General Chat

Back again. Hello Emma and Ann. Nice to have you both join in today, and thanks for your kind words. Very much appreciated.

I can't leave this special Easter hymn out! I'm singing this one now ha ha.

THINE BE THE GLORY............ tra la la la la

Thine be the glory, risen conquering Son
Endless is the victory, thou o'er death has won;
Angels in bright raiment's rolled the stone away.
Kept the folded grave clothes, where thy body lay.
Thine be the glory, risen conquering Son
Endless is the victory, thou o'er death hast won.

Lo, Jesus meets us, risen from the tomb;
Lovingly he greets us, scatters fear and gloom;
Let the church with gladness, hymns of triumph sing
For her Lord now liveth, death has lost it's sting.
Thine be the glory, risen conquering Son
Endless is the victory, thou o'er death hast won.

No more we doubt thee, glorious Prince of life;
Life is naught without thee, aid us in our strife;
Make us more than conquerors, through they deathless love;
Bring us safe to Jordan to thy home above.
Thine be the glory, risen conquering Son
Endless is the victory, thou o'er death hast won.

I hope everyone is enjoying a Happy Easter Day, whatever you have planned. xxx

Kandj, I had forgotten the second hymn you put up there. Shall be singing it all day now Lol!! I can hear my dad singing it at church (Baptist). He loved to sing and had a very good voice (as did my Mum).

Happy Easter to all on here.

I agree with Emma, thank you for this thread, I don't look in every day, but quite a few, a haven of peace. :-) :-) :-) :-)

Happy Easter Day to you both x

Thank you for keeping this thread going,
a blessing and a joy to read every day x

Hello all

Cynthia, I have been singing Jesus Christ is risen today from waking up, tra la la la
Can I say, "Great minds think alike"?

Jesus Christ is risen today, Alleluia
Our triumphant holy day, Alleluia
Who did once upon the cross, Alleluia
Suffer to redeem our loss Alleluia.

My second favourite hymn for this wonderful Easter Sunday morning is:

CHRIST AROSE. This is a very old Methodist hymn, I remember from years ago.

Low in the grave he lay, Jesus my Saviour
Waiting the coming day, Jesus my Lord.
Up from the grave he arose;
With a mighty triumph o'er his foes;
He rose a victor from the dark domain
And he lives forever with his saints to reign
He arose! he arose! Hallelujah! Christ arose!

Vainly, they watch his bed, Jesus my Saviour
vainly, they seal the dead, Jesus my Lord.
Up from the grave he arose
With a mighty triumph o'er his foes;
He rose a victor from the dark domain
And he lives forever with his saints to reign
He arose! he arose! Hallelujah! Christ arose!

Death cannot keep it's prey, Jesus my Saviour;
He tore the bars away, Jesus my Lord;
Up from the grave he arose;
With a mighty triumph o'er his foes;
He rose a victor from the dark domain
And he lives forever with his saints to reign
He arose! he arose! Hallelujah! Christ arose!

Happy Easter Day blessings to all who read these words. xxx

HE IS RISEN! HE IS RISEN INDEED! ALLELUIA!


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

Hello all

Cynthia, I have also taken part in many Easter Vigil services in past years. All are very emotional and special after the sadness of Good Friday, and expectation to come.

HOLY SATURDAY and THE EASTER VIGIL.

No Holy Communion is taken this day, but a reflective, quiet prayerful time reminds us that Jesus Christ's body is laying in the tomb.

But when darkness comes we hold the most beautiful and and important liturgy of the whole year. The congregation meet outside church for the blessing of new fire, from which a new candle, decorated with five grains of incense to commemorate Christ's wounds, is lit.

As we are led into church, following solemnley behind this great candle, the darkness is dispersed by lighting everyone's hand-held candles from it. This is symbolic of the light of Christ filling the whole world, carried by Christians.

Four readings from Holy Scripture then tell the story of God's love for us from the creation onward till all is fulfilled in the Resurrection of Christ.
One of the readings is always of the Israelites being saved by the waters of the
Red Sea which typifies our salvation through faith and baptism.
Baptismal water is then blessed for the year; and if there are new Christians to be baptised or received into communion, they are baptised and received.

Then the bells peal out and the organ is played as the first Mass of Easter ends by thanking God for Christ's victory over death and sin during this Holy Easter Vigil.

Silence is the word for this day between Good Friday and Easter Sunday, and so
I shall keep it. In stillness on this Holy Saturday, the earth awaits the Resurrection.

Good morning

Jesus' body lay in the tomb where it was guarded by Roman soldiers throughout the day on Saturday, which was the Sabbath. When the Sabbath ended at 6 p.m., Christ's body was cer-emonially treated for burial with spices purchased by Nicodemus.

While his physical body lay in the tomb, Jesus Christ paid the penalty for sin by offering the perfect, spotless sacrifice. He conquered death, both spiritually and physically, securing our eternal salvation.


Many Christians in the United Kingdom participate in an Easter vigil service on Holy Saturday to mark the end of the Lent period before celebrating Easter. They remember Holy Saturday as the day when Jesus lay in his tomb. Many services are held in the evening of Holy Saturday, where candles are lit to proclaim Jesus Christ’s rising. Some church services are held in total darkness before the candles are lit. Some churches have baptisms, renewal of baptismal vows, and confirmations on Holy Saturday.


I have been to several vigils - they are my favourite service of the year - if they are well done. Cx :-)

The Burial of Jesus. Luke 23: 50-56 Good News Translation.

There was a man, named Joseph of Arimethea, a town in Judea.
He was a good an honourable man, who was waiting for the coming of
The Kingdom of God. Although he was a member of the Council , he had
not agreed with their decision and action. He went into the presence of
Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then he took the body down ,
wrapped it in a linen sheet and placed it in a tomb which had been dug
out of solid rock and which had never been used. It was Friday and the
Sabbath was about to begin.

The women who had followed Jesus from Galilee went with Joseph and
saw the tomb, and how Jesus' body had been placed in it. Then they went
back home and prepared the spices and perfumes for the body.
On the Sabbath they rested as the Law commanded.

By 6 p.m. Friday evening, Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea, took Jesus' body down from the cross and lay it in a tomb.

Luke 23:43-48 The Death of Jesus (New International Version)

Around noon the sky turned dark, and stayed that way until the middle of the
afternoon. The sun stopped shining and the curtain in the temple split down
the middle. Jesus shouted "Father, I put myself into your hands!" and he died.

When the Roman Officer saw what had happened, he praised God and said,
"Jesus must really have been a good man".

A crowd had gathered to see such a terrible sight. Then after they had seen it,
they felt brokenhearted and went home. All Jesus' close friends and the woman
who had come with him from Galilee stood at a distance and watched.

Then, about the ninth hour (3 p.m.), Jesus breathed his last and died. <3

The Seven Sayings of Jesus whilst on the cross :


"Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do."

"Today you will be with me in paradise"

"Behold your son: behold your mother"

"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"

"I thirst"

"It is finished"

"Father, into your hands I commit my spirit"

Were you there when they crucified me Lord?
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Ohhh, sometimes it causes me to tremble
Tremble, tremble.
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?

Were you there when they nailed him to the cross?.........

Were you there when they laid him in the tomb?..........

Were you there when the stone was rolled away?
Were you there when the stone was rolled away?
Ohhh, sometimes it causes me to tremble
Tremble, tremble.
Were you there when the stone was rolled away?

Jesus' Mother stood beside the cross with her sister and Mary the
wife of Clopas. Mary Magdalene was standing there too. When Jesus saw his Mother and his favourite disciple there with her, he said to his Mother, "This man
is now your son". Then he said to the disciple, "She is now your Mother". From
then on, the disciple took her into his own home. (John 19: 25-27)

When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of Glory died
My richest gain I count but loss
And pour contempt on all my pride.

Forbid it Lord, that I should boast
Save in the death of Christ my God
All the vain things that charm me most
I sacrifice them to His blood.

See from His head, His hands, His feet
Sorrow and love flow mingled down
Did ere such love and sorrow meet
Or thrones compose so rich a crown.

Were the whole realm of nature mine
That were an offering far too small
Love so amazing, so divine
Demands my soul, my life, my all.

Then Jesus carried his own cross to Calvary where, again, he was mocked and insulted as Roman soldiers nailed him to the wooden cross.

Hello all

Thank you Cynthia for helping us to think about all the events that happened today.

Hello Pat, thanks for popping in and sharing traditions from sunny Cyprus.

Good Friday is the Friday before Easter Sunday and is the day Jesus Christ was
crucified on the cross. As Christians we can celebrate Good Friday because Christ's death was a sacrifice so that we could receive the gift of eternal life.

Jesus bore our sins, shame, and burdens on the cross. The result changed
humanity and what man meant for evil through the killing of Jesus Christ, then
God meant only for our good! The miracle is that three days later, he rose from the dead to offer salvation for us all.

May this Good Friday day of prayer,
Enlighten our minds and bring peace into our hearts.
Amen

Meanwhile, before the third hour (9 a.m.), Jesus endured the shame of false accusations, condemnation, mockery, beatings, and abandonment.

After multiple unlawful trials, he was sentenced to death by crucifixion, one of the most horrible and disgraceful methods of capital punishment

Today the bells of 3 churches could be heard at 7 am. :-( I was walking the dog and the monotone bells with 3 different notes sounded awful.

Today is the annunciation by Archangel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary. Battered salted cod fish will be eaten (looks like fish of British fish and chips), it is eaten with garlic potato puree, it is called bakaliaros skordalia.

Today and Palm Sunday (24 April) are the only 2 feast days in their 50 days lent. No meat or fish on normal lent days.

It's now very quiet, it's a bank holiday as they also celebrate Greek Independence Day - don't ask it's political :-|

Good morning on this Good Friday.

Last night we held a special service for Maundy Thursday. We met in church for the first part and then moved into the Meeting Room where we enjoyed hotpot and fellowship. At the end of this, a plate of bread and a chalice of wine were passed quietly round the table and we went quietly back into church.

The simple service continued with readings and prayers and the altar was stripped of all adornment. The choir and servers took off their surplices and solemnly processed down the aisle in their dark cassocks. Very moving - very special.


Today we'll trace Jesus' steps on Good Friday, the most difficult day of Passion Week. Christ's journey turned treacherous and acutely painful in these final hours leading to his death and I will post each event to the timescale - as they happen.

The whole dreadful story will be revealed at the end of the day.

According to Scripture, Judas Iscariot, the disciple who had betrayed Jesus, was overcome with remorse and hanged himself early Friday morning.

Hello all

Many thanks Cynthia for sharing the story during Holy Week. Much appreciated.

HOLY THURSDAY...... taken from The Companion to Holy Week I bought years ago
Holy Communion is celebrated only once in any church, in the evening, to recall the
Last Supper. After the sermon, the Clergy washes the feet of the people before the altar, recalling how Jesus washed the feet of his disciples on that Thursday night.

This foot washing act is the perfect expression of God's purpose in the Incarnation
and Redemption, because washing the feet of others expresses readiness to
suffer and to die, both in Jesus and in us.

The Blessed Sacrament for the next day's communion is taken to a place where congregation can pray before it until later that night , in response to our Lord
begging the disciples to watch with him in Gethsemane.

Thinking of those in need of prayerful support right now. xxx