General Chat

Hello all

Should be a fun time with two baptisms, two babies and their families Cynthia.

Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me
Let there be peace on earth the peace that was meant to be
With God as our Father, Brothers all are we
Let me walk with my Brother in perfect harmony.

Let peace begin with me let this be the moment now
With every step I take let this be my solemn vow
To take each moment and live each moment, with love eternally
Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me.

Beautiful hymn, beautiful words. May the peace of our Lord be always with you. xxx

Good morning :-)


I love spring flowers.......so full of freshness and hope <3


Today we have two babies being baptised by our Archdeacon - should be interesting :-D


The Collect (special prayer for today)

God our redeemer,
you have delivered us from the power of darkness
and brought us into the kingdom of your Son:
grant, that as by his death he has recalled us to life,
so by his continual presence in us he may raise us
to eternal joy;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.


In the Gospel reading we hear of where Jesus was explaining to his disciples about his imminent Ascension into heaven..........and he uses the words "Peace I give to you: my peace I leave with you". Wonderful words.


Love to all Cx :-)

Hello all

Bright but very very cold here today. No gardening for me, much too chilly just now.
The Spring flowers are taking a battering and I have cut some and brought them inside so we can really see how beautiful they are now.

"Flowers always make people better, happier and more helpful; they are sunshine, food and medicine for the soul." (Luther Burbank)

Thinking of all the cyclists taking part in the Tour de Yorkshire 2016. xxxx

Good morning :-)


Thankfully, the snow cleared and we were able to get out for an hour or so..... :-D


We’ve had some very funny weather lately – four seasons in one day sometimes. One of the most beautiful sights in mixed weather is a rainbow……..



The falling rain dissolves into mist
And the thunder begins to die;
As the sporadic lightning fades
An arch of colours pours from the sky.

Rainbows appear after mighty storms
When things look their worst;
Just when the skies are darkest gray,
Out of heaven does the rainbow burst.

God first sent the rainbow to Noah
As a sign that His word is true;
The rainbow's eternal message
Still speaks to me and you.

The rainbow is a sign of God's promise
That He will guide us through any storm;
That He will ease all our troubles
No matter what their form.

When you feel battered by life's storms
And you are filled with doubt and dismay,
Just remember God's rainbow is coming
It's a blessing ... you just have to pray.

~ Author Unknown ~

Hello all

A light covering of snow here too Cynthia. It looks so pretty from inside a warm home.

Kindness is snow - it beautifies everything it covers.
(Kalil Gibran)

Thinking of those who struggle to heat their homes. xxx

Good morning :-)

We woke to snow this morning - only a light covering, but not a welcome sight... :-(

Hopefully, the sun will get rid of it so that we can go for our lunch at church later on.


For this morning :

Loving God, as pilgrims on a journey,
we can often feel uncertain about the future.
Help us to remember that past, present and future
are all held in your loving hands.
Help us to learn more and more about how we can trust in you
so that, whatever the future brings,
we can know that you are with us and will help us to face it,
as we share the love you give us with a needy world. Amen.


Love to all Cx :-)

Hello all

That arctic blast yesterday battered a pretty tub of red tulips and flattened them.
Now they are in our home and look beautiful and are helping to cheer us up.

"Every flower is a soul blossoming in nature."
(Gerard de Nerval)

Thinking of all young children in nursery today. xxx

Good morning :-)


Strange weather indeed and more of it to come according to the forecasters.... :-S


For today :

This is the beginning of a new day ...
I have been given me this day
To use as I will.

I can waste it ... or use it for good,
But what I do today is important
Because I am exchanging
A day of my life for it!

When tomorrow comes,
This day will be gone forever,
Leaving in its place
Something that I have traded for it.

I want it to be gain ... and not loss;
Good ... and not evil;
Success ... and not failure;
In order that I shall not regret
The price that I have paid for it.

I will try just for today,
For you never fail ...
Until you stop trying.


Remembering friends in prayer Cx :-)

Hello all

Cynthia, I think we all have overeaten at some point and then wish that we hadn't!

Lots of hailstones and sleet that covered everywhere white and although it
looked very pretty, it disappeared when a watery sun appeared. Strange weather.

O, Lord as we come to the end of a busy day
As night falls, we place ourselves in your hands
As we lay down to rest we leave all our worries with you.
Amen.

Good morning :-)


Someone who shall remain nameless, over indulged in pizza yesterday and paid the consequences later in the evening. There is such a fine line between seeing someone enjoy what they are eating and knowing that they will suffer for it later. A lesson has been learned methinks.... :-D

For today:

Father, dear Father,

I am so grateful for everything that you have given me.
Thank you so much for the loved ones in my life,
For the many ways in which I am cared for and supported.
Thank you for the many ways I can serve and give to others.
Thank you for the rich tapestry of colours in creation,
For the beauty which is all around me,
For the skies and the ever changing cloud formations,
For the breathtaking sunsets and early morning mists.
My heart is so grateful and brimming with thanks.
I could write a thousand books about your great goodness,
And still have many stories to tell.

I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
I thank you with everything I am.
All my being cries thank you Lord!

Amen.


Cx :-)

Hello all

Well our thoughts however strong Cynthia, sadly won't change things for the better.

I enjoyed the sing song (as always) so let's all join in and have a little dance today.

I danced in the morning when the world was begun
I danced in the stars and the moon and the sun
I came down from heaven and I danced on the earth
In Bethlehem, I had my birth.

Dance then, wherever you may be
I am the Lord of the dance, said He
and I'll lead you all wherever you may be
and I'll lead you all in the dance, said He.

I danced for the scribe and the pharisee
but they wouldn't dance, and they would not follow me
I danced for the fishermen, for James and John
They came with me and the dance went on.

Dance then, wherever you may be
I am the Lord of the dance, said He
and I'll lead you all wherever you may be
and I'll lead you all in the dance, said He.

I danced on the Sabbath and I cured the lame
The holy people said it was a shame
They whipped and they stripped and they hung me high
And they left me there on the cross to die.

Dance then wherever you may be
I am the Lord of the dance, said He
and I'll lead you there wherever you may be
and I'll lead you all in the dance, said He.

I danced on a Friday when the sky turned black
It's hard to dance with a devil on your back
They buried my body and they thought I'd gone
but I am the dance and I still go on.

Dance then wherever you may be
I am the Lord of the dance, said He
and I'll lead you all wherever you may be
and I'll lead you all in the dance, said He.

They cut me down and I leapt up high
I am the life that will never ever die
I'll live in you if you'll live in me
I am the Lord of the dance, said He.

Dance then wherever you may be
I am the Lord of the dance, said He
and I'll lead you all wherever you may be
and I'll lead you all in the dance, said He.

Remembering all junior doctors and patients affected by the strike today. xxx

Good morning :-)

I agree about too many duties kandj. From my viewpoint, too many clergy these days seem to spend much of their time attending meetings, conferences and retreats. Pastoral visiting is diminishing and red tape is choking many long held traditions.

Never mind.......let's have a good old sing song........we sang this on Sunday too... :-D

Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine;
Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.

This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Saviour all the day long.
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Saviour all the day long.

Perfect submission, perfect delight,
Visions of rapture now burst on my sight;
Angels descending, bring from above
Echoes of mercy, whispers of love.

Perfect submission, all is at rest,
I in my Saviour am happy and blest;
Watching and waiting, looking above,
Filled with His goodness, lost in His love.


Cx :-)

Hello all

I must be telepathic Cynthia. It seemed an appropriate hymn for yesterday.
Our village church Rector is also Team Leader of another local church plus
the Area Dean. Just too many duties to do any of the work well..... imho.

It's Monday and a cold one too, but
I'm alive
I'm breathing
I'm living
I'm blessed.
God is good.

Thinking of all who face an anxious week coping with money worries. xxx

Good morning :-)

We sang that hymn yesterday kandj :-)

An interesting morning on the whole. We had a member of a team which is in the process of trying to revitalise the churches in our deanery. He enforced the fact that the old system of each church having its own vicar is no longer the case and that we have to get used to Team Ministries where several clergy move between churches. Not sure everyone was thrilled by this news....... :-(


To cheer us for today:

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.


Love to all. Cx :-)

Hello all

Amen to your prayer for today Cynthia. The weeks and months do indeed
pass by very quickly....... scary!

A New Commandment.

A new commandment, I give unto you
That you love one another as I have loved you
That you love one another as I have loved you.
By this, shall all men know that you are my disciples
If you have love, one for another.
By this, shall all men know that you are my disciples
If you have love, one for another.

Thinking of all those who will take part in the London marathon today
and all the monies raised for many worthy charities. xxx

Good morning :-)

Another Sunday.......my word, aren't the weeks passing quickly?

The Collect (special prayer for today)

Almighty God,
who through your only-begotten Son Jesus Christ
have overcome death and opened to us the gate of everlasting life:
grant that, as by your grace going before us
you put into our minds good desires,
so by your continual help
we may bring them to good effect;
through Jesus Christ our risen Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.



The Gospel reading set for today tells of Jesus giving us a new commandment - to love one another.


Hoping that both of us make church this morning. Love to all. Cx :-)

Happy St George's Day to all, and a beautiful sunny day it is too (so far).

It is very many years since I read Shakespeare at school, but I always
remember these few lines from Henry V...........

"I see you stand like greyhounds in the slips,
Straining from the start. The game's afoot;
Follow your spirit; and, upon this charge
Cry God for Harry, England and St George!"

Fly the flag and be proud of our heritage today. xxx

Good morning :-)

Today is St. George's Day - an interesting saint to say the least.

Saint George is the patron saint of England. He's popularly identified with England and English ideals of honour, bravery and gallantry - but actually he wasn't English at all. Very little, if anything, is known about the real Saint George. Pope Gelasius said that George is one of the saints "whose names are rightly reverenced among us, but whose actions are known only to God."

Facts in brief:

Everything about Saint George is dubious, so the information below should be taken as mythical rather than real.

• Born in Cappadocia, an area which is now in Turkey
• Lived in 3rd century AD
• His parents were Christian
• Later lived in Palestine
• Became a Roman soldier
• Protested against Rome's persecution of Christians
• Imprisoned and tortured, but stayed true to his faith
• Beheaded at Lydda in Palestine
• 23rd April was named as Saint George's day in 1222

He is patron saint not only of England but also of Aragon, Catalonia, Georgia, Lithuania, Palestine, Portugal, Germany and Greece; and of Moscow, Istanbul, Genoa and Venice (second to Saint Mark).

He's also patron saint of soldiers, archers, cavalry and chivalry, farmers and field workers, riders and saddlers, and he helps those suffering from leprosy, plague and syphilis.

In recent years he has been adopted as patron saint of Scouts.


Praying for all unknown 'saints' who are serving Christ in their everyday lives.

Cx :-)

Hello all

Her Majesty clearly enjoyed her very special birthday yesterday. God bless her.

One more step long the world I go
One more step along the world 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.

Remembering all who work in various methods of transport. xxx

Good morning :-)

Her Majesty seemed to be thoroughly enjoying herself yesterday and it was lovely to see her looking so wonderful on such a special day. Prince Philip looked good too....what an amazing couple for their years <3


Resuming our journey with God.....


Our walk with God
is never a lonely walk,
it is a family occasion,
if taken in the company
of God's children.
If we lag behind,
there are those who will turn
and offer words of encouragement,
hold out a hand and offer assistance
over stiles and other obstacles,
share refreshment,
help us from our knees
when we stumble.

- John Birch



Cx :-)