General Chat

Hello all

Thanks Cynthia for a clear explanation of the meaning of Mercy.

"A little bit of Mercy makes the world less cold and more just."
(Pope Francis)

Praying for all who are affected by the atrocities in today's news. xxx

Good morning :-)


The sun wasn't exactly 'cracking the flags' yesterday, but at least the walk went ahead. So good to see several hundred men, women and children happy to walk in the name of Jesus.


Sadly, we wake to the news of violence at football and a mass shooting in America. We pray for all those involved in these dreadful events and ask God to be with those who have been bereaved.

This morning, we finish our look at the Gifts of the Spirits taken from Romans, with the gift of Mercy..........

So, what exactly IS mercy......

MERCY - compassionate or kindly forbearance shown toward an offender, an enemy, or other person in one's power; compassion, pity, or benevolence: Have mercy on the poor sinner.

The discretionary power of a judge to pardon someone or to mitigate punishment, especially to send to prison rather than invoke the death penalty.

An act of kindness, compassion, or favour:

Something that gives evidence of divine favour; blessing.


Father, by rights we should be eternally separated from you, for we have rebelled against you in thought, word and deed. Yet you reached down to fallen humanity and lifted us up to be with Jesus who died that we might live.

We live in a world where there are so many hurting people that at times it can become overwhelming and we find ourselves stepping back, and almost hoping that the problem will go away. And yet Jesus demonstrated a life that overflowed with deep-compassion and tender-mercy towards all those that were wounded and abused, troubled or hurt.

Help us to stretch out a willing arm of comfort, when we see other people hurting or in pain, and may we extend a godly mercy that only comes from You, to those that are the unlovely or unlovable. Amen.


Cx :-)

Hello all

We love all the traditional ceremony associated with Trooping of the Colour.

When I was little I had a jigsaw of this event, which kept me quiet for a while.
Wasn't keen on the green outfit the HM wore yesterday. Absolutely loved the
yellow one worn at Friday's service. Waiting to see what colour outfit the Queen
will be wearing for the Patron's Lunch in London today. HM and the Prince are amazing for their age and an inspiration to very many people. God bless them both.

Cynthia, I hope it has been a fine day for your annual church walk. It is good to be in a procession with a brass band in front. It helps to keep the weary legs moving.

One more step along the road I go,
One more step along the road I go,
From the old things, to the new
Keep me travelling along with you.
And it's from the old I travel to the new
Keep me travelling along with you.

Sending Sunday blessing and hugs to all in need today. xxx

Good morning :-)

I enjoyed watching most of the Trooping the Colour yesterday....the Queen, once again, looked amazing. Also, how Prince Philip at the age of 95, could maintain wearing the heavy uniform and bearskin, was beyond me. What a fantastic couple to be sure.


Today is our annual Walking Day. The weather forecast does not look very promising so, if the worst happens and it pours down, we will hold a service in church - complete with the bands and processions. That could be fun... :-S :-S


Our Collect (special prayer) for today:

Almighty God,
you have broken the tyranny of sin
and have sent the Spirit of your Son into our hearts
whereby we call you Father:
give us grace to dedicate our freedom to your service,
that we and all creation may be brought
to the glorious liberty of the children of God;
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

Cx :-)

Hello all

I hope whoever was taking the photograph with your Grandson, chose your
best side, so the pretty coloured bruises were well and truly hidden Cynthia.

We are being treated to a weekend of celebration for HM the Queen's 90th year.
The Duke of Edinburgh is now 95 and both look amazing to me.
The fly past on the balcony showed very many younger members of the royal family,
we were trying to work out who was whom..... we got there in the end though.

"If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more,
do more and become more, you are a leader."
Words by John Quincy Adams.

Praying for the leaders who have organized all the activities for this special weekend
xxx

Good morning :-)

What a lovely service at St. Paul's to celebrate the Queen's 90th birthday. I had to record most of it but enjoyed it later. We managed to get to see our lovely grandson and he didn't mind having his photo taken with his Nana who resembled The Phantom of the Opera :-D


Today, our Gift of the Spirit is............Leadership

Christian leadership is the art of being a good steward of the people who God has entrusted to us.

Lord Jesus Christ,
watch over those who are leaders in your Church.
Keep them faithful to their vocation
and to the proclamation of your message.
Teach them to recognize and interpret the signs of the times.
Strengthen them with the gifts of the Spirit,
and help them to serve their subjects,
especially the poor and lowly.
Give them a vivid sense of your presence in the world
and a knowledge of how to show it to others. Amen.



Cx :-)

Hello all

Happy Birthday Wishes to the Duke of Edinburgh and also to your Grandson Cynthia.

Our Grandson Jack shares the same birth date 21 April with HM The Queen.

"To give and not to expect return, that is what lies at the heart of love."
(Oscar Wilde)

Thinking of all patients anxiously awaiting hospital results today. xxx

Good morning... :-)


Thank you for your concern my friends......we had a much better night thank goodness <3

Looking forward to a quick visit to our grandson who is 17 today bless him. He is very much a 'Nana's boy' but I have warned him that I do rather resemble The Phantom of the Opera at the moment.... :-D

Remembering also, that today is the 95th birthday of The Duke of Edinburgh who has been such a devoted and loyal husband to our Queen. Happy birthday sir. x



Our Gift of the Spirit today is....................Giving


What we give to God is always more than just our money or our finances. It demands our whole selves - our whole beings and everything that we do and say. There are many ways in which we can give of our money, time and energy to God, whether this be to serve the church or to work outside of it.


"It's not how much we give but how much love we put into giving"
Mother Teresa (1910-1997)


Love,Cx :-)

Hope you are both feeling much better today x

Hello all

Cynthia I hope that today will be a good one for yourself and your husband too.

I have been blessed to always see my glass as half full. It has certainly helped but
on down days it is good to be encouraged and to have more positive thoughts again.

Don't stress, do your best, forget the rest. A simple sentence to uplift us all.

Thinking of all anxious passengers who are flying today. xxx

Good morning :-)

I don't mind people having a chuckle at my plight at all........laughter is good and I know it is all in good part. The bruising has spread.....down past my chin and further round my arm. I wonder how long it will take for it to disappear?

Not a good night with OH either - which I could have done without........ :-(


Today's Gift of the Spirit is, perhaps, apt for today..........the gift of Encouragement.

Dear Father,
We pray for those who encourage others and that you will make us encouragers too.

You lifted us up so let us also lift others in the spirit of encouragement and hope.

Today let us help others find the strength and the courage to use their gifts according to your master plan. Amen



Love to all Cx :-)

Hello all

I have to admit being like Emma and having a chuckle about you falling out of
the chippie...... Sorry Cynthia. Not a very Christian thing to do!

I hope you don't frighten yourself by looking in the mirror. Best to avoid them for now.

"The best teachers teach from the heart and not from the book." Anon.

Thinking of Vets who take care of family pets and working animals each day. xxx

Cynthia, my goodness that was some fall with all
those injuries .

I must admit I'm one of those people who fall over
fresh air, my daughter, grand daughter and now
great grand daughter are the same as me. I think
it's in the genes :-D

Take care x

Good morning :-)


Sorry Emma, I missed your comment about your laughter.......yes, plenty of folk think its hilarious that I fell out of a chip shop. I think I will be teased about this for a while. I miss our late vicar on things like this - he would never have let me live it down :-D

The bruising got worse - as often happens. The black eye has turned into the black cheek and black chin........the purple elbow has turned into the purple arm........I am enjoying the looks I get I must admit. Some glance and look quickly away, whilst some just look and then there are those who look at me pityingly. I'm so glad I have a good sense of humour..... :-D :-D

On we go..............


Today, we think about another Gift of the Spirit......Teaching.

Almighty God,

We come to you today and give thanks for all our teachers and especially for those who teach the Christian faith.

Father, please fill their hearts with courage now by your mighty Spirit.

Fill them with your strength, so they may rise to every challenge and not grow weary.

Fill them with your wisdom, so that they may be able to make good judgement when guiding and helping others.

Fill them with your peace, so that when stress and anxiety comes it would not over-whelm them.

Fill them with your joy, so that the passion they have for their subject may become an infectious passion that spreads.

We ask all this in the wonderful name of Jesus.

Amen.


Cx :-)

Hello all

Today's theme brought back a memory of a chat I had with a lovely 94 year young
Christian gentleman. I asked what his secret was to look so contented in later life?
His answer was that he was happy serving God by serving others in his daily life.
Hans sadly passed away last February, but I have never forgotten his wise words.

A quote now from another elderly wise man:....... Albert Schweitzer.
"The purpose of human life is to serve and to show compassion
and the will to help others."

Praying for all newborn babies and their parents today. xxx

Good morning :-)


I didn't think of that kandj......... :-D

Today’s Gift of the Spirit – Christian Service


Question: "What opportunities are there for Christian service outside of the church?"

Answer: Any service that reflects Jesus’ love is “Christian service.”

From giving a cup of water to dying for someone - there are as many types of Christian service as there are needs in the world. Very few involve activity within the four walls of the church.

The Bible gives some specific examples of Christian service: show hospitality to strangers, re-member those in prison, provide for the needy, and mentor others.

Some examples speak to our day-to-day living: care for children, tend families, treat employees fairly, deal honestly with customers, and be diligent with employers’ resources.

As long as the act is done “in Jesus’ name”—that is, it is motivated by the love of Jesus—it is Christian service.



Christ has no body but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks
Compassion on this world,
Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good,
Yours are the hands, with which he blesses all the world.
Yours are the hands, yours are the feet,
Yours are the eyes, you are his body.
Christ has no body now but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks
compassion on this world.
Christ has no body now on earth but yours.
- Teresa of Avila (1515–1582)


Cx :-)

Hello all

What a pity that no one prophesied your fall out of the chippie?
Seriously though Cynthia, I hope you are feeling less fragile today after the fall.

Another hot sunny day today, it is God's gift and a good tonic for all.

Thinking of family pets for whom the heat is not good. xxx

Cynthia I'm sorry but I'm still laughing about
You falling out of the chip shop :-D

I could not write anything yesterday so much
of an opening to pull your leg about your fall.

I hope you are feeling better today, why do we
find others misfortune so funny in some circumstances?

I put it down to the chip shop if you had fallen out of a public
house!!!

Take care x

Good morning :-)


Oh my word, did I receive some leg pulling yesterday at church!! After the shock had worn off, there were lots of jokes about my OH.....didn't think he had it in him; being drunk and disorderly (I don't even drink) and chip shops....did they sell flying fish....oh dear..*shakes head* :-D

As the baptism families arrived, some stopped to stare at me. My response? "I fell out of a chip shop" :-D

It was a lovely service conducted by someone who know us and is used to us, so there was a lovely atmosphere.

For today:

A couple of weeks ago we looked at the Fruits of the Spirit so maybe it would be interesting to look at the Gifts of the Spirit.

In the bible, there are three lists of these gifts – each one is similar but there are slight differences. For this week, we will look at the list in Romans….prophesying, serving, teaching, encouraging, giving, leadership, and mercy.

The Greek word translated “prophesying” or “prophecy” in both passages properly means to “speak forth” or declare the divine will, to interpret the purposes of God, or to make known in any way the truth of God which is designed to influence people.

Lord, we pray for those who have the gift of prophecy, that they may use the gift wisely and well.



Love to all Cx :-)

Oh dear Cynthia, I hope you are not too stiff and achy. These falls do shake you up so try to have a couple of quiet days. I know that's easy to say and hard to do but try to rest if you can.

I hope you start to feel better very quickly <3