General Chat

Sylvia, I have deleted the offending post.

Good morning :-)


Apologies for not posting yesterday - I got carried away, yet again! :-(

David - the internet is, indeed, a blessing at times - we can travel the world from our armchairs.

Dermot - I think your PP is in hiding with ours. I am reading so much about how busy the clergy have been during the lockdown, but blowed if I can see what ours has been up to. He covers 7 churches and all we get is a weekly video. You message him and he doesn't respond, nor does he phone round. Fings ain't wot they used be!!! :-(

Right......we have heard so much about the dreadful things happening in the US with the murder of George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter campaign, that I thought I would look out for a story of a Christian Missionary who fought for the freedom of slaves. I decided on David Livingstone. I will have to give you two extracts because I missed yesterday - sorry folks.

MONDAY

David Livingstone was born at Blantyre, south of Glasgow on 19 March 1813 and grew up in a distinctively Scottish family environment of personal piety, poverty, hard work, zeal for education, and a sense of mission. He was reared as one of seven children in a single room at the top of a tenement building for the workers of a cotton factory on the banks of the Clyde.

At 10 he began working in the local cotton mill, with school lessons in the evenings. In 1836, he began studying medicine and theology in Glasgow and decided to become a missionary doctor.

A meeting with Robert Moffat, the notable Scottish missionary in southern Africa, convinced him that Africa should be his sphere of service. On November 20, 1840, he was ordained as a missionary; he set sail for South Africa at the end of the year and arrived at Cape Town on March 14, 1841.


From Moffat’s mission at Kuruman on the Cape frontier, which Livingstone reached on July 31, 1841, he soon pushed his search for converts northward into untried country where the population was reputed to be more numerous. This suited his purpose of spreading the Gospel through “native agents.”


TUESDAY
By the summer of 1842, he had already gone farther north than any other European into the difficult Kalahari country and had familiarized himself with the local languages and cultures. His mettle was dramatically tested in 1844 when, during a journey to Mabotsa to establish a mission station, he was mauled by a lion.

On January 2, 1845, Livingstone married Moffat’s daughter, Mary. Livingstone became convinced of his mission to reach new peoples in the interior of Africa and introduce them to Christianity, as well as freeing them from slavery. It was this which inspired his explorations. In 1849 and 1851, he travelled across the Kalahari, on the second trip sighting the upper Zambezi River.

Mary accompanied him on many of his journeys until her health and the family’s needs for security and education forced him to send her and their four children back to Britain in 1852.

Continued tomorrow.

Cx :-)

Hello all

David Livingstone will be interesting. Thanks Cynthia

David the internet is very helpful to fill in long days.

Our parish church will open on 5th July with lots of necessary amendments in place to keep us all safe.

It's so hard to think that this is the last day of June!

Good morning :-)


Still no news on when our church is opening kandji........ :-(


Continuing with David Livingstone......

In 1852, he began a four year expedition to find a route from the upper Zambezi to the coast. This filled huge gaps in western knowledge of central and southern Africa. In 1855, Livingstone discovered a spectacular waterfall which he named 'Victoria Falls'. He reached the mouth of the Zambezi on the Indian Ocean in May 1856, becoming the first European to cross the width of southern Africa.

News from and about him during the previous three years had stirred the imagination of English-speaking peoples everywhere to an unprecedented degree. Livingstone returned to England on December 9, 1856, a national hero. Honours flowed in upon him. His increased income meant that he was now able to provide adequately for his family, which had lived in near poverty since returning to Britain.

He left for Africa again in 1858, and for the next five years carried out official explorations of eastern and central Africa for the British government. His wife died of malaria in 1862, a bitter blow and in 1864 he was ordered home by a government unimpressed with the results of his travels.


Cx :-)

I heard something interesting on our early morning radio show. It is Canada Day here, so shows are broadcast across the country instead of only regionally.

It was our own host here in Vancouver, but he interviewed an Anglican priest in Ontario, who is Anglican Chaplain and head of the religious committee at a local hospital.

Since March he has been the only religious person allowed in the ICUs at the hospital to be with the severely sick covid-19 patients, and then only if the family request him and the health team allow him.

If it is a different faith, he contacts the member of the committee concerned, and sets up a time.

Then he gets dressed in full PPE gear, takes an Ipad in to the room, faces it towards the patient, and then stands there while the Imam or whoever prays for the patient.

He said he has no idea if the patients hears but it brings comfort to family members to know that their faith is being followed.

Thank you for deleting that post David. I think you made the right decision.

Another interesting week Cynthia. Thank you.

Sylvia, I think that is a lovely thing for the Anglican priest to do. It must comfort the families. Our local Anglican church has been open from 10 till 6 every day for private prayer but I have no idea when services proper will resume.

One of my lovely granddaughters is 18 today. She is the one working in the dementia care home. As she reaches adulthood I wish her and all others celebrating their special day a happy and blessed future.

Good morning :-)

Such a lovely thing for the clergyman to do Sylvia. In these days of political correctness, it can be difficult for a cleric to visit even in normal circumstances - so to know that a person of their faith is with their loved ones, must be very comforting.

Hello Vera - I remember about your granddaughter working with those with dementia. Many happy returns of the day to her and I hope her day is just wonderful. xx

Is Emma okay by the way?

Continuing with David Livingstone and his fight against slavery.......

At home, Livingstone publicised the horrors of the slave trade, securing private support for another expedition to central Africa, searching for the Nile's source and reporting further on slavery.

Livingstone returned to Africa, after another short visit to Bombay, on January 28, 1866, with support from private and public bodies and the status of a British consul at large. His aim, as usual, was the extension of the Gospel and the abolition of the slave trade on the East African coast, but a new object was the exploration of the central African watershed and the possibility of finding the ultimate sources of the Nile. This expedition was infinitely better organized than Livingstone’s previous solitary journeys.

Cx :-)

Good morning :-)


David Livingstone......

When he returned to Ujiji on the eastern shore of Lake Tanganyika on October 23, 1871, Livingstone was a sick and failing man.

After nothing was heard from him for many months, Henry Stanley, an explorer and journalist, set out to find Livingstone. This resulted in their meeting near Lake Tanganyika in October 1871 during which Stanley uttered the famous phrase: 'Dr Livingstone I presume?'

Stanley brought much-needed food and medicine, and Livingstone soon recovered. He joined Stanley in exploring the northern reaches of Lake Tanganyika and then accompanied him to Unyanyembe, 200 miles (320 km) eastward. But he refused all Stanley’s pleas to leave Africa with him, and on March 14, 1872, Stanley departed for England to add, with journalistic fervour, to the saga of David Livingstone.


Cx :-)

Hello all

Sylvia, the Anglican priest is a true Christian man.

Vera, belated Happy Birthday to your granddaughter.

David Livingstone was an inspirational missionary.

Happy weekend to everyone. Stay safe.

Good morning :-)

Livingstone moved south again, obsessed by his quest for the Nile sources and his desire for the destruction of the slave trade, but his illness overcame him. In May 1873, at Chitambo in what is now northern Zambia, Livingstone was found dead, kneeling by his bedside as if in prayer.

In order to embalm Livingstone’s body, they removed his heart and viscera and buried them in African soil. In a difficult journey of nine months, they carried his body to the coast. It was taken to England and, in a great Victorian funeral, was buried in Westminster Abbey on April 18, 1874.

“You can have his body, but his heart belongs in Africa!” – David Livingstone

Cx :-)

Hello all

I clearly remember how shocked/horrified I was in school to be told that David Livingstone's heart was buried under a tree in Africa yet his remains were taken and buried in Westminster Abbey!!??

Have a happy/peaceful day today by remembering all the things that we are grateful for in our daily lives.

Keep well, stay safe everyone.

Good morning :-)

I have just watched a FB live streaming from one of our local churches and I realise, yet again, how much I miss being part of a congregation.......



The Collect (special prayer) for today:


O God, the protector of all who trust in you,
without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy:
increase and multiply upon us your mercy;
that with you as our ruler and guide
we may so pass through things temporal
that we lose not our hold on things eternal;
grant this, heavenly Father,
for our Lord Jesus Christ’s sake,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.




Gospel
Matthew 11.16–19,25–30

16 ‘But to what will I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the market-places and calling to one another,
17 “We played the flute for you, and you did not dance;
we wailed, and you did not mourn.”
18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, “He has a demon”; 19 the Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, “Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax-collectors and sinners!” Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.’

25 At that time Jesus said, ‘I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants; 26 yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. 27 All things have been handed over to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.

28 ‘Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’

Cx :-)

OH has gone to church this morning .............. first opening since march.

No singing, spatial distancing, masks to be worn.

I'll find out later how it went. The minister is very new, she was inducted just before everything closed down

Hello all

I also went to church this morning. I wasn't sure whether to go to this opening service. the first one for 15 weeks but I'm pleased that I did. It just felt "right" even though everything seemed very strange as all government rules were set in place to keep us safe.

OH was back earlier than usual, no singing at all.

He said there were about 30-35 people there, which is not far off the usual number ...... the church holds a maximum of 120.

He said it was "OK", just a lot of talking ............ he loves church music! :-D

Good morning :-)

Sylvia, I am seeing lots of comments from organists and choristers who are really, really wanting to get back to the music side of things.....they are very frustrated! It's understandable your OH feels the same.

Glad you made it to church yesterday kandj.

Only one of our churches has opened so far and they streamed the service on their FB page yesterday. It was well done, well thought out and was good to watch. They had a soloist and some music but no hymns as such. Only a few wore masks and everyone was dotted around the building. It is a church which has been there since the 1100's and this is the first time (I think) that it has ever been closed for worship in all those years.



During lockdown, I know that many of you have spent time in your gardens, especially in the good weather. It’s interesting to read of the various meanings attached to flowers and plants, including some religious meanings too. Let’s wander around our gardens, however small or large they may be, and pray as we tend the plants….

The Carnation
Christian artists often adorned scenes of the Madonna and Child with a red carnation, signifying the Virgin’s love of Christ and as foreshadowing of his crucifixion. This is how they became associated with motherly love.

Carnations are given on 1st anniversaries as a sign of love and commitment. They’re the second most popular cut flower after roses.

This hymn, based on the words of the Magnificat, is associated with Mary.

Tell out, my soul, the greatness of his might!
Powers and dominions lay their glory by.
Proud hearts and stubborn wills are put to flight,
the hungry fed, the humble lifted high.

Tell out, my soul, the glories of his word!
Firm is his promise, and his mercy sure.
Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord
to children's children and for evermore.


Cx :-)

Hello all

Thank you for Tell Out My Soul. I am now singing along with this traditional hymn.

Our church service had no hymn singing and was shorter than usual too just like your husband Sylvia.

I pondered about going along yesterday although I desperately wanted churches to be opened. I guess self isolating for the last 15 weeks made me hesitant.

I loved being back in church with the small church family and I'll look forward to next week now.

Cynthia ............... OH said that their choir mistress and pianist (no organ) has apparently taped or recorded some music and posted it online (I think on FB), so that people can sing the hymns to music at home.

Good morning :-)

As I have looked through Twitter and FB etc., I have been heartened at the number of online church services and how they have adapted their worship. One church (in Canada!) has the vicar leading a service and there are maybe 3 or 4 of his choristers with him. They keep to all the social distancing rules and sing the hymns. They have lovely voices too!

Many church musicians are chomping at the bit ready to begin rehearsals again. They do say that being in a choir is very beneficial to your health :-D


Round and round the garden…..


The Daffodil

The daffodil is acknowledged as the resurrection flower and is seen more than ever around Easter. It declares the path of Christ through death and resurrection. The sight of the daffodil would summon people to church.

It has also been said that the trumpet shape of the flower represents Gabriel’s trumpet calling for rebirth and new life; and the petals represent life after death. The stamen is said to portray Christ’s kingship.

In France, the daffodil is a symbol of hope and, along with the leek, it is the emblem for Wales and for the Marie Curie nurses. The daffodil is also associated with 10th wedding anniversaries.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

Cx :-)

Good morning :-)


Round and round the garden.......

The Orchid – an interesting story.

These flowers represent the blood of Jesus Christ from the Gethsemane garden and Calvary. In one of the legends of early Christianity, it relates how a monk stole the hand of a statue depicting the Jesus child. While hiding the monk in the mountains, he lost the way and, before dying of exhaustion and hunger, he buried the stolen treasure. The following year, in the place where the monk had hidden the precious object an orchid had sprung up, a flower whose roots reproduced exactly a child's hand.

The flower symbolism associated with the orchid is love, beauty, refinement, many children, thoughtfulness and mature charm. Orchids are associated with 14th and 28th wedding anniversaries.


Cx :-)