General Chat

Good morning.......I don't know if Sylvia will be posting herself, but I had a brief word from her to say that all went well with the memorial. I will let her fill in the details as and when she is able to - it's the internet connection and all the travelling she is doing which is causing the problem. I am sure she is aware that we are all still holding her and the family in our thoughts and prayers.


Regarding the hymn John was so merrily singing..... - I have a feeling we are singing that today! :-) It is Education Sunday and our church school will be leading the service. :-)


The Collect for today:


Almighty God, in Christ you make all things new: transform the poverty of our nature by the riches of your grace, and in the renewal of our lives make known your heavenly glory; 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.



I hope everyone enjoys their day....Cx <3

Just thinking about Sylvia and hoping that the memorial service for her SIL went as well as it could. Hope that Sylvia has a safe journey to her daughters and that she will soon be on the mend. Gentle hugs right now.

Give me courage when the world is rough,
keep me loving though the world is tough;
leap and sing in all I do,
keep me traveling along with you

What with supermarkets and weather today, difficult to keep loving. But we all have smiley lips and eyes and we do our best to leap and sing :-D :-D

John, I'm off soon to do the supermarket run on a very wet and cold day, but your posting has me singing to myself this hymn which sums it all up for me:-

One more step along the world I go
One more step along the world I go
From the old things to the new
Keep me traveling along with you

And it's from the old I travel to the new
Keep me traveling along with you.

Many other verses which will surely be familiar and meaningful to you.
Join me in singing along. It's cheering me up on a dark damp day!
Shopping awaits..............!

Loving yesterday and today's poems Cynthia, thankyou.

Christian Unity week used to be quite an event many years ago. I would take envelopes and distribute them to houses nearby and collect them after. This event was always well supported and village folk were generous in their giving.

Our village had thriving Catholic, Methodist and my C/E church and we held a walk through the village and used each building throughout the years for shared worship. That sadly hasn't happened for a long, long time. The Methodist chapel was pulled down and is now a small new estate of flats. The Catholic church has no village Priest as he went off to teach in a Seminary in Spain and an elderly Priest comes to lead Masses but has no other involvement in our village life.

My church has endured 10 years of upset and uncertainty with our church wardens taking on much more responsibility than they should have but it has been necessary to keep the Sunday worship and services for our village folk going.

Now, we are blessed to have a new lady Rector who also is our Rural Dean and shares Ministry for 3 parishes....... so there is a lot of Christian Unity happening, but just very different to how things used to be very many years ago.

I think the text for the week of prayer for Christian Unity (1 Cor. Chapter 1) may be quite challenging.

First Corinthians Chapter One

"1 Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, 2 Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours: 3 Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. "

Corinth was a bad city with a terrible reputation. We have here the apostle's preface to his whole epistle, in which we may take notice,
Paul was very Jewish and had been brought up very strictly. He would not even have been aware of some of the lewd behaviour widely practised in this city. Yet he went into their midst, and planted the little Christian church of Corinth.
Now there were some among his new church who now questioned his apostleship (ch. 9 verses 1, 2), and vilified his person and ministry, 2 Cor. Chapter 10 verse 10.
False teachers then and even today try to deny his apostleship. Yet Sosthenes, the leader of the Jewish synagogue in Corinth before Paul planted Christianity there, joins Paul in this letter of unity and knows that Paul was indeed an apostle of the Lord Jesus.
The people to whom this epistle was directed were “the church of God that was at Corinth, sanctified in Christ Jesus, and called to be saints”. All Christians are therefore called saints by God. Paul is writing to the saints in Corinth, and also to the saints today in 2014 – whether we live in Scotland, Australia, Canada or Timbuktoo.
In every place in the Christian world there are some that call on the name of Christ. God has a remnant in all places; and we should share communion with all that call on Christ's name.

I have been gazing on my attractive lips and eyes in the mirror this morning :-D :-D And, yes, life is like a roller coaster and at least we know it ends in great happiness.

My Minister is very ecumenical. By nature, I am the opposite. I think that anyone who is not a Wesleyan Methodist is still travelling. I know a friend of mine who was a Calvinistic Methodist felt that I was the one who only partially understood what Jesus and his apostles were saying to us. As Sidney Carter wrote: "Keep me travelling along with you". Not Wesley or Calvin or Lloyd Jones or John Henry Newman. Keep me travelling along with the Lord Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit and God, the Father.

Good morning everyone......and I hope you are all well. :-)


I can remember the Week of Christian Unity being quite an event John, and much as you describe. I have to say, however, that it doesn't seem to have the same effect in our area as it used to. The united congregations have dwindled and the clergy don't seem as keen as they used to be. Not sure what the root cause is but, at least, the people from different denominations are friendly in their everyday lives.

Where we live now, I am told that back in the 50's/60's and even into the 70's I think, the Church of England folk and the Roman Catholic folk would walk on opposite sides of the road :-0 Thank goodness things have changed!

After thought!
I wonder if the modern young clergy, who haven't experienced very much in the way of 'dis-unity', cannot see the point in 'unity' ???? :-S


On with today's thought:

How Much More

Sometimes it seems my smallest task,
Becomes a major job;
That my valleys become deeper,
And my mountains taller, God.

Oft times my road seems longer, too,
And I cannot see its end;
More rocks fall down to trip me,
With bigger boulders 'round the bend.

I push and strive, press on and drive,
If need be, I can crawl;
Whatever it takes for me to survive,
Indeed, I do it all.

I sometimes stop and close my eyes,
I question why my test;
I think how hard I try each day,
And, God ... I do my best.

Perhaps I don't thank you enough
For the strengths you've given me,
And for your love sent from above,
And your gifts most heavenly.

You raise me to the summits,
You drop me to the depths;
My life swings like a pendulum,
Between the worst and best.

How many oceans yet to swim?
How many more mountains to climb?
How many valleys yet to crawl from?
Dear God ... will you give me more time?

~ Virginia Ellis


Take care.....Cx <3

Tomorrow we begin the traditional week of prayers for Christian unity 18th-25th January). The theme for 2014 is:
"Has Christ been divided?"
(1 Cor 1:1-17)

Many Christians become aware of the great diversity of ways of adoring God. Hearts are touched, and people realize that their neighbours' ways are not so strange.

Pulpits are exchanged, and special ecumenical celebrations and prayer services are arranged.

Good morning........I hope you are all well. We continue to think of, and pray for, all those who are in any kind of need.


One for the ladies today - don't know what the men think!! :-)


BEAUTY TIPS!

For attractive lips, speak words of kindness.

For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people.

For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry.

For beautiful hair, let a child run his or her fingers through it once a day.

For poise, walk with the knowledge you’ll never walk alone.

People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed; never throw out anybody.

Remember, If you ever need a helping hand, you’ll find one at the end of your arm.

As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself, the other for helping others.

The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure that she carries, or the way she combs her hair.

The beauty of a woman must be seen from in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart, the place where love resides.

The beauty of a woman is not in a facial mole, but true beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul.

It is the caring that she lovingly gives, the passion that she shows, and the beauty of a woman with passing years -only grows!


-Sam Levenson


Have a good day Cx :-)

What a lovely thought yesterday, Cynthia. I have not read your post till this morning, as I was charging round Hampshire yesterday helping my son (and heir to my vast estates;-)) buy a rather swish sports car. Very tiring day and my thoughts were on acres of shiny metal and wet tarmac almost all day :-( :-( :-(

To think of a rose bud this morning was exactly what I needed. It is one thing I have really neglected, I feel. To see the glories of God's creation in nature, as my life has rushed by. To see the different flowers in their intricacy and meditate on their glory. "Each little flower that opens, each little bird that sings...." :-) :-) :-) :-)

Thank you Cynthia. I echo your words and pray now for all in need of help and support

Good morning my friends........I hope you are all well. I am sure we will be continuing to uphold Sylvia and her family in our prayers at this very difficult time for them all. We also remember any others, known to us personally, who are going through dark days at the moment. <3



Some thoughtful words for today :

Open The Rose

It is only a tiny rosebud,
A flower of GOD’s design;
But I cannot unfold the petals
With these clumsy hands of mine.

The secret of unfolding flowers
Is not known to such as I.
GOD opens this flower so sweetly,
When in my hands they fade and die.

If I cannot unfold a rosebud,
This flower of GOD’s design,
Then how can I think I have wisdom
To unfold this life of mine?

So I’ll trust in Him for His leading
Each moment of every day.
I will look to Him for His guidance
Each step of the pilgrim way.

The pathway that lies before me,
Only my heavenly Father knows.
I’ll trust Him to unfold the moments,
Just as He unfolds the rose.



Take care.... Cx :-)

Sylvia <3

Thank you Susan and RR, and everyone on here xxxx



The Memorial is on Friday, we are going up there tomorrow and returning on Saturday.

Then we are going to the daughter's on Sunday on one way tickets, as we don't know how long she will want us.



so expect me when you see me.



take care everyone



s
xx

Thoughts and prayers are with you Sylvia and your family. Your sister in law is at peace now after her years of ministry to others. May she Rest In Peace.
Well done, thou good and faithful servant. Enter thou unto the joy of the Lord.
( Matt 25:21)

I am sorry that your daughter is ill and I hope that the hospital will take good care of her. Gentle hugs for you today. xx

I've just seen your post Sylvia, i am really sorry to hear your sad news xx

Awwww Sylvia .....I didn't see your post until now. God bless <3

thank you all xxxx

My thoughts and prayers are with you at this sad,
stressful time.

Emma