General Chat

Thank you Vera <3

Having a lovely day, spoilt asusual :-)

I haven’t come across that book before David. I did google the author and don’t feel her work would be for me but I mustn’t pre-judge as I haven’t read any of her writings.

Happy Birthday Emma <3 <3 <3. I hope you have a day full of love and laughter.

I saw the Pope prayed alone for an end to this Coronavirus.

St Peter's Square is empty.

Hello all

Similar changes in our church, collection on a plate going into church, no wine, offered, no tea/coffee or staying after the service had ended and a regular coffee morning has also been closed temporarily too.

The Lent Course is still going ahead (without drinks) until we hear anything to the contrary.

I haven't heard of that David, I'll need to Google it.

Take care and stay well everyone.

Our churches are still holding services, no matter the religion.

However meetings of more than 250 people are now banned, so the large communities are having to make adjustments. This includes soem Catholic parishes, Jewish, Evangelical, Muslim and Sikh.

The Sikh religion in particular is having to make really big changes to their normal routines ......... they hold communal meals, mainly lunches I think, every day in the Gurdwara (temple), made and served by volunteers and open to everyone. Many of the larger Gurdwaras can have 1,000 people or more taking part in that meal. It's the main part of the day for many of their community, especially the elderly.

Now the volunteers have to be trained in even more safety procedures, or are dropping out, and the numbers have to be less than 250 at any time.

We have a large Sikh population in Canada, especially in BC. We live not far from the largest one in this city, and there are two more in neighbouring cities. One of those had to cancel its Holi Parade last week ............. they did it voluntarily but it usually attracts over 500,000 people.

In the Anglican and Catholic communities, there are changes to communion wine, wafers etc, no peace hugs or hand shakes, no coffee, or meeting in the hall after church.

OH has gone to church this morning, he still does the occasional "duty" after withdrawing from the choir to keep his connection there ...... I think this morning it is one of the Readings. But it is also the first service taken by the new Priest after her Induction last Monday.

She did take the service last Sunday, but I'm not sure how "legal" that was as she had not been inducted, or whether she was a "temporary". :-D

Good morning <3

Has any one read The poem of the Man-God by Maria Valtorta ?

Good morning Cynthia.

Thank you for continuing to post.

Our parish is still holding services, but no communion wine, I've heard. No coffee and refreshment will be served after services.

Sadly, this also means that Lent lunches, which are held weekly will also be cancelled.
Hopefully people will still make a donation to the church's nominated charity, which would have benefited from Lent Lunch contributions.

Good morning :-)

Hoping to go to church later - not sure how long we will have services though, so making the most of it!


The Collect (special prayer) for today

Almighty God,
whose most dear Son went not up to joy but first he suffered pain,
and entered not into glory before he was crucified:
mercifully grant that we, walking in the way of the cross,
may find it none other than the way of life and peace;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.



The Gospel tells the story of Jesus meeting the Samaritan woman at the well.

Cx :-)

<3 <3 Cynthia & family

Good morning :-)

What a lovely story Tabitha - thank you. We certainly need cheering up in these trying times.

Sorry about your teef David....ouch!

Yes, what does happen with all the poor homeless people who are on our streets? Sad days indeed. :-( God bless all those who work with these vulnerable folk.

At least the weather forecast says that it's going to be drier next week. :-)


Lent Course

John 4.7-15
7 A Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, ‘Give me a drink’. 8 (His disciples had gone to the city to buy food.) 9 The Samaritan woman said to him, ‘How is it that you, a Jew, ask a drink of me, a woman of Samaria?’ (Jews do not share things in common with Samaritans.) 10 Jesus answered her, ‘If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, “Give me a drink”, you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.’ 11 The woman said to him, ‘Sir, you have no bucket, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? 12 Are you greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us the well, and with his sons and his flocks drank from it?’ 13 Jesus said to her, ‘Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, 14 but those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty. The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life.’ 15 The woman said to him, ‘Sir, give me this water, so that I may never be thirsty or have to keep coming here to draw water.’



A woman goes to fetch water and finds Jesus waiting at the well. She longs for a more satisfying life. For freedom from the shame that made her go to the well when she expected no one else to be there. Jesus treats her with respect and dignity. Forgetting his own physical thirst, he attends to her spiritual thirst. Jesus offers “living water” – water that brings us blessing and refreshment right to the core of our being.

Can you give – or raise – money for a charity providing clean water and sanitation in areas of need, such as Toilet Twinning? Visit the Toilet Twinning website to twin a home, workplace, church or school toilet.


Cx :-)

Lovely story Tabitha. Thank you for sharing it with us

I just poppped on to say I hope you all have a day full of blessings.

Stay strong Cynthia and take care of yourself <3

Hello all

Tabitha, what a wonderful story, thanks for sharing your tranquil moments with us all.

Dermot I agree with you sadly and feel each one has a special story to tell.

Emma, joining in your thoughts and prayers for all the homeless people especially right now.

Hoping Cynthia is managing to relax a little today.

Thank you for sharing Tabitha.
I hope you do get back there and have more wonderful moments.

Back to the reading from a couple of days ago.

I remember my mother saying I was baptised in water from the River Jordan when I was 6 months old. The vicar had just returned from the Holy Land and brought some water back. I never thought about it before, however since a tiny child I had always wanted to go to the Holy Land. I collected pictures and books where I could.

It wasn't till my wedding my mother told the vicar about my baptism as we were back in the same church.

Was it something to do with being baptised in water from the Jordan that gave me the longing to go there?

I had the great privilege of spending some time in the Holy Land and visiting all the places possible. I managed to dip my hand in the River Jordan and spent New Years Eve staying on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. We sailed in a boat like the fishermen during the day and welcomed the New Year by walking in the water.. The tranquil time at this very peaceful location will always stay with me. When i need a happy place i always dream of my time in this wonderful country.

I took some water back for my mother who was in hospital and hope it helped in her last few months.

I so want to go back there and hope its still as tranquil as it was when i was there.

Sharing my tranquil moments with all who need it.

Men & women sleep rough in squats, tents, cars, parks, bins, under flimsy sleeping bags in damp shop doorways – all unimaginable spaces in our capital city and beyond.

Thoughts and prayers for those who are homeless
and sleeping on the streets.
Who will help them if struck by Coronavirus.

Hello all

Dry but bitterly cold with strong winds today.

David I hope your toothache settles down soon.

Cynthia, I find lemon, vinegar and baking soda are good for cleaning.

Second Lent Course session for our church yesterday, the subject was Receive the Light.

Good morning to you all :)

Last Monday I had three upper right back teeth extracted here in this room

Was no problem for days until last night, the adjoin ones giving me pain. :-S <3

Good morning :-)

Today's bible reading

Exodus 15.22-27
22 Then Moses ordered Israel to set out from the Red Sea, and they went into the wilderness of Shur. They went for three days in the wilderness and found no water. 23 When they came to Marah, they could not drink the water of Marah because it was bitter. That is why it was called Marah. 24 And the people complained against Moses, saying, ‘What shall we drink?’ 25 He cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a piece of wood; he threw it into the water, and the water became sweet.
There the Lord made for them a statute and an ordinance and there he put them to the test. 26 He said, ‘If you will listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God, and do what is right in his sight, and give heed to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will not bring upon you any of the diseases that I brought upon the Egyptians; for I am the Lord who heals you.’
27 Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees; and they camped there by the water.


Freshwater ecosystems are in trouble. Since 1970, there has been an 83% decline in UK freshwater species of fish. Pollution kills life in our rivers and lakes and harms plants and animals – including humans.

This is what sin looks like. Our environment destroyed. The lives of the most vulnerable inhabitants of our world endangered. Reversing pollution – so that the waters can again be fresh and sustain life – requires repentance. By governments, businesses, and by us, too.

Look in your kitchen and bathroom – is there one thing from each you could switch to a product that does not contain harmful chemicals?


Cx :-)

Good morning :-)

That little church seems to be doing amazing work Sylvia....good for them. Congregations are funny things at times.......they go up and down a lot. Week by week they can be low but, come a special event, then they go up enormously. Not sure why this is but I do wonder if many people have a basic belief but are not willing to commit to regular church attendance. However, there are times when people feel they simply have to go to church to celebrate or just attend something that means a lot to them. Hope that makes sense. :-S


Lent Course


Mark 1.9-11
9 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptised by John in the Jordan. 10 And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. 11 And a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.’

Jesus was baptized in the River Jordan, the river which the Israelites crossed as they entered the promised land. This place of new life and freedom is the setting for Jesus’ baptism.

When we are baptized, St Paul writes, we become “a new creation” and we follow a new way of life. In Jesus, God seeks to reconcile all things to himself. Through baptism we are called to join in that work by caring for all God has created.

Can you take part in a clean-up of a local waterway – pond, canal, river or beach? Or encourage your church to organize one?

Care for local waterways
Where are the canals, rivers, ponds or beaches in your area? Ask if your school, church or other local groups could organize a cleanup.


Cx :-)