylor).

Gentle hugs for all who feel sad today.

Good morning :-)

Song of Songs 2:12
“Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves is heard in our land.”

It talks about when the flowers bloom in Spring, and the smell of life can be felt throughout the land. We can include this in our prayer whenever we have experienced extreme challenges or natural calamities. This verse means that there is life and light after every storm.

Cx :-)

Good morning :-)


What a dreadful situation in Afghanistan.....we send our love and prayers to all involved. <3


Job 14:2
“Like a flower he comes forth and withers. He also flees like a shadow and does not remain.”

The flower described in this verse is a similarity to a man’s lifespan. It is a comparison to an individual who was born, grows, and eventually dies.

Life is indeed fleeting. So, we should spend it by helping others and following the Word of God. Maybe we should spend a time of our day by reflecting on this verse. We could reflect on the actions we have made in the past, and ask ourselves if it is according to God’s teaching. Are we being good followers of Christ?


Cx :-)

Thoughts and prayers tonight for everyone involved in the desperate situation in Afghanistan <3

Good morning :-)

James 1:10-11
“But the rich should take pride in their humiliation–since they will pass away like a wildflower. For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich will fade away even while they go about their business.”

Humans are just like flowers. Flowers need sunlight, and a proper amount of water and care to grow. But just like humans, they fade and die. Everything in this world will soon fade and wither away. Whether it is money, beauty, luxury, or any other materialistic things. However, unlike these wild flowers, God and His Word will remain the same. His endless love will shine forever.


Cx :-)

Hello all

Thank you for all your postings Cynthia. I'm now thinking of John 15 v 5 in the King James bible:
" I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me, you can do nothing."

You are the vine,
We are the branches
Keep us abiding in you.

You are the vine
We are the branches
Keep us abiding in you.

Then we'll grow in your love
and we'll go in your name.
That the world will surely know
that you have power to heal
and to save.

You are the vine,
We are the branches
Keep us abiding in you.

I'll probably have this lovely old hymn in my mind for most of today now.

Wednesday hugs to all in need today.

Good morning :-)

Song of Solomon 2:13
“The fig tree has ripened its figs, and the vines in blossom have given forth their fragrance. Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, and come along!”

The vines in blossom in this verse is part of a love story. It uses the vines in bloom to add description and sensuality to the love poem. It wants to romanticize and beautify the text by adding these images. More than that, it describes the beauty of God’s kingdom and our loving relationship with Him.

Cx :-)

Hello all

After watching the news I'm praying daily for the people in Afgahinstan who are fearful for their lives and are desperate to leave this country now that the Taliban have taken control.

Remembering also our government and other leaders who are making plans to take in the refugees who are making their way to our country.

Sending blessings and hugs to all in need today.

Good morning :-)



Isaiah 35:1-2
“Even the wilderness and desert will be glad in those days. The wasteland will rejoice and blossom with spring crocuses. Yes, there will be an abundance of flowers and singing and joy! “

The flowers in the verse signify the joy and fulfilment of God’s kingdom. When we follow the Lord, spread His Word and apply it in our lives we will see His kingdom. This verse is also about how the Lord will guide us as we seek Him in times of hardships and challenges.

Cx :-)

Good morning :-)

For those of you on Facebook, you may have noticed how many people are posting pictures of their gardens in all their summer glory! Flowers are mentioned in the bible too.

Luke 12:27-28
“Look at the lilies and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?”


The flowers represent the people of God. The Bible likens them to lilies - their beauty comes from their faithfulness to God because He cares for them. The people are being compared to flowers, in a way that they grow and bloom due to the God’s love and care.


Cx :-)

Good morning :-)

Lovely to see Tabitha and Vera popping on to say hello. Don't worry about posting - I just hope that people find this thread helpful <3

I spent yesterday morning at hospital having a BCC removed from my face. I swear the doctor only left primary school this year!!! We have so much to thank the NHS for. I'm fine, just a bit of a swollen lip - a mask will come in handy!! :-D


The Collect (special prayer) for today :
Almighty and everlasting God,
you are always more ready to hear than we to pray
and to give more than either we desire or deserve:
pour down upon us the abundance of your mercy,
forgiving us those things of which our conscience is afraid
and giving us those good things
which we are not worthy to ask
but through the merits and mediation
of 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.

Gospel – John 6.56-69 - Jesus continues to speak about Living Bread.


Cx :-)