General Chat

It all went very well considering the circumstances. Apparently, the Bishop and the Archdeacon had attended the 9 am service - not officiating in any way, simply in the pews with everyone else.

Large congregations, as was to be expected and a very long queue to sign the book of remembrance. There were, of course, some tears but, on the whole, everyone rallied round and are beginning to think of how to keep things going for the future.

It's strange for us as he usually visited us on a Sunday evening...... :-(


Ah well......... Cx :-)

Good morning my friends. :-)


A prayer for today......


BE GLAD

Be glad that your life has been full and complete,
Be glad that you’ve tasted the bitter and sweet.
Be glad that you’ve walked in sunshine and rain,
Be glad that you’ve felt both pleasure and pain.
Be glad that you’ve had such a full, happy life,
Be glad for your joy as well as your strife.
Be glad that you’ve walked with courage each day,
Be glad you’ve had strength for each step of the way.
Be glad for the comfort that you’ve found in prayer,
Be glad for God’s blessings, His love, and His care.


~ Helen Steiner Rice


Today is going to be difficult..........your prayers would be appreciated. Cx :-)

So very, very true Dermot......my vicar would have probably put that in the parish magazine. I may put it in myself - when it's decided who is going to be the editor :-(

NEW School prayer: (Copied from a recent American E-Mail).
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Now I sit me down in school

Where praying is against the rule.

For this great nation under God

Finds mention of Him very odd.

If scripture now the class recites,

It violates the Bill of Rights.

And anytime my head I bow

Becomes a Federal matter now.

Our hair can be purple, orange or green,

That's no offense; it's a freedom scene.

The law is specific, the law is precise.

Prayers spoken aloud are a serious vice.

For praying in a public hall

Might offend someone with no faith at all..

In silence alone we must meditate,

God's name is prohibited by the Province.

We're allowed to cuss and dress like freaks,

And pierce our noses, tongues and cheeks.

They've outlawed guns, but FIRST the Bible.

To quote the Good Book makes me liable.

We can elect a pregnant Senior Queen,

And the 'unwed daddy,' our Senior King.

It's 'inappropriate' to teach right from wrong,

We're taught that such 'judgments' do not belong.

We can get our condoms and birth controls,

Study witchcraft, vampires and totem poles.

But the Ten Commandments are not allowed,

No word of God must reach this crowd.

It's scary here I must confess,

When chaos reigns the school's a mess.

So, Lord, this silent plea I make:

Should I be shot; My soul please take!

Amen.

'Be of good cheer about death and know this as a truth -
that no evil can happen to a good man, either in life or
after death.'

Socrates

Emma <3

Cynthia, may I share these words which have brought me comfort, strength and reassurance very many times when I have struggled with life's trauma's. I hope they might help you and others who are facing troubled times.

ISAIAH 41 v 13

I, the Lord your God hold your right hand
It is I who say to you...........fear not.
I will help you.

Thinking about you and your sorrow and praying for you today.

Good morning all poppers-inners :-)


We went to lunch at church yesterday - the lunch team had decided that they should carry on as usual because it is what the vicar would have wanted.

There was sadness and tears but, there was also fun and laughter and I felt that was right - you could never be miserable for long when he was around - and we have so much to be thankful for in learning from him.


Things to Be Thankful For

The good, green earth beneath our feet,
The air we breathe, the food we eat,
Some work to do, a goal to win,
A hidden longing deep within
That spurs us on to bigger things
And helps us meet what each day brings -
All these things and many more
Are things we should be thankful for …
And most of all, our thankful prayers
Should rise to God because He cares.



Hope everyone has a good day Cx :-)

Of course you may share them kandj and thank you very much. Very apt words indeed.


Cx :-)

Back again Cynthia as I feel these words are appropriate right now and would like to share them if I may:-

THE CLOCK OF LIFE

The clock of life is wound but once
And no man has the power
To tell just when the hands will stop
At late or early hour.

To lose one's wealth is sad indeed
To lose one's health is more
To lose one's soul is such a loss
That no man can restore.

The Present only is our own
So Live, Love, toil with a will
Place no faith in "Tomorrow"
For the clock may then be still.

Robert H.Smith
1932-1982

All very true words Cynthia but a sudden unexpected death makes us all realize we are not immortal. We who have a faith are blessed to find comfort and strength at times such as these. Take care, sending a warm and gentle hug your way today.

Good morning friends, I have been very grateful for all the kind and caring comments posted on here regarding the sudden and unexpected death of my vicar.

It's at times like this, that I am grateful that I belong to a community of faith. Whilst we are shocked and saddened, and when the mist clears, we know that death does not have the final victory and that our dear friend is at peace with the Lord whom he served so faithfully. We have hope in the Resurrection promise.

I thought the following would be apt for today:



EMBRACE THE MOMENT


I may never see tomorrow
there's no written guarantee,
and things that happened
yesterday, belong to history.

I cannot predict the future,
I cannot change the past,
I have just the present moment
I must treat it as my last.

I must use this moment wisely,
for it soon will pass away,
it will be lost forever,
as part of yesterday.

I must exercise compassion,
help the fallen to their feet,
Be a friend unto the friendless
make an empty life complete.

The unkind things I do today
may never be undone
and friendships that I fail to win
may nevermore be won.

I may not have another chance
on bended knee to pray
and I thank God with a humble heart
for giving me this day.

- unknown.


Cx :-)

Oh Cynthia....... how very sad that your lovely friend and vicar has died. A huge shock for his wife, daughter and the parishioners. Sincere condolences to you all.

Oh Persie, that was him all right. We were on the same wavelength for humour and, even last night, we were ribbing each other all of the time. We used to make others laugh at our caustic comments. I'm so glad you corresponded....... :-)

Thinking of you Cyns,

He was a lovely man.. I shall keep my e-mails to and from him.. when we first corresponded he sent me this:

" I understand you are a friend of Cynthia - strange I didn't realise she had any friends!!!1
Deepest sympathy, i suppose someone has to be her friend - you will get your reward in heaven !!!"

He had a good sense of humour and can tell how well he was liked.

My condolences to his family..

Love Persie <3

Thank you again everyone.


The church has been open for private prayer this evening. I took OH down and then went on to do a promised home visit for a baptism family. I had to do it, otherwise I would have felt I was letting him down.

I went back to church and it seems that between 80-90 people had been in a short space of time. His daughter was also there which was nice.

One of the churchwardens had tastefully set up a memorial to him at the front of church - vestments, books, lilies, a picture of him and votive candles. Very moving but people were moving around at the back in a sense of total disbelief.

As one of the Friday lunch club workers hugged me, he told me that lunches would go ahead tomorrow because it's what the vicar would have wanted.

We are going to have to work harder as a team to help fulfill his vision for our church.


Cx :-)

Dear Cynthia

Hello

I am so very sorry to hear of the passing of your vicar.

From your posts, he seemed a very decent human being and so young as well.


My caring thoughts are with his family and friends at this shocking time for them all.


Take very gentle care
Sincere wishes
Elizabeth, EOS
xx

C

I am so very sorry to hear the news of the death of your Vicar.

I know that you were very good friends .............. and that he was an excellent vicar for the parish.

May he rest in peace


S
xxx
<3 <3 <3 <3

Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
(Matthew I think)

Dear Cynthia

I was so sorry to hear this. What a sad loss to his family, friends and parishioners. I pray his wife and family are granted the strength they need right now. My thoughts are with them and you.

Vera

Thank you. All of you. Your words are kind and comforting.


It is going to be extremely hard for his family, friends and parishioners to understand the full extent of how this will affect them.


His wife will have to find a new home.


The church will have to have a new leader.


The parish, churchgoers or not, will need a new pastor.


He will never be replaced as a husband, father, son, and friend to so many.


We live by faith. We die by faith. I am so glad he has not suffered as he was very likely to have done, given his chronic kidney condition.


Cx :-)