General Chat

Good morning :-)

Standing serenely amid the bustling traffic on Whitehall in Westminster, London, the Cenotaph – or ‘empty tomb’ in Greek – has served as a symbol of remembrance, commemorating those who served or lost their lives in times of conflict, for a century.

The Cenotaph’s simple and sombre design was the creation of Edwin Lutyens, who was commissioned by Prime Minister Lloyd George to design a temporary memorial for the Peace Day parade on 19 July 1919 after he had been inspired by a visit to France. There, he had seen a raised platform in the middle of a major street as a focus for grief. Lutyens decided that his design needed to be taller.

Hastily constructed out of wood and plaster painted to look like masonry, the resulting monument struck a powerful chord with those who had lost loved ones in the First World War but had no grave to mourn their loss.

Over a million people visited the Cenotaph in the weeks following Peace Day and left flowers and wreaths at its base. It was so popular that it was fairly swiftly decided to recreate it as a permanent structure. Lutyens took the opportunity to refine and perfect his design, choosing to construct it out of Portland stone.

Unlike other war memorials, the Cenotaph was created as a memorial to those who died during the Great War and was remarkable for its absence of any emblems or symbols representing triumph or heroism. Instead, there are just carved wreaths and ribbons, with three flags along each flank, and three words: ‘the glorious dead’. It is also purposefully devoid of any religious symbolism, allowing people to project their own meaning onto the empty tomb, regardless of their faith.

Over one hundred years since its unveiling by King George V at 11am on 11 November 1920, The Cenotaph remains the focal point of national remembrance – it’s role as relevant as ever. We all need something to remind us of the sacrifice and terrible loss of those wars and something that stands as a universal symbol for all – and that is still the Cenotaph.


Cx :-)

Good morning :-)


Good morning everyone......??


The story of animals both on active service and on the home front during the Second World War is a deeply moving one. They had no choice, but demonstrated loyalty, determination and bravery time and again, be they dogs, horses or pigeons. The contribution of these and other animals during the war were pivotal to the success of many military operations.

The reliance soldiers placed upon their animal comrades could literally mean the difference between life and death.

One animal that may not spring immediately to mind…….the Elephant

Elephants were widely used in Africa and India for transport and heavy lifting during the war. One group of elephants stands out, those of Mr Gyles Mackrell of Shillong, Assam who had his own elephant transport business before the outbreak of war.

When Mackrell heard that a group of refugees, Sepoys and British soldiers were having difficulty crossing the Chaukan Pass he set out to help with his elephants, in foul weather over a route considered impassable. He eventually reached the starving and exhausted group and his team of elephants carried them all back to safety, saving over 100 lives.

We give thanks for these brave animals.

Cx :-)

For the Fallen
BY LAURENCE BINYON


With proud thanksgiving, a mother for her children,
England mourns for her dead across the sea.
Flesh of her flesh they were, spirit of her spirit,
Fallen in the cause of the free.

Solemn the drums thrill; Death august and royal
Sings sorrow up into immortal spheres,
There is music in the midst of desolation
And a glory that shines upon our tears.

They went with songs to the battle, they were young,
Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow.
They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted;
They fell with their faces to the foe.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

They mingle not with their laughing comrades again;
They sit no more at familiar tables of home;
They have no lot in our labour of the day-time;
They sleep beyond England's foam.

But where our desires are and our hopes profound,
Felt as a well-spring that is hidden from sight,
To the innermost heart of their own land they are known
As the stars are known to the Night;

As the stars that shall be bright when we are dust,
Moving in marches upon the heavenly plain;
As the stars that are starry in the time of our darkness,
To the end, to the end, they remain.


Cx <3

This week's stories do bring a tear to the eye. I thought I had come across most of the poetry from WW1 but today's poem had passed me by. I think it must have been a great comfort to that airman's mother.

The most terrible thing of all is that, over 100 years later, people are still dying in battle. We seem to have learnt nothing from the past.

Thinking of all those who put their lives on the line, whatever country or culture they come from.

EDIT: Oops, silly me. The poem is of course from WW2

Good morning :-)



Last Landing

Oft this earth I leave behind and soar God's heavens
till sun and stars I find
and fence the towering clouds
with others of my kind.
Fear not if I should lose my
way, nor keep sad hearts
for my returning day.
Tis that I flew the heavens
too high and reached
God's guiding hand and
heard him answer to my cry.
Your journey's done - NOW LAND

This poem was written by Sq Bomber Aimer Burford Sleep before he left with his squadron on a mission. He wrote and left this poem for his mother if he should not return.
He did not return. He died on August 30th 1944


Cx :-)

Good morning :-)


There are so many tales of heartbreak and tragedy which emerge from warfare. One that was fairly local to us was the story of what happened up in Wigan in WWI

The Reverend Charles James became Vicar of Haigh in 1886 where he served for forty years until 1918. During this time, he and his wife Emily had 6 children, 2 girls and 4 boys.

The Edwardian era saw each of the sons leaving home to start careers, until August 1914 when they were quick to respond to their country's call to arms. The family was to be devastated by the conflict as each of the boys was killed within fourteen months.

George James lost his life while serving at Gallipoli in June 1915, while his brother Francis died of wounds in the same campaign that September. Charles also died in France just 10 days later. The James's family tragedy was complete the following year when the only remaining son, Henry, was declared missing in action in September 1916. He was confirmed dead in June 1917, and his grave located that December.

It is said, that on the day that he heard that his last remaining son had died, Revd. Charles James, went out to visit a parishioner, a widow, who had lost her only son.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.


Cx :-)

Good morning :-)




We are building up towards Remembrance Day,, that very special day when we remember and honour all who suffered and died in warfare and the horrors of war.

Wearing a poppy or not is a personal choice, but there is an interesting history behind these little red flowers.

During WW1, much of the fighting took place in Western Europe. Previously beautiful landscapes turned to mud; bleak and barren scenes where little or nothing could grow. However, there was a notable and striking exception to the bleakness - the bright red Flanders poppies. These resilient flowers flourished in the middle of so much chaos and destruction, growing in the thousands upon thousands.

In the Spring of 1915 Shortly after losing a friend in Ypres, a Canadian doctor, Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae was moved by the sight of these poppies and that inspiration led him to write the now famous poem 'In Flanders Fields'. The poem then inspired an American academic named Moina Michael to adopt the poppy in memory of those who had fallen in the war.

Eventually, Earl Haig, the founder of the RBL, was persuaded to adopt the poppy as our emblem in the UK. The Royal British Legion, which had been formed in 1921, ordered nine million poppies and sold them on 11 November that year. The poppies sold out almost immediately. That first 'Poppy Appeal' raised over £106,000 to help veterans with housing and jobs; a considerable sum at the time and around £5m in today’s money.

In view of how quickly the poppies had sold and wanting to ensure plenty of poppies for the next appeal, Major George Howson set up the Poppy Factory to employ disabled ex-servicemen. Today, the factory and warehouse in Aylesford produces millions of poppies each year.

Remembrance in the UK today is very different than it was 100 years ago. People take part whatever their political or religious beliefs. The poppy remains a humble, poignant symbol of Remembrance and hope.

- With thanks to the Royal British Legion


Cx :-)

Good morning :-)

The Collect (special prayer) for today:

Almighty Father,
whose will is to restore all things
in your beloved Son, the King of all:
govern the hearts and minds of those in authority,
and bring the families of the nations,
divided and torn apart by the ravages of sin,
to be subject to his just and gentle rule;
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Amen.

Cx :-)

Good morning :-)


One day, a father of a very wealthy family took his son on a trip to the country with the firm purpose of showing his son how poor people live. They spent a couple of days and nights on the farm of what would be considered a very poor family. On their return from their trip, the father asked his son, "How was the trip?"

"It was great, Dad."

"Did you see how poor people live?" the father asked.

"Oh yeah," said the son.

"So, tell me, what did you learn from the trip?" asked the father.

The son answered, "I saw that we have one dog and they had four. We have a pool that reaches to the middle of our garden, and they have a creek that has no end. We have imported lanterns in our garden, and they have the stars at night. Our patio reaches to the front yard, and they have the whole horizon. We have a small piece of land to live on, and they have fields that go beyond our sight. We have servants who serve us, but they serve others. We buy our food, but they grow theirs. We have walls around our property to protect us; they have friends to protect them."

The boy's father was speechless.

Then his son added, "Thanks, Dad, for showing me how poor we are."


Cx :-)

Good morning :-)

Remember, remember, the 5th of November,
Gunpowder, treason and plot.
I see no reason
Why gunpowder treason
Should ever be forgot.

It’s that time of year again…..fires, fireworks, hot dogs, parkin, treacle toffee all those things which have become recognised as part of the 5th November festivities.

But what about Guy Fawkes?

Born in York in 1570 to Protestant parents, Guy converted to Catholicism as a child. At 21 he left England to join the Catholic Spanish Army where he fought in the Eighty Years War, and changed his name to Guido.

In 1594 he joined a group of fellow English Catholics, led by Robert Catesby, in a plot to blow up the Houses of Parliament in order to kill King James I and his Government. Fawkes was responsible for lighting the fuse to the barrels of gunpowder, which they hid under the Houses of Parliament.

On October 26, an anonymous letter advising a Catholic sympathizer to avoid the State Opening of Parliament alerted the authorities to the existence of a plot.

A search party found Fawkes skulking in his cellar around midnight on November 4, with matches in his pocket and 36 barrels of gunpowder stacked next to him. He was taken to the Tower of London and tortured upon the special order of King James.

Soon after, his co-conspirators were likewise arrested, except for four, including Catesby, who died in a shootout with English troops. They were all found guilty of high treason and sentenced to death in January 1606 by hanging, drawing and quartering.

Immediately before his execution on 31 January, Fawkes fell from the scaffold where he was to be hanged and broke his neck, thus avoiding the agonies which awaited him.

After the plot was revealed, Londoners began lighting celebratory bonfires, and in January 1606 an act of Parliament designated November 5 as a day of thanksgiving, with the 1662 Book of Common Prayer adding special prayers for this day.



Stay safe and, if you have pets, this may help……Classic FM is playing music especially to help keep animals calm during tonight and tomorrow night – 6pm – 10pm.


Cx :-)

Good morning :-)



A lady hired a plumber to help her restore an old farmhouse, and he had just finished a rough first day on the job: a flat tyre made him lose an hour of work, his electric drill broke, and his ancient truck refused to start.

While she drove him home, he sat in stony silence. On arriving, he invited her in to meet his family. As they walked toward the front door, he paused briefly at a small tree, touching the tips of the branches with both hands.

When opening the door, he underwent an amazing transformation. His tanned face was wreathed in smiles, and he hugged his two small children and gave his wife a kiss.

Afterward, he walked back to the car. They passed the tree, and her curiosity got the better of her. She asked him about what she had seen him do earlier. "Oh, that's my worry tree," he replied. "I know I can't help having worries on the job, but one thing's for sure; those worries don't belong in the house with my wife and the children. So, I just hang them up on the tree every night when I come home and ask God to take care of them. Then in the morning, I pick them up again. Funny thing is," he smiled, "when I come out in the morning to pick 'em up, there aren't nearly as many as I remember hanging up the night before."


Cx :-)

Good morning :-)


Having had 3 special days in a row, it’s interesting to note that 3rd November is memorable in itself. Many are aware that Her Majesty the Queen is noted as being ‘Supreme Governor of the Church of England’, but how so?

It all began on this day in 1534 when The first Act of Supremacy was passed by Parliament. It granted King Henry VIII and subsequent monarchs Royal Supremacy, such that he was declared the Supreme Head of the Church of England.

The Act declared that the King was "the only supreme head on Earth of the Church of England" and that the Crown shall enjoy "all honours, dignities, pre-eminences, jurisdictions, privileges, authorities, immunities, profits, and commodities to the said dignity. The wording made it clear that this was an established fact and, in this Act, King Henry abandoned Rome completely.

The Queen's relationship with the Church of England was symbolised at the Coronation in 1953 when Her Majesty was anointed by the Archbishop of Canterbury and took an oath to "maintain and preserve inviolably the settlement of the Church of England, and the doctrine worship, discipline, and government thereof, as by law established in England".

Archbishops and bishops are appointed by The Queen on the advice of the Prime Minister, who considers the names selected by a Church Commission. They take an oath of allegiance to The Queen on appointment and may not resign without Royal authority. Church of England deacons and parish priests also swear an oath of allegiance to the Sovereign.

In her Christmas message in 2014, the Queen said…."For me, the life of Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, whose birth we celebrate today, is an inspiration and an anchor in my life. A role model of reconciliation and forgiveness, he stretched out his hands in love, acceptance and healing. Christ's example has taught me to seek to respect and value all people of whatever faith or none."

We thank God for the example she has set before us.

Cx :-)

Hello all

Amen to your prayer this morning Cynthia.

All Souls Day reminds me of family and friends who were once part of my earthly daily life but now are a part of my closely held special memories.

May all our loved ones Rest In Peace and Rise again in Glory amen.

Good morning :-)

Today is All Souls’ Day, also known as the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed.

We are all aware that sad things happen in life, especially when someone we love dies. Today is a special day in the Church’s year when we remember and give thanks for the lives of people who have died.

During Autumn, we are reminded about life and death because of the changing appearance of the trees and plants. The branches look bare because all the leaves have fallen off but, when we look at the leaves on the ground, it reminds us of how lovely the tree once looked. When a loved one dies, it can feel a bit like this as it leaves us empty and sad but we can remember how special those people were to us and we believe they were special to God too.

As Christians, we believe that death is not the end of life, we believe that when Jesus died, he came back to life again so that we could have a new life with him for ever.


Father of all, we pray to you for those we love, but see no longer: Grant them your peace; let light perpetual shine upon them; and, in your loving wisdom and almighty power, work in them the good purpose of your perfect will; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Take time to think of those loved ones who have died and remember them in your heart. <3


Cx :-)

Good morning :-)



Today is All Saints’ Day

Those of us on here are all into family history and many families can trace their families back to the 1600’s - there are usually some interesting characters tucked into those years. Many are fortunate enough to be able to remember some of the later generations and the love and kindness and great faith which came from them.

As part of the family of God, the bible is rather like a family history book to us too. In it, we learn all about the first saints, those who knew Jesus and who followed him. Some amazing stories are told.

Today we give thanks for the saints of old and for the saints of recent generations too.

For all the saints, who from their labours rest,
Who Thee by faith before the world confessed,
Thy Name, O Jesus, be forever blessed.
Alleluia, Alleluia!

Cx :-)

Good morning :-)



The Collect (special prayer) for today:

God of holiness, your glory is proclaimed in every age:
as we rejoice in the faith of your saints,
inspire us to follow their example with boldness and joy;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.


Cx :-)

Good morning :-)


So it’s Halloween tomorrow night…….what do we make of it? We’re probably all aware that we are ‘stuck’ with it, like it or not. We will see little wizards, witches and skeletons running around, happily knocking on the doors of total strangers in order to be given sweets, and oblivious of the meaning of this special night.

All Hallows Eve, or Halloween, was originally a festival of fire, the dead, and the powers of darkness. It is the night before the Christian festival of All Hallows Day (All Saints Day) which commemorates the saints and martyrs, and was first introduced in the seventh century. It is marked by prayers for the souls of the dead.

The Bible has a lot to say about witchcraft. Witchcraft and its many cousins, such as fortune-telling and communication with the dead, are Satan’s counterfeits to holy spirituality. The Bible expressly condemns all forms of witchcraft.

Dear God, this Halloween, many people will be living in fear. Whether they are afraid of the spread of Coronavirus, of taking their children trick or treating, of the costumes and masks, of the dark elements of Halloween, or of the physical darkness at night, Halloween can highlight many of our fears. Be with everyone who is afraid this Halloween. Bring them comfort, peace and joy. Remind them that you are victorious, that you have already defeated the devil. Amen.



Cx :-)

Good morning :-)

After worship the new vicar was shaking hands with parishioners, when one woman turned bright red and looked at her shoes as she shook his hand.

“‘I hope you didn’t take it personally, Vicar”, she said, ‘when my husband walked out during your sermon.”

“‘I did wonder,’ the Vicar replied. “I hope and pray he’s not ill.”

“Oh, no!” said the woman. “My husband’s been walking in his sleep ever since he was a child.”

Cx :-)

Good morning :-)

Good news about your husband Vera and sending love and prayers as you deal with the other anxieties in your life. <3


Bent over and obviously in pain, the old man with a cane hobbled laboriously through the sanctuary and into the pastor’s office while the choir was practicing.

Ten minutes later he came out, walking upright and moving with grace and speed.

“Good gracious,” the choir director exclaimed. “Did the pastor heal you by faith?”

“No,” the old man said with a smile. “He just gave me a cane that wasn’t six inches too short!”


Cx :-)

Thank you Cynthia for last week's "colours" posts and this week's lovely stories.

I hope everyone is well and contented. We had some good news in that OH's latest health scare just needs to be monitored for the time being so further scans in 6 months but no treatment at the moment. We do have another problem, not health related, which is causing some anxiety so I am focusing on our blessings and all the things we have that make us thankful.