General Chat

A very challenging thought for today from Cynthia. We do not boast of good works, but Luther reminds us that doing good works in enshrined in the spirit of a true Christian. We have to try and work out faith out - and one of hardest parts is to love enemies as we love family and friends.

Sometimes one of the hardest things is to have sufficient discretion to know our enemies and the enemies of Jesus Christ. But thankfully we do not have to judge them - just do our best to love them and either woo them or kick them towards the Cross of Calvary. There is only one Judgment that matters and only one Judge.

Those words of Canon Scott-Holland were lovely, kandj. Really moved me this morning. And I think we family historians are sometimes aware not only on the spirits of those we have enjoyed company with in our lives, but perhaps also we often feel the presence of our long gone ancestors guiding our lives

A difficult day for you yesterday Cynthia and a challenging time ahead for your church family. without your friendly Vicar to guide and encourage you all now.

I have just read the familiar poem written by Canon Henry Scott-Holland and feel it is fitting to share with you today.

Death is nothing at all
I have only slipped away into the next room
I am I and you are you
Whatever we were to each other, that we are still.

Call me by my old familiar name
Speak to me in the easy way that you used to
Put no difference into your tone
Wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow.

What is death but a negligible accident?
Why should I be out of mind because I am out of sight?
Laugh as we always laughed, at the little jokes that we shared together
Play, smile, think of me, Pray for me
Let my name be the household name that it always was
Let it be spoken without effect
Without the trace of a shadow in it.

Life means all that it ever meant
It is the same as it ever was
There is absolute unbroken continuity
Why should I be out of mind because I am out of sight

I am waiting for you, for an interval,
somewhere very near just around the corner
All is well
Nothing is past nothing is lost
One brief moment and all will be as it was before
How we shall laugh at the trouble of parting when we meet again

I think I may have repeated some lines and my apologies, but I hope these famous words might bring a little comfort today.

Good morning everyone.....and thank you again. :-)



A thought for today..


MARTIN LUTHER: SERVING GOD AND DOING GOOD WORKS


“Look for the poor, sick and all kinds of needy, help them and let your life's energy appear in this, so that they may enjoy your kindness, helping wherever your help is needed, as much as you possibly can with your life, property and honour. Know that to serve God is nothing else than to serve your neighbour in love, whether he be enemy or friend, or whether you can help in temporal or spiritual matters. This is serving God and doing good works.”


Have a good day everyone Cx :-)

From what you have told me about your vicar I
think he would also say that 'It was average' :-)

Emma <3

Cynthia. I expect Vicar would have been amazed. We tend to use the word "Acceptable" in Methodism. And he sounds as if he was a very acceptable priest and the service was very acceptable.

I just knew you would be busy behind the scenes. It is lovely to see churches packed like that. Probably well over 1,000 in attendance if your church is a typically large Anglican church. And what a wonderful gesture for that priest to go outside to share communion. Wonderful.

In fact, I had a little tear as I read through your post. A good man has gone home, and we all wonder why he has been called so soon. I would love to hear about the readings, and the hymns at some point.

But not now. A good rest is deserved this evening methinks :-) :-)

Thank you so much for your prayers everyone.... <3


It has been a very tiring day indeed but the service went well from what I could tell.....I ended up in the meeting room (which is attached), serving tea to visiting clergy.

The cortege entered the church to the sound of bugles and a guard of honour from the Boys Brigade who saluted as the coffin was carried past. There were hundreds, literally hundreds of people there. The church was packed and every available space was filled. The meeting room then filled up and, when we simply couldn't take any more, people stood outside. Lots and lots and lots of them.

His daughter was one of the coffin bearers which was very poignant and she also read her own tearful tribute to 'her hero'. A close friend of his led the service and gave the address, stressing what a devoted, hardworking and committed priest he had been.

It was a Holy Communion service led by the Archdeacon and you could hear his voice breaking slightly as he had known our vicar well. We had prepared 3 altars to cope with the numbers. One of the clergy went outside and gave Communion to those who wanted it.....a lovely gesture.


Everyone thought the service went extremely well.........but what would the Vicar have thought of it...........? We all knew the answer to that......"It was average" he would have grinned. :-D



Cx :-)

Thank you Elizabeth for such lovely words for the school children.

John, loving the John Newton words. What a truly gifted scholar he was.

Emma, I agree through the tales that Cynthia has shared about her vicar that we all feel we knew a little of the character of such a special man.

Cynthia, on such a difficult day I hope that you can feel blessed to have known your Vicar and have him and his family as special friends. I hope his funeral, although a sombre occasion will also be a celebration of his life and all that this man has achieved and the memories that he has left with each one who is present today.

My thoughts and prayers are with you and especially with his wife and daughter too. May he Rest in Peace and May Perpetual Light Shine Upon Him. Amen

Cynthia my thoughts and prayers are with his wife
family and friends and yourself today.
I for one will miss your stories about him and his humour,
may he rest in peace.

Emma x

Cynthia. Will be thinking of you and praying with you today.

It will be a numbing blow to the community and the church fellowship and I am sure it will be a very emotional and moving day for a lot of people.

May the grace of Christ our Saviour,
And the Father's boundless love,
With the Holy Spirit's favour,
Rest upon us from above.

Thus may we abide in union
With each other and the Lord,
And possess, in sweet communion,
Joys which earth cannot afford.

(John Newton)

Good morning and thank you Elizabeth, what lovely thoughts. :-)


Today is the day of our Vicar's funeral. Last night, we had a rehearsal for what is going to be a very special service for a very special man. Your prayers would be appreciated. :-)


A prayer for today...

A Prayer for Humility

Take me and break me and make me, dear God,
Just what you want me to be–
Give me the strength to accept what You send
And eyes with the vision to see
All the small arrogant ways that I have
And the vain little things that I do.
Make me aware that I’m often concerned
More with myself than with You.
Uncover before me my weakness and greed
And help me to search deep inside
So I may discover how easy it is
To be selfishly lost in my pride–
And then in Thy goodness and mercy
Look down on this weak, erring one
And tell me that I am forgiven
For all I’ve so willfully done,
And teach me to humbly start following
The path that the dear Saviour trod
So I’ll find at the end of life’s journey
“A Home in the city of God.”


~Helen Steiner Rice



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

Dear All

Hello

Hope you like this small prayer for our youngsters at school.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"BLESS THIS DAY OF LEARNING"


Bless this day of learning:

this day of maths,

this day of learning science,

this day of learning games,

this day of learning crafts..........



But please also bless,

this day of learning honesty,

this day of taking responsibility,

this day of showing kindness,

this day of learning forgiveness.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Take gentle care
Best wishes
Elizabeth, EOS
xx

Lovely thought for the day, Cynthia. Was watching Sarah Millican last night on WDYTYA in wilds of Canada and was amazed (as she was) how remote and quiet it was. I was working in a beautiful cwm (little valley) yesterday surrounded by 17 of these huge wind turbines. So not so easy to get that peace in Wales these days.

I am in a frivolous mood this morning. Four great religious truths:

Muslims do not recognise Jews as God's chosen people.
Jews do not recognise Jesus as their Messiah.
Protestants do not recognise the Pope as leader of the Christian world.
Methodists do not recognise each other in the Tesco wines and spirits aisle. :-)

Good morning everyone :-)


Our thought for today.........




God is the Friend of Silence

We Need to Find God,
He Cannot Be Found in Noise and Restlessness.

God Is the Friend of Silence.

See How Nature . . .
Trees, Flowers, Grass
Grow in Silence.

See the Stars, the Moon and Sun . . .
How They Move in Silence.
The More We Receive in Silent Prayer,
The More We Can Give in Our Active Life.

We Need Silence to Be Able to Touch Souls.

The Essential Thing Is Not What We Say,
But What God Says . . .
To us and Through us.

All Our Words Will Be Useless
Unless They Come from Within.
Words Which Do Not Give the Light of Christ . . .
Increase the Darkness.


-Mother Teresa


There are two hectic days ahead of me - I had better get going....love to all Cx

:-)

just reading back

Scary Dermot but oh so true :-(

Certainly the death of a young(ish) and apparently healthy man at age of 58 stuns us all. My dear brother collapsed at same age on his way out to his social club. And we have recently been shocked by sudden death of Sandie on these boards.

The words of Joy were very apt. Remind me of when my son was no more than a baby and in a ward in Guy's Hospital where the children had little expectation of being alive in a few month's time. He eventually made a full recovery, which I am sure was the answer to prayer. But I don't think many in that Guy's ward would have recovered.

Yet it was a place of hope. And I remember a handwritten sign on the notice board. "God lends us children, they do not belong to us, they belong to Him. And even a few moments with them is precious and we should thank God.

I look back now over quite a long life and never feel sad about the friends and family who have gone - just happy I knew them. And continually look forward to family and friends in the future. Just as my mother in law (96) looks forward to increasing her 7 great grandchildren and 4 great great grandchildren and meeting the latest one (born last week) :-) :-)

Good morning everyone....... :-) It has taken me almost 15 minutes to get on here today...... :-( I think my computer and internet were having a lie-in :-)


Thank you for those wonderful words Joy and Susan and, I agree with kandj, it's good to be able to share and support on this thread. <3


A prayer for today - one which has been used over centuries...




Do not look forward to what may happen tomorrow;
the same everlasting Father who cares for you today
will take care of you tomorrow and every day.
Either He will shield you from suffering,
or He will give you unfailing strength to bear it.
Be at peace, then.
Put aside all anxious thoughts and imaginations, and say continually:
"The Lord is my strength and my shield.
My heart has trusted in Him and I am helped.
He is not only with me but in me, and I in Him."

- St. Francis de Sales



Hope everyone has a good day Cx :-)

Susan it is a long time since I have read those words, so thank you for the reminder.

Joy, it's nice to share and support one another on this Christian thread, thanks a lot.

Thank you; you're welcome.

Lovely Susan with :-) thank you.

Hi to all....I just wanted to share this well known verse. I expect you have all read it before but I do like it so. :-)

I said a prayer for you today
And know God must have heard
I felt the answer in my heart
Although he spoke not a word.

I didn't ask for wealth or fame
(I knew you wouldn't mind)
I asked for priceless treasures rare
Of a more lasting kind.

I prayed that He'd be near to you
At the start of each new day
To grant you health and blessings fair
And friends to share your way.

I asked for happiness for you
In all things great and small
But that you'd know His loving care
I prayed for most of all.