General Chat

Good morning everyone........


I love reading the stories from you all.......kandj's service sounded as though it was a very lively event which brought smiles to many faces - John, I'm absolutely hopeless at maths - Sylvia, the baptism of a whole family sounds very biblical indeed. :-)


We had a lady Lay Reader from a neighbouring church to lead the worship and she did it very well indeed. Many of the congregation were away on the parish weekend and I am waiting to hear some reports of how things went.

Unfortunately, we have had some lead stolen from the church roof which has meant some damage to the roof tiles and caused us to have a very wet meeting room... :-(

The ironic thing is, some of the 'lead' which was stolen was not lead at all....it was made of a different material which had been used to replace lead stolen previously - if that makes sense. :-)



Fully Guaranteed...

I read an ad the other day,
That made me stop and smile,
BIBLES! CLOSE OUT SALE! LAST CHANCE!
Hm-m, are Bibles going out of style?

The ad said different sizes,
Different colors, different hues,
Different versions, different printings,
Sealed in plastic, never used.

They had robust blues for little boys,
Soft pinks for little girls,
Pure white to hold at Christenings,
And dark black for funerals.

Some had pictures; some had maps,
Print choices ... large or small,
Italics, bold, or fancy script,
Or combinations using all.

Deluxe or standard bindings
Would determine basic price;
Hardbacks or paperbacks were good,
But leather-bound was extra nice.

The ad forgot to mention,
Or give credit where it's due,
To the Author of the Manuscript,
Or to any of His views.

But the piece' de resistance,
That I really slowed to read,
Was the ad's very final statement,
ALL BIBLES - FULLY GUARANTEED!

Guaranteed? That's interesting,
How does one guarantee a Bible?
In other words, if it doesn't work,
Does that mean the publisher is libel?

There are no written guidelines,
Nor advice on how to use it,
And it has no warning labels,
On the ways one might abuse it.

It comes with no suggested dosage,
Like, "Take three chapters every day;"
There're no instructions or directions,
On how to hold it when one prays.

So, fully guaranteed for what?
Fire, flood, or theft?
Hurricanes or earthquakes?
Let's see, what else is left.

It seems to me a guarantee,
Is good coming only from its maker,
So, if it's offered on a Bible,
It should come from the Creator.

God keeps every promise made,
That's good enough for me;
With a Cross, He sealed His Word,
And guaranteed eternity.

I sighed and put my paper down,
Bibles should be free;
Their price was paid long, long ago,
Fully guaranteed!

~ Virginia Ellis



Cx :-)

I posted almost exactly same time as kandj last night, then went to bed and have only just seen her post. Very interesting. Hope the little wriggler and family become members fully of your church :-D :-D

Recently, I saw some cheap Bibles in a remaindered book shop. Rather nice, beautifully bound, pristine. £9.99 for quite a large one and £14.99 for a mammoth one with illustrations, maps etc. Nelson was the publisher and it didn't take a clairvoyant to tell me they were KJV.

Probably the hardest version of Bible to read, and I would never suggest anyone started with the KJV. Gideons now provide a modern version in hotel rooms. And I started with the Good News, which was about the only version my simple brain could take in 30 years ago. Still often check it even today (though I always prefer KJV now).

Nelson apprently have to pay a fortune in royalties for these modern versions like NKJV, NIV, RSV etc. So you will seldom see any cheap one. Great shame imo. Same with hymns - people like these modern hymns but you have to get all sorts of legalities sorted out before you can put them in hymn books or even use them. "Fully Guaranteed" absolutely makes the point. Fortunately we manage to keep all this nonsense away from congregations, who just enjoy reading and singing the Word.

The wine was in 6 x 100 litre casks. 600 litres. That would have filled 800 bottles. 30 gallons a cask!!! 180 gallons in total - 90 two gallon buckets full. Makes some of the jokes about this first miracle of Jesus seem rather silly - it was such a miracle as to make none of the others necessary, I would have thought. :-) :-). Each miracle should almost be sufficient on its own to convince us he was "very God, of the same substance as the Father".

Good morning all.

A variety of bibles indeed John.....so many versions, so many translations and sadly, so many left untouched.


When I am attempting to explain, very inadequately I may add, the basics of the Christian faith to those parents who wish to have their child baptised, I always mention the bible. However, I also explain that they do not need to go out and buy one - they can simply download it onto their smartphone or ipad etc. :-)

Actually, come to think of it, I had forgotten that it is recommended that folk who are new to the bible, actually begin by reading the Gospel of Luke. Glad I thought of that.....I can use it tomorrow.... :-)


It is another beautiful morning here..........so I thought the following would be apt...


Morning has broken, like the first morning
Blackbird has spoken, like the first bird
Praise for the singing, praise for the morning
Praise for the springing fresh from the word

Sweet the rain's new fall, sunlit from heaven
Like the first dewfall, on the first grass
Praise for the sweetness of the wet garden
Sprung in completeness where his feet pass

Mine is the sunlight, mine is the morning
Born of the one light, Eden saw play
Praise with elation, praise every morning
God's recreation of the new day

- Eleanor Farjeon


Love to you all....Cx

Another peek a boo day.

Must read Luke again. Had not realised it was so easy to understand. I think I started with familiar passages like Matthew Chapters 5, 6 and 7 and Psalm 23. You just get drawn in, and it is a joy to read the Bible in a simple version. Worth shopping round in a good Christian bookshop that stocks more than 10 versions. Because each person may find one particularly suited to them.

Same with commentaries. I do look at quite a lot, but I never stray far from Matthew Henry - who was a Vicar in Flintshire who wrote abolut 1710!!! And I can understand every (and I mean every) word he wrote - whereas some modern commentaries could be in Greek for teh amount I understand them.

Just off to take some rubbish down to the tip (fortnightly collections :-(). Now can I find a peek a boo moment when I am down at the dump? The computer says "No". God says "YES" :-D :-D :-D

Wonderful hymn and beautiful words in each verse Cynthia. Thank you.

I also have several bibles. The KJV was the one given when I was in secondary school but we had school assemblies back then and Religious Education lessons that I still recall as being really interesting. I find children's bibles interesting for the simple stories that most folk can relate to. Perhaps I am still a child at heart? I like "simple" and feel adults often think too deeply and complicate situations.

Peek a boo to you John. These special moments can be found anywhere/anytime.

Good morning everyone and I hope you are all well and safe from the weather conditions.

The subject of bibles and the various editions, has been a matter for debate in our church recently. At one time, the C. of E. only allowed the use of certain translations which they felt were as close to the original as could be found. I think that is still the case for churches which use the Book of Common Prayer......lovingly known as the BCP.

However, for those of us who use the new Common Worship service, it appears that we can use any translation apart from from the one produced by the Jehovah's Witnesses as that is 'skewed' to fit their heretical teachings. Also, I don't think we can use the Mormon bible either.

I have just downloaded the Jerusalem Bible version of the New Testament onto my smartphone..... :-)


I thought these words may be apt.....

The Collect for Advent 2 - an original composition by Cranmer for the 1549 Prayer Book:

Blessed Lord, who hast caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning; Grant that we may in such wise hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that by patience and comfort of thy holy Word, we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which thou hast given us in our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.


Words which have been repeated by generations of Christians......food for thought indeed.


Cx :-)

Miserable day here. Woke at 7.30am, and it was still dark. And even at 10am it was pretty dark with car headlights on. Lashings of rain, I am reading Genesis Chapters 6 and 7 and a do-it-yourself book about boat building. :-( :-(

Winter is a funny season. You get lovely days like yesterday, which seem even better than sunny summer days because of the crispness and cleanness of the air. Then a day like today.

The most wonderful thing about the Bible is that everybody in all generations in all countries and speaking all languages has been able to access the word of God. For centuries, there was little or nothing in written form in the UK apart from fairly corrupted Latin Vulgate Bibles.

Yet we all (in many past generations) said our Lord's Prayer and the creeds in our own language and passed them on to our children. We prayed as families, we read Bible stories, we discussed them. Echoes of that Christian heritage still exist everywhere. I found myself praying in a coffee shop yesterday in a large superstore with another Christian. Eyes tight closed, hands together like my avatar. I had quite forgotten I was in the middle of a superstore. Opened my eyes slowly, as I was a bit embarrassed when I realised what I had done. But folk on tables nearby smiled at me and were clearly not upset in any way to see an elderfly man praying quite intensely.

It is a miracle, but the word of God continues to be pure for this generation as it has been for the last 60 generations or so. And we are promised that nobody, in any part of the world, will be left wanting if they approach Jesus and the Cross.

Read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest......... I can hear Mrs Shepherd a lovely white haired Sunday school teacher repeating these special words to us time and time again....... very many years ago now, but how amazing the brain is as I was transported back into the church hall where our Sunday school was held... hmmmmmm..

Good morning...... :-)


Oh John! Your humour does bring a smile to my face......especially when the penny drops! :-)

I know what you mean about those words being drummed into you at an early age kandj......and there are some you just cannot forget. Rather like old hymn tunes which pop up........and the Lord's prayer.

A busy night for me last night with 8 families staring at me as I tried to explain the meaning of baptism to them. It's quite daunting from both sides of the powerpoint!!

Our new priest-in-charge has decided to limit the number of baptisms each month to just three. I can understand the reasoning behind it, but I can also imagine that we will have overflowing 'waiting lists'. Time will tell.


A thought for today :

The Potter's Wheel

When you’re troubled and discouraged
In the darkness of the night;
When obstruction clouds your vision
And you just can't see the light.

When life’s trials overcome you
And you have nowhere to turn;
When you’ve reached the very bottom,
There are lessons you must learn.

For the clay is being molded,
It’s been twisted, pulled and tossed,
It’s been rolled and it’s been pounded,
Till the ego has been lost.

He will put you through the furnace,
You’ll be tested to the brim,
Your life will be in pieces,
Till you give your soul to Him.

From blemish to perfection,
His hands will form the clay;
This human piece of rubble
Must let God have His way.

When you come to Him all battered
In the form of mortal man,
When you cry to Him in mercy,
You will find the Potter’s hand.

He will grind you, mould and chisel,
The friction you will feel,
Till He gently carves and shapes you
Upon the Potter’s wheel.


- Marilyn Ferguson



Cx :-)

Spirit of the Living God, fall afresh on me
Spirit of the Living God, fall afresh on me
Melt me, mold me, fill me, use me
Spirit of the Living God, fall afresh on me

From Isaiah Chapter 64, verse 8:
"O Lord, you are our Father
We are the clay
You are our potter
We are all the work of your hand"

It is incredible to hear abolut problems with a baptismal "waiting list". What a shame some of those baptisms could not be transferred down here to the Valleys. We do have a baptism on Sunday, which will be a great event. Unlike past ones, where I have never seen any of them return, this one is very much part of our regular family.

First grandson and great grandson of two ladies who are members and very regular attenders. The great grandmother is 94, and is one of 4 ladies in my smallish chapel who are nonagenerians and are still quite well. Oldest of them is 96. In another chapel over in the Rhymney Valley, a lady who was 100 last July still walks strongly to chapel every Sunday.

I can only think they are all sinners who the Lord is keeping till last :-D ;-)

Cynthia your poem today brought the hymn Spirit of the Living God immediately into my mind and now I will be humming it probably for hours.
All very calming a little like a chant, almost.

SPIRIT OF THE LIVING GOD

Spirit of the living God
Fall afresh on me
Spirit of the living God
Fall afresh on me
Break me, melt me,
Mould me, fill me,,
Spirit of the living God
Fall afresh on me.

John, your tale recalling praying in the coffee shop made me think back to several years ago when I was full of worries about my husbands poor health and then i bumped into a Pastor of a local Evangelical church I occasionally popped in at the time to be cheered up with their demonstrative "happy, clappy" type of service.

The Pastor greeted me warmly (we were in the carpark of Sains**rys supermarket at the time} and he asked how I was feeling. Normally when asked this question I would say "I'm fine, thank you" but I couldn't tell fibs to a Christian friend and so I shared my concerns with this lovely man of God.
He asked if we could pray together and I readily agreed........ so here we were....... holding hands and eyes closed praying in such a public place, but both oblivious to our surroundings.
It just seemed absolutely natural and I felt my worries melt away as we had passed them over to our living God. After a hug, we were both all smiles and went our different ways.
That prayerful experience seemed absolutely natural, one that we were both comfortable and at ease with. I have no idea if we looked like an odd-couple in the car park...... where cares?? Neither of us were embarrassed in any way. How could we be when, for a short while we found comfort and support praying together in the car park in Jesus presence.

I have to say I can't think of any other Rector, Vicar, Priest, Minister or Lay Person that I know who would have offered to pray with me right there and then. It was such a spontaneous and natural response from the Pastor. Other Clergy would have offered to remember me and hubby in their prayers...... but a laying on of hands and instant prayer in the middle of a busy supermarket ???........ I doubt it very much.

That was one absolutely spiritual and memorable occasion I will remember forever.

Oooops, sorry John. Just read your message. We obviously thought of the same hymn....... I'll just have to type faster ha ha.

Two minds thinking alike, kandj. Expect there were others too. That "spirit of the living God" is often used in chapels at beginning and end of services. I often choose it as a hymn, and have been politely told to change my hymn as they already sing it once or twice.

So glad that you found someone to pray with so spontaneously and that you were not embarrassed. :-D

Good morning. What a lovely story kandj and yes, I love that hymn too. Every so often, it is sung as people make their way to the altar during the Communion Service and what fitting words they are for such an important time.

We pray for all those poor people whose lives have been affected by the dreadful flooding and thank God for the agencies who have been sent to help them.


A prayer from a very well known person this morning:


O Lord God, since you have called us to devote ourselves to the needs of others, grant us the strength of your grace. In the midst of our work let us not lose sight of your great purposes. Let us not snatch the management of your world from your hands, lest we faint and fall in the presence of your wisdom; this we beg for Jesu's sake. Amen.

Florence Nightingale (1820-1910


Cx :-)

Still appropriate thoughts for 2014. Thank you Cynthia and AMEN to your posting'

Good morning everyone.


Such dreadful weather reports during the night - I pray that there is no loss of life during this continuing unsettled period.


Life is But A Weaving

My life is but a weaving
Between my Lord and me;
I cannot choose the colors,
He worketh steadily.

Oft' times He weaveth sorrow,
And I ... in foolish pride,
Forget He sees the upper,
And I see the under side.

Not 'til the loom is silent
And the shuttles cease to fly,
Shall God unroll the canvas
To reveal the reason why.

The dark threads are as needed
In the Weaver's skillful hand,
As the threads of gold and silver
In the pattern He has planned.

He knows, He loves, He cares,
Nothing this truth can dim;
He gives His very best to those
Who leave the choice with Him.

~ Author Unknown


I hope everyone has a peaceful day. Cx :-)

Blowing a gale here in Yorkshire, but thankfully we are well away from the floods. It was just shocking on TV to see the chaos and misery folk are coping with and no end in sight.

Angel of God, my guardian dear, to whom God's love commits me here
ever this day be at my side, to light and guard, to rule and guide. Amen

We all need a Guardian Angel at our side, day and night......... some more than others!

It is so comforting and re-assuring every morning to know that you will post something fresh and appropriate, Cynthia.

I note that David Cameron has said that the floods in Somerset are of biblical proportions. Well, not yet - but to find this morning that a whole small village has been abandoned does remind us historians of terrible disasters of the past.

In 1607, 2000 people were drowned in the Bristol Channel floods and 2,000 square miles of land were inundated. From Laugharne to Chepstow on Welsh side, and Somerset levels were drowned, as far as Glastonbury Tor, 14 miles inland. Sea wall at Burnham also collapsed.

Some of us remember Lynmouth, also the 1953 North Sea floods that killed 2,000 (50 in UK), 2002 Glasgow floods, 2005 floods in Eden Valley in Kent and Cocker and Derwent valleys in Cumbria.

No sign of any abatement next week, and our prayers really need to include all these poor people who are seeing their life's purpose and possessions slowly sinking under water at best, stinking effluence at worst.

Beautiful dry and sunny day here yesterday, and the new "front" hit us about 4am this morning. Rain crashing against windows. All damp, cloudy and safe this morning now, thanks be to God. :-) But another front due this weekend.

Good morning everyone, although I realise that it is not a good morning for so many poor folk caught in the storms which rage about us.

Nearly every time I hear about floods on the news, my mind goes to the old hymn....

God is working his purpose out
as year succeeds to year:
God is working his purpose out,
and the time is drawing near;
nearer and nearer draws the time,
the time that shall surely be,
when the earth shall be filled
with the glory of God
as the waters cover the sea.


The thoughts for this hymn are taken from the book of Habakkuk 2:14 - For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.



The Collect for today, the fourth Sunday before Lent.

O God, you know us to be set in the midst of so many and great dangers, that by reason of the frailty of our nature we cannot always stand upright: grant to us such strength and protection as may support us in all dangers and carry us through all temptations; 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.


So very relevant I thought........Cx :-)

Another meaningful and beautiful hymn this morning as our thoughts and prayers centre on the many who are suffering with the floods and extreme weather conditions, and no end in sight.

Our readings today were 1 Corinthians 2:1-12 and
Matthew 5 : 13-20

I need to read through both passages because guess who forgot to take her glasses to church this morning?...... silly me.

In church this morning were two ladies who used to belong to our church family and both told me today that "we are back"..... music to my ears and praise to Rev Jan for gathering the flock back into our fold. Our numbers are slowly increasing.

Another simple idea (has to be Jan's) is a display of cards with Christian names of babies baptized in church this year, under a banner BAPTISMS 2014. I counted 14 so far and another baptism service is booked for after next Sundays morning service. There is an obvious backlog and we have these special events fortnightly

Jan also announced that there will be an evening Ash Wednesday service and a Lent Course each Wednesday 7.30pm in church throughout Lent. I came away a very happy bunny because it is years since these events were held in our church.
I am sure they will be well supported too (Please God).

Like Cynthia's choice of hymn today,.....God is indeed working His purpose out!!