General Chat

Thank you Cynthia.

My neighbour's funeral was yesterday. Neither he nor his wife had family - there was just a distant cousin there - but the crematorium was packed with members of a car club he had belonged to and neighbours. His widow is coping very well so thank you all for your kind thoughts for her.

Still keeping in mind Kandj and her OH and Emma's young friend and others in need.

Good morning.. :-)


Thinking of kandj and her OH, Vera's widowed friend, Emma's young friend and family and all those known to us who are going through hard times.



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


Cx :-)

Morning Cynthia <3

My thoughts and prayers to those in need. xx

Good morning .. :-)


Today is the feast day of St. Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556).

He is the Patron Saint of Soldiers. Whilst he was a soldier fighting at the Siege of Pamplona in 1521, he received a severe leg injury and, it was during his convalescence that he had a spiritual experience and was converted to Christianity.

He is remembered as the founder of the Society of Jesus, known as the Jesuits and is famous for his 'Spiritual Exercises'.


His prayer is well known to many of us :

Dearest Lord,
teach me to be generous;
teach me to serve You as You deserve;
to give and not to count the cost,
to fight and not to heed the wounds,
to toil and not to seek for rest,
to labour and not to ask for reward
save that of knowing I am doing Your Will.
Amen.


With love to our friends who have asked for prayer.. Cx :-)

Good morning... :-)

I hope everyone is well and, of course, we continue to think of kandj and her husband, Vera's widowed friend and Emma's young friend and her family and to hold them in our prayers.

For today:


May all I do today
begin with you, O Lord.
Plant dreams and hopes
within my soul,
revive my tired spirit:
be with me today.

May all I do today
continue with your help, O Lord.
Be at my side
and walk with me:
Be my support today.

May all I do today
reach far and wide, O Lord.
My thoughts, my work, my life:
make them blessings
for your kingdom;
let them go beyond today,
O God.

Amen.


Cx :-)

Lol thank you for that Cynthia :-)

Good morning .. :-)


The weather has changed to being cool and damp. There is so much news of war, suffering and pain. For those whose spirits are flagging, I thought a smile would help.....



When we are tempted


When we are tempted in our pride

to dizzy heights of sin,

beneath our feet, O Lord, provide

a ripe banana skin,

and when we yearn at someone’s head

to let a brickbat fly,

give us the grace to use instead

a well-aimed custard pie….



When cherished institutions stand

before your throne of grace,

with good intentions in each hand

and egg on every face,

teach us to query grand designs

with laughter born of tears,

for deep in earth’s jam-butty mines

your rainbow still appears…


~ Elizabeth Cosnett,



Cx :-)

Thank you Cynthia...beautiful words. x :-)

Good morning :-)


Despite the holiday season, I was pleased to see that we still had good attendances at church yesterday......and it was lovely to welcome a new baby who had recently been baptised.

For today :


The Gift of Lasting Love


Love is much more than a tender caress
and more than bright hours of gay happiness,
For a lasting love is made up of sharing
both hours that are 'joyous' and also 'despairing'…

It's made up of patience and deep understanding
and never of selfish and stubborn demanding,
It's made up of climbing and steep hills together
and facing with courage life's stormiest weather

And nothing on earth or in heaven can part
a love that has grown to be part of the heart,
And just like the sun and the stars and the sea,
this love will go on through eternity -

For 'true love' lives on when earthly things die,
for it's part of the Spirit that soars to the sky.

- Helen Steiner Rice

Keeping our friends in our prayers. Cx :-)

Good morning ... :-)

I'm glad you liked the hymn Vera. Often, the words of a hymn can move you more than the words of a prayer.

The holiday season is upon us so I don't know how many will be in church at the moment. We are going through a period of unrest sadly. Due to a shortage of clergy within the deanery, service times and formats are having to change.

At the moment, we are fortunate in that we have two services of Holy Communion each Sunday.......an early one and a later one. However, from September the early service will become a service of Morning Prayer, leaving just one Holy Communion. Some folk are very unhappy about this..........:( No doubt it will sort itself out - given time.

The Collect for Today :


Merciful God, you have prepared for those who love you such good things as pass our understanding: pour into our hearts such love toward you that we, loving you in all things and above all things, may obtain our promises, which exceed all that we can desire; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.


The reading for today is the parable of the mustard seed.......and I like this prayer which can go with today's reading.

Lord,
again and again you renew your promise,
putting a new heart and spirit within us.

You demand no unthinking obedience,
no loyalty blind and correct.

You do not try to control us,
but instead seek the pledge of our wills and our hearts,
freely given in love for you.

You have bound yourself to us,
and we belong inextricably to you and to each other.

Keep us giving and receiving your presence among us,
protecting those who are weak and in need,
our trust deepening through sacraments of love.

Amen.


Cx :-)

Thank you Cynthia. I've always enjoyed that hymn and now it is going to be going round and round my brain for the rest of the day.

Cynthia a lovely way to start the day and thank you <3

Today as always my thoughts and prayers to those in
need of comfort.

Emma x

Good morning .... :-)


Thank you Susan, it's comforting to know that there are others looking in and appreciating the daily prayers.

I thought to myself this morning that we haven't had a hymn to hum along to for a while. I have chosen one which is of fairly recent origin - 1977 and I think the words say something to each of us.

I have posted two links......one is from Songs of Praise with a congregation singing away; the other is of two young choristers with beautiful voices. Both versions are worth listening to I think.


The Servant Song

Brother, sister, let me serve you,
let me be as Christ to you;
pray that I may have the grace to
let you be my servant too.


We are pilgrims on a journey,
and companions on the road;
we are here to help each other
walk the mile and bear the load.


I will hold the Christ-light for you
in the night-time of your fear;
I will hold my hand out to you,
speak the peace you long to hear.


I will weep when you are weeping;
when you laugh I’ll laugh with you;
I will share your joy and sorrow
till we’ve seen this journey through.


When we sing to God in heaven
we shall find such harmony,
born of all we’ve known together
of Christ’s love and agony.


Brother, sister, let me serve you,
let me be as Christ to you;
pray that I may have the grace to
let you be my servant too.


- Richard A.M. Gillard


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlNoxoOocZs


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_ufwqwquqY


We continue to remember our friends in our prayers.

Cx :-)

I love this thread.

When you are posting and feel alone Cynthia.....There is at least one other watching and reading......me included :-)

Good morning... :-)


I found this simple prayer - really for a child - but suitable for adults too........


Lord, in the morning I start each day,
By taking a moment to bow and pray.
I start with thanks, and then give praise
For all your kind and loving ways.

Today if sunshine turns to rain,
If a dark cloud brings some pain,
I won't doubt or hide in fear
For you, my God, are always near.

I will travel where you lead;
I will help my friends in need.
Where you send me I will go;
With your help I'll learn and grow.

Hold my family in your hands,
As we follow your commands.
And I will keep you close in sight
Until I crawl in bed tonight.

Amen.


Thinking of kandj and her OH; Vera's widowed friend and Emma's young friend. Bless them all.


Cx :-)

Good morning :-)


I've always liked those words Dermot - something to strive for. Thank you.


As we are in such a spell of glorious weather here in the UK, I offer the following:


Father, Creator of all, thank You for summer!

Thank you for the warmth of the sun and the increased daylight.
Thank You for the beauty I see all around me and for the opportunity to be outside and enjoy Your creation.

Thank You for the increased time I have to be with my friends and family, and for the more casual pace of the summer season.

Draw me closer to You this summer.

Teach me how I can pray no matter where I am or what I am doing.
Warm my soul with the awareness of Your presence and light my path with Your Word and Counsel.

As I enjoy Your creation, create in me a pure heart and a hunger and a thirst for You.

Amen.


Cx :-)

Good morning :-)


I've always liked those words Dermot - something to strive for. Thank you.


As we are in such a spell of glorious weather here in the UK, I offer the following:


Father, Creator of all, thank You for summer!

Thank you for the warmth of the sun and the increased daylight.
Thank You for the beauty I see all around me and for the opportunity to be outside and enjoy Your creation.

Thank You for the increased time I have to be with my friends and family, and for the more casual pace of the summer season.

Draw me closer to You this summer.

Teach me how I can pray no matter where I am or what I am doing.
Warm my soul with the awareness of Your presence and light my path with Your Word and Counsel.

As I enjoy Your creation, create in me a pure heart and a hunger and a thirst for You.

Amen.


Cx :-)

Dermot thank you for those wonderful words
from Mother Teresa

“People are often unreasonable and self-centered. Forgive them anyway. If you are kind, people may accuse you of ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.

If you are honest, people may cheat you. Be honest anyway. If you find happiness, people may be jealous. Be happy anyway. The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow.Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have and it may never be enough. Give your best anyway. For you see, in the end, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.”

(Mother Teresa).

Thank you Cynthia as always <3

Kandj I'm so pleased to hear that things are settling
down for you and Vera wonderful, exciting news about
your grandson and wish him well for the future.
My thoughts go to the family of my young friend to give
them comfort and strength.

Emma x