General Chat

Good morning :-)


This week we have heard about the heroic actions of two homeless men in the after-math of the bombing in Manchester.

Today, we pray for the homeless – especially those within our own towns.

Hear our prayer today for all women and men, boys and girls who are homeless this day.

For those sleeping under bridges, on park benches, in doorways or bus stations.

For those who can only find shelter for the night but must wander in the daytime.

For families broken because they cannot afford to pay the rent.

For those who have no relatives or friends who can take them in.

For those who have no place to keep possessions that remind them who they are.

For those who are afraid and hopeless.

For those who have been betrayed by our social safety net.

For all these people, we pray that you will provide shelter, security and hope.

We pray for those of us with warm houses and comfortable beds that we not be lulled into complacency and forgetfulness.

Jesus, help us to see your face in the eyes of every homeless person we meet so that we may be empowered through word and deed, and through the political means we have, to bring justice and peace to those who are homeless. Amen.



Cx :-)

Happy 80th Birthday wishes for Vera's husband today. I hope the two of them will enjoy a special weekend shared with family and friends.

Amen to your morning prayer Cynthia. Surrounded by so much tragedy and upset it is right to think how blessed we are to have a comfortable home, warmth, food and family and friends when there are so many others nowhere near as fortunate as we are.

Heavenly Father
Thank you for the blessings that are given each morning. May I never take for granted the many gifts you pass on each day. Thank you Lord for being there for me and walking beside me in good and bad moments. Amen.

Amen to your prayers this morning. I am always aware of how much I have compared to so many people, and today I am extra thankful for our physical and mental health. So many of our friends have lost their partners but my darling husband has reached 80 without too many problems.

Thank you very much for your good wishes kandj. Our lovely dil's birthday is also today and she is spending it driving with my son down from Yorkshire to be with us. Daughter and grandson are coming after school and my brother and a friend are on their way now. Eldest granddaughter is working till 8 pm and is back at work 9 am tomorrow but she is still driving to us after work, stopping the night and leaving at the crack of dawn tomorrow. OH has no idea anything special is happening. He will be so surprised. We have a wonderful family and are so grateful for their support.

Prayers for all those who do not have family to share their special times.

Good morning :-)

What a lovely birthday surprise for your husband Vera....I hope he has had a wonderful day and I am sure the celebrations will continue for a few days. Happy birthday to 'Mr Vera' :-D <3


It has been a stressful week for so many folk……..a gentle prayer to help us still our thoughts and minds.

Lord,

Lead me into the valley of your protection.
May I feel safe and secure sheltered there.

Lead me to drink from streams of life.
May I find hope and healing in the waters.

Lead me to fields of green meadows.
May I rest in quiet places on the softness of your grass.

Lead me into the light of your eternal truth.
May I bathe in the promise of heaven.

Amen.


Cx :-)

"The Bible is a most remarkable book" - a comment last week by our priest during his homily.

Good morning :-)


You obviously have a priest who likes to state the obvious, Dermot :-D :-D


At church this morning, we have the baptism of two little girls and a little boy.

We pray for these children as they begin their Christian journey of faith.

We also pray for their parents and Godparents, that they will be faithful and true to the promises they are to make during the service.

The Collect (special prayer) for today :

O God the King of glory,
you have exalted your only Son Jesus Christ
with great triumph to your kingdom in heaven:
we beseech you, leave us not comfortless,
but send your Holy Spirit to strengthen us
and exalt us to the place where our Saviour Christ is gone before,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.

The reading today tells the story of Christ’s ascension into heaven.

Love to all. Cx :-)

Hello all

So far it is a beautiful sunny Sunday morning and a great opportunity
to thank the Lord for reminding us of how blessed we are today.

Ongoing thoughts and prayers for all affected by the Manchester bombing. xx

Good morning :-)


Such a packed church for us yesterday. Not only did we have the three baptisms, but we also began the service with the lighting of 22 candles to remember those killed in the Manchester bombings. Whilst the candles were being lit, the vicar read one of the 'Manchester' poems which are so popular at the moment. At the end of all this, there was much applause.

On a personal note, today is a special day for me as I celebrate a birthday with an 0 at the end :-D

I walked into church yesterday and stopped in amazement as I was faced with balloons and banners proclaiming my birthday. Did they HAVE to add the age to it??? :-D :-D At the end of the service I was called to the front to be presented with a large bouquet of flowers and left loaded with cards, gifts and balloons. I am, indeed, well blessed. <3

For today:

Today is a Bank Holiday, so we thank God for the opportunity to spend some quality time with our families on a day when most people will have time off work or school. May those who have to work today be blessed in their work places.

Cx :-)

Happy Birthday Cynthia. Celebrate and enjoy it all. How lovely that your church family made such a fuss of you yesterday. They obviously appreciate all you do.

Happy Birthday to you
Happy Birthday to you
Happy Birthday dear Cynthia
Happy Birthday to you.

May the good Lord bless you
May the good Lord bless you
In the morning
In the evening, and
All the year through.. . . . . . . . tra la la la la la la . . . . . . . .xx

Many happy returns Cynthia. Now you have us guessing......are you 30 or 40 this birthday? :-D. However old you are, you are obviously young at heart.

How lovely that your church showed its appreciation of all you do.

May your birthday and the year to come be God blessed.

Good morning :-)


Thank you for the good wishes. I had a lovely day and a special evening <3


For today:

This is another day, O Lord. I know not what it will bring forth, but make me ready, Lord, for whatever it may be. If I am to stand up, help me to stand bravely. If I am to sit still, help me to sit quietly. If I am to lie low, help me to do it patiently. And if I am to do nothing, let me do it gallantly. Make these words more than words, and give me the Spirit of Jesus. Amen.


Love to all. Cx :-)

Happy belated birthday greetings Cynthia <3

Good morning :-)

Thank you for your good wishes Emma. x

On Sunday, at our 11am service we welcomed three children for baptism. We also remembered the 22 people who were killed in the Manchester bombings. During the sermon, the vicar raised some interesting points which I would like to share with you, very briefly, over the next few days.

She began by sharing in our horror at the recent bombing and how impressed she was by one bereaved mother who did not feel hatred, ‘because it was a waste of emotion, of strength, and of the ability to cope’.

How many of us would have that same reaction, those same feelings – not to hate the person who had murdered your child, family member, friend?

For today:

As Christians, we are reminded in Romans…..

Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honourable. Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone. Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God.
For the Scriptures say,

“I will take revenge;
I will pay them back,”
says the Lord.
Instead, If your enemies are hungry, feed them.
If they are thirsty, give them something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap
burning coals of shame on their heads."


Cx :-)

Hello all

It is heartbreaking losing your child and interesting to know that one Mum isn't wasting her time and energy in negative feelings of hatred and anger.

We should try to live each day as if it was our last, but how many of us do that?
It is only when we are faced with trauma and devastation that we are reminded life is fragile. It is short and every day is precious. Every day is a bonus for us all.

Ongoing thoughts and prayers for all affected by the Manchester bombing as families come to terms in the days ahead with the horror of it all. God be with them x

Good morning :-)


Continuing with points from last Sunday’s sermon.

The vicar mentioned two hymns….’When God made the Garden of Creation’ and ‘When I needed a neighbour, were you there?’ She then took us through the first hymn and remarked that God made the family of creation out of His love but we are selfish, wanting ‘Our, our, our’.

The importance of baptism is that it is the only genuine free gift we will receive – the free gift of the Holy Spirit, which will accompany the newly baptised throughout their lives. It will not make things easy, nor take away the trials and tribulations of life, but will give them a companion on their journey.

For today:

Lord, as we gather together in this church, we ask your blessing on those newly baptised into your family. Hold them in your arms and bless them. Shine your light on the path before them and let them always feel your loving presence as they travel along the paths of life.


Cx :-)

Good morning :-)

Continuing with Sunday’s sermon……..

We were reminded us that ‘Faith’ has been blamed for the atrocities in Manchester – the papers have made this worse. How many have heard of the rally of tens of thousands of Muslims Against Violence? How many have looked to the rulers denouncing violence? The papers are sadly lacking in these stories.

The people who commit these atrocities claim to be of the Muslim faith, and cherry pick bits of the teachings out of context, to back their views. However the Koran and the prophet Mohammad say…….’whoever kills a child is condemned to eternal damnation – it is as if they have killed the whole of human-kind’. No rewards of virgins there!

Lord, teach us to be fair and just in our thinking.



Cx :-)

Hello all

When I Needed A Neighbour is a hymn with a wonderful Christian message, I am not surprised this was mentioned in Sunday's church sermon Cynthia.

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.

I was cold, I was naked were you there, were you there
I was cold, I was naked were you there.

When I needed a shelter were you there, were you there
When I needed a shelter 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, 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, I'll be there.

What a very different world it would be if we followed these wonderful words.

Just seen AnnC posting regarding Just John. Evidently he has been elected as
a Councillor, so Congratulations and well done to John if you still read this thread.

Good morning :-)

I don't think JJ reads this any more kandj.....in AnnC's thread about him a few weeks ago, he was surprised it was still running :-D I wish him well in his new role - he will certainly make his presence felt bless him. :-)

Bringing last Sunday’s sermon to a close, the vicar spoke to the parents of the infants who were to be baptised. She reminded them that the children were to be baptised into the Christian church and that they were making serious promises to God. What does this baptism mean to them? An excuse for a party? Extra presents at Christmas and birthdays? Or is this something we need to look at further? Do we all need to unpick this Christian faith of ours?

It is said we are a Christian country, but are we? If so, why aren’t churches more full than they are? Why do we send Christ-mas cards with ‘Season’s Greetings’ on them rather than a religious message? WHY? WHY? WHY?

If we want a Christian country, the parents need to be serious about the baptism – and we need to reclaim our faith. Jesus gave us just two commandments – Love God and Love your Neighbour. ‘When I needed a neighbour, were you there?’ This last week we have seen the worst and the best in people. We have seen true Christian actions no matter who did them – they are what Jesus said were necessary for salvation.

So, what are we going to do? Learn more about the truth of the faith or just carry on as we are?

Do you want a Christian country for your child or grandchildren – a country where we try to help each other following the commands of Jesus, or a country ruled by hate and fear?

I know what I want and I will work for it. Will you?

Grateful thanks to the vicar for such a thought provoking and prayerful sermon.



Cx :-)

Hello all

The Christian thread was started by JJ, but credit must go to Cynthia for keeping this going for such a long time. My thanks to Cynthia for such interesting postings each day.

It is a beautiful morning. Blue skies, white fluffy clouds. Washing on the clothesline drying nicely. I have sat outside with a cuppa and felt the warm sunshine and am blessed and relaxed. A Robert Browning poem that my Mum used to say on occasions such as these came into my mind. I'd like to share this with you today.

The year's at the Spring,
And day's at the morn;
Morning's at seven;
The hill-side dew pearled;
The lark's on the wing;
The snail's on the thorn;
God's in His heaven --
All's right with the world.

Thoughts and prayers are with those who are in a dark hurtful place this morning xx