General Chat

Me too, I like to read your words and prayers but don't often reply, but be assured that you are not talking to yourself Cynthia, so thank you to you and to John too.

You are never talking to yourself Cynthia. I look in every day to read your prayers, but don't often post. <3

Cynthia loved this mornings prayer, made me chuckle. I too pop in frequently but don't often post.

Goodness John that name is a mouthfull.

That was a nice surprise.........so many friends popping in.... and thank you for the kind words...............:-)


John, even if you came back with a name like 'Icky the Fire Bobby', we would still know who you were!!


Have to admit that I have never heard of Rev. John Fletcher though. Things have changed a lot since those days with regard to his wife being allowed to stay in the Vicarage for so long after his death. These days, clergy wives have to be out of the Vicarage within 3 months.......it's system I have never been happy with :-(


Just having some lunch and then it's back to the ironing board.......... :-D

"I may be talking to myself some days on here". The lovely responses this morning show how wrong you are, Cynthia :-D And your thoughts this morning made me chuckle a lot :-)

Reason I have changed my board name is 1. I don't like Cocoa or Horlicks really 2. Llort (pronounced thlort in Welsh) is the exact opposite of a troll - but a bit childish, I thought. So changed to current name.

And Rev John Fletcher really was a great Christian. He was born Jean Guillaume de la Flechere in Nyon, Sw itzerand in 1729. Came to Shrewsbury area to be French tutor to the Hill family. Met John and Charles Wesley about 1756 in London. Became Curate of Madely in Shropshire in 1758 and was Vicar there from 1759 till his early death (from TB) in 1785. His wife, Mary Bosanquet, continued his work and was allowed to continue in the Vicarage in Madely till 1815. Selected by John Wesley to be leader of the Methodist Society (then part of Church of England) and Wesley described him a few months after Fletcher's death in 1785 as the holiest person he had known.

So you will understand why I am really proud of my new board name :-) :-)

Cynthia same as others first stop in the morning,
don't always add to your thread but wouldn't miss it.

Emma :-)

Prayer for Unity (National Council of Churches in Australia - Faith and Unity Commission)

"Jesus Christ, we proclaim with joy our common identity in you, and we thank you for inviting us into a dialogue of love with you and others.

Open our hearts to share more perfectly in your prayer to the Father (the Lord's Prayer) that we may be one, so that as we journey together we may draw closer to each other.

Give us the courage to bear witness to the truth together, and may our
conversations embrace those who perpetuate disunity.

Send your Spirit to empower us to challenge situations where dignity and
compassion are lacking in our societies, nations, and the world.

God of life, lead us to justice and peace. Amen."

nb If no one minds, I will continue occasionally to post on this thread. I have informed posters that I will not post on any other threads from now on, and intend to stick with that decision.

Had a lovely day yesterday. The young preacher who I am mentoring (very badly) came to our chapel and he brought some lovely songs (old and new) and his message was about the 70 disciples who Jesus empowered to go out in twos. They went out without anything - no money, no food, no shoes even. And the 70 visited houses and built the foundations of what we now see today - 1.2 billion people belonging to the Roman Catholic Church, and nearly the same number in various Protestant and Orthodox connections.

The number 70 is so often a crucial number in the Bible, and I think the Jewish Sanhedrim had 70 members. Our young preacher delivered text after text drawing attention to the number 70. A very clever and talented young man, and everyone stayed behind chatting to him and his wife for at least half an hour (and no coffee served!!!!) :-D :-D

I only post occasionally but it's the first thread I read every time I look in. Please keep posting Cynthia - it is appreciated.

I too read but don't post. I appreciate your words. I wake up every morning to a view of the mountain in one direction and the sea in the other and I do realise how fortunate I am.

Keep posting Cynthia

Wendy x

You are not talking to yourself Cynthia, I read but don't post, and I take something away with me every time I do pop in to look.
Loved reading about your service yesterday;-)
Enjoy your day - and thank you
Lyndi x

I may be talking to myself some days on here but, at least I can have a smile or two.....



Monday Morning prayer


Dear Lord,

Help me to relax about insignificant details, beginning tomorrow at 7:41:23 a.m. EST.

Help me to consider people's feelings, even if most of them are hypersensitive.

Help me to take responsibility for the consequences of my actions, even though they're usually not my fault.

Help me to not try to run everything - but, if you need some help, please feel free to ask me.

Help me to be more laid back, and help me to do it exactly right.

Help me to take things more seriously, especially laughter, parties, and dancing.

Give me patience, and I mean right now!

Help me not be a perfectionist. (Did I spell that correctly?)

Help me to finish everything I sta

Help me to keep my mind on one thing ... oh, look, a bird ... at a time.

Help me to do only what I can, and trust you for the rest. And would you mind putting that in writing?

Keep me open to others' ideas, misguided though they may be.

Help me follow established procedures. Hey, wait ... this is wrong ...

Help me slow down andnotrushthroughwhatido.

Thank you, Lord.

Amen


:-D :-D :-D


On a more thoughtful note.......


A Celtic prayer


There is no plant in the ground
But is full of God’s virtue.
There is no form in the strand
But it is full of God’s blessing.
There is no life in the sea,
There is not creature in the river,
There is not in the firmament
But proclaims God’s goodness.



Cx :-)

That was an interesting morning!!!


Our vicar returns to duty next week but has been attending the early service as part of the congregation. He was still around when I arrived for the next service and he said he wanted to wait to hear the 1st hymn - Angel Voices Ever Singing - because it was his ordination hymn.

He waited at the back and then crept out. A minute later, he crept back in looking like the Hunchback of Notre Dame.......he'd forgotten his jacket! :-D


Quite a few little ones in this morning. They come into the service at The Peace and join in with the rest of us and there are some pews reserved at the front for them. Some of the tiddlies picked up nearby hassocks and plonked themselves at the chancel steps so that they could see what was going on!

In order to help them and make sure they didn't go wandering and trip people up, I scrambled down to join them. Getting down on the floor to talk to them was one thing.......getting up was quite another!!! :-D

I think I may have to resort to wearing trousers........... :-D :-D :-D


They watched, wide-eyed, as the choir, the candles and the clergy passed by at the end and the visiting lady vicar was quite enthralled with them. It was lovely...... :-)

Thank you for your thoughts Emma....... :-)



John, a few years ago at a Good Friday afternoon service, I remember a vividly graphic reading of the effects of crucifixion on the body - a blow by blow account shall I say! It wasn't easy to listen to but it brought home the physical suffering of Christ.

Later, someone complained that the reading was too detailed and gory and shouldn't have been done. It made me think of how often we tend to 'sanitize' or 'play down' the actual agonies of the Cross so that we aren't 'offended' by His sufferings.

It's a funny old world at times!! :-)


Anyway, the prayer for today............from a Baptist Church in Nottingham....


A Prayer for Sunday


Lord, today is special.

It’s your day.

Help me to worship you in a worthy way.

Help me to keep you in view,

to meditate on your word,

to hear your voice.

Lead me into the week

assured that you are with me,

and to know that with you

Each day is special.

Amen


Better get my skates on..........have a good day. Cx :-)

What a lovely thread you have put up about Piper Alpha, Emma. 25 years ago today!!!

And all those families still so affected by their loss. We must pray for all those families today :-)

Thank you Cynthia and John.
Today my thoughts are with families and friends of
the Piper Alpha disaster may they rest in peace the
167men who lost their lives.

Emma

What lovely thoughts to start our beautiful and sunny Saturday and end week on a high note, Cynthia.

Not quite the lovely thoughts of Helen Steiner Rice. My thoughts are a bit "X" Cert so do not read if squeamish.

He was horribly disfigured for you. From the crown of his head to the soles of his feet, he was only wounds, bruises and putrifying sores (Isaiah Chapter 1 verse 6). He was horribly mutilated, he had a crown of thorns, was flayed alive, his hands and feet were pierced by cruel nails, a sword was plunged into his side.

Why? Because we all, like sheep, go astray and pursue the popularity, the wonders and wealth of this world.

Why? To show us a pearl without price. To give us that real peace that passes all human understanding.

Why? Because he loves each one of us - good or bad as we might be - with an unreserved love. Our names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life.

Why? Because truly knowing his love and the love of the indwelling Holy Spirit is a foretaste of heaven and the only way to achieve any real and lasting happiness in this world and the next. :-)

Another beautiful day and I hope everyone is keeping well - I thought I would share this with you today......



~ Help Yourself To Happiness ~


Everybody, everywhere
seeks happiness, it's true,
But finding it and keeping it
seem difficult to do.
Difficult because we think
that happiness is found
Only in the places where
wealth and fame abound.
And so we go on searching
in palaces of pleasure
Seeking recognition
and monetary treasure,
Unaware that happiness
is just a state of mind
Within the reach of everyone
who takes time to be kind.
For in making others happy
we will be happy, too.
For the happiness you give away
returns to shine on you.


- Helen Steiner Rice


Cx :-)

You're very welcome Vera. :-)

Thank you Cynthia., I will copy this for a friend whose daughter and grandchildren live in New Zealand.

Good morning friends..........whoever and wherever you are...... :-)


Many of us have friends and family who live away from us............



~ Haven Of The Heart ~

Our father, who art in heaven,
hear this little prayer
and reach across the miles today
that stretch from here to there,
so I may feel much closer
to those I am fondest of,
and they may know I think of them
with thankfulness and love.
and help all people everywhere
who must often dwell apart
to know that they are together
in the haven of the heart.


- Helen Steiner Rice.




Looks as though Summer is here.......well, for a few days anyway! Take care.


Cx :-)