General Chat

Good morning :-)

Collect (special prayer) for today:

Lord, you have taught us
that all our doings without love are nothing worth:
send your Holy Spirit
and pour into our hearts that most excellent gift of love,
the true bond of peace and of all virtues,
without which whoever lives is counted dead before you.
Grant this for your only Son Jesus Christ’s sake,
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 for today (Matthew 9. 35 – 10.8) Jesus teaches about how much work is to be done.

Cx :-)

Good afternoon :-)

“If you are called upon to play a church service, it is a greater honour than if you were to play a concert on the finest organ in the world. Thank God each time when you are privileged to sit before the organ console and assist in the worship of the Almighty.” – Albert Schweitzer

What does organ music symbolize? “It's often in a church, so for people it represents moments of joy, of pain, and of prayer; the music of the organ accompanies all these moments.”

“To my eyes and ears the organ will ever be the King of Instruments.” – Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Cx :-)

Good morning :-)

Organists use hands AND feet.
Organists have to be pretty flexible, in more ways than one. On the floor, there is a pedalboard that resembles a stretched-out piano and balancing on the organ bench while playing the pedals is, apparently, no easy feat (pardon the pun!)

Their feet obviously need to reach the pedal board and it’s rather like using the feet as a ‘third hand’. These pedals usually produce the low-pitched notes.

Some organists wear special shoes designed for playing the organ - The bottom of the shoe is thin and usually made of suede. The suede is smooth creating very little friction between shoe and pedal. This allows for the organist to glide their feet across the pedals. They can also feel the pedals through the thin sole. Using hands and feet independently must be so difficult. Due respect to all organists.

Cx :-)

Good morning :-)

Over the years, many churches have experienced a pipe organ but, when they go wrong, attention turns to the electronic variety.

Pipe organs and electronic organs make sounds in different ways. Electronic organs are mass-produced in factories to generate generic sounds. In contrast, every pipe organ is a unique, custom-designed instrument made to order for a particular sanctuary or other listening space.
Who knew there was so much to these amazing instruments?

Cx :-)

Good morning :-)


Not only are pipe organs one of the most complex and powerful of musical instruments, but they are also the largest instrument in the world, and the largest to be played by a single person.

The largest church organ in France is the famous Grand Organ at Notre Dame Cathedral. Whilst the organ was not damaged in the horrendous fire a few years ago, it has been dismantled to be repaired and cleaned of all the lead dust which settled on it. It is due to be reassembled by April 2024.

Cx :-)

Good afternoon :-)


The traditional purpose of most organs is to play in Christian church services
.In most churches, the main role of the organ could be split into the following categories:

1. Leading the singing of the whole church community
The pipe organs’ sustained tone supports choral and congregational singing beautifully and the use of multiple stops means that a wide range of tones can be achieved to help make sense of the hymn text and to add drama.

2. Choral and liturgy accompaniment
English church music has a long choral history with the pipe organ playing a major part in accompaniment of plainchants, responses, hymns, and service music etc.

3. Ceremonial
The organ is often used for state occasions in cathedrals and for weddings, civic services, and major services in the liturgical calendar such as Christmas and Easter. The organ provides a grand sound for these occasions.

4. Solemn sound
Dignified for funerals and Remembrance Day etc. – a praise band really can’t do Nimrod justice!


Cx :-)

Hello all

Cynthia, I agree that's very sad news. Our village church is very fortunate to still have the lovely old organ in place. This was overhauled and cleaned about 5 years ago and we organised years of fundraising events to help cover the high cost involved.

Good morning :-)


It’s a sad time……..our church organ has finally given up the ghost………aww……it had a lifespan of 20 years and that time is now up.

So, it’s decision time as to what to do next. Meanwhile, the history of church organs is quite fascinating.

Pipe organs can, apparently, be traced back to about 3rd century, but in England, the first organ of which any detailed record exists was built in Winchester Cathedral in the 10th century. It was a huge machine with 400 pipes, which needed two men to play it and 70 men to blow it, and its sound could be heard throughout the city.
Now, that is some church organ!!

Cx :-)

Good morning :-)


The Collect (special prayer) for today:

O God, the strength of all those who put their trust in you, mercifully accept our prayers and, because through the weakness of our mortal nature we can do no good thing without you, grant us the help of your grace, that in the keeping of your commandments we may please you both in will and deed; 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.

Today’s Gospel is based on “Love one another, as I have loved you”.

Cx :-)

Hello all

Another really interesting/thought provoking week's postings. Thank you Cynthia.

Heavenly Father
Thank you for today. You have provided all that we have needed and so much more.
We ask your blessing on us all as we sleep.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son and
of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Good morning :-)



Breastplate of Saint Patrick
Part of An old Irish prayer of protection popularly attributed to Saint Patrick.

I bind unto myself today
The strong name of the Trinity,
By invocation of the same,
The Three in One and One in Three.
I bind unto myself the name,
The strong name of the Trinity;
By invocation of the same.
The Three in One, and One in Three,
Of whom all nature hath creation,
Eternal Father, Spirit, Word:
Praise to the Lord of my salvation,
salvation is of Christ the Lord.

Cx :-)

Good morning :-)


The Trinity and the number 3

Repetition by Threes
Scripture emphasizes certain statements by repeating them three times. Jesus told Peter that the cock would crow after he had denied Jesus three times. Peter said he could never deny Jesus - but he did! Repetition of the cock crowing would ensure Peter would remember Jesus’ statement.
We can also find hope as Christians who sometimes deny Christ or hide our light. Jesus knew what Peter would do and he still loved his disciple right to the end.

In our everyday lives…….the 3D effect
Anything that is referred to as three-dimensional is something that takes up space in three different dimensions. For example, a square you draw on a piece of paper has two dimensions – length and breadth (width). An apple that you can hold in your hand is three-dimensional, as it has length, breadth (width), and height!

Cx :-)

Good morning :-)

The Trinity and the number 3 in the Bible

Whilst angels are mentioned many times in the Bible, only three are actually named: Gabriel, Michael and Lucifer.

Gabriel appears in four passages of Scripture. With each encounter, he comes with a message.

Michael also appears in four passages of Scripture. He’s described as one who engages in heavenly warfare. He is also referred to as a chief prince, one who works to protect God’s people.

Lucifer - We know this angel as the devil, aka Satan. The scriptures tell us he is a fallen angel, cut down for rebelling against his creator, God. Before this, he was a beautiful, wise, guardian cherub, in the Garden of Eden.

In our everyday lives, we are taught from an early age that red, yellow and blue are the three primary colours from which all the other colours are derived. Rather like the Holy Trinity, this is quite a complex subject as we then move on to secondary colours etc. Each colour is quite beautiful in its own way.

Cx :-)

Good morning :-)

The Trinity and the number 3 in the Bible

Proud, stubborn, disobedient, unfaithful, a grumbler, and altogether a bad-tempered, cantankerous old curmudgeon—this was Jonah. God wanted Jonah to go to the city of Nineveh to warn them of their wickedness, but Jonah did not want to go and tried to run away, taking a boat to Tarshish.

However, during a huge storm, he was dumped overboard and swallowed by a large sea creature. Poor old Jonah spent 3 full days in the belly of the fish before being vomited up onto dry land. After that experience, Jonah decided to obey God and go to Nineveh after all!

In our everyday lives, it's surprising how many famous books have the numeral 3 in the title.:

The Three Musketeers
The Three Little Pigs
The Three Sisters
Three Men in a Boat
…… and so on
Obviously a popular number with writers!

Cx :-)

Good morning :-)

Thinking about the Holy Trinity and the number 3
We can’t talk about the number 3 in the bible without thinking about how Jesus rose after 3 days. In Jewish culture, three days past the time of death indicated that they were truly dead. Therefore, Jesus truly conquered death by not rising until the third day.

Random fact: Can you guess how many bones we have in each ear?
Yes, that’s right, we have 3: the malleus, stapes and incus. They are also called the hammer, stirrup and anvil. These bones are the three smallest bones in our bodies with the stapes being the smallest one.
One lives and learns! ??

Cx :-)

Good morning :-)

Yesterday was Trinity Sunday the day when we think especially of The Father, The Son and the Holy Spirit. Actually, it’s amazing how many times the number 3 has an impact in the bible and it appears 467 times apparently.

There is the time when Jesus went back to pray in the Garden of Gethsemane 3 times.

The young, sleeping Samuel, was called by God 3 times before he responded and grew up to be a trustworthy prophet.

3 times Jesus repeats the phrase “feed my sheep” to Peter when he was cooking breakfast on the beach after his resurrection.

In our everyday lives, we often find things which we associate with the number 3 - for starters…..how about a hat trick? One explanation of this saying comes from a specific cricket match from 1858 when a bowler playing for an all-England squad took three consecutive wickets at Hyde Park Cricket Grounds in Sheffield—meaning he hit the three wooden stakes behind the batter three consecutive times. A collection was held because of his outstanding feat and he was presented with a hat that was bought using the proceeds. The things one finds out!

Cx :-)

Hello all

A beautiful traditional hymn, I love it. Thank you.

A prayer Holy Trinity Sunday.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning,
It is now and ever shall be, world without end.
Amen.

Good morning :-)


Good morning everyone.........and today we celebrate TRINITY SUNDAY......remembering the Christian's core belief in The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit. ??

The Collect (special prayer) for today:
O Lord, from whom all good things come:
grant to us your humble servants,
that by your holy inspiration
we may think those things that are good,
and by your merciful guiding may perform the same;
through our Lord Jesus Christ,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen

Today, we will be singing that glorious hymn 'Holy, Holy, Holy'.

1 Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
Early in the morning our song shall rise to thee.
Holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty!
God in three persons, blessed Trinity!

2 Holy, holy, holy! All the saints adore thee,
casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea;
cherubim and seraphim falling down before thee,
which wert and art and evermore shalt be.

3 Holy, holy, holy! Though the darkness hide thee,
though the eye of sinful man thy glory may not see,
only thou art holy; there is none beside thee,
perfect in pow’r, in love, and purity.

4 Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
All thy works shall praise thy name in earth, and sky and sea.
Holy, holy, holy! merciful and mighty!
God in three persons, blessed Trinity!

Cx :-)

Good morning :-)

Thy Kingdom Come. Finding time to pray for five non-church friends using whichever method we chose from the other day – knotted string, stones, prayer cards, phone reminders or post-it notes, here is another way to help us to pray for them today.

Using the BLESS acrostic can help us to focus on all of the felt needs of those we are praying for:

Body – health, protection, energy
Labour – employment/unemployment, retirement, adequate income
Emotional – inner peace, joy, wisdom, insight, patience
Social – healthy relationships between spouses, parents, children,
friends, reconciliation; love
Spiritual – repentance, salvation, obedience, faith

Cx :-)

Good morning :-)

Thy Kingdom Come. Finding time to pray for five non-church friends using whichever method we chose from the other day – knotted string, stones, prayer cards, phone reminders or post-it notes, here is another prayer to help us to pray for them today.

Lord,
I pray that you will lead… ....... (their names) to you.
Thank you that you love them. I pray that you would break into their life and show them your love, grace and peace,
for Your glory.
Amen.

Cx :-)