General Chat

Hello all

That is a truly amazing/humbling story Cynthia. Congratulations to Yusra Mardini.

"Believe you can, and you're halfway there".
(T. Roosevelt).

Good morning :-)


And now for a story which may be familiar to many folk.......


Going back in Olympic history, many of us will have either seen or heard of the film 'Chariots of Fire.'

This story was based on the life of Eric H. Liddell (1902-1945) who was a Scottish athlete, rugby union international player and a missionary.

At the 1924 Games, he chose between his religious beliefs and competing in his favoured 100 metre Olympic race because it was held on a Sunday. He chose instead, the 400 metres which was held on another day. He won the gold medal.

Many aspects of the film Chariots of Fire were mythologised: Liddell knew that the 100m heats would be on a Sunday six months before the race, and he spent that Sunday preaching at a church in Paris.

However, this should not detract from Liddell's achievement - to win in a race at a distance you are not familiar with is no mean feat, to do it to win Olympic Gold something else again, and to set a world record in the process raises the feat to the incredible day.

Liddell returned to China to serve as a missionary

In 1941, the advancing Japanese army pressed Liddell and his family to flee to a rural mission station. Liddell was kept very busy dealing with the stream of locals who came to the station for medical treatment and food.

In 1943, the Japanese reached the mission station and Liddell was interned. Aggravated by the shortage of food and medical treatment, Liddell developed a brain tumour and died five months before liberation in 1945.



Lord, what can we say about this amazing Olympian champion who was a true servant for Christ? We pray that his story will enthuse and encourage us to continue on our own Christian journeys – wherever they lead. Amen.



Cx :-)

Hello all

I can remember the Chariots of Fire film from the 1980s when Eric Liddell a devout Christian and Harold Abrahams an English Jew, competed in the 1924 Olympics.
An absolutely classic film. They don't make them like this any more.

Our drive and patio are all sorted now and despite the extra work we are happy again.
I hadn't expected to be working alongside the man, but it made him work quicker!

"Teamwork divides the task and multiplies the success". (Anon)

Good morning :-)


Looking at our faith and the Olympics this week, today is the day when Richard Chambers and his rowing partner Will Fletcher, finally get to take part in the semi final of the double sculls race. This had been postponed due to bad weather. Richard is a double world champion and silver medal winner and he is a Christian.


Richard who comes from Northern Ireland, won silver in London 2012 as part of the men's lightweight fours, and he's aiming to go one better at Rio 2016.

He says that his faith doesn't always make his life as an athlete easy, but he's resolutely committed to it anyway:

"I'm a Christian in the rowing team and that's how I want to be recognised. Being a Christian in Team GB has its difficulties but knowing God is always there supporting and helping me is great."

Lord, may we always know that you are there, loving and guiding us. Amen.


Cx :-)

Good morning everyone
I do have a quick read of the new posts each day but have been rather busy lately so haven't had time to absorb them. I've just been going over them again and looking at the links given.

I love seeing the different churches and learning the stories behind them. I only live about an hour's drive from Cambridge so have seen King's College Chapel many times but the other churches were all completely new to me. It set me thinking about other places of worship that we have visited and which I had found the most moving.

I came down to three: a very simple evangelical church in Germany that we just stumbled across, a simple village mosque in Turkey and the Church of St Joan of Arc in Rouen.

The German church was really just a simple white square building but it had such a "spiritual" air about it. In Turkey we had visited the Blue Mosque in Istanbul a few days earlier and that was absolutely stunning. The little village mosque was a complete contrast - small and unadorned, but there was a great feeling of stillness and we just felt it was well used and loved by the village.

The Church of St Joan of Arc in Rouen was built in 1979 and I think we saw it a year or two later. I found it a very beautiful church, full of light and space and as soon as I walked in I felt at home and comfortable. Although it is modern it incorporates some old stained glass windows that were originally in a church there that was destroyed in WW11.

I hope I haven't bored you with my reminiscences. As you can tell, OH and I are great church visitors. When my children were little their endless refrain was "not another church! " :-D

Thinking now of those people whose faith is tested because they live in a part of the world where they do not have freedom to worship as they please.

Hello all

Nice for you to share your memories Vera, all really very interesting.
Cynthia, we are finding all the Olympic events very entertaining to watch.

We also loved to look around churches on various holidays years ago now.
The two that really are clear in my mind is a beautiful village church in Malta,
so ornate with amazing statues and awesome altars and painted ceiling.

Another was quite different. This was a grey brick building in the middle of
Harlem and a poor depraved tenement area with iron grids on the doors and
windows and graffiti spray painted on the walls. We were on a guided coach
and even then felt a little uncomfortable in the street, but it was so different inside the building. We sat in the gallery and the atmosphere was electric with happy clappy gospel choirs and the congregation dancing in the aisles, all adults and children dressed in the "Sunday best" clothes. At first we had questioned what the congregation had to be so happy about living in such poor grim surroundings and while sharing in with their worship, it was obvious they all were open to the gift of the Holy Spirit and felt exceedingly rich in church. It was a full church too.

Our Granddaughter is a junior member of her local rowing club and Katie will be glued to the Olympic TV men/women's rowing races today. All very exciting events.

Good morning :-)


Thank you for those memories Vera - it's always lovely to hear other people's experiences about special places. <3

For today:

What a shame yesterday’s pair missed out on a medal – to come fourth must be so disappointing. Ah well, onwards and upwards.

Let’s take a look at two American men who managed to get a silver….

David Boudia and his diving partner Steele Johnson have won a silver medal in the men’s synchronised 10m platform at Rio.

Both men are practicing Christians. During the London Games in 2012, David was open about his faith as a Christian which he credited with getting himself back on track after several difficult years as a teenager.

David grew up in Indiana but not in a religious household. He puts his faith in Christ down to spending time with his coach Adam and his wife. He was later baptised.

He says… “Through Adam’s faithful friendship in ministering the Word to me, I came to know Christ. I began to be disciplined in my walk with Christ. I also sought out biblical counselling. Slowly and not always consistently, I began to realize from the Word of God that my purpose in life as God’s child was to live for Him and others—not myself. Living for David’s fame and David’s pleasure was one of my biggest problems in the 2008 Beijing Olympics and was the cause of my deepest moments of despair”.

Despite winning his medals, David said he found something even more valuable. “God was completely sovereign throughout this entire journey. He knew how it was going to happen, when it was going to happen, and we know why it happens—to make me more like Christ,” he said.

Lord, help us to be willing to learn more about you. Amen.

Cx :-)

Hello all

Watching the disappointments and the joys of all the Olympic contestants is a
part of making Rio 2016 memorable for one reason or another. We are enjoying it.

Heavenly Father
We thank you for the skills of the Olympic sporstmen/women as they try to fulfill
their lifetimes dream.
We pray for the Chaplains and Ministers who work alongside those taking part in
Rio, supporting and encouraging them in a spiritual way.
Amen.

Hello all

Watching the disappointments and the joys of all the Olympic contestants is a
part of making Rio 2016 memorable for one reason or another. We are enjoying it.

Heavenly Father
We thank you for the skills of the Olympic sporstmen/women as they try to fulfill
their lifetimes dream.
We pray for the Chaplains and Ministers who work alongside those taking part in
Rio, supporting and encouraging them in a spiritual way.
Amen.

Good morning :-)


I'm pleased you mentioned the chaplains kandj..............because........ :-D


At the beginning of the week we looked at the places of worship within the Olympic Village. Today we listen to one of the Chaplains.

Jules Wilkinson, a member of Christians in Sport’s Performance Team, is at Rio 2016 as one of three international Protestant chaplains. Jules talks about what she will be doing at the Olympics and how we can pray for her.

“It’s a real privilege to be in Rio as a chaplain for the Olympics. It’s hugely exciting to be in the Olympic city, but I won’t be watching any sport! Like most others, I will be searching for it on the TV, but without the benefit of having the BBC.

I feel a great responsibility too. Just as I’m often encouraging the athletes to cling to God’s word, a verse I’m clinging to is Joshua 1 v 9. This says: “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” (NIV)

At past Olympics, athletes have often wanted to be prayed for or simply have a quiet place to pray.

Please pray that I would be bold and brave for Him. There is a part of me that is thinking what am I doing here? I don’t belong in this village. Pray that I would be a real help to Christians and those who are seeking God. Pray too that the Lord will bring seekers across my path. “


Cx :-)

Hello all

A thought provoking message from you today Cynthia. Thank you.

I mind immediately thought of the words of this courageous hymn.

Be brave, be strong
God the Lord your God is with you.
Be bold, be strong
For the Lord your God is with you.
I am not afraid.
I am not dismayed.
Because I'm walking in faith and victory,
Come and walk in faith and victory,
For the Lord your God is with you.

Today SuffolkVera and her family are gathering for the wedding of her son tomorrow.

This weekend weather is meant to be sunny, we pray all goes well tomorrow Vera.

Good morning :-)

We have 3 more baptisms today including yet another set of twins.......must be the water round here :-D


The Collect (special prayer for today)

Almighty and everlasting God,
you are always more ready to hear than we to pray
and to give more than either we desire or deserve:
pour down upon us the abundance of your mercy,
forgiving us those things of which our conscience is afraid
and giving us those good things which we are not worthy to ask
but through the merits and mediation of 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 the Gospel reading we hear of how people and families will be divided about their faith in Jesus. Luke 12 vs 49-56


Praying for Vera and her family as they celebrate this special day <3


Cx :-)

Hello all

Thinking of Vera and her son's marriage today. Praying this will be a happy day for all.

Another set of twins for baptism Cynthia? We have two sets of twins in our family.
The girls are in their 30's now and William and Hannah are in their teens.

"Twice as much to love, two blessings from above" All healthy and bring great joy.

Today it's a very quiet day. No one rushing to work. Saw no other person when walking the pup this morning, most were still asleep.

The only noise was of bells booming out for early morning service and they have just sounded again for a 9 am service.

It's Assumption today and a public holiday here. It's usually an excuse to have a family shindig. It's still quiet so perhaps the get togethers were yesterday leaving today to get over it. lol

Noted your look at the Spink family in Walsall - my home town. I lived near a lady maiden name Spinks. Walsall is known for it's leather trade Cynthia, the football team is known by the nickname The Saddlers. My sister has worked all her life stitching leather products and my cousin used to work for the leather museum. All my paternal aunts were in the leather trade. Know the areas the Spink family lived in and they would have known some of my ancestors as they lived very close to them. :-)

Good morning :-)

Hi Pat..........a peaceful morning with the sound of church bells. My idea of bliss :-)

The Spink family I am looking at is for someone at church. I have offered to do some family tree work for folk in return for a donation to church funds. This particular chap was amazed when I told him they hailed from Walsall as opposed to Wakefield, where most of his family now live. He doesn't yet know that there is a touch of Scotland thrown in for good measure too! He is very particular about the fact that it is Spink without an 's' at the end. I agree that it is very likely that his past relatives and yours would have known each other. Small world syndrome again.

I didn't know anything about the leather industry until I started looking into this but I am learning as I go along :-D


Yes kandj, more twins to be baptised and, believe it or not, there were two other sets of twins in their buggies in church. We were all twinned out :-D

With so much coverage of the Olympics these two weeks, no-one can have failed to notice the awe-inspiring statue of Christ the Redeemer overlooking Rio de Janeiro.

This magnificent structure was created by a Polish-French sculptor, Paul Landowski and built by a Brazilian engineer Heitor da Silva Costa and a French engineer Albert Caquot.

Work started on the statue in 1922 and it was eventually opened in 1931. It is covered with 6million soapstone tiles. According to the BBC, workers who made the tiles frequently wrote on the back, meaning Christ the Redeemer is littered with hidden messages.

In 2006, the authorities built a small chapel at the base and it is possible to be married there.

For many years, there were over 200 steps to climb but escalators have now been installed.

Is it a cross or a hug? This question has been debated over time. The architect originally designed it to resemble a cross with His arms outstretched. However, nowadays, it is more likely to be viewed as a symbol of welcome and peace.

Lord, as we see this statute during the rest of the Olympic Games, may we be inspired to share your love with others. Amen.


Cx :-)

Hello all

All very interesting information regarding the statue of Christ the Redeemer Cynthia.
It look amazing on TV and must be awesome to see actually see this in Brazil.
We are enjoying the TV coverage of the Olympic games and the variety of sports.

Christ the Redeemer statute is huge 98 feet tall with arms outstretched 92 feet wide.

We have seen and visited the Angel of the North several times and that is also
amazing to see but very small in comparison to the Brazilian statue, standing 66 feet
tall but having wings measuring 177 feet across.
It stands at the side of the A1 motorway near Gateshead and was commissioned and designed in 1998 by the British sculptor Sir Antony Gormley.
Made of copper and steel out of the pit head baths of the Lower Tyne Colliery, it is
a reminder of the closures of the steel and coal industry in this North East area.
That also is awesome, with the Angel of the North standing 65 feet from the ground and it dwarfs all who go to see this fantastic spectacle close up.

Pat I love the sound of church bells and find wind chimes in our garden calming.

These aren't UK bells, churches have 1 bell per church and someone rings it and pulls very fast. The bell is toneless so you get an awful clang and when they ring at slightly different times you hear one start then before they finish another starts and then a third gets going. All at slightly different pitches so it's terrible.

I love UK bells and used to listen to them on Radio 4. This is noise out here not the melodious notes you have Kandj. :-)

Earplugs needed perhaps Pat??

I think I would much prefer the UK church bells and my garden wind chimes.

I bought a different sounding wind chime last week, but not of metal. This is of large bamboo pipes, I'm not quite sure if they are my "thing" or not?? Time will tell I guess.

Good morning :-)

My illusions are shattered Pat :-( I was imagining strolling along peaceful streets and listening to the melodic tones of a nearby church bell. Obviously not. Sounds rather as though you need ear muffs and an aspirin :-D

For today:

Another symbol of the Olympics which we see every day – the Olympic Rings.


These rings of blue, black, yellow, red and green, make up one of the most recognized symbols in the world. Traditionally, they represent the five different areas of the world involved in the Olympics (North and South America are considered one area, along with Africa, Australia, Asia and Europe).

We can also associate them to our Christian lives...

A background of pure white – represents purity

The black circle – represents our sin

The red circle – represents Christ’s blood which was shed on the cross

The green circle – represents our continuing growth in the faith

The blue circle – represents the waters of baptism and the Holy Spirit

The gold circle – represents our heavenly destination.

Heavenly Father, when we see the circles as symbols of the Olympic Games, help us to remember the Christian thoughts we have attached to them, and may we draw closer to you each time.


Cx :-)

Thank you everyone for your thoughts and prayers for my son and his new wife. It has been a very hectic few days. Sunday, the wedding day was truly blessed. It was a civil, rather than religious ceremony, but I have never been to anything so moving. Most of the congregation shed a tear at some point. During the evening several people remarked to me that the atmosphere was absolutely full of love and joy. A very special day.

If anyone is interested I will put a description of our weekend on the bird and wildlife thread when I get time.

Thoughts and prayers for all newly weds, whatever their ages.