General Chat

Harvest Festival isn't the same as it used to be. I well remember going to church with a little cardboard box containing some veg or fruit and proudly processing down the aisle with the other children to have our offerings displayed at the front of the church.

It's a lovely memory but I suspect half of that produce was going off before it could be used. Tins and packets don't look as beautiful or smell wonderful but are much more useful and, after all, the contents were once part of God's good harvest, though I do wonder if young children realise that..

I was watching Songs of Praise yesterday which was about the harvest and our need to care for the environment. It was from Long Melford which isn't far from my home and I know it well, including Holy Trinity Church which is a very beautiful, large "Wool" church. It was interesting to hear from a farmer who had a moment of enlightenment when he was spraying his crops one day. He has now become organic to help wildlife and nature. We also heard from the manager of Foxearth Meadows which is a sort of Christian run, but open to all, nature reserve. That is also only a short drive from my home so is now on my "To Visit" list.

Good morning :-)

Many churches are celebrating Harvest around this time. They are not as they used to be really with lots of fruit and veg and that lovely smell. It tends to be more about supporting foodbank with tinned goods. We had a good supply in yesterday.

Genesis 8:22

“While the earth remains,
Seedtime and harvest,
And cold and heat,
And summer and winter,
And day and night
Shall not cease.”


Cx :-)

Good morning :-)


The Collect (special prayer) for today :

God, who in generous mercy sent the Holy Spirit
upon your Church in the burning fire of your love:
grant that your people may be fervent
in the fellowship of the gospel
that, always abiding in you,
they may be found steadfast in faith and active in service;
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.

The Gospel for today: Luke 16 19-31
The story of The Rich Man and Lazarus



Cx :-)

Good morning :-)


In a changing world, we are assured that.............

Our God changes not.

In a world of much uncertainty
And void of Godly truth,
When everything around us shakes,
It's God we hold on to

We must not trust in what we see,
In what this world holds dear,
For often it will start to crumble
When we are least aware

We can know God's sustaining peace
When our future seems unsure,
And know our confidence in Him
Brings new hope in the Lord

Keep holding on to the Word of God,
The truth you can depend on,
For it will stand the test of time
When heaven and earth are gone

So, even though this world's unstable,
He's still our solid rock
And the only certainty in life,
For our God changes not.


Cx :-)

Good morning :-)


Happy Autumn!

All change. New King, new government….change. Change. Change. I’m sure most of you have heard it said “Old people don’t like change”. It’s sometimes not realised that the older folk have undergone many, many changes in their lives. A priest once said ‘People don’t fear change. They fear loss’. There’s something in that. Sometimes change can mean the loss of something people hold dear, and that can be hard to deal with.



God of Love,
You are with us in every transition and change.
As we enter into this new era with excitement
and even some anxiety,
we recall your deep compassion, presence,
and abounding love.
We thank you for the gifts, talents and skills
with which you have blessed us.
We thank you for the experiences
that have brought us to this moment.
We thank you for the work of others
that gives breadth and depth to our own work.
Be with us as we move forward,
rejoicing with you and supporting one another.
We ask this in your Holy Name.
Amen.

Cx :-)

Good morning :-)

All change! Not only do we have a new King, but we also have a new Prime Minister and all that that entails.

In Parliament, the Speaker's Chaplain usually reads the prayers. The form of the main prayer is as follows and we add our prayers to this.

"Lord, the God of righteousness and truth, grant to our King and his government, to Members of Parliament and all in positions of responsibility, the guidance of your Spirit. May they never lead the nation wrongly through love of power, desire to please, or unworthy ideals but laying aside all private interests and prejudices keep in mind their responsibility to seek to improve the condition of all mankind; so may your kingdom come and your name be hallowed.
Amen."

Cx :-)

Good morning :-)



For two weeks, we have been a nation in mourning but, today, we think of those families who are grieving for a dear one who has died – whether recently or in the past.


Lord,
For all those who woke this morning
to the loneliness of bereavement -
the empty bed or chair,
an unaccustomed quietness,
a life now incomplete -
may they know your presence
in the stillness of the day,
and through the love of friends
who offer their condolence.
And in the darker moments
may they reach out to hold your hand
and feel the warmth of the One
who has already passed from death to life
to welcome others into God's Kingdom.


God of love and mercy,
embrace all those
whose hearts today
overflow with grief,
unanswered questions
and such a sense of loss.
Grant them space
to express their tears.
Hold them close
through the coming days. Amen


Cx :-)

Good morning :-)

What a rollercoaster of emotions it has been over the last two weeks. A new Prime Minister, the death of our beloved Monarch, a new Monarch, and an incredible funeral.

If we are exhausted, think about what it must have been like for those behind the scenes - those people who, in so many different ways and purposes, have worked hard during the difficult time this country has faced at such short notice.

We think of those within royal circles and their staff; those in the government, the police, and the military (especially those young pallbearers). Those in broadcasting and, of course, those within the church. There will be many, many more we could think of and we thank God for them all.

Lord, bless those who have worked tirelessly in so many different ways during the recent upheaval within our country. We thank you for their dedication, commitment, and expertise. May they find time for some rest and recuperation in the days ahead. Amen.

Added. A friend of this page has sent a link to extra photos from yesterday which may have been missed if you are interested.

https://www.facebook.com/royalfamilyofbritain

Cx :-)

Heavenly Father

Thank you for blessing us with our Queen. What a wonderful example she was in the way that she lived her life and in the faith that she had in you.

Eternal rest, grant unto her O Lord
And let Perpetual light shine upon her.
May she rest in peace.
Amen.

Thank you Ma'am..............for everything <3

Good morning :-)


The Collect (special prayer) for today :

Almighty God,
whose only Son has opened for us
a new and living way into your presence:
give us pure hearts and steadfast wills
to worship you in spirit and in truth;
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.

The Gospel reading for today is the Parable of the Dishonest Manager. Luke 16 1-13

Cx :-)

Hello all

Such thoughtful words spoken by our Queen during her long and loyal reign over us all.

RIP your Majesty.... renunited now with your Prince.

Good morning :-)


“Throughout my life, the message and teachings of Christ have been my guide and in them I find hope. It is my heartfelt prayer that you will continue to be sustained by your faith in times of trial and encouraged by hope in times of despair.”

Elizabeth II



Cx :-)

Good morning :-)



"I know just how much I rely on my own faith to guide me through the good times and the bad. Each day is a new beginning, I know that the only way to live my life is to try to do what is right, to take the long view, to give of my best in all that the day brings, and to put my trust in God. Like others of you who draw inspiration from your own faith, I draw strength from the message of hope in the Christian gospel." (Christmas message, 2002)


Cx :-)

Good morning :-)


"To many of us our beliefs are of fundamental importance. For me the teachings of Christ and my own personal accountability before God provide a framework in which I try to lead my life. I, like so many of you, have drawn great comfort in difficult times from Christ's words and example." (Christmas message, 2000)


Cx :-)

Good morning :-)

Her Majesty was well-known for her love of horses. She bred racehorses, carriage horses, hunters, sports and riding horses, and also polo ponies. She named all of her horses and ponies herself and could remember the parentage of every single one.

Horses will, of course, have a role to play during the next few days.

It is thought that Princess Anne and her daughter Zara, will now be responsible for the future of these horses.

"To thee, my master, I offer my prayer. Feed me, water and care for me, and when the day's work is done, provide me with shelter, a clean, dry bed and stall wide enough for me to lie down in comfort.”

Cx :-)

Good morning :-)

It is well known that the Queen was a lover of dogs, especially Pembroke corgis. “My corgis are family,” the Queen once said. Her Majesty owned more than 30 corgis during her reign and the largest number she owned at any one time was 13.
All were descended from her first one, Susan, which she was given as an 18th birthday present in 1944.

Pembroke corgis are typically livelier than the more restful Cardigans, and the preference has been for well-coloured chestnut dogs, without too much white.
Back in the 1980s, Princess Diana was said to have called them ‘a moving carpet’.

At the time of her death, it seems as though the Queen had just two of these little dogs Muick and Sandy, who are to be taken care of by Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson. There is also a ‘Dorgi’ (daschund x corgi) named Candy and a cocker spaniel.

We thank God for these faithful friends and loyal companions.

Cx :-)

Hello all

Vera, I'm also of a generation where churches were always open for people to visit and sit quietly with their thoughts. Sadly those times have been and gone I'm afraid and I do think it's very very sad.

Our village church has been opened for folk to come inside and write in the book of condolence and to light a candle in memory of our Queen.

There has to be two volunteers in attendance like in Cynthia's church, but it's been a privilege for me to be there and help others through a difficult time.
There is a deep sadness all around our village now.

Cynthia, your post is very interesting, thank you.

Gentle hugs for all who are struggling today.

Good morning :-)

I don't like churches being locked either Vera but, unfortunately, that seems to be the case now. Insurance may play a part too. I've heard that a church in Liverpool, open for people to light candles etc., was vandalised at the weekend. Their Book of Condolence was ripped up and scattered around.

At our church, we are open three times per day, but there are at least two people on duty each time. Sad times.


There is so much information on the life of our late Queen going around at the moment but I’ve found a few snippets which may have been missed.

It seems as though there are bee hives in the grounds of Buckingham Palace and Clarence House. There is also a royal beekeeper, whose duty it is to inform the bees that they have a new master.

On Friday, John Chapple, 79, made the poignant journey to each location. Black ribbons were tied in bows on the hives, a little prayer was said and the ritual continued with him telling them the Queen had died and a new master would now be in charge. The bees are then urged to ‘be good’ to their new master, King Charles III

The reason behind doing all of this spans from an unusual ancient belief that, by not doing so, the bees would not produce honey for their new master or, worse still, would abandon the hive or even die.

We thank God for bees and beekeepers who are so essential to our lives. It is said that, without bees, there would be no life on earth.

Cx :-)

Indeed it is a time of sadness and we are blessed to have had such a dedicated and steadfast Head of State for so many years. She has inspired people the world over and has given this country a great deal of stability through times of change. We should be grateful for that and look forward with hope to the reign of King Charles III.

We have been away for a week and just near where we were staying was the parish church. From the outside it was an interesting building and we were hoping to be able to see the interior but, apart from when there was a service, all the doors were locked and there was no notice to say if or when it would be open, or if the key was available elsewhere. I wondered why it would be necessary as this was not a high crime area and we saw no vandalism or graffiti anywhere. It seemed so unwelcoming and it was impossible for anyone to go in for a moment of quiet or private prayer. Such a change from our welcoming local church which is open for 6 hours every day plus, of course, for services..