General Chat

Hello


This small prayer is for bus and train drivers:


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"Dear Jesus, We thank you for the patience

and dedication of bus and train drivers

who are entrusted with

the safety and care of their passengers.


Watch over all of them

and guide them, in your mercy,

so that they, and their passengers,

may reach their intended destinations,

safely and securely".


Amen

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Take gentle care
Best wishes
Elizabeth,
xx

Dear All

Hello


This is a prayer for those who are looking for work:

A Prayer to Find Employment

"God be with me today in finding employment.

Lead me to work that I love, and that has value.

Guide me to a place with an atmosphere of respect and cooperation,

in a safe and happy environment.

Help me to find fulfilment mentally and financially".

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Take gentle care
Best wishes
Elizabeth,
xx

Thank you Cynthia and Persie.

My thoughts and prayers to all in need. <3

I am not much chop on the prayers bit but am thinking of your young friend Emms and hope she fairs okay..

You too Kandj , I wish you and your husband well.

and then there's John... I think it's rather harsh treatment to dish out to John an over six year ban from the chat boards.
I have no doubt it will free up his time somewhat to do other productive things but will miss his attitude albeit persistent at times.

Interruption over Cyns... normal transmission may be resumed..

Persie :-)

Good morning :-)


I hope all pop in here now and then are keeping well. We remember to pray for kandj and her husband and for Emma's young friend.



Dear God, grant me this day to live a simple, sincere and serene life,
Letting go every thought of anxiety, discouragement, self-seeing,
Cultivating joy, generosity, love, and the habit of holy silence.
Grant me to be faithful in the habits of prayer, work, study, exercise,
eating and sleeping.
As I cannot by my own strength do this,
nor even with the hope of success attempt it,
I look to you, O Lord my Father, in Jesus Christ my Savior
and ask for the gift of the Holy Spirit. Amen.



With love, Cx :-)

Good morning... :-)


I'm sorry to say that it appears that we have lost John from the boards once more. It seems that there was some sort of 'spat' on another thread for which he was reported by other members. I didn't see what happened but I do know that he and I stood shoulder to shoulder on faith issues......even if we didn't always come from the same starting block.

Personally, I am sorry that this has happened and will miss his contributions on here and on other threads. He certainly livened up what has become a very slow Chat board.

Our prayer for today:

Gracious God,
help us to listen gently,
pray daily,
read our Bibles carefully,
laugh kindly,
give generously,
love outrageously
and leave everything else to you.

Amen.


Cx

Good morning :-)

Thank you for those words Elizabeth - they are so very true. I know the charity WaterAid does all it can to provide safe water, hygiene and sanitation in many areas of the world. I have just looked at their website and there is some very interesting and startling information on there.


A smile for today :


Elegant Hugs

When God created elephants,
He thought, "Now, let me see ...
They must be big and loveable,
And as huggable as can be."

He experimented first with ants,
Then moved up, in size, to bugs ...
"They won't do at all," He said,
"They give such tiny hugs."

Next He worked on cats and dogs,
Then walruses and whales;
He even went as far,
As dinosaurs with tails.

He finally worked up to elephants,
Then, smiled and said with glee ...
"Elephant hugs are the greatest,
And not only that, they are free!"

"So, kids and folks can copy them,
And learn to hug their way ...
An elephant hug is an "elegant" hug,
Have you had yours today?

~ Virginia Ellis


Sending "elegant" hugs to kandj, Emma's young friend, and anyone else who needs one. Cx :-)

Dear All

Hello

A small prayer for something many of us take for granted but much others need so much around the world.

"WATER"



We praise and thank You, Lord,
for the gift of living water.

Guide us
to use it wisely,

learn from its humility,

consume it sparingly,

and protect its purity,

so that we may truly

enjoy water"

Amen.

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Take gentle care
Best wishes
Elizabeth
xx

Thoughts and prayers to those who need comfort
and strength to see them through difficult times <3

Good morning... :-)

As the summer is with us, I am thinking of those who will be going on holiday either abroad or nearer home; for those who will be taking day trips during the coming weeks and for those who are unable to travel or leave their homes.


A Summer Blessing

May you walk with God
This summer
In whatever you do
Wherever you go

Walking with God means...
Walking with honesty
And with courage,
Walking with love
And respect
And concern for the feelings of others

May you talk to God
This summer
And every day and
In every situation

Talking with God means...
Praying words of praise
For the beauty of creation
Saying prayers of thanks
For friends and good times,
Asking God's help
In all your decisions
Expressing sorrow
When you have failed

May you talk with God
Every day.
Amen.

- Author unknown


Remembering kandj and her husband; Emma's young friend and anyone who needs prayer or support.


Cx :-)

Thank you Vera, Susan and Cynthia.

A difficult time indeed for her family and friends.

My thoughts and prayers with them and kandj and her OH. <3

Good morning :-)


So pleased to know you are okay Emma but sorry about your young friend. Her family must be so anxious and we will continue to remember both her and them in prayer.


I can understand your sentiments John, and I hate seeing closed churches but, as a matter of interest, I wonder if pubs are closing at a faster rate??


Despite the fact that there are some places of worship which lack numbers, there are many others which attract large congregations and are thriving. Some of it is possibly to do with the style of worship or ministry which a particular church has, but I do find it encouraging. All is not lost.


And so to the collect for today :

The Collect

O God, the strength of all those who put their trust in you,
mercifully accept our prayers and,
because through the weakness of our mortal nature
we can do no good thing without you,
grant us the help of your grace,
that in the keeping of your commandments
we may please you both in will and deed;
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.


Enjoy your Sunday........Cx :-)

GG <3

Emma

So sorry to hear your young friend is still so ill. I am keeping her in my thoughts, along with Kandj and her OH, and others in need of strength and healing at this time.

Vera

Still reading this thread everyday Cynthia, been on
holidays and been very busy since we came home.

Our 17year old friend is still in a coma and would appreciate
a prayer for her from followers on this thread.
We continue to pray for her and also those in need of comfort.

Emma x

Emma contributed to a thread I was on yesterday, so is still around. I like to think of myself as a bit of a romantic, as well, Cynthia. But also a bit hardened now by realism.

A lot of folk would like to see churches (however ancient and beautiful) flattened for high rise flats and Christians scattered. They feel that believing in a man (see OP) who was killed, then rose from death and taught his closest followers before ascending behind a cloud 40 long days later) is quite ridiculous in 21st century.

Only a handful of my community go to church or chapel now. 75k population in Rhondda, and I doubt many more than 1k go to about 30-40 places of worship (about 2%). Probably same on Genes. Out of 8m members claimed, probably only about 150,000 Genes members attend a place of worship regularly. And, in these days of "might is right", 7.85 million family historians, educated and reasonably sophisticated Genes members (active and lapsed but can still look in), is indeed a mighty force to not be supporting local Christian causes.

Despite that, a lot of people do still take an interest in what Jesus taught. Many of us use Old Testament words and expressions in every day speech. When we breathe in and out we mouthe YWHA (God) so that everyone knows God is in their every living breath. And, more importantly, God knows they are calling gently on his name constantly but perhaps subconsciously.

Even the most anti-Christian people tend to try to live by rules that closely resemble the 10 Old Testament commandments and the more important New Testament ones. A true Christian has love and no hate for any other person. That was what the life of Jesus taught us. He loved and loves everyone without any reservations whatsoever and, whilst we are to be salty Christians (he told us in his Sermon beginning Matt 5) and even angry at times like him, we are to love unreservedly like he did. :-)

Good morning :-)


I think I must be more of a romantic than you John.....I love old churches and will run my hands over the pews and doorways, thinking of the people who have passed through the doors over the years. The baptism, wedding and funeral parties who have smiled and wept as they walked down the aisle.....the prayers which have soaked into the very fabric of the place. I look at the names on the wall plaques and try to conjure up a picture of the people who had loved and worshipped here so long ago. Yes, I have quite an imagination :-)


A prayer for today:


May you experience God's
vast, infinite, indestructible, expansive love,
that has been yours all along.
May you discover this love is as wide as the sky,
and as small as the cracks in your heart
that no-one else knows about,
and may you know deep in your bones
that you are welcome, invited and loved. Amen.



Haven't seen Emma for ages- hope all is well with her. Cx :-)

We are not much for tradition on Genes chat, which I sometimes find quite odd. A friend of mine who was a semi-professional genealogist in Staffordshire was told by her mum to "spend more time with the living".

And these churches and chapels that are closing by the week are our heritage, our Britishness. You can see how important they are because, when the closure is announced, there are protests - some of them very heated and involving an Archbishop (we had one in a village called Maerdy a short time ago).

I am not much on tradition, but can touch a church wall, look at their collections donated over the years, the cushions lovingly embroidered, the flowers so imaginatively arranged. For no reason other than the love of God showered on communicants over many centuries.

And, although on balance I think we are a secular society and must accept that fairly secular schooling is the way forward, a tiny bit of me says - keep the RC and C of E schools, let the children prepare for their big days in the large churches and cathedrals. Warm and inviting village pubs with a log fire in winter and garden in summer, cricket on willow and cheering round the village green, magnificent churches built when we all were attached to Roman Catholicism, that have stood during the Reformation and the Civil War, musty old chapels built by the hands of their poor members. And all this superb tradition in London - opening Parliament, trooping the colour, hospitality for foreign heads of state.

I do secretly pray that all of this survives the ravages of secularism and averaging down in our day. One thing is very certain. No one can deprive us of our Christian faith. The more we are despised and attacked, and the more we are marginalised, the stronger we get. Amen :-)

Good morning :-)

It was a good service last night.....the bishop was entertaining in his delivery of the thanksgiving and children from the 2 primary schools attached to the church gave excellent presentations. I caught up with a couple of old friends I hadn't seen in a while so, all in all, a pleasant time.


A thought for today:


Take nothing for granted,
for whenever you do
The “joy of enjoying”
is lessened for you…
For we rob our own lives
much more than we know
When we fail to respond
or in any way show
Our thanks for the blessings
that daily are ours…
The warmth of the sun,
the fragrance of flowers,
The beauty of twilight,
the freshness of dawn,
The coolness of dew
on a green velvet lawn,
The kind little deeds
so thoughtfully done,
The favours of friends
and the love that someone
Unselfishly gives us
in a myriad of ways,
Expecting no payment
and no words of praise…
Oh, great is our loss
when we no longer find
A thankful response
to things of this kind,
For the Joy of Enjoying
and the Fullness of Living
Are found in the heart
that is filled with
Thanksgiving.


Enjoy your day.....thinking of our missing friends :-)

Good morning...... :-)


This evening, I am going to a Thanksgiving/Dedication service at a local church as they have had a new roof put on the building - not an easy task in the present financial climate I knew the building was an old one, having been built in 1641, and was quite intrigued by its history.

It appears that the church has seen many battles over the years. The Roundheads and Cavaliers allegedly fought in and vandalised the church during the Civil War, pulling down the pulpit and then playing cards in the aisle. The first entry in the burial register is that of an 'Unknown Soldier beinge a stranger slaine Dec 9th 1642, buried December 11th.'

As the Civil War drew to a close the battle lines changed as the Presbyterians and Anglicans fought each other for the allegiance of the Chapel until it was finally decided for the Anglicans by a Duchy Court in 1697.

It seems that it was one of the first churches in the land to establish Sunday schools, which later became the nucleus for church day schools.

How wonderful to know that such a place with such a history, is still welcoming people with the message of the gospel.

I was thinking about how many times the Lord's Prayer had been uttered within those ancient walls........did a bit of googling and came across the version they would have been using when the church was built....

AD 1611 King James Version

Our father which art in heauen
hallowed be thy name
Thy kingdome come.
Thy will be done,in earth,
as it is in heauen.
Giue vs this day our daily bread.
And forgiue vs our debts,
as we forgiue our debters.
And lead vs not into temptation,
but deliuer vs from euill:
For thine is the kingdome,
and the power,and the glory,
for euer,Amen.


Tonight, over 370 years later, we will say those words in the version that we are used to. What a heritage!



Thinking of kandj and those who have asked for prayer. Cx


:-)