General Chat

Good morning :-)

Oh heck! Missing again yesterday..... :-( My excuse is that it was an exceedingly fraught morning....honestly! :-D

Hi Emma, lovely to see you <3


God who created me,
You offer me new life through your Son
and through the gift of your sacraments.
While I see new life all around me,
I don't always recognize the new life you offer me.
Help me to grow this Lent in an awareness
of the gifts you place in my life
and in a greater appreciation for your care.
Give me the courage to ask for help. Amen.


Cx :-)

Another week of wonderful prayers.

My thoughts and prayers for those who give their time
to help others in need.

Good morning :-)

God of Mercy and Understanding,
I know that with help
I can open my heart more fully
to the mysteries of the suffering and death
of your son.
Help me to be humble in this journey
and remember that any mercy and compassion I feel
is a gift from you.
I await the joy of Easter with new longing and patience.


Cx :-)

Good morning :-)


A hymn which is often sung during Lent......meaningful words. I remember someone who found difficulty in singing the words 'Take my silver and my gold, not a mite would I withhold', with honesty.

Take my life, and let it be consecrated, Lord, to Thee.
Take my moments and my days; let them flow in ceaseless praise.
Take my hands, and let them move at the impulse of Thy love.
Take my feet, and let them be swift and beautiful for Thee.

Take my voice, and let me sing always, only, for my King.
Take my lips, and let them be filled with messages from Thee.
Take my silver and my gold; not a mite would I withhold.
Take my intellect, and use every power as Thou shalt choose.

Take my will, and make it Thine; it shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart, it is Thine own; it shall be Thy royal throne.
Take my love, my Lord, I pour at Thy feet its treasure store.
Take myself, and I will be ever, only, all for Thee.

https://www.youtube.com/watch…


Cx :-)

Good morning :-) ~~~~~~~~~ to Rambling. :-D

Looking for ideas for Lent, I came upon the following :

Symbols in our homes.
We need to choose to let our homes be a place full of the holy things that help raise our minds and hearts to God. Our world is full of so many images that lure our minds and hearts elsewhere. Here are some symbols that will carry the ongoing meaning we give them, for us and for our families and loved ones.

Many of us may have a CROSS in our homes. If not, Lent might be a wonderful time to buy one and place it in a central place.

CANDLES are very popular, so what about a special candle in a central place in our home. Imagine praying over ‘Lord thank you for the gift of your Light in the midst of all darkness. Let this candle be a symbol of our faith in your presence among us.'

THE BIBLE. The Word is so important for us during Lent. Perhaps the prominent presence of a Bible in our home can represent for us our desire for God’s Word in our lives.

Many of us grew up in the knowledge that Lent is a time for sacrificial giving. Boxes for various good causes can be found in many homes. A BOX OR BOWL on the dining room table makes our giving very concrete and focused on solidarity with those who have so much less than ourselves.

Cx :-)

~~~~~ to Cynthia :-)

Good morning :-)

Hang on a mo whilst I clean my specs - I thought I saw our Rose in the last post. That's better, now let me look again....oh. my. word. what. a. surprise - but what a lovely surprise <3 Good morning Rambling, I certainly wasn't expecting that today <3 :-D

Thank you for the hymn - it is still sung fairly regularly at our church.

God of infinite love,
I thank you for the reminders of your love
and your call that we be more patient,
gentle and compassionate with others.
Here in the middle of Lent,
I turn to you to beg for your help.
Please soften my heart.
Help me to let go of judging others.
I ask you this, in Jesus' name. Amen.

Cx :-)

Popping in to say "hello" ( and surprise Cynthia :-) )

Hadn't heard this for a long time, but it was on Songs of praise on Sunday ( from Aberystwyth which I know quite well) and I really enjoyed hearing it again :-)

"When I needed a neighbour,
Were you there, were you there?
When I needed a neighbour, were you there?
And the creed and the colour
And the name won't matter,
Were you there?

I was hungry and thirsty,
Were you there, were you there?
I was hungry and thirsty, were you there?
And the creed and the colour
And the name won't matter,
Were you there?

I was cold, I was naked,
Were you there, were you there?
I was cold, I was naked, were you there?
And the creed and the colour
And the name won't matter,
Were you there?

When I needed a shelter
Were you there, were you there?
When I needed a shelter were you there?
And the creed and the colour
And the name won't matter,
Were you there?

When I needed a healer,
Were you there, were you there?
When I needed a healer, were you there?
And the creed and the colour
And the name won't matter,
Were you there?

Wherever you travel,
I'll be there, I'll be there.
Wherever you travel, I'll be there.
And the creed and the colour
And the name won't matter,
I'll be there. "

Rose xx

Good morning :-)


I suppose the word 'popular' is one way of describing it Vera but, as the Church of England stands at the moment, we have a legal duty to baptise anyone who fulfils the present criteria - living in the parish etc. We have some new housing estates going up and a lot of them seem to come from these.

Our lovely late vicar is not easily forgotten and is thought of so often by the church folk. We miss the love, encouragement and support he gave us. We miss his sense of humour and his hard work. Life is very different now. We have different clergy leading our services and their styles differ. This is unsettling to the loyal core of worshippers as we are never sure what is happening.

We continue to go through the process of being 'transformed' - an initiative from the powers that be which, whilst there are some good ideas, is causing much distress to various congregations. So very much a curate's egg I'm afraid :-(

Wittering apart.......a thought for today!

During Lent, we remember how Jesus experienced a wilderness period in his life For 40 days and 40 nights, he endured a trying period where he ate nothing and was tempted by Satan.

Reflect on times of shared wilderness experiences in your society and life.

Wilderness could represent a place of danger, chaos, confusion, uncertainty and even scarcity or drought. Do wilderness experiences provide a reality of what living really means?

People sometimes wonder whether going through the wilderness is a punishment from God, a result of poor life decisions or even at times a strategic push or guide from God to help us accomplish some greater goals in life.

What remains encouraging, is that irrespective of all the trials and tests Jesus was subjected to, he did not succumb to the ploy of the enemy. He emerged victorious. It is after this period that he launched his world-changing three-year ministry before his crucifixion.

For many the wilderness is far from metaphorical

Cx :-)

Your church seems to be very popular still Cynthia. I remember some of the stories of your old vicar and your concerns for your church when he sadly died.

I think baptism was actually taken more lightly when we were young, simply because pretty much everyone was "done" and it was taken for granted. I think people think more deeply about it now which must be a good thing. I understand parents having their child baptised or choosing to just have a church blessing or making a conscious choice to do neither. What I don't really understand is the concept of a "naming ceremony". I can't see the reason for it.

Sending a gentle hug to anyone in need of a little love <3

Good morning :-)


We continue to have baptisms at quite a rate.....four per month at the moment and we are fully booked for the year. I do not wear rose coloured specs and am well aware that there are various reasons for people for wishing to have their children baptised. We just pray that the parents and Godparents do their very best to fulfil the promises they take during the service.

The Collect (special prayer) for today:

Almighty God, whose most dear Son went not up to joy but first he suffered pain, and entered not into glory before he was crucified: mercifully grant that we, walking in the way of the cross, may find it none other than the way of life and peace; 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.

In the reading for today, Jesus tells the parable of the fig tree.

Cx :-)

Good morning :-)


I thought yesterday's words were interesting too Vera - the author was Elizabeth Cottrell.

For today



AN EASTER PROMISE

If we but had the eyes to see
God's face in every cloud,
If we but had the ears to hear
His voice above the crowd,
If we could feel His gentle touch
In ever Springtime breeze
And find a haven in His arms
'Neath sheltering, leafy trees...
If we could just lift up our hearts
Like flowers to the sun
And trust His Easter Promise
And pray, "thy will be done",
We’d find the peace we're seeking,
The kind no man can give,
The peace that comes from knowing
He Died So We Might Live!
-Helen Steiner Rice.

Cx :-)

Interesting, thoughtful words today. Do you know who wrote them Cynthia?

Thoughts and a gentle hug today for all who are facing difficulties in their lives <3

Good morning :-)


Lent Calls

Lent calls to me again . . .
To do what?
Like Martha, I tend towards doing
Doing is something I understand
Chairing a committee
Taking food to the sick
Reading the Bible

Lent calls to me again . . .
He wants more of me than I’ve ever given
More than Lenten study
More than giving up dessert
More than extra church services

Lent calls to me again . . .
He wants more of me and I’m frightened
Frightened of losing control
Frightened of letting go
Frightened of what He might ask me to do if I really listened

Lent calls to me again . . .
I feel a yearning, a tugging towards something more
Whispers of a love unimaginable
Glimpses of a relationship unshakable
Tastes of a water so clear and sweet that my thirst is slaked forever

Lent calls to me again . . .
A step is all I can manage, Lord
A hand extended
A head bowed
A conscious placing of myself on your Potter’s wheel

Lent calls to me again . . .
Help me with the hard part, Lord
Help me surrender
Help me abandon myself to you
Help me reconcile myself to you

Lent calls to me again . . .
Here I am, Lord

Cx :-)

Good morning :-)

Yes indeed Emma - that is so true. <3

Loving God,
I hear your invitation, "Come back to me"
and I am filled with such a longing to return to you.
Show me the way to return.
Lead me this day in good works I do in your name
and send your Spirit to guide me and strengthen my faith.
I ask only to feel your love in my life today. Amen.


Cx :-)

A well earned lesson Cynthia.

Be nice to people on your way up
Because you'll meet them on your way down.

Wilson Mizner 1876-1933

Good morning :-)


A short story I found yesterday…….

‘During my second month of college, our professor gave us a pop quiz. I was a conscientious student and had breezed through the questions until I read the last one:
“What is the first name of the woman who cleans the school?”
Surely this was some kind of joke. I had seen the cleaning woman several times. She was tall, dark-haired and in her 50’s, but how would I know her name?

I handed in my paper, leaving the last question blank. Just before class ended, one student asked if the last question would count toward our quiz grade.

“Absolutely,” said the professor. “In your careers, you will meet many people. All are significant. They deserve your attention and care, even if all you do is smile and say “hello.”

I’ve never forgotten that lesson. I also learned her name was Dorothy.

The Bible tells us that all are equal in the eyes of God. We are sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father. We may be sinners, but the Lord loves us. Every person is important irrespective of his/her colour, cast, creed, job, nationality and ability.


Cx :-)

Good morning :-)


God in heaven and in my life,
guide me and protect me.
I so often believe I can save myself
and I always end in failure.
Lead me with your love away from harm
and guide me on the right path.
May your Spirit inspire the Church
and make us an instrument of your love
and guidance.
Thank you for your care for me. Amen.


Cx :-)

Good morning :-)


Lord,
your commandment of love is so simple
and so challenging.
Help me to let go of my pride,
to be humble in my penance.
I want only to live the way you ask me to love,
to love the way you ask me to live.
I ask this through your son, Jesus,
who stands at my side
today and always. Amen


Cx :-)

Thank you Cynthia and kandj for my birthday wishes xx

Like kandj learnt something about the pretzel Ididnt know.

My thoughts and prayers to all in need of comfort today x