General Chat

Good morning :-)

Today is the day for our Jigsaw Festival........I have to say that it looks fantastic in church!


Each life is like a jigsaw
With pieces large and small,
Some fragments show a pattern,
But others not at all.
Yet still we try to fit them,
To make the picture grow,
We puzzle and we ponder,
What meaning they might show.
Yet some day, if we’re patient,
And truth remains our goal,
I’m sure we’ll see these pieces
Have made a perfect whole.
- Margaret Ingall.


Cx :-)

Good morning :-)

Thinking about jigsaws

Working together in the Body of Christ is like assembling an interlocking puzzle. Each piece is carefully sorted and placed, and as they come together, they pave the way for more pieces to join in.

Similarly, the Body of Christ is built one person at a time, starting with someone willing to be used where God places them. This kind of willingness is a win-win for everyone involved. When you lead from your strengths and are open to collaborating with others, you connect with the whole and create opportunities for others to do the same.

By working together, you show others that their strengths are truly needed. It only takes one person to kickstart this process at home, work, community, or ministry. You can be that person by discovering your strengths, using them, and valuing the strengths of others.

And off to another day at church! :-D

Cx :-)

Good afternoon :-)

Thinking about jigsaws:

When you pour out the puzzle pieces onto the table, it can feel like chaos at first. But don't worry! Serious puzzlers always start by turning the pieces face up and sorting through them. Each piece shows just a small part of the full picture, so puzzlers work to group the pieces according to the image.

They put the border pieces together and group pieces with similar colours to make smaller sections. This brings order out of the confusion.

Similarly, it's easy to feel lost when we're not aware of our strengths. That's why discovering our strengths is so important. It all starts when we let God identify our strengths. As we discover our strengths, we start to see the unique part of God's image that we represent. God can show us where to use our strengths and how to bring order out of confusion.


Cx :-)

Good morning :-)

Thinking of jigsaws :-D

Non-interlocking puzzles are made up of pieces that don't fit tightly together. These pieces may look like they match, but they don't always hold together well. The pieces can easily move around. Once the puzzle is finished, it must stay where it is, like in a box or flat surface. If you move or lift it, the pieces will fall apart and lose shape.

Similarly, if you're unsure about your strengths and how to use them, you might feel a bit lost, just like non-interlocking puzzle pieces that don't know where they belong. Listen to God to find out where He wants you to be – He has a place for you.

Cx :-)

Good morning :-)

Our Jigsaw Festival is this coming Saturday kandj - and to say it is all systems go, is an understatement!! Just this morning, the lady who is organising the kitchen put a plea out for people to help with peeling veg ready for the soups! I don't think I will be home much for the next few days. :-D


Talking of jigsaws!!


Most jigsaw puzzles are "fully interlocking"? This means that when the pieces are put together correctly, they not only create the puzzle's image but also stay joined together. This tight connection allows the puzzle to maintain its shape even when it's moved around.

God creates the Body of Christ to be like interlocking puzzle pieces. Each of us has unique strengths. When members of the Body find their strengths, use their strengths, and value strengths in one another, we connect with each other to form a whole. Together we are stronger and can withstand changes that come with growth. We’re designed to fit together.


Cx :-)

Hello all

Cynthia, I was wondering how the Jigsaw Festival went with the Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham opening this fund raising event in your church. It will have taken weeks of organising and I really hope that the people outside of church came along to support you, as keeping a church is costly.

Vera, visiting churches abroad is often a mind blowing experience with such amazing buildings.

The last hymn in church on Sunday was.......... Bind Me, Together Lord, the first three were the traditional ones but we often have a more modern hymn to close the service with. I went out happily singing this hymn whilst driving home and for most of the day too. I've not seen Songs of Praise yet.

Best wishes to your granddaughter beginning her studies at Nottingham University, our granddaughter started back at Leeds University in her 4th year of a Master degree course.... the years have flown by!

Lots of heavy rain and more predicted overnight and tomorrow too. Stay safe everyone.

Good morning :-)

What a lovely time you have had Vera - it sounds wonderful and I am so glad you enjoyed it. It was interesting to hear about he amazing buildings - and their history too. Thanks. xx

Many young folk have begun this new phase in their lives and we wish them all well and ask for God's blessing on them. It is hoped that they work hard and have an enjoyable time meeting new friends and experiencing new things.

Bind Us Together was written in 1946 and is often used where there is a uniting theme to a service. It is a catchy and memorable hymn with easy-to-remember words and tune. <3

Our church is embarking on a new venture this coming Saturday, and one which we hope will attract both visitors and locals alike.

It's a Jigsaw Festival. There will be hundreds of jigsaws around – mostly made up so that people can see and admire them before purchase. There will also be boxed jigsaws available, and lunches will be served. Each day this week, there will be a photo of one of the puzzles which will be on display.

What is a jigsaw?

A jigsaw puzzle is a set of numerous interlocking pieces that are assembled together to produce a complete picture, often of nature, landscapes, or a recognizable piece of art. Each piece is unique, but when put together, they make the whole picture.
A jigsaw puzzle is very like the Body of Christ. Each of us represent a unique piece of a puzzle and, when we work together, we make a complete picture.

Cx :-)

Good evening

Thank you for another interesting couple of weeks Cynthia. I know I haven't posted much and I apologise but I do read the posts every day.

We were fortunate to be able to spend a week in Vienna recently and were lucky enough to get back just a day or two before the awful flooding in Central Europe, including in the Vienna area. We saw many wonderful buildings, galleries, museums and parks and the local people were all so nice, helpful and friendly. We were in walking distance of St Stephen's Roman Catholic Cathedral which we visited twice - a beautiful church that felt very welcoming. We also visited the Votive Church which is magnificent and cathedral-like. There was a failed assassination attempt on Emperor Franz Josef in 1853 and his brother started a campaign for funds to build a votive church to thank God for saving the emperor's life. I am very grateful that we still have enough good health and affluence to enable us to travel. It was a wonderful relaxing break in a somewhat difficult year.

I was watching Songs of Praise today and heard a hymn that was completely new to me. I rather liked it. The chorus was:

Bind us together, Lord
Bind us together
With cords that cannot be broken
Bind us together, Lord
Bind us together
Bind us together with Love

On Friday my son took his youngest daughter to start her first term at Nottingham university. She was both nervous and excited and there must be thousands of young people in the same position. God be with them all as they start this new phase of their lives.

Good morning :-)


Collect (special prayer) for today:
Almighty God,
you have made us for yourself,
and our hearts are restless till they find their rest in you:
pour your love into our hearts and draw us to yourself,
and so bring us at last to your heavenly city
where we shall see you face to face;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen


In today's Gospel reading:
'Then he took a little child and put it among them; and taking it in his arms, he said to them, ‘Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me.’

Cx :-)

Good morning :-)

I guess those tomatoes were delicious kandj - home-grown produce tends to be much tastier than shop-bought! Enjoy :-)


Next Saturday we are holding our first-ever Jigsaw Festival, which will be opened by Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester. We hope that he enjoys it as much as we hope to!

Speaking of Mayors of Manchester, today is St. Matthew's Day.
In the Western Christian calendar, today is the Feast of St. Matthew.

In 1223, royal permission was granted for the small market town of Manchester to hold an annual fair on 20th-21st September, to mark the Feast of St. Matthew. The fair was formally opened by the Lord of Manchester (at that time Robert Greslet) and it became one of the highlights of the year in medieval Manchester. It soon came to include the 22nd as well.

In the Middle Ages, obtaining the right to hold an annual fair was a big deal. It gave your town status and prestige, attracted business and brought in customers. It was, basically, a big market, for buying and selling produce, goods, textiles, livestock and horses. For these three days, the small town would be packed with merchants, farmers, craftsmen and people from far and wide.

As it was towards the end of harvest time, there would have been a celebratory, carnival atmosphere, with musicians, dancing, acrobats, jugglers, plays, various sports (including cruel animal "sports)" and lots of drinking and “merry-making”. Just in case of trouble, no person was allowed to carry weapons. Locals could be required at any time to help a local "grith-sergeant" to sort out any disorder. However, there is a record of some men getting round the rules by carrying whips and youths causing a nuisance by throwing acorns.

For centuries, the Manchester fair was held on a big field called Acresfield. This was a large area of open, common land on the edge of the town, where people could go freely and graze their animals. In the 16th and 17th centuries, Acresfield gradually got smaller, as buildings encroached upon it. Then, in the 18th century, a church, St. Ann's, was built on Acresfield, but it was stipulated that some land still be kept for the fair and that became St. Ann’s Square.

The Manchester fair continued to be held in some form for 600 years, until as late as 1823, when it was moved out to the Knott Mill/Camp Field market area. The Church of St. Matthews at Knott Mill was built around that time (it was demolished in 1951-52). The Castlefield area too, was soon all built upon and the St. Matthew's Day fair gradually died out in the industrial age and became a footnote of history.

Happy St. Matthew's day!


Cx :-)

Hello all

Another interesting week thinking about harvest.
Thank you Cynthia.

For almost 3 weeks I've been watering the greenhouse plants for my neighbour who is on holiday. My "reward" has been fresh tasting tomatoes and cucumbers.

"Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap,
but by the seeds that you plant."
(Robert Louis Stevenson.")

Good morning :-)



God of peace, just as seeds germinate quietly under the ground, so you are often at work before we see it. We pray for your unseen work in our world. Let it happen in us and help us to become people who look more and more like you. Mould us as your people so that we bear much fruit.

Lord of the harvest, we thank you for your peace. Amen

Cx :-)

Good morning :-)

God of hope, we pray for those people and places who do not yet know your love and hope. We pray today that you would send us to be your workers in the harvest field, showing by our lives and words how you long to embrace them in your arms and welcome them at your abundant table.

Send more workers into the fields so that we may bring more brothers and sisters home to you.

Lord of the harvest, we thank you for your hope of salvation. Amen


Cx :-)

Good morning :-)

God of justice, you commanded us to look out for the widow and the orphan, to always make sure they have enough.

We pray for those who find themselves without enough food. We pray for those who long to have enough to put on their plates and feed their families. Guide us in how we can work for justice for them.

Bless those who make policy decisions with wisdom, so that all can enjoy the fruits of your harvest.

Lord of the harvest, we thank you for your justice. Amen

Cx :-)

Good morning :-)


God of provision, thank you for generously providing so much for us.
Thank you for those who work hard in distribution – people harvesting food and carefully packing it for transport. For those overseeing supply chains, negotiating trade deals, and driving vehicles that bring it to our villages, towns, and cities.

Lord of the harvest, we thank you for your provision. Amen.

Good morning :-)

A lovely service yesterday and our children gave us several ideas on how we can be generous. :-D

Yesterday, the children gave us many ideas on how to be generous.

God of creation, thank you for the abundance of food you have provided for us. Help us to use it generously.

We confess we haven’t always shared what we have with others. Please make us generous.

Lord of the harvest, we thank you for your great generosity to us. Amen.


Cx :-)

Hello all

Harvest Festival is such a special happy service.

6th October will be the Harvest Festival service in our village church. The PCC has decided to donate all our harvest gifts to the village food bank this year. As a church we have supported the Church of England Trussell Trust Fund for very many years and will continue to do that too.

It's very sad that young and not so young people are struggling to put a meal on the table now.

Thank you for the world so sweet,
Thank you for the food we eat,
Thank you for the birds that sing,
Thank you God for everything.
Amen.

Good morning :-)

Apologies for yesterday and thanks for posting kandj. A busy Harvest time for me and today we celebrate that traditional festival at my church. The church looks lovely!

Loving God, Thank you for the many ways you provide for us: Food, family, friendship, Housing, health, happiness, And ways to use our time and talents. We lift to you too how we remain in need of these things.

We pray for people in our community and beyond who are facing unemployment, ill health, isolation or money worries, especially for those who cannot afford enough to eat. We pray for supportive relationships, practical provision and real hope. God of compassion, may your kingdom come. Amen.

Cx :-)

Hello all

The nights are drawing in very fast.

"Only in the darkness can you
see the stars."Martin Luther King.

Goodnight, God bless, sweet dreams.

Hello all

I love the Harvest Festival service, even though it's so very different to the one of long ago.

"..... God our Maker does provide
For our wants to be supplied.
Come to God's own temple come.....
Raise the song of harvest home."

Friday 13th.... take care everyone.