General Chat

Good morning :-)

This morning we have three babies and one adult to be baptised within our service of Holy Communion. We welcome them into our church family. :-) (I may need a lie down when I get home :-D )

The Collect for today :

Lord of all power and might,
the author and giver of all good things:
graft in our hearts the love of your name,
increase in us true religion,
nourish us with all goodness,
and of your great mercy keep us in the same;
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.


The New Testament lesson is the story of the mustard seed, and the Gospel tells the story of the Good Samaritan……both well worth another read.

Love to all... Cx :-)

Hello all

A beautiful hymn and a great favourite of mine Cynthia, thank you. I personally
have really enjoyed looking at the links and singing along each day this week and
have learned much about their origins too. We are never too old to learn methinks.

Health is the greatest possession. Contentment is the greatest treasure. and
Confidence is the greatest friend. Non-being is the greatest joy. (Lao Tzu.)

Sending happy weekend wishes to everyone. xxx

Good morning :-)


We had a visiting vicar last week who had a booming singing voice....it certainly does help to lift the volume and the spirits.... :-D


Wishing your granddaughter well in her music exam kandj. x


Our final day of hymns and their history…………….one that says it all…..
“How Great Thou Art”.


The history of the hymn How Great Thou Art begins with Mr. Carl Gustaf Boberg (1859-1940). He was a Swedish pastor, editor, and member of the Swedish parliament.

Mr. Boberg was enjoying a nice walk when a thunderstorm suddenly appeared out of nowhere. A severe wind began to blow. After the storm was over, Mr. Boberg looked out over the clear bay. He then heard a church bell in the distance. And the words to How Great Thou Art begin to form in his heart -- O Lord, my God, when I in awesome wonder, consider all the worlds Thy hands hath made. .

Can you imagine what Boberg felt as he formed these words? There was such calmness after the fierce storm he could only utter those words of peace.

Please click on this link for a truly lovely video of this popular hymn…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=By0iyTukDkQ

Oh Lord my God
When I in awesome wonder
Consider all the works
Thy hands have made
I see the stars
I hear the rolling thunder
Thy power throughout
The universe displayed
Then sings my soul
My Saviour, God, to Thee
How great thou art
How great thou art
Then sings my soul
My Saviour, God, to Thee
How great Thou art
How great Thou art



Love to all Cx :-)

Hello all

Another beautiful hymn today Cynthia, thank you.

A previous vicar had an amazing voice, he sounded like Harry Secombe, and this
one was a favourite with him and so it was sung regularly in our church back then.
We also were blessed to have Barry as our organist. An accomplished musician
he liked nothing better than giving the chords "some welly" as he would describe it, and along with the loud organ music and the vicar's wonderful voice, we made a little bit of heaven on Sundays in our village church a few years ago. Now it is CD music and overhead projectors, so no fumbling for numbers in the hymn book.

The times,...... they are a changing.

Thinking now of all young ones, our Granddaughter included, who are taking musical instrument grading exams...... good luck to them all. xxx

Good morning :-)

You brought back a memory there kandj.....I had forgotten about that group...I had a quick look on Google and it is still running...... Aglow - a Christian interdenominational group which is around the world.


Anyway, for today.....

Our hymn this morning is one which has become increasingly popular over recent years……. ‘Lord for the years’.

This hymn was written by retired Bishop Timothy Dudley-Smith OBE, who was born in Manchester in 1926.

Dudley-Smith is known as a prolific writer of texts for hymns, including the well-known "Tell Out, my Soul". He is a member and honorary vice-president of the Hymn Society of Great Britain and Ireland.

In 2003, he was appointed an OBE "for services to hymnody". In July 2009 he was awarded an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree by Durham University.

His hymns are written with a Spirit-filled inspiration. Timothy Dudley-Smith challenges us, in this hymn, to make God the “Lord of our lives” and “to live for Christ alone”.

Please click on this link to hear this hymn sung at Coventry Cathedral..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_Cosp0PCFE


Lord, for the years your love has kept and guided,
urged and inspired us, cheered us in our way,
sought us and saved us, pardoned and provided:
Lord of the years, we bring our thanks today.


Enjoy singing along Cx :-)

Hello all

Whenever I think of today's hymn In Christ Alone, i think back to when I used
to attend a monthly ladies Christian meeting called Aglow. Judy was the secretary
and used to sign to this one hymn, it was fascinating and humbling too, to watch her.

Praying for all adults and children who struggle through a lack of hearing. xxx

Good morning :-)


Moving into a more modern era this morning.......day 4 of our look at hymns and their writers.

A hymn which has become popular in recent years is ‘In Christ alone’, written by Stuart Townend and Keith Getty.

The story behind the song is the testimony of Keith Getty, one of the song’s co-writers.

As a youngster, he struggled to understand and fully embrace his faith amid an unbelieving, universalist, and multi-religious culture. It was a journey to believe in the uniqueness of Christ, the Scriptures and the gospel story.

By the time he had been through this, his faith was stronger, and he really wanted to write songs for the Church that brought the full, rich, life-giving story of the gospel into believers’ hearts and minds

He then met up with Stuart Townend and they decided to write one song. Keith knew he wanted the song to be story-driven, so he suggested that they wrote a song that told the whole story of Christ coming to earth – the whole gospel story in one song.

Please click on the link to hear it performed by Stuart Townend.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCeSOY5tisI

In Christ alone my hope is found,
He is my light, my strength, my song;
This Cornerstone, this solid Ground,
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My Comforter, my All in All,
Here in the love of Christ I stand.


I do have a soft spot for this hymn I must admit... Cx :-)

Hello all

Blessed Assurance Jesus in mine...... la la la la la la la la la la la la la

Doing my very best to raise the roof this morning! Wonderful words, brilliant tune.
Very interesting write up this morning too Cynthia. Thank you for that.

How good it feels on weary doubtful days, to believe that there is truly a
blessed assurance Jesus is mine, to help us focus on a better tomorrow.

Remembering all who will attend a funeral today. xxx

Good morning :-)

Day 3 of our musical week…..a hymn which, when sung with feeling, can raise the roof!

‘Blessed Assurance, Jesus is mine’.

Please click on the link to sing along... :-D

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rh2a6RTO-uI


This hymn was written by Frances Jane van Alstyne (née Crosby; March 24, 1820 – February 12, 1915), more commonly known as Fanny Crosby, an American mission worker, poet, lyricist, and composer. A member of the Sixth Avenue Bible Baptist Church in Brooklyn, New York, she wrote many hymns together with her pastor, Robert Lowry.

She was one of the most prolific hymnists in history, writing over 8,000 hymns and gospel songs, with over 100 million copies printed, despite being blind from shortly after birth. She is also known for her teaching, and her rescue mission work. By the end of the 19th century, she was a house-hold name.

One day, Crosby was visiting her friend Phoebe Knapp as the Knapp home was having a large pipe organ installed. The organ was incomplete, so Mrs. Knapp, using the piano, played a new melody she had just composed. When Knapp asked Crosby, "What do you think the tune says?" Crosby replied, "Blessed assurance; Jesus is mine.”


Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!
Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.
Refrain:
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Saviour all the day long;
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Saviour all the day long.

Perfect submission, perfect delight,
Visions of rapture now burst on my sight;
Angels, descending, bring from above
Echoes of mercy, whispers of love.
Refrain:

Perfect submission, all is at rest,
I in my Saviour am happy and blest,
Watching and waiting, looking above,
Filled with His goodness, lost in His love.


Raise your roof :-D


Cx :-)

Hello all

Thank you for today's hymn Cynthia. I am liking your idea... tra la la la la la la

Thinking of parents juggling childcare today because of the teacher's strike.
Not good for the all teacher's either, having to take this strike action.

Thank you Lord for a sunny day today, it actually feels like Summer. xxx

Good morning :-)


For the second day of our musical week................a slightly more modern hymn ..... ‘Seek Ye First the Kingdom of God’.


This gentle hymn was written by Karen Lafferty, a Christian song writer and singer working in the Christian Music Ministry. In 1971, things were very up and down and she had been trying to support herself with teaching guitar lessons but only had 3 students. When her savings were all gone and she had no money to make her car payments, she became by discouraged and confused.

One evening she went to a bible study at church and where they talked about Matthew 6.33. She was tremendously encouraged and challenged by the words about Christ’s kingdom. She went home, wrote the tune, recorded it on a tape record and sang the descant part. She taught the song at church the next week and it caught on right away.

The rest is history…..modern history :)

A gentle way to start the day - please click on the link....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fH8bV7rUVaU

Seek ye first the kingdom of God
And his righteousness;
And all these things shall be added unto you,
Allelu, alleluia!
Alleluia, alleluia,
Alleluia, allelu, alleluia.

Ask, and it shall be given unto you,
Seek, and ye shall find.
Knock, and the door shall be opened unto you,

You shall not live by bread alone,
But by every word
That proceeds from the mouth of the Lord,


Cx :-)

Hello all

Thanks for the link Cynthia. A lovely old hymn and will be singing it for a while now.

Monday and the start of another week. They do go by so quickly!
May God give us all the strength needed to get through this new week.

Sending a hug to those who need one. xxx

Good morning :-)

After a time spent looking at the Beatitudes from the Sermon on the Mount, maybe a musical week is in order – and we can have glorious hymns going round in our heads all day! :-D

Let’s start with hymn which we sang in our church yesterday……..’Angel voices ever singing’… please click on the link below to hear it.

This hymn was written by Revd. Francis Pott (1832-1909), to celebrate a new organ at the church of St. John the Evangelist, Wingate, Lancs in 1861. This was a time of great religious revival and church building.

Revd Francis Pott, had come under the influence of the Oxford [High Church] move-ment. He had received a classical education at Brasenose College, Oxford, and took Holy Orders in 1856.

After serving three curacies he became Rector of Norhill, Bedfordshire, in 1866 where he stayed for the remainder of his ministry. He served on the committee of ‘Hymns Ancient & Modern’ which was published in 1861.

Angel voices, ever singing,
Round Thy throne of light,
Angel harps, forever ringing,
Rest not day or night;
Thousands only live to bless Thee,
And confess Thee
Lord of might.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nFEjJKuDe4


Enjoy! Cx :-)

Hello all

This is the day that the Lord has made;
We should rejoice and be glad in it.
(Psalm 118;24)

For people struggling today, a reminder that Faith makes things possible, not easy. xxx

Good morning :-)


The Collect (special prayer) for today :

Merciful God,
you have prepared for those who love you
such good things as pass our understanding:
pour into our hearts such love toward you that we,
loving you in all things and above all things,
may obtain your promises, which exceed all that we can desire;
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.


In today's gospel reading, we hear about Jesus sending out his followers in pairs, to places he would shortly visit......saying "The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest"


A blessed Sunday to you all. Cx :-)

Hello all

A good point from David by reminding us to thank God for all the good and not so good times in our lives. Today I am counting my blessings and not my worries.

Thank you Lord,
For always being there for me.
Amen.

Sending out Happy Saturday Blessings to one and all today. xxx

Good morning :-)


It's always good to see comments from others on here........thank you. <3


A prayer which most of us can relate to at some time I think... :-D


Father, clear my sleepy head and fill my mind with expectation
Awake my slow body and energise my heart with love in action.
Ignite my spirit and set this day on fire with promise.
Make the ordinary extraordinary.
Engage me, show me your kingdom alive
Help me to see that every waking moment
Is full of promise because of you.

Amen.


Cx :-)

Hello Cynthia, Emma and David.

I wrote on this thread earlier but obviously didn't submit......... what am I like!!

A few night time words to share with you all.

Day is over, night has come.
Today is gone, what's done is done.
Embrace your dreams,
throughout the night.
Tomorrow comes
with a whole new light.
(Anonymous)

Time to dream now, Goodnight all, sleep peacefully. xxx

More than 20 years ago at a time when I was martially and financially in a mess I
started praying, vocalising my problems. Twice a day, morning and evening I thanked God for everything, the day, my life, my next breathe. It calmed me.
In 2013 I sustained a very serious injury that meant a six week stay in a trauma ward and several surgical operations to my leg. Before and after each operation I thanked God. I believe this his helped me through some trying times.
Take a few minutes to talk to God, you might find it helps you too. <3

Silent Tears

Each day as evening starts to set
The ache builds in her chest
She knows that she must go to bed
And try to get some rest

She hugs her tearstained pillow close
When no one is around
And cries for one she loved and lost
And screams without a sound

Others see her in the day
And think she's doing well
But everyday as evening sets
She enters her own hell

Time hasn't healed her pain at all
Or quieted her fears
So every night, alone in bed
She sheds those silent tears.