General Chat

Good morning... :-)

A couple of smiles for a gloomy morning.....

Everybody knew the roof was leaking, but the church kept putting off replacement. Finally some areas of the ceiling in the sanctuary began to sag. They called a congregational meeting. A very wealthy member rose and pledged £3000 toward fixing the roof. Just then a small piece of the ceiling fell and hit him on the head. Somebody in the back of the church said, "Hit him again, Lord!"


The strongman at a circus squeezed the juice from a lemon between his hands. He then said to the audience, "I will offer £200 to anyone in the audience who can squeeze another drop from this lemon. A thin scholarly looking woman came forward, picked up the lemon, strained hard and managed to get a drop. The strongman was amazed. He paid the woman and asked, "What is the secret of your strength?" "Practice," the woman answered. "I was the treasurer of a parish church for thirty-two years!


Loving God
We thank you for the things in life that make us laugh,
The things that bring a smile to our faces
We thank you for a sense of humour
Helping us to see the funny side of life
Even when it is on ourselves.
We thank you for those with the special gift
Of bringing laugher to others
And bringing a little light relief
Into the seriousness of our world.
Amen.


Love to all Cx :-)

Hello All

It is indeed good to laugh. A much better tonic that anything a doctor can prescribe.

Smiles are best given away. Walk around today and smile at someone as it just might make their day today.

A smile is happiness you will find right under your nose. (Tom Wilson)

Remembering people who can find nothing to smile about today. xxx

Good morning :-)


Quite often, whilst walking through town, I will smile at a stranger - they probably think I am mad........no comment. :-D

The Collect for today:

Almighty and everlasting God,
increase in us your gift of faith that,
forsaking what lies behind and reaching out to that which is before,
we may run the way of your commandments
and win the crown of everlasting joy;
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.



Sharing a smile with you all....... Cx :-)

'Catholic schools understand that religious education is not just a subject; it is a way of being'. (Excerpt from this week's 'The Tablet' - International Catholic Weekly.)

Cynthia - it's never advisable to smile at a Crocodile!

Heavenly Father thank you for walking with me all day, from morning till night.
Stay with me and those I hold dear, all through this night and protect us. Forgive the things I did wrong today and remind me that you will walk again with me in the morning.
Amen.

Remembering all those who are going through bad times right now. xxx

Good morning :-)


Dermot, I do rather like that quote...in fact, I think I may use it quite soon..... thank you. :-D

I had a lovely 5 minutes yesterday, holding a tiny baby.....he is 15 weeks old now but is still so small. He was looking around and taking notice and fascinated by the choir members who gathered around to 'coo' over him. Awwwwwwwwww :-D


I wondered about taking a simple walk through the 10 Commandments this week. So often you hear people being very negative about these guidelines - that they are full of 'don'ts' and 'though shalt nots'........well yes, they are. If these folk just stopped and thought, surely they would realise that 'you don't steal/murder/commit adultery/ etc......are positive points... ??

There will be a response, a concluding thought and a prayer added on.

Here we go - 2 per day - think of it as 'buy one get one free' :-D

1) I am the Lord your God: you shall have no other gods but me.

Response: You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength.


2) You shall not make for yourself any idol.

Response: God is spirit and those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.

Thought: We are warned not make idols or images in the form of God. An idol can be anything (or anyone) we worship by giving it more importance than God. If something (or someone) has our time, attention and affections, it has our worship.

Lord, help us to put you at the centre of our lives.



Prayerful support to those who are struggling at the moment. Cx :-)

As we are in for some heavy showers over the next few days
we should remember that

Rain makes everything beautiful.

Remembering those who are in need of comfort x

After rain there is a rainbow
After a storm there is calm
After night, there is a morning, and
After an ending there is a new beginning.

Thinking now of all new university students beginning Freshers Week, a new beginning!

Good morning :-)

I love rainbows............ :-D

Yesterday afternoon was wonderful......both our grandchildren have Mondays off from college, so I picked them up and went into town with them. Then we came back to ours for a meal with their dad and our daughter joined us too. Lovely family time.


Continuing our wander through the 10 Commandments......


3) You shall not dishonour the name of the Lord your God.
Response: You shall worship him with awe and reverence

4) Remember the Lord’s Day and keep it holy.
Response: Christ is risen from the dead: set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on the earth.

Thought: We should not treat God’s name lightly or with disrespect. Because of his importance, he should always be spoken about with honour. We should underline Sunday as a day of rest and worship.

Lord, help us to respect you at all times.



Love to all Cx :-)

Amen to your words Cynthia. What a blessing to have your family near yesterday.

Remembering October of the farmers and Harvest gatherings for all.

May God
who clothes the lilies and feeds the birds in the sky,
who leads the lambs to pasture and all animals to water,
who multiplied the loaves and fishes
and turned water into wine,
help us, lead us , feed us,
and change us to reflect the glory of our Creator
now and throughout all eternity.
Amen.

Good morning :-)


In the light of the recent killing of PC David Phillips in Liverpool, a brief pause in our wander through the 10 Commandments, as we think of him, his wife and his children.


A Policeman's Prayer

When I start my tour of duty God,
Wherever crime may be,
as I walk the darkened streets alone,
Let me be close to thee.

Please give me understanding with both the young and old.
Let me listen with attention until their story's told.
Let me never make a judgment in a rash or callous way,
but let me hold my patience let each man have his say.

Lord if some dark and dreary night,
I must give my life,
Lord, with your everlasting love
protect my children and my wife.




Cx :-)

Such a beautiful prayer Cynthia, thank you
for sharing x

RIP

Just so unbelievable and heartbreaking. A beautiful picture in newspaper of the happy smiling family........ now Mummy and little girls left to face the future alone. Tragic!

Eternal rest, grant unto him O lord, and left perpetual light shine upon him.
May the soul of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God.. Rest In Peace.
Amen.

Good morning :-)

The pictures of that young widow with her children were so poignant bless her....



It was baptism prep last night with three lovely young families. All was going well - the little ones had gone into church with some of our team to help get them used to the building whilst I was going through the powerpoint re baptism and it's meaning.

Suddenly, hysterical laughter erupted into the room......everyone looked round very startled and then I realised.......it was coming from my pocket and my mobile phone. Someone had sent me a text and the tone I have is ....... hysterical laughter. Ooops......it certainly broke the ice! :-D


We resume our little tour of the 10 Commandments.

5) Honour your father and mother.
Response: Live as servants of God; honour all men; love the brotherhood.

6)You shall not commit murder.
Response: Be reconciled to your brother; overcome evil with good.

Thought: Our parents are to be treated with respect and obedience. We should not deliberately kill a fellow human being.

Lord, help us to love others as we wish to be loved.


Remembering all who are going through difficult times with their marriage. Cx :-)

Oh dear Cynthia....... laughing in church. Is that still allowed ha ha
Laughter is infectious and can cure a multitude if ills.

Thank you for a better understanding of The Lord's Prayer. All very interesting.

Respect the old, when you are young.
Help the weak, when you are strong.
Confess the fault, when you are wrong.
Because one day in life,
you will be old,
weak and wrong.

Remembering all ambulance drivers and the important work they do so well. xxx

Good morning :-)

Laughter is a blessing indeed and we are thankful that laughter is often heard in our church :-D

Almost at the end of our tour through the10 Commandments.....

7) You shall not commit adultery.
Response: Know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit.

8)You shall not steal
Response: Be honest in all that you do and care for those in need.

Thought: We should not have sexual relationships other than with our spouse. Taking something which does not belong to us is wrong - whether it is a 1p. or a £1. Stealing is stealing. We should always be aware of the needs of others.

Lord, keep us free from temptation and alert to the needs of those around us.


Praying for all who are being tempted to do wrong....that they may be given the strength not to yield. Cx :-)

'The gearbox of the Holy Spirit has no reverse'.

(Cardinal Oscar Rodriguez Maradiaga of Honduras.)

Good morning :-)


You've been reading The Tablet again, haven't you Dermot? :-D

On to the last of the 10 Commandments.....


9) You shall not be a false witness
Response: Let everyone speak the truth.

10) You shall not covert anything which belongs to your neighbour.
Response: Remember the words of the Lord Jesus: it is more blessed to give than to receive. Love your neighbour as yourself, for love is the fulfilling of the law.

Thought: We are not to tell lies or falsely accuse anyone and not to desire anything which does not belong to us – this leads to jealousy and envy. We must be grateful for what we have…..not keep thinking about what we have not.


Lord, help us to remember these words.



Thinking of those going through trying times.......Cx :-)

Good Morning All

Today is the wedding day of two special friends. This is a second marriage for both and they each have been though dark days and found one another, so there is truly a magical light at the end for both of them.

Love is patient, love is kind
It always protects, always trusts,
Always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails.
1 Corinthians 13:4, 7-8.

Wishing much happiness and joy to K and K for today and for the future. xxx

Good morning :-)

How lovely for your friends kandj - I do hope they had a wonderful time yesterday. <3

This morning is the second time we will have the new baptism service....I am hoping all goes well for it. Two babies are being baptised and we look forward to seeing them.



The Collect
O God, forasmuch as without you we are not able to please you; mercifully grant that your Holy Spirit may in all things direct and rule our hearts; 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.


In the gospel reading for today, Jesus mentions the 10 Commandments…… :-D


Remembering friends in prayer.... Cx :-)