General Chat

Good morning :-)

The Collect (special prayer for today)
God our saviour,
look on this wounded world
in pity and in power;
hold us fast to your promises of peace
won for us by your Son,
our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen

In the readings for today we are encouraged to bear one another's burdens and we hear our Jesus sent out 72 disciples to spread the good news.

Cx :-)

Good morning :-)

Dear Lord, as we embrace the stillness of this Saturday morning, we come before You in gratitude. Grant us the wisdom to reflect on the week behind and the week ahead. Help us learn from our experiences and grow in Your grace. May this day be filled with Your presence, guiding our thoughts and actions.

We pray for clarity and insight, that we may walk in the light of Your Word. Amen.

Cx :-)

Good morning :-)


Heavenly Father, thank you for bringing us to the end of another week. We are grateful for your love and guidance throughout these days. As we enter the weekend, we ask for your continued presence and protection. May we find rest and refreshment in your peace, and may our actions reflect your love and grace. Amen.

Cx :-)

Good morning :-)

Last Sunday, the Lay Reader drew our attention to one of the windows in church, one depicting St. Peter and St. Paul. Apart from the attractiveness of the stained glass, it’s also interesting to see who has donated these windows to our church.

That particular window had been given by a lady in memory of her late husband in 1993. He had been a prisoner of war but had made it home safely. The inscription reads …”Whoever follows me will have the light of life and will not walk in darkness”.

Both St, Peter and St. Paul were absolutely fundamental in forming the early church.

Father, your Son called men and women to leave the past behind
them and to follow him as his disciples in the way of the cross. Look with mercy upon those whom he calls today, marks with the cross and makes his disciples within the Church. Amen.

Cx :-)

Good morning :-)

St. Peter

Impulsive master of misunderstanding
You comfort me with all your big mistakes;
Jumping the ship before you make the landing,
Placing the bet before you know the stakes.
I love the way you step out without knowing,
The way you sometimes speak before you think,
The way your broken faith is always growing,
The way he holds you even when you sink.
Born to a world that always tried to shame you,
Your shaky ego vulnerable to shame,
I love the way that Jesus chose to name you,
Before you knew how to deserve that name.
And in the end your Saviour let you prove
That each denial is undone by love.


Cx :-)

Good morning :-)

St. Peter. What a character!

The name Peter is used 179 times in the bible.

He was said to be rash, hasty and short-tempered.

After the Resurrection, when Jesus had shown himself to the Apostles, what did Peter do? He went fishing!

He was twice rescued from prison by an angel.

It is said that he was not educated and needed to learn Greek, as it was an important language in those days. It took him a long time to learn, but he eventually managed it and was given more responsibilities.

After his stirring speech at Pentecost, about how many persons were immediately baptised? 3,000!

Peter was crucified in Rome by Emperor Nero, who accused Christians of starting a fire in Rome in the year AD64. He ordered the crucifixion of all Christians. Peter wanted to be crucified upside down, as he did not feel worthy to be crucified in the same way as Jesus. It is said that the crucifixion took place where the Vatican is located, hence the name of the church, St. Peter’s Basilica.

There is so much to learn from this man.

Cx :-)

Good morning :-)

The Rock Upon Which the Church Stands

Sturdy and steadfast as the rock he’s named,
Peter, the cornerstone, by faith untamed.
Against the winds of doubt, he stands resolute,
His belief, his strength, none can refute.
In the heart of Rome, amid the roar of the crowd,
His voice rings clear, strong and loud.
On this rock, he lays the Church’s foundation,
Spreading the Gospel to every nation.

Cx :-)

Good morning :-)


This is the day when we remember and give thanks for the man who had such a major influence on the Christian faith.
Peter – One of Jesus’ closest friends
Peter – a fisherman
Peter - who disowned Christ
Peter - who escaped from prison
Peter - who was given the keys to the kingdom
Peter - who was crucified upside down because he didn’t consider himself worthy enough to die the same way as Jesus.


What a man. What an example we are given to follow.

The Collect
O Almighty God, who by thy Son Jesus Christ didst give to thy Apostle Saint Peter many excellent gifts, and commandedst him earnestly to feed thy flock: Make, we beseech thee, all Bishops and Pastors diligently to preach thy holy Word, and the people obediently to follow the same, that they may receive the crown of everlasting glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.


Cx :-)

Good morning :-)

This year has certainly flown kandj. I guess that Christmas decorations will be appearing before too long!!! :-0


To ponder.

For Christians, pondering means to think deeply about the Bible, reflect on God's nature, and consider the meaning of His commands. It helps believers grow spiritually and live in a way that pleases God. By pondering, they can understand themselves better, align their wishes with God's plans, and make wise, loving choices.

Lord, help us to ponder more on your word so that our lives will be pleasing to you. Amen.

Cx :-)

Hello all

Many thanks Cynthia, I've read through the funny bible verses and had a laugh.

Proverbs 17:22 "Laughter is like taking a good medicine." Everyday you need to take your medicine and find something that makes you laugh.

It has been a quick week and June is almost over. Have a good weekend everyone.

Good morning :-)

To Ponder. Ponder on some of these bible verses.

More funny quotes from the Bible can bring a smile to our faces and remind us that laughter is a gift from God. The quotes are taken from different versions of the bible

Song of Solomon 7:4
Thy neck is as a tower of ivory; thine eyes like the fishpools in Heshbon, by the gate of Bathrabbim: thy nose is as the tower of Lebanon which looketh toward Damascus.
(How romantic……not!)

Proverbs 27:15
A nagging wife is like water going drip-drip-drip on a rainy day. Whoever can control her can control the wind. He can even pick up olive oil with his right hand.
(What’s a nagging wife?)

Proverbs 21:9
Better to live on the corner of a roof than to share a house with a nagging wife.
(Another one?)

2 Kings 9:20
The watchman exclaimed, “The messenger has met them, but he isn’t returning either! It must be Jehu son of Nimshi, for he’s driving like a madman.”
(There’s still a lot of that about!)

Genesis 22:20-21
And it came to pass after these things, that it was told Abraham, saying, Behold, Milcah, she also hath borne children unto thy brother Nahor: Uz his first-born, and Buz his brother, and Kemuel the father of Aram,
(Some baptismal names are interesting, but Uz and Buz?)

Smile, God loves you. :-D

Cx :-)

Good morning :-)


To Ponder. Ponder on some of these bible verses.

The Bible is often considered a serious and solemn book, filled with wisdom, moral teachings, and spiritual guidance. However, hidden among the profound and meaningful passages, there are also some surprisingly funny and light-hearted moments. These funny quotes from the Bible can bring a smile to our faces and remind us that laughter is a gift from God.

The quotes are taken from different versions of the Bible.

Song of Solomon 4:2
Your teeth are whiter than sheep freshly washed; they match perfectly, not one is missing.
(It’s good that Solomon had standards in oral care!)

Proverbs 11:22
[Like] a gold ring in a pig’s snout, so is a beautiful woman who lacks good taste.
(Nothing like being polite!)

Judges 7:5
So Gideon took the men down to the water. There the LORD told him, “Separate those who lap the water with their tongues as a dog laps from those who kneel down to drink.”
(That’s one way to choose your soldiers!)

Joshua 13:1
Now Joshua was old and advanced in years when the LORD said to him, “You are old and advanced in years…
(Yes, Joshua was old and advanced in years – we got that!)

2 Kings 2:23
From there Elisha went up to Bethel. As he was walking along the road, some boys came out of the town and jeered at him. “Get out of here, baldy!” they said. “Get out of here, baldy!”
(Parental control alert!)

:-D :-D

Cx :-)

Good morning :-D

To ponder: To consider something deeply and thoroughly.

By pondering, believers can gain insight into their own hearts, align their desires with God's purposes, and make decisions that reflect His wisdom and love.

For today, some light-hearted things to ponder :

*Why is it that when you're driving and looking for an address, you turn down the volume on the radio?

*Why is lemon juice made with artificial flavour, and
dishwashing liquid made with real lemons?

*Are part-time bandleaders semi-conductors?

*Can you buy an entire chess set in a pawn shop?

*Do stars clean themselves with meteor showers?

*Have you ever imagined a world with no hypothetical situations?

*If athletes get athlete's foot, do astronauts get mistletoe?

*If you aren’t supposed to drink and drive, why do pubs have car
parks?

Makes you think! ??

Cx :-)

Good morning :-)

Everyone needs to be cheered up occasionally - even when things are grim. God gave us the gift of laughter - we need to use it sometimes! ??

There’s always room for laughter in church

According to children………..
Jesus was a great man. He healed many leopards.
Jesus went up to Heaven but will be back at the end of the aluminium.

Moses was the most wicked man in the Bible. He broke all 10 commandments at the same time.

The Egyptians were all drowned in the dessert.

Moses went up on Mount Cyanide to get the 10 amendments.

The 5th commandment is to humour thy father and mother.

One of the opossums was St. Matthew, who was, by profession, a taximan.

Lord, thank you for the ability to smile, laugh and find fun in things. Amen.

Cx :-)

Good morning :-)

Everyone needs to be cheered up occasionally - even when things are grim. God gave us the gift of laughter - we need to use it sometimes! ??

There’s always room for laughter in church

According to children………..
Jesus was a great man. He healed many leopards.
Jesus went up to Heaven but will be back at the end of the aluminium.

Moses was the most wicked man in the Bible. He broke all 10 commandments at the same time.

The Egyptians were all drowned in the dessert.

Moses went up on Mount Cyanide to get the 10 amendments.

The 5th commandment is to humour thy father and mother.

One of the opossums was St. Matthew, who was, by profession, a taximan.

Lord, thank you for the ability to smile, laugh and find fun in things. Amen.

Cx :-)

Hello all

Cynthia, sadly we live in very troubled times.

Vera, I don't recall ever coming across the John Donne Batter My Heart poem, but it's beautiful.

Cooler with black clouds today but no rain at all.

Good morning :-)


What a way to begin a new week! We pray for peace in our troubled world.

There is a well-known passage from St. Matthew

You will hear of wars and rumours of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places All these are the beginning of birth pains.

“Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved."


Cx :-)

Good morning :-)

Especially for Vera.......with thanks. A new one for me <3


Batter my Heart (Holy Sonnet 14)
John Donne

Batter my heart, three-person'd God, for you
As yet but knock, breathe, shine, and seek to mend;
That I may rise and stand, o'erthrow me, and bend
Your force to break, blow, burn, and make me new.
I, like an usurp'd town to another due,
Labour to admit you, but oh, to no end;
Reason, your viceroy in me, me should defend,
But is captiv'd, and proves weak or untrue.
Yet dearly I love you, and would be lov'd fain,
But am betroth'd unto your enemy;
Divorce me, untie or break that knot again,
Take me to you, imprison me, for I,
Except you enthrall me, never shall be free,
Nor ever chaste, except you ravish me.

Cx :-)

Oh dear I was part way through a post when it disappeared into the ether, never to be seen again and I don't have time now to redo it all. I was thanking Cynthia for the week's posts and saying something about George Herbert. I said how today's poem made me think of John Donne's "Batter my heart, three-person'd God".

Sorry I am running late so can't expnd further. Stay cool in this hot weather.

Good morning :-)


A touch of the classics.........
Devotional Poem: “Trinitie Sunday” by George Herbert who was born in 1593 and died in 1633. He was a famous poet, priest, theologian and orator.

Lord, who hast form’d me out of mud,
And hast redeem’d me through thy bloud,
And sanctifi’d me to do good;
Purge all my sinnes done heretofore:
For I confesse my heavie score,
And I will strive to sinne no more.
Enrich my heart, mouth, hands in me,
With faith, with hope, with charitie;
That I may runne, rise, rest with thee.

Cx :-)