General Chat

Good morning.. :-)


So glad you enjoyed the humour yesterday :-)


A prayer from the past today:


Grant to us, O Lord, purity of heart and strength of purpose, that no passion may hinder us from doing your will, and no weakness from doing it; that in your light we may see light clearly, and in your service find perfect freedom; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Augustine of Hippo (354-430

~~~~~~~~~~~

And a little about this important figure in Christianity...

Augustine of Hippo, also known as Saint Augustine or Saint Austin, was an early Christian theologian and philosopher whose writings were very influential in the development of Western Christianity and Western philosophy.

Born: November 13, 354 AD, Tagaste
Died: August 28, 430 AD, Hippo Regius, Algeria
Full name: Aurelius Augustinus Hipponensis
Nationality: Algerian
Parents: Saint Monica, Patricius Aurelius



Remembering our friends in our prayers.....Cx :-)

Cynthia :-D so enjoyed reading those.

Emma :-)

All so funny, made me chuckle Cynthia and just what I need to lighten the load this morning...... (another God-incidence methinks!). Thanks very much.

Good morning.... :-)


How about a little laughter for today? It's often thought that people who go to church are very serious and sombre; that we are very strait-laced and poker faced and that we disapprove of just about everything. Just shows how much some folk don't know...... :-D

The following items are taken from various church publications - some are old but there are come new ones to make you chuckle too. Enjoy.... :-)


The Prayer and Fasting Conference fee includes meals.


Boy Scouts are saving aluminium cans, bottles and other items to be recycled. Proceeds will be used to cripple children.

The sermon for this morning is: "Jesus Walks on the Water. "The sermon for tonight will be: "Searching for Jesus."


Don't let worry kill you off.
Let the Church help!


Miss Charlene Mason sang "I will not pass this way again," giving obvious pleasure to the congregation.


For those of you who have children and don't know it, we have a nursery downstairs.


Next Thursday there will be try-outs for the choir. They need all the help they can get.


Irving Benson and Jessie Carter were married on October 24 in the church. So ends a friendship that began in their school days.


At the evening service tonight, the sermon topic will be 'What Is Hell?' Come early
and listen to our choir practice.


The church will host an evening of fine dining, super entertainment and gracious hostility.


Pot-luck supper Sunday at 5:00 PM - prayer and medication to follow.


The ladies of the Church have cast off clothing of every kind. They may be seen in the basement on Friday afternoon.


This evening at 7 PM there will be a hymn singing in the park across from the Church. Bring a blanket and come prepared to sin.


The pastor would appreciate it if the ladies of the Congregation would lend him their electric girdles for the pancake breakfast next Sunday.


The Low Self-Esteem Support Group will meet Thursday at 7 PM. Please use the back door.


Weight Watchers will meet at 7 PM at the First Presbyterian Church. Please use large double door at the side entrance.


This afternoon there will be a meeting in the South and North ends of the church. Children will be baptized at both ends.


This being Easter Sunday, we will ask Mrs Lewis to come forward and lay an egg on the altar.


22 members were present at the church meeting held at the home of Mrs. Marsha Crutchfield last evening. Mrs. Crutchfield and Mrs. Rankin sang a duet, The Lord Knows Why.




I hope these made folk smile a little and brightened your day..... Cx :-)

Not so bad then Cynthia, at least your husband made it for the consultation. I hope that he continues to improve a little each day.

Thoughts and prayers to all our friends who are anxious or feel stressed today.

Good morning.. :-)


A mixed visit to the Consultant yesterday. The leg problem is a side effect of one of the medications. If they reduce the medication, it will affect his mobility somewhat. Bit of a catch 22 situation so things are being left as they are for the time being to see how it goes. Onwards and upwards as they say...... :-)


For today:


Loving God,
we respond to your amazing love by serving you in all that we do.
But sometimes we feel tired and when we do,
we ask that you will refresh us.
Sometimes we feel we have let you down and when we do,
we ask that you will pick us up.
Sometimes we feel we have disowned you and when we do,
we ask that you will put your gentle arms of love around us.
Then, when we are refreshed, picked up and held by you, Lord,
send us out into the community
to continue to serve you in response to your amazing love.
Amen.

- Richard Teal

We continue to hold kandj and her husband, and Vera and Emma's friends in our prayers.

Cx :-)

That is so lovely Cynthia, thank you <3

My thoughts and prayers to all in need of comfort.

Emma x

Good morning...

There was, indeed, a good crowd in church last night as we remembered our beloved late incumbent. It was based on Songs of Praise and each hymn was one that had meant something to him during his ministry. His wife had written a short explanation for each one and his daughter gave an update of how she and her mother had coped during a very difficult time.

My son came over to sit with his dad and, when I got home, my husband was quite 'chipper', and my son was fast asleep in my recliner..... :-D


For a Friend....

Stores don't sell
I must confess
the joys of life
that cheer and bless,
but friends and prayers
are priceless treasures
beyond all monetary measures -
and so, my friend,
I say a prayer
that God will keep you
in His care.


- Helen Steiner Rice.


Cx :-)

A fast year indeed Cynthia and I am sure that there will have been many in church to join in remembering happier times shared with your lovely vicar.

I hope that your husband is well enough to keep the hospital appointment tomorrow and that it is a good consultation for the two of you.

Amen..... to such beautiful words in the Collect for today, thank you for sharing that.

<3 Cynthia

Cynthia I can hardly believe it's been a year.

Emma x

Good morning.... :-)


I think the blip has now passed but my husband remains weak - mainly due to the Parkinson's I guess. We move from one routine to another. Good job I am flexible well, in my mind I am, not sure my muscles agree with that though. :-)

I don't think I will be going to church this morning as I am unsure about leaving him for too long on his own. However, my son is coming later so that I can go to a special service to commemorate the first anniversary of the death of our beloved vicar. Where has that year gone??

The Collect for today :

Almighty and everlasting God,
you are always more ready to hear than we to pray
and to give more than either we desire or deserve:
pour down upon us the abundance of your mercy,
forgiving us those things of which our conscience is afraid
and giving us those good things which we are not worthy to ask
but through the merits and mediation
of 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.

And now I must be about my duties and remembering our friends who have asked for prayer.

Cx :-)

Cynthia I hope and pray that your husband improves enough to see the Consultant on Monday and that you keep well and are given the strength to cope with this added"blip" for the two of you right now.

Music can be relaxing or uplifting but is always emotional for me personally. The music prayer words were meaningful. Thank you for sharing this.

I am joining Emma in remembering all our friends who are in need of our prayers.

Good news indeed Cynthia and hope he
begins to feel stronger soon.

Thoughts and prayers to those in need of comfort.

Emma x

Good morning... :-)

Thank you for all kind wishes but I think the crisis is over for the moment, although my husband is as weak as a kitten. I now need to build him up a bit so that we can get to the consultant's on Monday.

I love the words of those songs, they are the type of hymns which would be sung with gusto. One thing which saddens me a little, is that even in church schools these days, they don't seem to enjoy the traditional music of the church. It's all very much biased towards the modern, catchy music whereas, I think there is room for both.



A music prayer :

Thank you for the music all around us.
Each morning we hear it from the moment we open our ears;
the low notes of wind around the eaves
the whoosh of water as it comes from the tap
the glug glug as it drains
the throaty whistle of the boiling kettle
the metallic tap of the spoon against the cup
the jazz percussion of our feet on the steps.
The sounds of our day,
so familiar we hardly pay attention.
Thank you for the ability to hear.

You are the Great Composer .
We long to be composed each day in your image,
singing your elegant score truly, clearly,
following your rhythm by heart,
finding our voice in your beautiful world.
Hearing you in the music of life.
This is our prayer. Amen.


With love to all.....Cx :-)

Oh dear Cynthia, I hope that you and your husband will feel better soon.
A "God-incidence" to begin your morning...... no surprise there then.

Thank you Elizabeth, the Summer break is ended and schools back again.

Vera, I can remember the school assemblies and the song we sang at the beginning and the end of each school year. Perhaps they are the same as yours

Lord behold us with Thy blessings
Once again assembled here.
Onward be our footsteps pressing
In Thy love, and faith and fear
Still protect us, still protect us
By Thy presence ever near.

and

Lord. dismiss us with Thy blessing
Thanks for mercies past receive,
Pardon all their faults confessing,
Time that's lost may all retrieve.
May Thy children, may Thy children
Never again Thy spirit grieve.

Let Thy Father-hand be shielding
All who here may meet no more.
May their seed time past be yielding
Year by year a richer store;
Those returning, those returning
Make more faithful than before.

There were several verses to each song but these are the three that I remember.

Thank you Elizabeth for the Back to School prayers. When I went to secondary school, aged 10, one of the first things we learnt was a prayer for the school and we said it regularly in assembly. I've been trying to remember it but without much success so I shall google and hope I can find it.

At the same time we also learnt a prayer for peace and I can certainly remember that as I mutter it most nights before bed. It seems our unstable world still needs all the help it can get.

Cynthia, I am so sorry that you and your OH are unwell and I hope you both make a very swift recovery. You are in my thoughts.

Good morning..... :-)

I am very late this morning but we had a disturbed night. On top of everything else, my OH has a 'bug' and I have part of one :-) Hopefully, it will be one of those 24 hour things which will disappear shortly......


Elizabeth and kandj, thank you for those words. I was actually thinking of children and prayer this morning and also, I had listened to Petula Clark's version yesterday. Why am I surprised..........I shouldn't be... :-)


A couple of thoughts on prayer today:


To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing.

Martin Luther



The Christian life is not a constant high. I have my moments of deep discouragement. I have to go to God in prayer with tears in my eyes, and say, 'O God, forgive me,' or 'Help me.'

Billy Graham


I hope everyone has a good day and we continue to remember our friends in our prayers. Cx :-)

Dear All

Hello

For our children returning to school:

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


"BLESS OUR SCHOOL"

Dear God

Bless our school,
Bless the buildings

Bless the playground,
Bless the teachers and all those who work here,
Bless the work we do.

May our school be a place of happiness, respect and love.

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


"AFTER THE HOLIDAY"

Dear God,

The holidays are now over and
we have returned for to school for a new year.


May it be for each of us a new start;
a chance to achieve,
a new opportunity to make genuine friends


and to make our school a community where EVERYONE feels valued,
welcome and safe.

Amen.

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

Take gentle care all
With my love
Elizabeth,
xx
With very best wishes
Elizabeth
xx

Hope all goes well this morning at the eye clinic Cynthia
I also hope that your hospital is much more organized than our local one as there is always standing room only and in such a busy clinic a long wait is the norm!

The Petula Clark version of your hymn is now uppermost in my mind and I will probably be singing these most of the day now........ do you remember these words?

Thank you for waking me this morning
Thank you for giving me today
Thank you, for every new day dawning
I'll be thanking you.

Thank you for every tree and flower
Thank you for every sky of blue
Thank you, I should be every hour
Truly thanking you.

Thank you for every note of music
Thank you for every song I sing
Thank you for giving me sweet music
Thanks for everything.

Thank you for everything you give me
Thank you for everything we share
Thank you for simply being with me
Thanks for being there.

Thank you for cheering me with laughter
Thank you for every smile you bring
Thank you for now and ever after
Thanks for everything.

Thank you for waking me this morning
Thank you for giving me today
Thank you, for every new day dawning
I'll be thanking you,
Thank you for every new day dawning
I'll be thanking you.

Thank you Lord for the gift of eyesight to see your beauty that surround us.

Remembering all our friends who are in need of prayerful support today.