General Chat

Very responsible and demanding roles and a great commitment as I know from personal past experiences Cynthia. My prayers are offered to you all, for a good and productive AGM for your church tonight, to enable your church to move forward in faith.

Onward Christian Soldiers has just come into my mind.........

Like the mighty army moves the church of God
Brothers, we are treading where the Saints have trod,
We are not divided, all one body we
One in hope and doctrine, one in charity.

Probably my last post my sub expires in 3 weeks and I may not renew

http://www.godvine.com/Describes-Heaven-fb-ibj-3492.html

Good morning..... :-)

What a moving video that was BananaNaNa. Oh to see heaven through the eyes of a child......


I was a little late arriving at the meeting kandj and discovered that I had missed a 'disagreement'. Ooops! The rest of the evening was fairly predictable - elections and reports an so forth. There was actually a good attendance which makes a change :-)


Our prayer for today :

When we are going through dark times
give us, O God, glimpses of light.
May we never lose our hope and trust in you.
Help us to remember that, however hard the path, however dark the tunnel,
at the end of it is the light of your love beckoning us on. Amen.

- Anne Brown


And now I must make sure I am prepared for the arrival of the flooring men....

Enjoy your day........ Cx :-)

BananaNaNa, what a beautiful child and so very special, bless him. Thank you.

Cynthia, perhaps it was best not to have been a witness to the "disagreement" but it happens in all families and obviously goes on at certain times within the church family
Hopefully all other matters and decisions were reached amicably for everyone present.

Peace, perfect peace, in this dark world of sin
The blood of Jesus whispers peace within,
Peace, perfect peace, our future all unknown
Jesus we know, and He is on the throne.
(Bickersteth)

Good morning... :-)


I don't know where else it happens but, around where I live, the council plant daffodils and crocus by the road side. For several years now, these bright, happy flowers have sprung up and I find them immensely cheering because they herald the arrival of Spring.

They are a reminder of the resurrection of Jesus .... of rebirth.....of renewal.

So I share these famous words with you...


I wandered lonely as a Cloud
That floats on high o'er Vales and Hills
When all at once I saw a crowd
A host of dancing Daffodils,
And the Lake, beneath the trees,
Ten thousand dancing in the breeze.

The waves beside them danced, but they
Outdid the sparkling waves in glee: --
A Poet could not but be gay
In such a laughing company:
I gaz'd--and gaz'd--but little thought
What wealth the shew to me had brought:

For oft when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude,
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the Daffodils.

William Wordsworth


Enjoy your day....Cx :-)

We also are blessed with the wonderful simple beauty of yellow daffodils on roundabouts and the pathway from our village into town. I love daffodils and have vases filled to overflowing in our home. They don't last for very long (too warm), but they are cheap and cheerful and a reminder of the rebirth that heralds Springtime.

Good morning everyone.... :-)


How quickly Lent is flying past......it is the 5th Sunday already.. When I looked at the Collect and readings for today, I saw that the Old Testament reading is from Exekiel....(the valley of bones) and the Gospel is the story of the raising of Lazarus from the dead. I think the New Testament lesson brings it all together nicely, so I have included that..... :-)


The Collect
Most merciful God,
who by the death and resurrection of your Son Jesus Christ
delivered and saved the world: grant that by faith in him
who suffered on the cross we may triumph in the power of his victory;
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.


From the New Testament : Romans 8.6-11
To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.

For this reason the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law – indeed it cannot, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

But you are not in the flesh; you are in the Spirit, since the Spirit of God dwells in you.

Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.
But if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit that dwells in you.

This is the Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.


Enjoy your day...... Cx :-)

Cynthia, it's hard to believe how quickly Lent is passing. Palm Sunday next week, which heralds the beginning of Holy Week.

Today's Old Testiment reading Ezekiel 37 v 1-11(NIV) speaks about the valley of dry bones and how God and Holy Spirit breath life into bones of His people of Israel.

Several years ago I had the privilege of joining many others in concerts led by committed Christian Evangelist Godfrey Birtill. An awesome experience to sing and praise God with hundreds of like-minded Christians in the huge arenas.

One of his worship songs was based on this weeks old testament reading and I am transported back to the excitement and loud singing praise and worship back then.

These are the days of Elijah
Declaring the word of the Lord
And these are the days of Your servant Moses
Righteousness being restored
And though these are days of great trial
Of famine and darkness and sword
Still, we are the voice in the desert crying
"Prepare ye, the way of the Lord!".

Chorus
Behold He comes riding on a cloud
Shining like the sun at the trumpet call;
Lift your voice, it's the year of jubilee
Out of Zion's hill, salvation comes.

These are the days of Ezekiel
The dry bones becoming as flesh:
And these are the days of your servant David
Rebuilding a temple of praise.
These are the days of the harvest,
The fields are as white in your world
And we are the labourers in Your vineyard
Declaring the word of the Lord.

Chorus repeated again (with lots of loud singing and enthusiasm as I recall).

Good morning everyone...... :-)


I don't know that hymn kandj but I have experienced singing lustily in worship settings. The feeling of being surrounded by enthusiastic, like-minded folk is truly uplifting - akin to that experienced by football fans I imagine.

The song that always comes to mind with that reading from Ezekiel is the old spiritual one.......

Dem bones, dem bones, dem dry bones.
Dem bones, dem bones, dem dry bones.
Dem bones, dem bones, dem dry bones.
Now hear the word of the Lord.

Very catchy indeed :-)


A prayer for today:

Lord, at times I struggle to be hopeful when I see
a world, with too many tragic headlines;
a Church trying to be faithful,
but uncertain about its future;
a neighbour rocked by bad news;
and I haven't even thought about myself, yet.

Hang on, though … neither have I thought about you.
And I'd forgotten about when
I recognised your Spirit overflowing
in that aid project I heard about;
I shared in that unbelievably moving act of worship;
I heard about that broken relationship recently restored.
Wow! There is hope. I see light.
You are here alongside me. Amen.

Ward Jones


Love to you all....Cx :-)

Yes the old Dry Bones song is really catchy Cynthia and will be known to others.

To communicate with Christ
Is there any light more transparent than
a life steeped in forgiveness
and an infinite goodness..
A life, in which reconciliation
is lived out, day after day.

However little we understand of the Gospel
it is a bright light in our midst.
However little we perceive of the Holy Spirit,
He is life for us., now and into eternity.
However little we grasp of the Eucharist,
It is Christ's presence in us.

Words I have just read written by Brother Roger of Taize and worthy of sharing.

Cynthia I am continuing to pray for healing for your son and I hope his pain is less and that he is improving daily.

Good morning..... :-)


Worthy of sharing indeed kandj. We now, very quietly, sing the Taize verse 'Lord hear my prayer' between the various aspects of the intercessions on Sunday morning. There are some lovely chants which spring from that Community.

My son is still in severe pain unfortunately. He is to see the consultant, re his back problem, on Thursday. The knee operation was an added 'extra' sadly. Hopefully all will be sorted out soon.


By way of a slight change, I hope you don't mind if I use a small article which was in our parish magazine recently. I found it both interesting and helpful, and I hope others do too.


'We know from evidence outside and inside the New Testament that Jesus existed.

C.S. Lewis - of Narnia fame - put it like this:

A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said, would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic - on a level with the man who says he is a poached egg - or else he would be the Devil of Hell.

You must make your choice.

Either this man was, and is the Son of God; or else a madman or something worse. But let us not come up with any patronising nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.

We are faced then, with a frightening alternative. The man we are talking about was (and is) just what he said or else a lunatic or something worse.

Now, it seems to me obvious that he was neither a lunatic nor a fiend; and consequently, however strange or terrifying or unlikely it may seem, I have to accept the view that He was and is God. God has landed on this enemy occupied world in human form'.



Thought provoking words. Cx :-)

I will continue to send healing vibes to your son. We also have experience of debilitating chronic back pain and so can truly sympathize with him.

Very definitely thought provoking words Cynthia and thank you for sharing them.

Clive Staples Lewis (1898-1963) born in Belfast, died in Oxford and known to his friends as Jack. Lewis was honoured with a memorial in Poet's Corner,
Westminster Abbey.
I remember reading his book Surprised By Joy, in which he wrote down his feelings when his wife Joy was diagnosed with cancer and how their Christian belief helped them both to cope with this disease until her death......... that also was very thought provoking and meaningful too. Many years since I read it, but still can remember it.

Today I am thinking of Sir Bob Geldof and the tragic death of his young daughter.
Praying that he will find the strength to cope with his deep pain and heartache.
RIP Peaches.......... re-united with her Mum once again.

Just a thank you to Cynthia, kandj, and other regulars who continue to post even when there is not much of a response.

There must be others like me who read the posts but seldom comment so please don't think you are being ignored I appreciate your efforts and often see something that makes me think a bit.

Thank you.

Good morning. Thank you Vera, I do sometimes wonder if anyone is looking in but I am happy to continue with this thread.

Thank you also for your good wishes kandj. I took our grandson to the dentist yesterday and so, we were able to spend time with our son. He will be glad when it is all sorted out - he doesn't like being off work for so long.

To night is baptism prep class once again. We will be greeting four families in the hope that we can share the true meaning of baptism with them. :-)


A prayer for today:

Father of all,
pour into our hearts the love that casts out fear,
the truth that sets us free
and the grace that is sufficient for all our needs,
and grant that we may rejoice that though you are unseen,
you are not unknown and that,
though you are hidden from our eyes,
we may behold your beauty at the last;
through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Louisa May Alcott (1832-1888)


I have another busy day ahead........take care everyone..... Cx :-)

I look in most days Cynthia <3


I found this and thought of you all

Singing priest's Hallelujah wows wedding guests

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-26957527

I also look in most days, but rarely post.


So sorry to hear that you son is having such problems, Cyn. I hope the consultant can do something for him xxx

I have just seen on the bird watching thread that Kandj's OH has been taken ill and she may not be posting for a while.

If you are looking in, Kandji, my thoughts are with your OH, you and your family. May he make a rapid recovery. Hugs for you. <3

Good morning everyone.....it's so nice to see folk popping in :-)


I've received a message from kandj confirming the information which Vera has shared with us above. Our love and thoughts and prayers go our friend at this worrying time.


A prayer for today:


When we are deeply disturbed with a problem
and our minds are filled with doubt,
And we struggle to find a solution
but there seems to be no way out.
We futilely keep on trying
to untangle our web of distress,
But our own little, puny efforts
meet with very little success.
And finally, exhausted and weary,
discouraged and downcast and low,
with no foreseeable answer
and with no other place to go,
We kneel down in sheer desperation
and slowly and stumblingly pray.
Then impatiently wait for an answer,
which we fully expect right away.
And then when God does not answer
in one sudden instant, we say,
“God does not seem to be listening,
so why should be bother to pray?”
But God can’t get through to the anxious,
who are much too impatient to wait —
You have to believe in God’s promise
that he comes not too soon or too late.

— “Ask, and it will be given you. Seek and you will find.
Knock, and it will be opened to you.
For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds,
and to him who knocks it will be opened.” — Matthew 7:7-8

- Helen Steiner Rice



My love to you all.....Cx :-)

Back again......should have said thank you to Susan for that link. It's great....I saw it on FB yesterday and it's well worth a watch.


Last night we had 4 babies down for baptism this coming Sunday. As it happens, another 3 turned up that we didn't know about.......arrrrghhhhh.....it seems our new priest in charge had taken the details but had forgotten to tell us.......talk about manic - it was chaos - but nice chaos... :-)

Cynthia and kandj my thoughts and prayers to you both
at this time, that your son may get relief from his pain Cynthia,
and kandj thinking of you at this worrying time.

Never miss looking in to read all who post, a good way to start
the day.

Emma :-)