General Chat

Wow! We have just finished watching the Songs of Praise recording from Llandaff Cathedral for an early St David's Day celebration.

It featured a Forget Me Not choir for Alzheimer sufferers and their carers.

All our very favourite hymns were sung with great feeling. We wouldn't have expected anything less from the wonderful Land of Song, and hubby and I sang along loudly too.

Love Divine, All Loves Excelling
Ave Maria
How Great Thou Art
Bread of Heaven
Calon Lan...... sung in Welsh and brought me out in goosebumps!!

An amazing programme and well worth watching on iPlayer if you missed it.

The postings reflect yet more "God-incidents" methinks!

No mention of Thinking Day in my church this morning Cynthia. As an ex Brownie/Guide this was interesting to know.

Today was a Holy Communion service and during the time of receiving the bread and wine a CD was played of the hymn Faithful One, So Unchanging ((Deuteronomy 7:9)

Faithful one so unchanging

Ageless One, You're my rock of peace
Lord of all I depend on you
I call out to you, again and again
I call out to you, again and again.

You are my rock in times of trouble
You lift me up when I fall down
All through the storm
Your love is the anchor

My hope is in You alone. My hope is in You alone.

The hymn words became our prayer and the stillness in church was awesome.

Leviticus 19 verses 17-18 Slightly different wording in Good News Bible.

17. Do not bear a grudge against anyone, but settle your differences with him, so that you will not commit a sin because of him.
18 Do not take revenge on anyone or continue to hate him, but love your neighbour as you love yourself. I am the Lord.

Well done John, I am sure your sermon gave the congregation food for thought.

Many thanks, Cynthia. I often think JW's helped my conversion. Because I was a rebel to God, and they were sincere and kept calling. They made me go back to church to find out what I was missing, and what they were missing.

I won't print out whole sermon, because I tend to not keep to script. But felt called to deliver this:

"Though our enemies can be ever so bad themselves, that does not discharge us from the great debt we owe them, of love to our kind, love to our kin. And our kin includes a Roman Catholic man living in Perth, Western Australia and a Muslim woman living in Allahabad in Pakistan - just as much as it includes our granddaughter living in Aberdare or Cardiff.
They are all our kin. We wish them all well in their lives. God loves them all. And we should try our best to reflect His love to them all. "

And I honestly think someone in a Muslim country will be quoting the Qu'ran and preaching the same message back this week.

Good morning.


Looking back over the years, I remember so many who have helped me on my Christian journey.....whether they knew it or not.

A tricky subject to tackle this morning John but I am sure you will cope. We have to remember that there are many tricky subjects within scripture and learn to deal with them the best way we can. Hope all goes well.


Today is World Thinking Day in the guiding movement, so we will be inundated with lots of girls - big and small - in their various uniforms. The flags will be paraded and the groups will make their commitment to guiding.

Following this, we have two baptisms.......I may need to lie down in a darkened room later.... :-) :-)


The collect for this morning:

Almighty God, you have created the heavens and the earth and made us in your own image: teach us to discern your hand in all your works and your likeness in all your children; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit reigns supreme over all things, now and for ever. Amen.


Cx :-)

Good morning.


Looking back over the years, I remember so many who have helped me on my Christian journey.....whether they knew it or not.

A tricky subject to tackle this morning John but I am sure you will cope. We have to remember that there are many tricky subjects within scripture and learn to deal with them the best way we can. Hope all goes well.


Today is World Thinking Day in the guiding movement, so we will be inundated with lots of girls - big and small - in their various uniforms. The flags will be paraded and the groups will make their commitment to guiding.

Following this, we have two baptisms.......I may need to lie down in a darkened room later.... :-) :-)


The collect for this morning:

Almighty God, you have created the heavens and the earth and made us in your own image: teach us to discern your hand in all your works and your likeness in all your children; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit reigns supreme over all things, now and for ever. Amen.


Cx :-)

Up with the lark this morning and am back preaching today for first time since retired from work in October (given myself a short sabattical after 14 years of doing a bit most weekends).

Am following Lectionary and what pops up today? Leviticus Chapter 19. Verses I am going to tackle are 17 and 18:

"Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke they neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him. Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the Lord"

And I will be making the point that these verses are central to the teaching of all 3 of the world's major religions - Islam, Judaiism and Christianity. And the interpretation of these verses is clear in teaching of Jesus within the Sermon on the Mount. For Jew, Muslim and follower of Jesus.

It does not say "Hate thy enemy". This text says the exact opposite. If you do not rebuke and love your enemy, Allah or God will not love you. God cannot forgive you your many sins if you do not first forgive your enemy.

Hard teaching for religious leaders and followers of all 3 major religions. And then this morning I see those last two posts of Cynthia and kandj.

Have a lovely day, everyone. May your week start aright today and may it continue in God's unconditional love. :-) :-)

Thank you Cynthia. I can remember clearly the people who have shared my journey in faith. Some are no longer on this earth but their kind words and encouragement will stay with me forever.

We are meant to love our neighbours as we love ourselves..... not always an easy task, but well worth the effort imho.

Real love is helping others (friends or strangers) for Jesus' sake, knowing that they can often never return the favour given at the time.

Teach me to love, this is my prayer
May the compassion of Thy heart I share;
Ready a cup of water to give,
May I unselfishly for others live. (Peterson)

Good morning everyone. :-)

I, too, love the sea kandj and can sit spellbound watching it - from the gentle waves lapping on the shore, to the ferocity of the breakers as they crash mercilessly into anything within their scope. Awesome indeed and very frightening at times.



Some words for today which make me think of how other people may view us....as Christians.



You Never Know

You never know when someone
might catch a dream from you.
Or something you say may open up the windows
of a mind that seeks light;
The way you live may not matter at all,
But you never know, it might.

And just in case it could be
that another's life, through you,
might possibly change for the better
with a better and brighter view,
it seems it might be worth a try
at pointing the way to the right;
Of course, it may not matter at all,
but then again, it might.
-unknown




Cx :-)

Amen to that prayer Cynthia.

John how blessed you are to live near the sea. It is awesome and frightening to see.

Faith is believing, the promise is true,
Trusting in Jesus your strength to renew:
Resting so sweetly, secure in His word,
Shielded from danger with Jesus the Lord. (W. Teasley).

Good morning.........yes indeed, our God is a faithful God. I love the old saying....."When you feel far from God, guess who's moved!" :-)



A short 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.

- Brian Anderson



Enjoy your day. Cx. :-)

Thankyou very much kandj and Cynthia. I had a quiet moment down on the beach at Llantwit Major this afternoon and did feel extremely puny against the elements. That little cove had not done too badly in storms, but next bay had seen a lot of damage.

We admire our God for his power and for his gentleness. Today was a bit of both. :-) :-)

Very true words written by B.Killebew...How Faithful Is the Lord? VERY faithful indeed

Our living God provides for us each and every day and how blessed is that?

We are given strength to work and prepare for our future and He meets our needs when we feel challenged or stressed. He gives us seasons of plenty so in life we learn to save and prepare for the seasons of need.

We have a faithful God who walks with us each day and in the night time too.

Thank you Lord, for the promise that You will meet our needs. Help us not to fear or doubt You. We are grateful that you are a faithful Lord who watches over us and that our cries for help will always reach your listening ears.

Good morning everyone. :-)



Those words me smile too kandj......and I actually found them quite peaceful. Thank you.

Some words for today:


How Faithful is the Lord

I don’t understand the Lord—

No person really can.

The nature of his being

Is beyond the scope of man.

He came from a void of nothing

To create all space and time;

He made the skies and heaven

And he made the sun to shine;.

And he made a puny race

To live on this good earth

And enjoy all that he made

And praise his Mighty Worth.

Yet our Lord is ever merciful

And faithful to all men

Even though we turn from Him

And too often fall to sin.

For when He provides a sunset

And we don’t praise his name,

The next day the sun again will rise

And set again the same.

- B. Killebrew


Take care. Cx :-)

Hope this might make you smile...... it did me.

SUNDAY MORNING

Oh, the joy of Sunday solace
Waking with the morning sun
Rising just a little early
So to get the day begun.

Down to breakfast (toast and cornflakes)
Switching on the radio
Tea and news are shared with planning
How the Sunday day will go.

First a walk up to St Andrews
Striking at the quarter hour
Hearing birds up in the tree tops
Beauty to outshine the tower.

Slow the pace, reflect the moment
Appreciate the here and now
Drink in all of nature's bounty
Dandelion and blossomed bough.

Home again, the waking household
Breaks the stillness of the morn
But I've had my morning worship
Alone with birds and trees and dawn. Anon.

Good morning all and it is good to know all is well kandj. :-)


What interesting posts from yesterday and neither John nor I have the slightest inkling of what the other is to post.......honest injun!! :-)


Remembering that repentance and forgiveness are such important parts of our faith, I hope the following is helpful :



Forgive my sins, O Lord, both past and present. Forgive the sins of my soul and the sins of my body. Forgive the sins I have done to please myself, and those I have done to please others. Forgive my casual sins, and my deliberate sins. Forgive the sins I have sought to hide from myself and those I have presumed to hide, even from you; and all of these for your love and your mercies' sake. Amen.

Thomas Wilson (1663-1755)


Take care....Cx :-)

I once heard the late Bishop Cuthbert Bardsley say that he didn't believe in 'co-incidence', he believed in 'God-incidence'. I've never forgotten that.... :-) :-)

:-) :-) :-) @ kandj

Too many coincidences. How often Christians think exactly the same things at same time. Even friends on opposite side of the world. I know I have a Christian cousin in Johannesburg (who I have never met) and it is amazing how similar our thoughts are. It must be divine intervention. That is what we believe, anyway. :-) :-)

I'm here and fine thank you.

What interesting and thought provoking posts this morning. Thanks to Cynthia and to John. Are your chosen subjects "coincidence" or "divine intervention"?

The power of prayer is amazing and awesome, no question about that, imho.

I believe that life is a journey and we are given freewill to walk in solitude or seek company with Jesus who has the power to prepare us and enhance our daily lives
.
Being brought up in a Christian household, my faith has always just been a part of me. I also have worked through several tragic events and yet clung on to my faith, by my fingertips sometimes! Being a Christian doesn't guarantee us a smooth path.

Jesus has been my companion and my friend every step of the way. My daily prayers have been heard and answered but not always as I would wish and certainly not as quickly as I would like....... in His time, and not my own.

This Celtic prayer inspires me towards a deeper fulfillment and sense of peace in my daily life. It is known as St Patrick's Breastplate.

Christ be with me, Christ within me,
Christ behind me, Christ before me,
Christ beside me, Christ to win me,
Christ to comfort and restore me.
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love me,
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger. Amen.

Good morning everyone :-D :-D Dry and pleasant here this morning.

Prayers for our friends in particular who are affected by these floods. We have been very fortunate in Valleys, and our annual floods in one strategic village on the river (a village called Trehafod) hasn't occurred this winter. And as far as I know, the problem hasn't been passed down the river to one of the villages or towns nearer Cardiff.

I am wrestling with something this morning. It is mid-week prayer meetings and mid-week prayer in general. I have long felt that a strong church is not so much to do with vicars, ministers, priests. They are simply servants, however competent and well-trained. Clerks in holy orders they were called on the censuses. And they are assisted (ably or not) by people like Cynthia and myself who try to do our bit to keep everything in the engine working.

No, the powerhouse of any church is prayer and particularly the midweek prayer meeting. It doesn't even need to be a large group meeting, just a sincere nucleus who look to Jesus in all things and make rest of church aware that they are part of a prayerful church.

Many churches round here are in terminal decline and people get very emotional when they see chapels being demolished or converted into flats. No family chapel to baptise or marry in, or be buried. It becomes a downward spiral. Probably it is worse in South Wales, because there was a major revival here 110 years ago - almost still in living memory. And I honestly think prayer in 2014 (heartfelt, genuine, sincere and positive) is what will herald the next revival in religion in UK.

Edit. Just read Cynthia's lovely post this morning. No, we did not get together first :-) ;-)

Good morning everyone....and hello Emma :-)


We haven't seen kandj for a couple of days, I do hope all is well with her.

The words I have chosen for today, made me think about how often the church tries to keep up with the latest trends by applying the latest 'techniques' to both worship and to governance. Is it always the right thing to do? It fits in so well with something I read a few days ago.

It was from the principal of a Theological College in Oxford and the gist of the article was how the church has faced fundamental challenges in every age. He feels that there are two distinct challenges facing us today which deflect and distract us from the main purpose of the church.

The first distraction he felt, was the divisive debates which go on ie the gender issue, but it was the second one which caught my attention.

Less talk about mission and growth, and more talk about God. He is sure that is what the world needs - and even hungers for. What an interesting thought indeed.



Peace In a Time of Chaos

O how well I remember
in the old-fashioned days,
When some old-fashioned people
had some old-fashioned ways;
In the old-fashioned meetings,
as they tarried there
In the old-fashioned manner,
how God answer'd their pray'r.

Twas an old-fashioned meeting
in an old-fashioned place,
Where some old-fashioned people
had some old-fashioned grace;
As an old-fashioned sinner
I began to pray,
And God heard me and saved me
in the old-fashioned way.

If the Lord never changes,
as the fashions of men,
Even tho He's the same,
why, He is old-fashioned, then!
As an old-fashioned sinner
saved thru old-time grace,
O, I'm sure He will take me
to an old-fashioned place.

- Herbert Buffum



I wish you all a peaceful day......Cx :-)