General Chat

Good morning :-)

Harvest - a time to be generous in so many ways

Lord, In your boundless compassion, grant me the gift of empathy. Help me feel the pain and joy of others as deeply as if it were my own. Guide my actions so I may understand their needs and extend a helping hand with a heart wide open. I thank you for the privilege of sharing in the beauty of empathy and pray that you fill me with the strength to be a source of solace to those in need.Amen.


Cx :-)

Good morning :-)

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


Cx :-)

Good morning :-)

A Handful of Rice – concluded.

How much do we need to be as generous as the people of Mizoram?

When will we be so grateful for what God has given us, that we will become as generous as the people of Mizoram?

How is the best way to express our thanksgiving to God?

It is best expressed through our generosity.

It is time for us to show our gratitude to God through our generosity, and to share what we have, however great or small, with others.

Lord, I thank you for all you have given to me I pray that you will give me, a generous heart, a giving heart and a grateful heart Always willing to share what I have with others. Amen.


Cx :-)

Good morning :-)

Continued from yesterday :

A Handful of Rice

Mizo people say, “As long as we have something to eat every day, we have something to give to God every day.”

Imagine putting a handful of rice aside at mealtimes on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. Then not having any food at all to eat on a Saturday! How tempting would it be to just cook that rice and not go to church, or go and not give the rice at the offering?

How often do we say………
We will give later.
We will give when we have more money.
We will give when we have what WE need.

To be continued......


Cx :-)

Good morning :-)

Next Sunday, our church celebrates Harvest Festival, that special day where we remember and give thanks for our food and for those who provide it. We ask for donations to help us to help others. Once again, the diocese has produced ideas for us to share at this harvest time:

OVERFLOWING GENEROSITY A story: A Handful of Rice

A Christian community in Mizoram in NE India began this tradition in 1910. It is a practice where each family puts aside a handful of rice every time they cook a meal. At the end of the week, they gather it together and offer it to the church. The church sells the rice, which generates income to support its work.

Over time, the amount of rice given has increased and people have also started to give other things including firewood, vegetables and other produce. The result is the churches in Mizoram are now self-sufficient.

‘If everyone gives a little each day, great things can be achieved’.

Cx :-)

Good morning :-)

Collect (special prayer) for today:
God, who in generous mercy sent the Holy Spirit
upon your Church in the burning fire of your love:
grant that your people may be fervent
in the fellowship of the gospel
that, always abiding in you,
they may be found steadfast in faith and active in service;
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.

Cx :-)

Good morning :-)

To make you smile!


“Sick” by Shel Silverstein

"I cannot go to school today!"
Said little Peggy Ann McKay
"I have the measles and the mumps
A gash, a rash, and purple bumps
My mouth is wet, my throat is dry
I'm going blind in my right eye
My tonsils are as big as rocks
I've counted sixteen chicken pox
And there's one more, that's seventeen
And don't you think my face looks green?
My leg is cut, my eyes are blue
It might be instamatic flu
I cough and sneeze and gasp and choke
I'm sure that my left leg is broke
My hip hurts when I move my chin
My belly button's caving in
My back is wrenched, my ankle's sprained
My 'pendix pains each time it rains
My nose is cold, my toes are numb
I have a sliver in my thumb
My neck is stiff, my spine is weak
I hardly whisper when I speak
My tongue is filling up my mouth
I think my hair is falling out
My elbow's bent, my spine ain't straight
My temperature is 108
My brain is shrunk, I cannot hear
There's a hole inside my ear
I have a hangnail, and my heart is... what?
What's that? What's that you say?
You say today is Saturday? Ha-ha
G'bye, I'm goin' out to play"


Cx :-)

Hello all

Starting back in school after the Summer break is often difficult for the pupil, parents and teachers.
Hopefully after the weekend it will be much easier.

"A new school year means
new beginnings and new adventures."
(Denise Witmer).

Good morning :-)



At the start of the school year, we are beginning something new
New things can be exciting
New things can be scary
New things can be wonderful
New things can be confusing
God, you are always with us
You are with us when things are exciting, or scary, or wonderful, or confusing
You are with us every day
And all the time
God, please help us to feel your presence with us on these first days of school, and every day, Amen

Cx :-)

Good morning :-)

There are schools throughout the country that are specially designed for those students who may be facing challenges and difficulties. We pray for the teachers who help and assist their pupils and for those young people. Grant them strength and perseverance to overcome obstacles and continue their educational journey with determination. Fill their hearts with courage and resilience.

Bible Verse: “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” – Philippians 4:13


Cx :-)

Good morning :-)

Today, we think of all the people who help to make our schools run smoothly. We pray for all the office staff, caretakers—cleaning staff and dinner ladies who work to make our schools happy places.

We thank God for their patience and kindness and for their dedication to the work they do. Amen.

Cx :-)

Hello all

Vera, well done to both your granddaughters, and I hope your good friends health improves for them.

Cynthia, Amen to your morning prayer. Our village schools go back tomorrow and the streets will be very quiet then.

"Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world."
Nelson Mandela.

Good morning :-)

The school holidays are at an end and pupils and staff are returning to the classroom.

Dear God, Thank You for the amazing teachers who have devoted their lives to serve our children. As they navigate this new school year, fill them with strength to lead and thrive in their classroom—whatever it may look like! Protect their bodies from illness and their spirits from weariness as they pour into the next generation through education. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Amen.

Cx :-)

Good morning :-)

Thank you for your kind words Vera and I am glad that your life has those wonderful bright spots in it. It makes such a difference to hear good news.

The Collect (special prayer for today)

Almighty God,
whose only Son has opened for us
a new and living way into your presence:
give us pure hearts and steadfast wills
to worship you in spirit and in truth;
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.


Cx :-)

An interesting and thought provoking couple of weeks as always Cynthia. Thank you. The Did You Know section mostly managed to show me how much I did not know which made me smile.

August was another up and down month for us 2 people close to us are very ill and a number of our friends have been dealing with illness and operations. That’s always a sadness but in between we’ve had some good news too. One granddaughter, who has some problems and lacks confidence, has got a new job as a trainee. It’s very good news as this company advertised for 12 traineeships and had over 700 applications and granddaughter had to go through 3 increasingly tough interviews. Her younger sister also brightened our month by getting good A-Level results and being offered various places. She has accepted an offer to read Physics and Astronomy at Nottingham uni.

These things are like beacons of hope in a rather doom laden month and we are so grateful for that and for everything else that’s right in our world. I hope all who read this thread are currently having more ups than downs in their lives.

Good morning :-)

God Knows Best
by Helen Steiner Rice

Our Father knows what's best for us,
So why should we complain
We always want the sunshine,
But He knows there must be rain
We love the sound of laughter
And the merriment of cheer,
But our hearts would lose their tenderness
If we never shed a tear...
Our Father tests us often
With suffering and with sorrow,
He tests us, not to punish us,
But to help us meet tomorrow...
For growing trees are strengthened
When they withstand the storm,
And the sharp cut of a chisel
Gives the marble grace and form...
God never hurts us needlessly,
And He never wastes our pain
For every loss He send to us
Is followed by rich gain...
And when we count the blessings
That God has so freely sent,
We will find no cause for murmuring
And no time to lament...
For our Father loves His children,
And to Him all things are plain,
So He never sends us pleasure
When the soul's deep need is pain...
So whenever we are troubled,
And when everything goes wrong,
It is just God working in us
To make our spirit strong.

Cx :-)

Good morning :-)


A rather different version of the 23rd Psalm.

The TV is my shepherd, I shall want.
It makes me lie down on the sofa.
It leads me away from the Scriptures.
It destroys my soul.
It leads me in the path of sex and violence, for the sponsor's sake.
Yea, though I walk in the shadow of my Christian responsibilities.
There will be no interruption, for the TV is with me.
It's cable and remote, they control me.
It prepares a commercial before me In the presence of worldliness;
It anoints my head with Humanism, My coveting runneth over.
Surely laziness and ignorance shall follow me all days of my life:
And I shall dwell in the house watching TV forever.

Cx :-)

Good morning :-)


We had a fantastic day with a children's festival at our church yesterday..............so.

A man and his young son went to church, and when they came out the father was complaining that the service was too long, the preacher was no good, and the singing was off-key.
Finally the little boy said, "Daddy, I thought it was pretty good for a pound."


A Sunday school teacher was teaching her class about the difference between right and wrong.
"All right children, let's take another example," she said. "If I were to get into a man's pocket and take his wallet with all his money, what would I be?"
Little Johnny raises his hand, and with a confident smile, he blurts out, "You'd be his wife!"

:-D :-D

Cx :-)

Good morning :-)

When our bodies need protection we duck or hug our arms to our chests. We try and avoid dangerous situations in order to stay safe.

When our minds are in danger, we know that rest is needed and we try to relax and find less stressful things to do. We may share our problem with a close friend.

But how do we protect our spirits? We need to read the bible more, pray more and stay away from things that are evil. What is evil? Evil is anything that is opposed to God and what God wants for us. Most of us know right from wrong, so we stay away from what is wrong – be it a book, a TV programme, a place – anything which just does not feel good.

Many people go to fortune tellers, seances, tarot readers etc. In the world of the Christian, these are forbidden as it is saying that they are trusting these people rather than trusting God. Definitely a no-no for a Christian.

We need to protect our spiritual lives for eternity.

Cx :-)

Good morning :-)

We all know about our bodies and how to look after them: diet, exercise and, when problems arise we go to the doctors.

We all know (or have a fair idea_ about our minds: education, experience, ideas. If a problem arises, there are specialists to help us.

But what about our spirit? Hmmm. That's another thing altogether. Our spiritual lives are what connects us to God. How do we connect? We read our bibles!


WHAT IF WE TREATED OUR BIBLE THE WAY WE TREAT OUR CELL PHONE?
What if we carried it with us everywhere?
Turned back to get it if we forgot it?
Checked it for messages throughout the day?
Used it in case of an emergency?
Spent an hour or more using it each day?

‘What if’ indeed.


Cx :-)