General Chat

Good morning :-)


Despite the holiday season, I was pleased to see that we still had good attendances at church yesterday......and it was lovely to welcome a new baby who had recently been baptised.

For today :


The Gift of Lasting Love


Love is much more than a tender caress
and more than bright hours of gay happiness,
For a lasting love is made up of sharing
both hours that are 'joyous' and also 'despairing'…

It's made up of patience and deep understanding
and never of selfish and stubborn demanding,
It's made up of climbing and steep hills together
and facing with courage life's stormiest weather

And nothing on earth or in heaven can part
a love that has grown to be part of the heart,
And just like the sun and the stars and the sea,
this love will go on through eternity -

For 'true love' lives on when earthly things die,
for it's part of the Spirit that soars to the sky.

- Helen Steiner Rice

Keeping our friends in our prayers. Cx :-)

Thank you Cynthia...beautiful words. x :-)

Good morning .. :-)


The weather has changed to being cool and damp. There is so much news of war, suffering and pain. For those whose spirits are flagging, I thought a smile would help.....



When we are tempted


When we are tempted in our pride

to dizzy heights of sin,

beneath our feet, O Lord, provide

a ripe banana skin,

and when we yearn at someone’s head

to let a brickbat fly,

give us the grace to use instead

a well-aimed custard pie….



When cherished institutions stand

before your throne of grace,

with good intentions in each hand

and egg on every face,

teach us to query grand designs

with laughter born of tears,

for deep in earth’s jam-butty mines

your rainbow still appears…


~ Elizabeth Cosnett,



Cx :-)

Lol thank you for that Cynthia :-)

Good morning... :-)

I hope everyone is well and, of course, we continue to think of kandj and her husband, Vera's widowed friend and Emma's young friend and her family and to hold them in our prayers.

For today:


May all I do today
begin with you, O Lord.
Plant dreams and hopes
within my soul,
revive my tired spirit:
be with me today.

May all I do today
continue with your help, O Lord.
Be at my side
and walk with me:
Be my support today.

May all I do today
reach far and wide, O Lord.
My thoughts, my work, my life:
make them blessings
for your kingdom;
let them go beyond today,
O God.

Amen.


Cx :-)

Good morning .. :-)


Today is the feast day of St. Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556).

He is the Patron Saint of Soldiers. Whilst he was a soldier fighting at the Siege of Pamplona in 1521, he received a severe leg injury and, it was during his convalescence that he had a spiritual experience and was converted to Christianity.

He is remembered as the founder of the Society of Jesus, known as the Jesuits and is famous for his 'Spiritual Exercises'.


His prayer is well known to many of us :

Dearest Lord,
teach me to be generous;
teach me to serve You as You deserve;
to give and not to count the cost,
to fight and not to heed the wounds,
to toil and not to seek for rest,
to labour and not to ask for reward
save that of knowing I am doing Your Will.
Amen.


With love to our friends who have asked for prayer.. Cx :-)

Morning Cynthia <3

My thoughts and prayers to those in need. xx

Good morning.. :-)


Thinking of kandj and her OH, Vera's widowed friend, Emma's young friend and family and all those known to us who are going through hard times.



Give Lavishly, Live Abundantly


The more you give

the more you get

The more you laugh

the less you fret -

The more you do

unselfishly

The more you live

abundantly



The more of everything

you share

The more you’ll always

have to spare -

The more you love

the more you’ll find

That life is good

and friends are kind…

For only what

we give away,

Enriches us

from day to day


- Helen Steiner Rice


Cx :-)

Thank you Cynthia.

My neighbour's funeral was yesterday. Neither he nor his wife had family - there was just a distant cousin there - but the crematorium was packed with members of a car club he had belonged to and neighbours. His widow is coping very well so thank you all for your kind thoughts for her.

Still keeping in mind Kandj and her OH and Emma's young friend and others in need.

Hello Vera, it's so sad when folk don't have a family around them at times like this, but it does sound as though there will be friends and neighbours to help your friend during the difficult days ahead.

I have received a message from a special friend..........no names.....no pack drill :-D :-D :-D


"I am reading almost every day and love to see posts from Cynthia, Emma, Susan. Dermot, his Mother and others. And I can sense "spiritual groanings" from others.

Working through my ban slowly and not so long till I will be re-instated (1st January 2021) and will be able to tell you again how much Jesus loves this naughty sunbeam.

3 things to report during my incarceration:

1. Granddaughter Amelie is so beautiful. Going to see her Monday 4th (day after my 68th birthday). She is a real smiler and a huge tonic - what life is all about.

2. We have had a steady decline in church membership in Valleys since I came here 7 years ago (not all my fault). Now attending meeting after meeting where we are praying and taking practical steps to arrest that decline. Looking do-able, and even our Chair of Welsh Synod (sort of Methodist Archbishop of Wales) attended our little meeting last night in an unpronouncable Valleys village to show prayer and financial support.

3. Finished my draft of the biography about a famous Victorian aunt who was a maid of all work for 30 years then married a pre-Raphaelite poet and Barrister (as all our ancestors did probably). Has been a labour of love, but not an easy labour. To submit end of next week to an agent to see if it is publishable. But quite good, I think. And 250 pages minus photos, maps etc so feel I have really achieved my first goal since retiring 9 months back. " :-) <3

Here endeth the lesson. ;-) Cx :-)

Well Cynthia I wonder who that special friend is :-D

My message to special friend...Lang May your Lum Reek and
Haste ye Back <3

Emma :-)

Good morning .. :-)


I hope everyone is keeping as well as possible. A prayer for the busyness of life.....


God, who is with us
in the midst of traffic chaos and noisy commerce,

remind us to stop and listen to the sounds of longing hearts.
In the dark loneliness of crowded living,

remind us to look for glimpses of your light.
When tempted to see only struggle and bad news,

remind us that the city is full of stories of hope and human flourishing.
Help us to be the human agents of your divine grace. Amen.

- Michaela Youngson


Remembering all our friends......Cx :-)

Good morning :-)


I have a busy day ahead of me and so I will leave you with the Collect for the day.




Lord of all power and might,
the author and giver of all good things:
graft in our hearts the love of your name,
increase in us true religion,
nourish us with all goodness,
and of your great mercy keep us in the same;
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.


Love and prayers to our friends in need. Cx :-)

Thoughts and prayers to those in need of comfort <3

Good morning.. :-)


Our prayer for today centres on the commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the First World War.


Gracious Father,
we pray for peace in our world:

for all national leaders
that they may have wisdom to know and courage to do
what is right;

for all men and women
that their hearts may be turned to yourself
in the search for righteousness and truth;

for those who are working to improve international
relationships,
that they may find the true way of reconciliation;

for those who suffer as a result of war:
the injured and disabled,
the mentally distressed,
the homeless and hungry,
those who mourn for their dead,

and especially for those who are without hope to
sustain them in their grief.

Amen.


Cx

Amen.

Dear All

Hello

This is a small tribute for the all the people who died in World War One.


"O brother man, fold to thy heart"


"O brother man, fold to thy heart thy brother;

where pity dwells, the peace of God is there;

to worship rightly is to love each other,

each smile a hymn, each kindly deed a prayer.



he whom Jesus loved has truly spoken:

the holier worship which He deigns to bless

restores the lost, and binds the spirit broken,

and feeds the widow and the fatherless.




Follow with reverent steps the great example

of him whose holy work was doing good;

so shall the wide earth seem our Father's temple,

each loving life a psalm of gratitude.



Then shall all shackles fall; the stormy clangor

of wild war music o'er the earth shall cease;

love shall tread out the baleful fire of anger,

and in its ashes plant the tree of peace".


---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

With deep respect
Elizabeth,
xx

Good morning :-)


Elizabeth, thank you for those beautiful words. If I may, I would like to leave that as our prayer for today, but would like to add a small story which reflects some of the words in your prayer.....

"Follow with reverent steps the great example
of him whose holy work was doing good;
so shall the wide earth seem our Father's temple,
each loving life a psalm of gratitude."



Trooper George Jameson, 1st Battalion, Northumberland Hussar - WW1

"I'd give full marks to the Salvation Army. They had one place I used to drop into often. And it was a most uncomfortable spot to be in. It was at Vimy. The main road came through Vimy and down on to the plain that way.

Well, you didn't take that main road if you could avoid it, it was under constant shellfire. At night it got even worse, as the Germans reckoned that transport used it at night, so they would keep strafing it the whole time.

But tucked into the side of the hill was the Salvation Army. And they used to have tea and whatever going all hours of the day. How they survived there I don't know. Wonderful people. In the middle of nowhere to suddenly walk into a place and get a piping hot pot of tea, it was a great reviver".


The Salvation Army - following the great example of Him whose holy work was doing good.

Cx :-)

Good morning .... :-)


To fit in with the remembrance of the outbreak of the First World War, I thought a hymn would be appropriate and, what better than Onward Christian Soldiers. :-)

This hymn was written in 1869 by Revd. Sabine Baring-Gould who used it as a processional hymn for children going to St. Peter's church in Horbury, Yorkshire. It took him all of 15 minutes to write apparently. The tune we are familiar with was composed by Arthur Sullivan and this hymn has been used at countless events ever since.


Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war,
With the cross of Jesus going on before.
Christ, the royal Master, leads against the foe;
Forward into battle see His banners go!

Chorus: Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war
With the cross of Jesus going on before.

At the sign of triumph Satan’s host doth flee;
On then, Christian soldiers, on to victory!
Hell’s foundations quiver at the shout of praise;
Brothers lift your voices, loud your anthems raise.

Like a mighty army moves the church of God;
Brothers, we are treading where the saints have trod.
We are not divided, all one body we,
One in hope and doctrine, one in charity.

Crowns and thrones may perish, kingdoms rise and wane,
But the church of Jesus constant will remain.
Gates of hell can never 'gainst that church prevail;
We have Christ’s own promise, and that cannot fail.

Onward then, ye people, join our happy throng,
Blend with ours your voices in the triumph song.
Glory, laud and honour unto Christ the King,
This through countless ages men and angels sing.


Continuing to pray for our friends kandj and her OH, Vera's recently widowed friend, Emma's young friend and her family and any known to us who would appreciate prayer at this time.


Cx :-)

Good morning :-)


There always seems to be so much new of war in the headlines, and so a prayer from someone who dealt with the casualties of war - over one hundred years ago.


O Lord God,
since you have called us to devote ourselves to the needs of others,
grant us the strength of your grace.
In the midst of our work let us not lose sight of your great purposes.
Let us not snatch the management of your world from your hands,
lest we faint and fall in the presence of your wisdom;
this we beg for Jesu's sake.
Amen.

Florence Nightingale (1820-1910)



Remembering all those who need prayer at this time. Cx :-)