General Chat

An interesting and thought provoking posting Cynthia. Thank you.

A collect for today the 5th Friday in Lent:

Pardon the offenses of your peoples we pray, Oh Lord,
and in your goodness set us free from the bonds
of the sins we have committed in our weakness.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son
who lives and reigns with You in the unity of
the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever
Amen.

Remembering all who are in need of prayerful support today. xx

Good morning :-)


Thank you for those words kandj - you and your husband remain in our prayers <3


For today:

Dear God, grant me this day to live a simple, sincere and serene life,
Letting go every thought of anxiety, discouragement, self-seeing,
Cultivating joy, generosity, love, and the habit of holy silence.
Grant me to be faithful in the habits of prayer, work, study, exercise,
eating and sleeping.
As I cannot by my own strength do this,
nor even with the hope of success attempt it,
I look to you, O Lord my Father, in Jesus Christ my Saviour
and ask for the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.


Praying for those who mourn the loss of family and friends; those in need of strength and those who are finding life difficult at the moment. We place them into God's loving arms.

Cx :-)

Thank you Cynthia for your kind words. Life here is still very challenging, but compared to the tragedies in our world, we have little to complain about. I often think of the wise words of the Serenity Prayer which is known to very many people.

Serenity Prayer

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.

Living one day at a time,
enjoying one moment at a time,
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace.
Taking, as Jesus did, this sinful world
as it is and not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His will;
That I may be reasonable happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him
Forever and ever in the next.
Amen.

Amazing words written by Reinhold Nieburh in 1951 which are surely familiar to many people and meant to help keep us calm and focused during troubled times.
Sending out positive prayers to all in need today. xx

Good morning :-)

Thank you for that kandj - I love the words of the Serenity Prayer - they say so much so well.


The Collect for today:


The Collect

Almighty and everlasting God,
who in your tender love towards the human race
sent your Son our Saviour Jesus Christ
to take upon him our flesh and to suffer death upon the cross:
grant that we may follow the example of his patience and humility,
and also be made partakers of his resurrection;
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 to all Cx :-)

My thoughts and prayers for friends and family
who need support at this time <3

Thank you everyone for your recent posts.

Kandj, I had never heard the whole of the serenity prayer so it was good to see it in its entirety.

Thoughts for all those in need of strength and support today

Hello to you all. Palm Sunday here again. A very important day in the Christian calendar marking the beginning of Holy Week. My very favourite Palm Sunday hymn is All Glory Lord and Honour.......

All Glory Lord and honour, to thee Redeemer King
To whom the lips of children may sweet hosannas ring.
Thou art the King of Israel thou David's royal son
Who in the Lord's name comest, The King and blessed one.

The company of angels are praising thee on high,
And mortal men and all things, created make reply.
The people of the Hebrews, with palms before thee went;
Our praise and love and anthems, before thee we present.

To thee before thy passion, they sang their hymns of praise;
To thee now high exalted, our melody we raise.
Thou didst accept their praises, accept the love we bring
Who in all good delightest, thou good and gracious King.

Sending blessing to all for a restful peaceful night. x

Good morning :-)


Yes it was indeed Palm Sunday yesterday. Many people will have left their churches clutching a small cross made of palm leaves - to remind them of that special day. We usually wedge ours gently behind a picture in the hall, where they can be seen for the rest of the year - as a reminder of our Lord's journey.



During this Holy Week, we will trace that journey, day by day.

MONDAY Jesus returned with his disciples to Jerusalem.

Along the way, Jesus cursed a fig tree because it had failed to bear fruit. Some scholars believe this cursing of the fig tree represented God's judgment on the spiritually dead religious leaders of Israel. Others believe the symbolism extended to all believers, demonstrating that genuine, living faith is more than just outward religiosity. True faith must bear spiritual fruit in a person's life.


When Jesus arrived at the Temple he found the courts full of corrupt money changers. He began overturning their tables and clearing the Temple, saying, "The Scriptures declare, 'My Temple will be a house of prayer,' but you have turned it into a den of thieves." (Luke 19:46)


On Monday evening Jesus stayed in Bethany again, probably in the home of his friends, Mary, Martha, and Lazarus.


We will continue the journey tomorrow............................. Cx :-)

My thoughts and prayers for my GR friend Barb
and her family, for the loss of her husband Graham. <3

R.I.P Graham

Thank you Cynthia. My friend kindly brought a palm cross yesterday and this now has pride of place on the kitchen notice board where it can easily be seen by one and all.
I find Holy week so very humbling. Thanks for sharing our Lords journey with us all.

Emma, my thoughts and prayers go to your friend and her family in their time of loss.

Tonight it is very cold, wet and windy and I'm thankful to have a warm home and safe place to relax and sleep. I pray now for all who have no such place and are living rough on the streets coping with the uncertainty and dangers of this night. God bless them all.

Good morning :-)


So sorry to hear about the death of your friend's husband Emma. They will be held in prayer. <3


Very wet and windy here too kandj and, like you, I think of those who are unable to find shelter from the weather.


Continuing our Lord's journey through this Holy Week:

Today our journey with Jesus through Holy Week takes us back to the Temple in Jerusalem and then to the Mount of Olives.

On Tuesday morning, Jesus and his disciples returned to Jerusalem. They passed the withered fig tree on their way, and Jesus taught them about faith.

At the Temple, the religious leaders aggressively challenged Jesus' authority, attempting to ambush him and create an opportunity for his arrest. But Jesus evaded their traps and pronounced harsh judgment on them:

"Blind guides! ... For you are like whitewashed tombs—beautiful on the outside but filled on the inside with dead people's bones and all sorts of impurity. Outwardly you look like righteous people, but inwardly your hearts are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness...Snakes! Sons of vipers! How will you escape the judgment of hell?" (Matthew 23:24-33)


Tuesday afternoon Jesus left the city and went with his disciples to the Mount of Olives, which overlooks Jerusalem due east of the Temple. Here Jesus gave the Olivet Discourse, an elaborate prophecy about the destruction of Jerusalem and the end of the age. He taught in parables using symbolic language about end times events, including his Second Coming and the final judgment.

Scripture indicates that Tuesday was the day Judas Iscariot negotiated with the Sanhedrin to betray Jesus (Matthew 26:14-16).

After a tiring day of confrontation and warnings about the future once again, Jesus and the disciples stayed the night in Bethany.


Cx :-)

Good morning :-)


We continue to follow Our Lord's journey through Holy Week


The Bible doesn't say what the Lord did on Wednesday of Passion Week. Scholars speculate that after two exhausting days in Jerusalem, Jesus and his disciples spent this day resting in Bethany in anticipation of the Passover.


Bethany was about two miles east of Jerusalem. Here Lazarus and his two sisters, Mary and Martha lived. They were close friends of Jesus, and probably hosted him and the disciples during these final days in Jerusalem.


Just a short time previously, Jesus had revealed to the disciples, and the world, that he had power over death by raising Lazarus from the grave. After seeing this incredible miracle, many people in Bethany believed that Jesus was the Son of God and put their faith in him.

Also in Bethany just a few nights earlier, Lazarus' sister Mary had lovingly anointed the feet of Jesus with expensive perfume.


While we can only speculate, it's fascinating to consider how our Lord Jesus spent this final quiet day with his dearest friends and followers.


Cx :-)


Edit: I have receive a message from kandj. Her husband is back in hospital once again so, unfortunately, she will find it difficult to post on here. I'm sure we will all understand and send our loving prayers to them both. <3

My thoughts and prayers to kandj and her husband at this time. <3

Barb, stay strong my friend <3

Thinking of Kandj and her husband and Emma's friend <3

Good morning :-)


We have now reached the Thursday in Holy Week - Maundy Thursday. Later today, the Queen will be handing out the Maundy Monies to deserving folk at Sheffield Cathedral. The history of this ancient tradition is easily found by googling.

A few years ago, my husband and I were invited to one of these ceremonies at our cathedral, in support of a friend. As Craig Revel Horwood, from Strictly Come Dancing would say.......It was a-ma-zing. Every nerve ending tingled with anticipation as soon as the Yeoman began the procession.


So, we continue Christ's journey:

Our tour through Holy Week takes a sombre turn on Thursday.

From Bethany Jesus sent Peter and John ahead to the Upper Room in Jerusalem to make the preparations for the Passover Feast.


That evening after sunset, Jesus washed the feet of his disciples as they prepared to share in the Passover. By performing this humble act of service, Jesus demonstrated by example how they were to love one another. Today, many churches practice foot-washing ceremonies as a part of their Maundy Thursday services.


Then Jesus shared the feast of Passover with his disciples saying, "I have been very eager to eat this Passover meal with you before my suffering begins. For I tell you now that I won't eat this meal again until its meaning is fulfilled in the Kingdom of God." (Luke 22:15-16, NLT)


As the Lamb of God, Jesus was about to fulfil the meaning of the Passover by giving his body to be broken and his blood to be shed in sacrifice, freeing us from sin and death. During this Last Supper, Jesus established the Lord's Supper, or Communion, instructing his followers to continually remember his sacrifice by sharing in the elements of bread and wine:


"And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, 'This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.' And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, 'This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.' "


Later Jesus and the disciples left the Upper Room and went to the Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus prayed in agony to God the Father. Luke's Gospel says "his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground." (Luke 22:44, ESV)


Late that evening in Gethsemane, Jesus was betrayed with a kiss by Judas Iscariot and arrested by the Sanhedrin. He was taken to the home of Caiaphas, the High Priest, where the whole council had gathered to begin making their case against Jesus.


Meanwhile, in the early morning hours as Jesus' trial was getting underway, Peter denied knowing his Master three times before the rooster crowed.


Cx :-)

Good morning :-)


A quiet service last night. After Holy Communion, and during the reading of a psalm, the verger and servers moved silently around the altar, stripping it of cloths and silverware and leaving a plain but slightly ornate wooden table. The choir removed their white surplices and processed quietly out of church in their dark cassocks. Everyone else left in silence too. A sombre reflection on the age old story of the Last Supper.


Today we'll trace Jesus' steps on Good Friday, the most difficult day of Passion Week. Christ's journey turned treacherous and acutely painful in these final hours leading to his death.

According to Scripture, Judas Iscariot, the disciple who had betrayed Jesus, was overcome with remorse and hanged himself early Friday morning.

Meanwhile, before the third hour (9 a.m.), Jesus endured the shame of false
accusations, condemnation, mockery, beatings, and abandonment. After multiple unlawful trials, he was sentenced to death by crucifixion, one of the most horrible and disgraceful methods of capital punishment.

Before Christ was led away, soldiers spit on him, tormented and mocked him, and pierced him with a crown of thorns. Then Jesus carried his own cross to Calvary where, again, he was mocked and insulted as Roman soldiers nailed him to the wooden cross.

Jesus spoke seven final statements from the cross. His first words were, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." (Luke 23:34, NIV). His last were, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." (Luke 23:46, NIV)

Then, about the ninth hour (3 p.m.), Jesus breathed his last and died.

By 6 p.m. Friday evening, Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea, took Jesus' body down from the cross and lay it in a tomb.



Cx

Good morning :-)


Another quiet and reflective service in a different church yesterday. The timing of the service at our own church didn't fit very well with my husband's medication routine, so we had to re-think our plans.


HOLY SATURAY

Jesus' body lay in the tomb where it was guarded by Roman soldiers throughout the day on Saturday, which was the Sabbath. When the Sabbath ended at 6 p.m., Christ's body was ceremonially treated for burial with spices purchased by Nicodemus:

"He brought about seventy-five pounds of perfumed ointment made from myrrh and aloes. Following Jewish burial custom, they wrapped Jesus' body with the spices
in long sheets of linen cloth." (John 19: 39-40, NLT)

Nicodemus, like Joseph of Arimathea, was a member of the Sanhedrin, the court which had condemned Jesus Christ to death. For a time, both men had lived as secret followers of Jesus, afraid to make a public profession of faith because of their prominent positions in the Jewish community.

.Similarly, both were deeply affected by Christ's death. They boldly came out of hiding, risking their reputations and their lives because they now realized Jesus was, indeed, the long-awaited Messiah. Together they cared for Jesus' body and prepared it for burial.

While his physical body lay in the tomb, Jesus Christ paid the penalty for sin by offering the perfect, spotless sacrifice. He conquered death, both spiritually and physically, securing our eternal salvation:

"For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And the ransom he paid was not mere gold or silver. He paid for you with the precious lifeblood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God." (1 Peter 1:18-19).



Cx :-)

Dear All

Hello

This prayer is for all our friends in need at this moment:

"Dear God,
Sometimes, I feel so ill I am afraid I will let go of life.

Dear God,
Please never let go of me".

Thank you.

Amen.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Dear Lord, please be with all those who are waiting and worrying in despair

about their family and friends, at home or in hospital".

Thank you

Amen

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

Take very gentle care
Sincere wishes
Much love from Elizabeth, EOS
xx

ALLELUIA. CHRIST IS RISEN: HE IS RISEN INDEED. ALLELUIA!



The Collect for Easter Day.

Lord of all life and power,
who through the mighty resurrection of your Son
overcame the old order of sin and death to make all things new in him:
grant that we, being dead to sin and alive to you in Jesus Christ,
may reign with him in glory;
to whom with you and the Holy Spirit be praise and honour,
glory and might, now and in all eternity.
Amen.


I wish everyone a very happy and blessed Easter.

Cx :-)

<3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

Elizabeth - such lovely prayers for those in need. I'm sure they are much appreciated.

<3