General Chat

Thank you Cynthia - while reading your thought for the day I could hear Elvis singing "How Great thou Art " - a lovely still calm in a noisy office.

I love his version - so very peaceful.

Happy St Patrick's day - he was my house saint at my junior school, and i have always felt a liking for him, especially as he got rid of all the snakes in Ireland.
Always wanted to go to St Patrick's in new york too - one day if I ever retire.

Good morning :-)

Thanks Tabitha - it's certainly a rousing hymn..... :-D


Today's Lent Course.

Today's reading :
Isaiah 55.10-13
10 For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven,
and do not return there until they have watered the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout,
giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
11 so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
it shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,
and succeed in the thing for which I sent it.
12 For you shall go out in joy,
and be led back in peace;
the mountains and the hills before you
shall burst into song,
and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
13 Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress;
instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle;
and it shall be to the Lord for a memorial,
for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.


Reading the Bible reminds us that the earth is not silent and inert. In today’s reading we have a picture of human beings, mountains and trees united in joy and praise.
Land is an indispensable part of what salvation looks like. Isaiah 65 describes a future where people live in their own houses and eat the fruit of their own vineyards. Revelation pictures the New Jerusalem as a garden city with a river and trees.

Reduce your paper use this week. Always ensure it is 100% recycled or from sustainable forests.* Only print if you really have to – and always double-sided.


Hope you are all remaining safe and well <3


Cx :-)

Hello all

It's a long time since I heard Elvis sing How Great Thou Art Tabitha, I looked on Youtube and it's given me goosebumps.

Cynthia, our Lent Course has been cancelled along with the coffee mornings and Craft Group sessions.

Sunday morning church services have also been stopped for the foreseeable future. Understandable given the circumstances, but I'm feeling a bit sad too

Thoughts and prayers for all the NHS workers now X

I am so pleased you heard Elvis on Youtube - its so lovely.

I love the readings and the Lent course on here. Forgotten how beautiful some of the words of Isaiah are. Thank you Cynthia for reminding me. I can think of some beautiful songs and music to go with that reading.

I think virtual get togethers can be more beneficial in some ways, and as Cynthia knows she was one of my virtual family to keep me healthy and encouraged me to keep going through all the pain and depression back in 2009. I have tried to stay strong since then. I fell I have found a few more virtual family members on here.

We have all been sent home and work at home if you can.
Its very strange bringing my office life to my home. All my office friends and I try to be intouch each day if we can, by instant messenger if we can.

My cat is not happy - he took over my OH's study chair when he retired last year. Now I am in the study but on my own chair. He will not come in while I am here - not a very happy cat, he keep looking round the door with a very unhappy face.
I feel so guilty.

Keep safe everyone.

My thoughts and prayers for those who live alone x

Good morning :-)

It's a strange world at the moment, isn't it? Yes, churches are closed for the foreseeable future which is so sad....but we have to follow the guidelines. There are so many guidelines and instructions coming through that it makes one dizzy :-S

Today's Lent Course

Joel 1.2-4, 10-14
2 Hear this, O elders,
give ear, all inhabitants of the land!
Has such a thing happened in your days,
or in the days of your ancestors?
3 Tell your children of it,
and let your children tell their children,
and their children another generation.
4 What the cutting locust left,
the swarming locust has eaten.
What the swarming locust left,
the hopping locust has eaten,
and what the hopping locust left,
the destroying locust has eaten.

10 The fields are devastated,
the ground mourns;
for the grain is destroyed,
the wine dries up,
the oil fails.
11 Be dismayed, you farmers,
wail, you vine-dressers,
over the wheat and the barley;
for the crops of the field are ruined.
12 The vine withers,
the fig tree droops.
Pomegranate, palm, and apple—
all the trees of the field are dried up;
surely, joy withers away
among the people.
13 Put on sackcloth and lament, you priests;
wail, you ministers of the altar.
Come, pass the night in sackcloth,
you ministers of my God!
Grain-offering and drink-offering
are withheld from the house of your God.
14 Sanctify a fast,
call a solemn assembly.
Gather the elders
and all the inhabitants of the land
to the house of the Lord your God,
and cry out to the Lord.


Failures of justice and of care to places and peoples over time destroy lives and landscapes, and God’s creation is grief-stricken with the exploitation and loss. The earth witnesses to the sins of humanity.

St Paul speaks of creation groaning like a woman in labour and that it longs to be set free (Romans 8.22). We too mourn for our planet and long for its health. As children of God let us repent and turn to life.

So much news today reports bad things happening to our planet, yet most people do care. Pray for those leading positive change and encourage environmental action by your own local church community.


Love to all

Cx :-)

Good afternoon :-D

I recall buying a second book by Joseph Smith when I was young.
It was very much a copy of the Gospel of St Luke. Plagiarism ?

An intriguing thought, if Morman men are allowed four wives,
why aren't the women allowed four husbands :

David ........ very simple if basic

the idea is to get children

One man with 4 or more wives begets a lot of children

one woman with 4 or more husbands is still limited to the number of children that she might have with one husband. Plus who knows which man fathered which child?

Father is known (one hopes) for the man with 4+ wives.

Plus I think there was/is something about the number of children a man has being important for a Mormon.


Add to that ................. most, if not the majority, of women find one man more than enough to handle, two would be impossible! ;-)

Keep safe everyone xx

Hello all

Such a frightening time for the whole wide world.

One of my favourite bible verses which I'd like to share on here right now:..............

"For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you,
Fear not, for I will help you."
(Isaiah 41 v 13)

Take care everyone X

Good morning :-)

There is so much information flying around that I am quite dizzy with it all.....as are so many others. I can't keep up with the way things are altering all the time... :-S :-S

Anyway, let's keep going with the Lent Course

John 15.1-4, 7-9
15 ‘I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine-grower. 2 He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit. 3 You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me.

7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples. 9 As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love.



Jesus was surrounded by trees throughout his ministry. He was hailed by palm branches when he entered Jerusalem, and a few days later was nailed to a wooden cross, wearing a crown of thorns.

Jesus speaks of himself as the vine, with branches that draw their strength and fruitfulness from him. Jesus’ disciples, then and now, are invited to abide in him through prayer, and bear the pruning necessary for new growth and fruitfulness.

Prune your life of those things which are taking up unnecessary space in your everyday living - let go of the things which hold you back - embrace that which enriches and blesses.


Love to all

Cx :-)

Hello all

A frosty start but much brighter now.

New every morning is the love
Our wakening and uprising prove
Through sleep and darkness safely brought
Restored to life and power and thought.

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
His mercies never come to an end;
They are new every morning:
(lamentations 3 v 22-23) English Standard Version

Keep safe everybody.

Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction, and those who enter through it are many. How narrow the gate and constricted the road that leads to life. And those who find it are few (Matt 6:12-13).

Good morning :-)


Maintaining as much normality as possible :-D


The Lent Course

Leviticus 25.1-5
25 The Lord spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai, saying: 2 Speak to the people of Israel and say to them: When you enter the land that I am giving you, the land shall observe a sabbath for the Lord. 3 For six years you shall sow your field, and for six years you shall prune your vineyard, and gather in their yield; 4 but in the seventh year there shall be a sabbath of complete rest for the land, a sabbath for the Lord: you shall not sow your field or prune your vineyard. 5 You shall not reap the aftergrowth of your harvest or gather the grapes of your unpruned vine: it shall be a year of complete rest for the land.

Allowing land to lie fallow – rather than always seeking to gain all that you can from it – is the way God taught his people to farm, and also to live.

Buying and consuming as much as we can and feeling we must have more can become a habit. We can also look at others and imagine that the more productive they are, the more valuable. The sabbath principle challenges us to think differently, to live more sustainably.

Buying local seasonal produce helps support biodiversity as well as reducing carbon emissions. Try to buy local for at least two meals in the coming week. (Lots of links to local farm shops on Facebook I have noticed) :-D


Cx :-)

Thank you as always Cynthia.

I find a lot of things that Maya Angelou has said quite inspirational and comforting. Here are a couple of quotes that seem relevant to the current situation.

“If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude”. Something we could bear in mind when we’re tempted to hoard.

“No matter what happens, or how bad things seem today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow”.

This morning OH and I have been for a walk in a country park near us where we could get some exercise but keep away from people. We hardly saw anyone but one lady walking her dog called out to us from a short distance away “How can things be so wrong in the world on such a beautiful day?” The sun was shining, the birds were singing and we were looking at a lovely calm view. It did us good to focus on some God-given positives.

Special thoughts for all in need of help right now.

Thank you Cynthia for another lovely week.
A place of sanity away from the maddening hoards :-D

Stay safe and well everyone <3

Best wishes tto Cynthia and family and to all the others :-D <3

Hello all

Vera I am always inspired by the words of Maya Angelou so thanks for your posting.

David, I hope that your toothache has settled down.

Emma, are you all sorted out in your new home now?

Cynthia, your Lent Course readings are interesting.

At such an anxious time all around, let's not forget our neighbours who might be experiencing difficulties

Heavenly Father
Help us to be mindful of those around us
and to offer help and care for their needs.
In this time of great anxiety, give us strength
to comfort the fearful and to reassure the isolated.
In your names sake,
Amen.

Good morning :-)

Happy Mothering Sunday to all mums, grandmothers and Godmothers out there <3


Mothering Sunday is the fourth Sunday of Lent. Although it's often called Mothers' Day it has no connection with the American festival of that name.

Most Sundays in the year churchgoers in England worship at their nearest parish or 'daughter church'.

Centuries ago it was considered important for people to return to their home or 'mother' church once a year. So each year in the middle of Lent, everyone would visit their 'mother' church - the main church or cathedral of the area.

Inevitably the return to the 'mother' church became an occasion for family reunions when children who were working away returned home. (It was quite common in those days for children to leave home for work once they were ten years old.)

And most historians think that it was the return to the 'Mother' church which led to the tradition of children, particularly those working as domestic servants, or as apprentices, being given the day off to visit their mother and family.

As they walked along the country lanes, children would pick wild flowers or violets to take to church or give to their mother as a small gift.

Even though it is difficult for many to meet up today, love and prayers can travel anywhere.

A prayer of thanks
Thank you, Lord, for all who care
Bless them with your love.
Thanks for mothers everywhere
Bless them with your love.
For those who brighten up our day
Bless them with your love.
Who always have the right words to say
Bless them with your love.
Thanks for hugs, and love and smiles
Bless them with your love.
Thanks for all those extra miles
Bless them with your love.
And when they feel they’re not enough
Bless them with your love.


Love to all. Cx :-)

kandj all settled in and enjoying our lovely
view and space thank you.

Look after yourselves everyone <3