General Chat

Lord,
your wisdom governs the length of our days.
We mourn the loss of Lee and others,
whose lives have passed so quickly,
and we entrust them to your mercy.
Welcome them into your heavenly dwelling
and grant them the happiness of everlasting youth.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

AnnC. Have been so impressed how you have handled last few weeks. Sandie, and the other great sadnesses. I was talking to a local shopkeeper (who used to do a double act in 1970's with his wife, mainly round South Wales) and he had not heard the news about Kenny Smiles. He was genuinely shocked that such a character had been lost to showbusiness and life.

heartbreaking - I just watched part of Lee Rigby's funeral on the TV news - rarely do I weep at things on TV, last time was for Diana when watching her funeral - could have sobbed my socks off watching this one - I think if I'd started I would never have stopped - brings all sorts of things back - still raw from Sandie's funeral, then sitting with my pal watching her husband die last week - that funeral yet to come - life goes on I know, but things like this just bring all the old things flooding back and you weep as you did the first time round

Also today, our Vicar took a funeral (not at our church but as a stand in for a colleague who was on holiday) of a young man in his late twenties. He died in the local hospice this week and today was to have been his wedding day. It was, in fact brought forward and he was married just 5 weeks ago. He and his wife have two very small boys.

The family had asked that mourners dress in blue and white as the deceased was an avid Everton fan. In order to show support, our Vicar wore a white stole which had a blue Christian symbol on it. Apparently, he told the congregation about it and added that he was also wearing his Man. United socks though. Everyone laughed and he has the knack of bringing a smile to the saddest face. He said the church was packed to capacity and many were left outside.


Three young lives cut short so very sadly. Yes, our thoughts and prayers should be with those families at this difficult time.


Cx :-)

Lindi. Thanks :-) I did say I would continue posting on this particular thread from time to time and I try to read all posts. I have been very pleased to see so many new people posting, and so many lovely thoughts.

I saw a lot of people dressed in black this afternoon in a village near Bridgend. They were outside a club on the main street and enjoying the sun and a pint and cars were driving past tooting their horns and waving and smiling.

Yes, it was the aftermath of a large funeral. A lady told me that a very popular young man in the village had died. He had had cancer but had recovered from that apparently and died of pneumonia. She was as shocked as I was about the noisy departure for their friend, but perhaps that is what he would have wanted.

I think Lee Rigby would have been on the minds of a lot of people today, and our prayers and love must be extended to his family.

John, THAT would have been worth a picture being taken wouldn't it? Love the story. :-D I remember the name of Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones.


Persie........oh yes....fuzzy felts are still around according to Google - in fact they celebrate their 63rd birthday this year. In fact, on ebay you can get them under Vintage and Antique toys!

I used to like sand tray stories in Sunday School. Visual aids always help to get a point across but, nowadays, the PowerPoint is in favour although our S.School children have recently made a collage of Noah's Ark which included a pink zebra!


Lyndi........we have had some flowers laid at our war memorial but I don't know if anyone actually went to it. I agree about how little respect there can be.

A couple of months ago, we had a baptism in the main service, and one of the adults who was looking after the toddling child, had him wandering all over church.

When they ended up behind the altar in the roped off Lady Chapel where there was a large floral cross from a coffin from a few days before, I took the bull by the horns, went quietly down the side aisle and politely, but firmly, asked her to remove herself and the child from that special area. I'm not at all sure she understood why, but she did come out, much to the relief of the congregation.

Can you imagine the upset there would be if they had done that in a cinema and disrupted the screening? :-S

Good afternoon everyone :-) Nice to see you posting John;-)
I went to our local war memorial to pay my respects to Lee Rigby. There were very few people there :-(, but as we fell silent at 11am the person tending the gardens just carried on snipping and cutting :-0 So little respect these days :-(

I was wondering if you do fuzzy felts as well Cyns

I always paid that much more attention even as a "mature child" when we had fuzzy felts in church.


Persephone xx

We all have Christians who have helped to alter our lives. For many of us, it is a Christian mother, a Christian friend, an evangelist.

I came under the preaching of Rev Charles Lawrence of Harrold In Bedfordshire as a "new" Christian. He and his brother Rev Sidney Lawrence (Knighton in Leicester) both died as elderly men in 1990's, and they were both ordained and blessed by Dr Lloyd-Jones.

I was mightily influenced by the preaching of all these 3 wonderful men. If you have 5 minutes to hear Lloyd-Jones, just try this link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRJ4BQsAgLw

Hopefully, you will get an idea of the power and charisma of his fantastic preaching. He always pulled the Scriptures apart like the skilful surgeon he had been in his pre-ministry days (he was Surgeon to Duchess of York before she became Queen in 1937 and later Queen Mother).

That made me laugh, John :-D

What lovely thoughts for today, Cynthia. I always notice that congregations love it when there is a children's address. The "more mature" children (those over 60) listen so attentively and it is so true that, if we cannot connect with a child, we are making the Scriptures too difficult.

In the biography of the famous 20th century preacher Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones (died 1981) there is a story of a lady of certain years who developed a crush on him. When she was in the melee at end of service to shake his hand, each week she would collapse into his arms and blame her giddiness.

He was getting a bit fed up of continually catching this lady and discussed it with one of his Deacons and the following week he took one step back as she began to fall and his Deacon took one step forward to break her fall. The lady and the Deacon (who she most certainly did not have a crush on) finished up in the porch of Westminster Methodist Hall in London sprawled on the floor together.

It cured her giddiness :-) ;-) Miracles do happen ;-)

What a super prayer kandj - love it! :-D


My head is gradually recovering thank you all - still tender but getting there!


In the Christian faith, we are urged to be 'childlike' (as opposed to child-ish). I thought that this child's prayer covered all ages....


Thank You, God

The sun so bright up in the sky.
The moon I see way, way up high!
The soft green grass, the plants, the trees
are special gifts
God made for me.

All the people that I love
are blessed by Jesus up above.
My neighbours, friends and family
are special gifts God gave to me.

What gift can I give you my God
in heaven up above?
The thing you want the most from me
is pure and simple...
Love!

--Margaret Kennedy



Enjoy your day Cx :-)

Oh dear.... falling for the Vicar, Cynthia. Is this allowed??
He is sure to make light of this, but I seriously do hope that you have no ill-effects from your mishap.

Thank you for today's postings. I have a card on my kitchen board that always makes me smile. It was given to me many years ago by a neighbour and it reads:

AN IRISH PRAYER
Get down on your knees
and thank God you're still on your feet!

Hope you haven't suffered any ill effects from your fall from grace Cynthia, or rather your trip (that sounds as bad). Anyway, hope the head is ok. Like the Irish blessings. :-)

LOL I so love your vicar and his sense of humour
Cynthia...as an after thought hope you are OK :-D :-D

Just back from my favourite weekly shop (not) and looked
In here to cheer me up, thank you again <3

Emma :-)

Dear oh dear.........you're nearly as bad as my Vicar....Sylvia..... :-D



Good morning all poppers-inners


On a happy note on another beautiful day, and to keep us smiling, two Irish blessings for you....



May the frost never afflict your spuds.
May the leaves of your cabbage always be free from worms.
May the crows never pick your haystack.
If you inherit a donkey, may she be in foal.



May there always be work for your hands to do.
May your purse always hold a coin or two.
May the sun always shine on your windowpane.
May a rainbow be certain to follow each rain.
May the hand of a friend always be near you.
May God fill your heart with gladness to cheer you.



Cx :-)

and how is your head, Cyn???


I'm sure you might get some teasing abut that as well :-D


Have you also checked the door frame, and the step where you banged your head?? :-D :-D :-D :-D

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

That's very encouraging and yet humbling Renes.......I am so glad that our poppers-inners are getting something out of this thread. :-)


I am at the end of a v. busy day. This morning, a small group of us met with someone from the diocese to check our children's work. We were awarded a Child Friendly Church Award about 3 years ago and were due to be reassessed. Happily, we passed with flying colours...... :-D


These days, the church as a whole is very concerned about Child Protection issues and so lots of hard work has to go on to make sure it is all up to date and in order. Fortunately, we have a lady who has it all at her fingertips and keeps us up to scratch.


This evening, I was back at church again for Baptism Preparation class. We have a good team of folk who welcome the parents and make them a drink and then we get onto discussing what the Christian faith is about and what promises they are going to be making at the service.


We had a group of about 7 families tonight and they were all very attentive and friendly as I led them through the powerpoint which we use. Then we move into church to show them where they will be sitting and talk through the practicalities of the service. We can but try.


Mind you, I had to put up with a lot of teasing from our Vicar who is now back off sick leave. Last night, he and his wife came round to see us (we were friends before we moved to the church). As they were leaving and we were seeing them off, I stepped out into the porch, my ankle turned and I fell through the front door banging my head as I went.

As he explained this to the group tonight, he added that when he went to help pick me up, he wondered if he would have to bring a crane in!!!! I can see that I'm going to get a lot of stick over that incident.


After we had cleared up and put things away, the team spent a few minutes having hysterics at the Vicar's wedding photos.........he had brought them for me to take home to scan ready for a wedding fayre we are holding in the autumn.


All good fun and excellent company...... :-D :-D

Cynthia

I too read everyday .....

I always assume you are talking to me

But it seems there are a lot of us listening to you <3

SuffolkVera
That's a lovely verse to the hymn you used to sing in school ~ thank you for sharing it ~ :-)

Thank you everyone - those verses were lovely but now Vera has got me 'singing in my head' - no doubt, for the rest of the day. :-D


I will be back later with a round up of today's events......an interesting morning and an interesting evening to come. ;-)


In between that, I shall be sitting in a dentist's waiting room with my grandson :-D