General Chat

Good morning.........

As you may have guessed, I was slightly ....er......tired......last night. Sundays are always an early start for me and we had family over last night as well so, the mums amongst us will know what it's like..... :-D


We have a men's group at church - only small in number and mostly the more senior men but, they have a good time and, each year on this Sunday, they have their annual dedication service.

We also welcomed about eight recently baptised babies and their families. This is a monthly event where they come to the front of church, a special welcome prayer is said and they are given their baptism certificates. They are then greeted with a warm round of applause.

On top of this yesterday, we also congratulated two members of our congregation who have been 'licensed' to serve as offical Lay Readers within the Church of England.

A little hectic shall we say...... :-) :-)


As I passed by the vicar, who had been unnecessarily 'harrassed' by someone when he was busy and trying to get ready, he said to me with a twinkle in his eye and , out of the corner of his mouth......"I'm getting ready to slap somebody in a minute"........I went off laughing.....:-D


Anyway...........our morning prayer


Take Time

Take time to think...
It is the source of power.
Take time to play...
It is the secret of perpetual youth.
Take time to laugh...
It is the music of the soul.
Take time to pray...
It is the greatest power on Earth.

(Anon., inscribed on the walls of the "Missionaries of Charity" children's home in Calcutta, India)

She sounds like an inspirational woman John.


Today has been a very long day indeed........will return tomorrow.........zzzzzzzzzzzz :-)

I did manage to include that lovely Celtic prayer today.

Had about 25 today, ranging from 7 to 99. Think I have written about this 99 year old in this particular chapel before. She is quite fantastic. Walks very well and totally unaided, looks like she is 80 at most and seems to have all her faculties (sight and hearing going a bit).

She lives in Bargoed/Ystrad Mynach area. It will be her 100th on 22nd (next Saturday). If any readers of thread have access to local papers next week, probably there will be pictures of her.

Why does she think she has lived so long? She says it is because she has never taken tablets of any sort (not even an aspirin) and she trusts in the Lord for everything and He has always been good to her :-) :-) :-)

The Celtic Prayer is lovely Cynthia <3

Cynthia. My congregation won't be getting anything about Fathers day today (see my grumpy comments on Fathers Day thread). But I think I might try and slip in your Celtic prayer from yesterday somewhere - I just love the simplicity and commonsense of that.

A very good Christian friend is currently following a course about Celtic worship and I am keeping an eye on it. It is something I would very much like to study myself in near future. So lovely and so inclusive. And so very simple. :-D :-D

It was a new one to me too Emma...... :-)



Today is a very special day for fathers.......


The Church of England has published a new prayer for children to pray in church, or on their own, on Fathers' Day

Loving God,

We thank you for the gift of good dads,

and everything that they do for us.

Help them to have

patience when we're difficult,

wisdom when we can't see the way,

strength when we need comforting,

and love at all times,

so that, through them,

we get a little glimpse of how you feel about us,

our heavenly Father

Amen.


A second prayer has been published for everyone to use


Heavenly Father,

you entrusted your Son Jesus,

the child of Mary,

to the care of Joseph, an earthly father.

Bless all fathers

as they care for their families.

Give them strength and wisdom,

tenderness and patience;

support them in the work they have to do,

protecting those who look to them,

as we look to you for love and salvation,

through Jesus Christ our rock and defender.

Amen.



Cx :-)

Never seen that one before Cynthia :-)

I knew they were due to meet John, but didn't know when. I do hope that they are able to work together in faith.


As their meeting was short and informal, so is this morning's prayer. Sometimes, less is better than more.......



Short Celtic Prayer

Spare Us the Fall
May the roof above
never fall in,
May we below
never fall out.


Cx :-)

Most Rev Justin Welby and Pope Francis were both appointed in March.

Yesterday they met for first time. In Vatican, and Archbishop of Canterbury was accompanied by Archbishop of Westminster, Vincent Nicholas.

Visit is said to have been short and informal :-)

Thank you Joy........... :-)


This is one of my favourite morning prayers.......short but sweet.


The windowsill of heaven

Every morning lean your arms awhile
upon the windowsill of heaven
and gaze upon the Lord.
Then with the vision in your heart,
turn strong to meet your day.

- Thomas Blake


Cx :-)

Amen to that, Joy. How very challenging :-)

"Forgive me my debts, as I forgive those who trespass against me." :-) I have always thought that the hardest and most challenging preaching was from Jesus.

"False prophets". Those who profess to be religious, but they show no fruit of that religion in themselves and cannot influence others to gaze on the wondrous Cross to see their own wretchedness in the face of perfection.

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me
I once was lost, but now I'm found
Was blind, but now I see
(ex- Slave Ship Captain, Rev John Newton of Olney, Bucks)

If I have wounded any soul today,
If I have caused one foot to go astray,
If I have walked in my own wilful way,
Dear Lord, forgive!

If I have uttered idle words or vain,
If I have turned aside from want or pain,
Lest I myself shall suffer through the strain,
Dear Lord, forgive!

If I have been perverse or hard, or cold,
If I have longed for shelter in Thy fold,
When Thou hast given me some fort to hold,
Dear Lord, forgive!

Forgive the sins I have confessed to Thee;
Forgive the secret sins I do not see;
O guide me, love me and my keeper be,
Dear Lord, Amen.

http://cyberhymnal.org/htm/e/v/evprayer.htm

Thank you Emma...... :-)

:-D @ Emma. Lovely thoughts.

Be Thou a bright flame before me,
Be Thou a guiding star above me,
Be Thou a kindly shepherd behind me,
Today,tonight and Forever.

( St Columba )

Cynthia. :-D

So true, Cynthia? We awake happy we are still here, full of good intentions. Then we stub our toe as we put our foot on the bedroom floor, have cramp in our legs, cat lying on the covers panics and scratches us. And we then have to kneel or stand and already ask for forgiveness. And start again with the clean slate we had 2 minutes previously.

Then we scold ourselves pouring our tea. Postman knocks door loudly, starting dog barking and cats panicking. Put dog away, answer door, postman gone, note to travel 6 miles to depot to pick up parcel. Back on our knees. And so it goes on.

How did Jesus manage to avoid sin? How did he manage to always think, speak and do things without bad thoughts or deeds or speech? 33 years he managed that - created in our flesh yet without any sin. And I can never seem to manage 5 minutes :-( :-( :-(

A touch of humour to lighten a rather grey morning.... :-)



Morning Prayer

Dear Lord,

So far I've done all right.
I haven't gossiped,
haven't lost my temper,
haven't been greedy, grumpy, nasty, selfish, or overindulgent.
I'm really glad about that.


But in a few minutes, God,
I'm going to get out of bed.
And from then on,
I'm going to need a lot more help.


- Anon.



Good morning everyone :-) :-) :-)

An overcast morning here, but still plenty to be grateful for......


Prayer of Thanks

For each new morning with its light,
For rest and shelter of the night,
For health and food,
For love and friends,
For everything Thy goodness sends.
Father in heaven,
We thank thee.


- Ralph Waldo Emerson.


Cx :-)

Well, I amazed that I am still able to post this morning. What you have said Cynthia is spot on. Also, throw in a bit of difficulty with some of these words today that have taken on a new meaning obviously in today's world. My language, especially my gayest (sic) language, is firmly rooted in 18th century, thou knowest.

I think quite a few of us went through a bit of a thoughtful time yesterday and I hope we have all emerged (not as friends) but able to understand our differences better.

Not Syria. No real shells or bullets whistling. Genes Team may also be at work in arbitrating between North and South Korea :-) ;-)

Praise ye the Lord. For it is good to sing praises unto our God. For it is pleasant, and praise is comely.

The Lord doth build up Jerusalem. He gathereth together the outcasts of Israel.

He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.

(Psalm 147) :-)