General Chat

Just after I finished typing the above post, I had a phone call which will change our lives for a while to come.


Our beloved Vicar has collapsed and died at the age of 58.


I was with him last night at Baptism prep classes and all seemed fine.


We have been friends for a long time and so, when I heard that he had been taken to hospital, I went straight there to be with his wife and daughter. To see our dear friend lying so still was surreal and sobering. The effect it will have on his parishioners will be devastating for a while to come.

I will just leave this short prayer.

God be in my head,
and in my understanding;
God be in my eyes,
and in my looking;
God be in my mouth,
and in my speaking;
God be in my heart,
and in my thinking;
God be at my end,
and at my departing.

Amen.

Good morning to everyone. :-)


Thank you for your prayers Elizabeth. Whether just starting school, or beginning a new term can be daunting for many youngsters. My friends grandson, after his first day at school, didn't realise that it was continuous. He was very surprised that he had to go back the next day bless him!!


Some thoughts for today:



IF JESUS CAME TO YOUR HOUSE

If Jesus came to your house
To spend some time with you,
If He came unexpected,
I wonder what you’d do.

Oh, I know you’d give your nicest room
To such an honoured guest
And all the food you’d give to Him
Would be the very best.

And you would keep assuring Him
You’re glad to have Him there–
That serving Him in your home
Is joy beyond compare.

But when you saw Him coming,
Would you meet Him at the door
With arms outstretched in welcome
To your heavenly visitor?

Or would you have to change your clothes
Before you let Him in
Or hide some magazines
And put the Bible where they’d been

Would you hide your worldly music
and put some hymn books out?
Could you let Jesus walk right
in, or would you rush about?

And I wonder – if the Saviour
spent a day or two with you,
Would you go right on doing, the
things you always do?

Would you go right on saying, the
things you always say?
Or would life for you continue
as it does from day to day?

Would you take Jesus with you
everywhere you go?
Or would you maybe change your
plans for just a day or so?

Would you be glad to have Him
meet your closest friends?
Or would you hope they stay away,
until His visit ends?

Would you be glad to have Him
stay forever on and on?
Or would you sigh with great
relief when He at last was gone?

It might be interesting to know,
the things that you would do,
If Jesus came in person, to spend
some time with you.



Cx :-)

Also liking all posts today. Thanks to Elizabeth, as that is so important. God loves all those children in the class. And a gold star in heaven is worth far more than any certificates or stars given by the teacher.

And how faces light up when we get a gold star at school or work. Yet no comparison to a real gold star:-)

Liking all the postings today....... thank you everyone.

Dear All

Hello


Hope you are well.


As our youngsters are returning to school, I would like to offer two
following prayers for this thread:


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


"AT HOME IN SCHOOL"


"May everyone feel at home in this school,

at home in the classroom,

at home in the buildings,

at home in the playground,

at home with each other".



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


" NO GOLD STAR"


Dear God, I tried my best with the school work,

but it didn't get 10 out of 10.

It didn't get an A grade,

It didn't win a gold star.



But Dear God,

I want to believe that even now

my guardian angel

is pinning up a gold star in heaven

just because you and all the angels

are glad that I am me.

Thank you".

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


Take gentle care all <3
Best wishes
Elizabeth, EOS
xx

Thank you both <3 :-)

Good morning - I remember that one kandj and have just been humming along!

As smiles have been mentioned, I hope this prayer brings a smile to someone's face today.


THE KNOTS PRAYER


Dear God:
Please untie the knots
that are in my mind,
my heart and my life.
Remove the have nots
the can nots and the do nots
that I have in my mind.

Erase the will nots
may nots
might nots that may
find a home in my mind.

Release me from the would nots
could nots and
should nots that obstruct my life.

And most of all
Dear God,
I ask that you remove from my mind,
my heart and my life, all of the 'am nots'
that I have allowed to hold me back,
especially the thought
that I am not good enough.

- Amen

Author known to God.



Cx :-)

Thank you Emma. A smile (or love) is better given away. I remember these simple words from very many years ago:-

Love is Something If You Give It Away.

Love is something if you give it away, give it away, give it away,
Love is something if you give it away
You'll end up having more.

Love is like a lucky penny, hold it tight and you won't have any
But give it away and you'll have plenty
You'll end up having more

Works exactly the same with a smile....... try it, it never fails.

Thank you all once again so beautiful. :-)
kandj I agree Helen Steiner Rice words also move me.

Your smile can save a distressed soul,
gladden a sad heart, or heal a broken spirit.
Have a blessed day.

Emma :-)

Great start to day as ever, Cynthia.

Thanks very much, kandj. Scribbling with left hand as I type this.

And what a great idea to have bread and wine on altar for harvest service. Off to Lidl on Saturday where they have a "scratch" bakery and lots of cheap grapes. :-D

I always chose "All Things Bright and Beautiful" as my opening hymn whenever I preached in my old chapel near Northampton. One of the elderly ladies Georgina (originally from the north of Ireland) had been told by her grandma what a lovely lady Mrs Cecil Alexander was. And how most of her lovely hymns were written for her Sunday School children originally.

And my Minister has said he doesn't like "The Rugged Cross" because it is not Biblical. Well, I love it. And so do most people.

It is one of those hymns that is not in hymn books that my chapels use here in the Valleys - so I print off copies if a smallish congregation. And you can imagine the Welsh valleys singing lifts the chapel roof off :-D

Cynthia, I agree with your vicar! All Things Bright and Beautiful is definitely not the top of my favourite 10 (or even 20) hymns, but children sing this so sweetly and the words I feel are appropriate for Harvest time...... just too many of them lol.

Helen Steiner Rice words strike a chord, thank you for finding and sharing so many.

The sun is shining, my clothes are already blowing dry on the clothes line outside:-

"God's in His heaven,
All's right with the world.......... enjoy today for the gift that ii is.

Amen indeed kandj. Thank you for that and yes, I can remember a huge baked sheaf of what on the altar too. I have also seen bread and grapes being laid on the altar to remind us of the wafer and wine we would soon be consuming in remembrance of Him.


I had to smile at your mention of All things bright and beautiful though. Our vicar cannot stand that hymn and jokingly refers to it as All things grim and 'orrible! :-D


Some thoughts for today...


In hours of Discouragement God Is Our Encouragement

Sometimes we feel uncertain,
and unsure of everything,
afraid to make decisions,
dreading what the day will bring….
We keep wishing it were possible
to dispel all fear and doubt,
and to understand more readily
just what life is all about…….
God has given us the answers
which too often go unheeded,
but if we search His promises
we’ll find everything we need
and seek, to lift our faltering spirits
and renew our courage too,
for there is absolutely nothing
too much for God to do.

For the Lord is our Salvation
and our Strength in every fight we fight.
Our Redeemer, and Protector,
our eternal Guiding Light…
He has promised to sustain us,
He’s our Refuge from all harms,
and underneath this Refuge are
His Everlasting Arms.

So cast your burdens on Him,
seek His counsel when distressed,
and go to Him for comfort
whenever you’re lonely and oppressed….
For God is our encouragement
in trouble and in trials,
and in suffering and in sorrow
He will turn our tears to smiles.

- Helen Steiner Rice



Cx :-)

Food for thought indeed Cynthia, thank you very much.

John, It's hard to believe that the Harvest Service is around once more. All events in the church calendar keep me grounded and help me to get through each year.

Harvest is such a good time to reflect on everything that God is providing and no better opportunity than a traditional Harvest Festival Service to thank Him for His provision that feeds the body, soul and mind!

No Harvest Festival Service would be complete without the old traditional hymns such as, We Plough the Fields and Scatter, and Come ye, Faithful People Come, Raise the Song of Harvest Home and for the littlies All things Bright and Beautiful.

Our small congregation no longer bring allotment fresh produce to be displayed on the altar and used to decorate the church windowsills as in years past. Like Cynthia has mentioned we are now encouraged to bring tinned or packaged food items to be passed on to the homeless hostels or cereal, milk or tinned meats/vegetables which are used to provide breakfasts or used at the luncheon clubs run by several local churches and always well attended by needy folk.

Harvest Services are very different now to years gone by when our village baker would provide a huge sheaf of wheat baked and which took pride of place on the altar....... much the same as the Rhondda steam coal displayed at John's church...... it is good sometimes to go back and be reminded of our roots...... my village was predominately farming and then the coal mines took over.

I am sure that John will do an excellent job and make next Sunday a very special and memorable service for the young and the young at heart too.
His spoken word will be like sowing the seeds of God's word and sharing His promise that the harvest gifts in our lives are in an abundance each and every day, We Praise God for his blessings to each and everyone of us all day long.

Elizabeth (EOS) has drawn attention on another thread to the appointment of our new UK and Commonwealth Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mervis yesterday. We wish that community safety and harmony and send our love for his successful leadership.

I thought a psalm sung by Christians and Jews alike might be appropriate this morning:

"Praise ye the Lord. Praise the Lord, O my soul.

While I live will I praise the Lord: I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being.

Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help.

His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.

Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God:

Which made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all that therein is; which keepeth truth for ever:

Which executeth judgment for the oppressed: which giveth food to the hungry. The Lord looseth the prisoners:

The Lord openeth the eyes of the blind: the Lord raiseth them that are bowed down: The Lord loveth the righteous:

The Lord preserveth the strangers: he relieveth the fatherless and widow: but the way of the wicked he turneth upside down.

The Lord shall reign for ever, even thy God, O Zion, unto all generations.

Praise ye the Lord." (Psalm 146)

After that sermon in my church yesterday from Luke Chapter 13 about the woman bowed down for 18 years who was straightened and given confidence, a few chords resonated. How the Jewish community and Christian community in the UK and beyond need confidence to carry out our work in an increasingly difficult and unbelieving world.

Edit. Many thanks for thoughts this morning, Cynthia. I think of church (Sunday and midweek) as important, do not agree with so many who say it is not important to attend. But so true that doing and living it out means a lot more than anything else. I often think the person in the congregation who smiles and nods appropriately can witness to God far more effectively than the preacher. A living building needs a variety of living stones worshipping in harmony.:-D

Good morning everyone....I hope you are all well :-)



A striking thought for today...



Sermons We See


I'd rather see a sermon
than hear one any day,
I'd rather one would walk with me
than merely tell the way;

The eye's a better pupil
and more willing than the ear,
Fine counsel is confusing,
but example's always clear;

The best of all the preachers
are the men who live their creeds,
For to see good put in action
is what everybody needs.

I soon can learn to do it,
if you'll let me see it done,
I can watch your hands in action,
your tongue too fast may run;

The lectures you deliver
may be very wise and true,
But I'd rather get my lessons
by observing what you do;

I may not understand
the high advice you give,
But there's no misunderstanding
how you act and how you live.


- Edgar A. Guest.


Food for thought! Cx :-)

Harvest Festival has changed over the years up here in the North West of England. You rarely see traditional harvest offerings - they have been replaced by tinned and packaged goods.


This is often because the fruit and veg either goes 'off' and has to be thrown away /the old and sick can't cope with enormous amounts of fresh stuff being thrust upon them / there is no other outlet for such goods. Also, there can sometimes be friction when one person gets a parcel and someone else doesn't. Sheeesh.


The tinned goods are often distributed to the homeless and those in need and, we do, in fact, run a Food Bank at our church.


At our last church, the congregation were invited to a) bring donations of tinned goods to be distributed to the local domestic violence shelter. b) to donate money to buy flowers for those churchfolk who were too sick or old to get to church. c) to donate to Christian Aid or somesuch. It worked well.


John, Google should provide some good answers re Harvest ;-)

Many thanks kandj and Cynthia.

Cynthia. Now you mention it, I feel sure I heard about Woodbine Willy from my father. What a brave and kind man that hymnwriter was.

Went to church this morning. Church Minister preached and he was very good, I thought. Took a little known miracle mentioned by Luke in Chapter 13 verses 10-17. A lady stooped over for 18 years became straight and confident. The synagogue leaders chastised Jesus for "working" on the Sabbath.

I thought Minister was going to develop his sermon into keeping the Sabbath holy, which was worrying me as I had to buy some flyspray from supermarket next door after service.

But he linked it to the two little Barnardo boys adoped by Lesley Sharp's grandfather in WDYTYA. He compared the photo of one little boy when he entered Barnardos - thin, wretched, cowed - with the photo taken when he went to Canada - well built, straight, confident.

And he suggested that perhaps this lady had been cowed for 18 years for similar psychological and physical reasons. Mentioned cyber bullying and the good things and bad things about Facebook. Very good and relevant points.

Next week it is me - and Harvest Festival. Be very pleased of any help (from anybody who watches this thread) ie harvest hymns, texts, themes. Not quite the same here in Valleys. Will not be surrounded with a fruit and veg shop like in previous chapels (love all that). Down here it is some nice veg off the allotments and always a large piece of impressive Rhondda best steam coal placed out front. But very simple and very minimalist. :-)

Cynthia, a much needed prayer for all war-torn countries..... thankyou
.
We have had Godparents who also have been baptised but before baby many times. That is always extra special when an adult makes a real conscious decision to become committed to Christ in front of their family before taking on the important role of a Godparent to the baby

John, our daughter chose to marry on a Sunday afternoon but we both managed to "escape" to have special time together with our extended church family members for Communion service, before dashing back home to prepare for her wedding in the afternoon back in the village church where all our family baptism/marriage/funeral services have taken place.

I've also known weddings take place on a Sunday John, but not with the congregation present. They are usually in the afternoon when there isn't a church service taking place.

Legally, one can be married between the hours of 8am and 6pm on any day. :-)


I remember my parents talking about Woodbine Willie!!

Well, Cynthia. The Buy one Get One Free (marriage and baptism) amused me a lot. We certainly need to think outside the box these days. I have often thought that it would be nice to have weddings on a Sunday with all the congregation there to support bride and groom, but probably most churches would be too small and/or too hidebound to break with tradition.

I loved Emma's thoughts yesterday, and with my newly acquired skill of cut and paste, here they are:

A morning is a wonderful blessing, either cloudy
or sunny. It stands for Hope, giving us another start
of what we call Life. Have a good morning and day.

And Geoffrey Studdert-Kennedy's hymn:

Awake, awake to love and work,
The lark is in the sky,
The fields are wet with diamond dew,
The worlds awake to cry
Their blessings on the Lord of life,
As he goes meekly by.

Come, let thy voice be one with theirs,
Shout with their shout of praise;
See how the giant sun soars up,
Great lord of years and days!
So let thy love of Jesus come,
And set thy soul ablaze.

May you all have a wonderful day today. :-) :-)

Edit. Geoffrey Anketell Studdert Kennedy, MC (27 June 1883 – 8 March 1929), was an Anglican priest and poet. He was nicknamed 'Woodbine Willie' during World War I for giving Woodbine cigarettes along with spiritual aid to injured and dying soldiers. Vicar of St Pauls in Worcester, he gained Military Cross (MC) in WW1.