General Chat

Good morning :-)


“Take time to be aware that in the very midst of our busy preparations for the celebration of Christ’s birth in ancient Bethlehem, Christ is reborn in the Bethlehems of our homes and daily lives. Take time, slow down, be still, be awake to the Divine Mystery that looks so common and so ordinary yet is wondrously present.
“An old abbot was fond of saying, ‘The devil is always the most active on the highest feast days.’

“The supreme trick of Old Scratch is to have us so busy decorating, preparing food, practising music and cleaning in preparation for the feast of Christmas that we actually miss the coming of Christ. Hurt feelings, anger, impatience, injured egos—the list of clouds that busyness creates to blind us to the birth can be long, but it is familiar to us all.” Edward Hays, A Pilgrim’s Almanac

Cx :-)

Good morning :-)


During Advent, the theme of Hope, Peace, Joy and Love loom large but, there is another theme too…… Patriarchs, Prophets, John the Baptist and the Virgin Mary.

PATRIARCHS
A patriarch is. the male head of a family or tribal line. a person regarded as the father or founder of an order. In the bible, Abraham, his son Isaac and Isaac’s son Jacob are named as patriarchs.

On Sunday, the first candle was lit, not only for hope but to remember Abraham and Sarah and all the faithful people of long ago. These people listened to God and trusted God. They went on a journey to obey God. We are also on a journey of faith, to know God better.

Lord Jesus Christ, light of the world, be with us on our journey through Advent, that we may know you better.

Cx :-)

Good morning :-)


Advent is a season of preparation for the celebration of Jesus' birth at Christmas. God's prophecies in the Old Testament prepared the way for His promise.

During December, Christians take part in advent as a way to celebrate the promise of the Saviour, Jesus Christ both at birth and looking forward to His return. It is a season where we are advised to ‘be prepared’.

Cx :-)

Good morning :-)

TODAY IS ADVENT SUNDAY – we are preparing for the arrival of Jesus.

The Collect (special prayer) for today:

Almighty God,
give us grace to cast away the works of darkness
and to put on the armour of light,
now in the time of this mortal life,
in which your Son Jesus Christ came to us in great humility;
that on the last day,
when he shall come again in his glorious majesty
to judge the living and the dead,
we may rise to the life immortal;
through him who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen

The Gospel reading for today:

Matthew 24: 36-44 where we read of being prepared for the Son of Man coming at an unexpected time.

Cx :-)

Good morning :-)

Thank you Vera. The old saying of 'A dog in the manger' sprang to mind I must admit!!! :-D :-D


Heading to Advent

Heavenly Father, you sent your messengers to tell of the birth of your Son, that people might believe in him. Open our ears to hear your call, to repent of our sins, and to seek our heavenly inheritance.

May we profess Christ until we stand by his grace before the glory of your majesty; Grant this for the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.


Cx :-)

I am glad your water supply was eventually restored Cynthia. We have just had a note through the door saying that ours will be turned off for several hours on Monday so I think that might be a good day to go shopping. We do take our clean water very much for granted. So many countries don't have our advantages and it is heartbreaking when you hear of small children walking miles each day to fill a container with dirty water.

I am enjoying your Advent theme this week. It is bringing back some memories. We used to have an Advent candle when our children were young. The top of our tree always has a star and I definitely won't be buying a dog with a halo!

Good morning, thankfully, water was restored after 20 hours!


Heading to Advent

When the Christmas tree is decorated, what goes on top? Some like an angel whilst others prefer a star. Both items are rooted in the nativity story with the angels who visited the shepherds to tell them that Jesus had been born and the star which led the Wise Men to where Jesus was. I did find an angel which was a model dog with a halo – not awfully sure where that fits in!

Lord, help us to be aware of the signs which will lead us to you. Amen.

Cx :-)

Good morning :-)

Off to a good start today - no water (for over 12 hours now) sigh. Then, I think of all those who have no water for months on end. We have so much to be grateful for.


Heading towards Advent

Decorating the Christmas tree can be one of the favourite parts of preparing for the big day. Lots of tinsel and baubles are lovingly placed and hung on the branches.

If we are wanting to bring the real reason for Christmas into view, why not hang some baubles with a distinctly Christian message on them? If we can’t stand for our faith, who will?

Lord, as we decorate our trees may we always remember ‘the reason for the season’. Amen.

Cx :-)

Good afternoon (busy morning!) :-)



Heading towards Advent

One of the most popular items we see on display in various homes is, of course, the nativity scene. There is quite a history to these familiar items.

Blame St. Francis of Assisi, who is credited with staging the first live nativity scene in 1223. It appears that St. Francis got permission from Pope Honorious III to set up a manger with hay and two live animals (an ox and an ass) and to invite the villagers to come and gaze upon the scene whilst he preached about ‘the babe of Bethlehem’. There are still many places throughout the world that enact a live Nativity scene as Christmas approaches.

Of course, for most Christian families, we rely on models of the Nativity as a reminder of this holy season. These can vary enormously in price, size, material and workmanship. When we set our figures out, it’s interesting to put the Wise Men a little distance away to represent the journey they were on and then put them in the scene the week after Christmas. It’s also good to put the infant Jesus into the manger on Christmas morning.

Lord, help us to remember your great love for us each time we look at a Nativity scene. Amen.

Cx :-)

Good morning :-)



Heading towards Advent

A traditional twist on an advent calendar, an Advent candle can be a lovely addition to our homes as we build up to Christmas. We can count down the days to Christmas with the dates of Advent printed alongside a traditional nativity picture.

The candle can be placed in a small wreath of greenery and maybe put on the mantelpiece or table and can be lit before a meal or during the evening. It’s a rather beautiful way to remind us of the journey towards Christmas.

Of course, we can pay mega bucks if you so wish, but there are candles available for under £5. We don’t need to spend a lot of money to remind folk of what the season is about.

Lord, with these candles, we remember that you are the Light of the World and we wait for your coming.

Cx :-)

Hello all

Cynthia, I will join Vera in thanking you for your daily posts, always very interesting to read.

A bonus going through an interegnum period is that we get to have our Sunday morning services officiated by other clergy. It's always good to welcome them and I enjoy their different sermons.

Sending a gentle hug to everyone looking in.

Good morning :-)


Next Sunday is Advent Sunday – the beginning of the Church’s year and the countdown to Christmas Day.

As Christians, it’s really up to us to set an example of what this special season is all about. This week, we’ll look at some of the Christian Christmas decorations that are available and that we could use to share our faith with others.

Maybe we should start with Advent Calendars. Forget those displaying toys, toiletries and champagne and stick with a true Advent calendar which shows what the season is all about.

There are many that display the nativity scene and many different types from very traditional pictures to those with cute, child-like characters, There are square ones, round ones and those that have two folds.

Christian Advent calendars can be bought for under £5 but you can, of course, pay a lot more if you wish to. There are also several that you can download and print yourself if you have an artistic streak!

Lord, help us to share our Christian faith with others in whatever way we can. Amen.

Cx :-)

Good morning :-)


TODAY IS THE FEAST OF CHRIST THE KING

The Collect (special prayer) set for today :

Eternal Father,
whose Son Jesus Christ ascended to the throne of heaven
that he might rule over all things as Lord and King:
keep the Church in the unity of the Spirit
and in the bond of peace,
and bring the whole created order to worship at his feet;
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.

LUKE 23 33-43 - Reminds us of the crucifixion where Jesus is mocked


Cx :-)

Good morning :-)

Thank you Vera.........it does seem a bit lonely on here at times but, as you say, I think there are those who pop in but don't post. If the posts interest just one person, it's worth it <3

How were returning soldiers treated after World War 1?

Social attitudes towards returning war heroes were also fairly complicated.
Whilst no one doubted the bravery of the soldiers who made it back, the nation's mourning for those that didn't survive caused problems for those who survived.

Because the war dead were revered so much, people often spoke of 'the nation's best men being lost to war'. This attitude implied that those who had managed to return were somehow less important or less brave than their fallen comrades.

For many people who had experienced the horror of war directly, there was nothing they'd have liked more than to be able to forget the events they had witnessed.

Finally, there was added pressure due to the political tensions of the time.

Whilst World War I was seen as the 'war to end all wars', it was only a matter of years before the prospect of World War II seemed menacingly close - and the thought of returning to war must have been truly horrifying for the veterans of World War I.

Let peace begin with me
Let this be the moment now.
With every step I take
Let this be my solemn vow.
To take each moment
And live each moment
With peace eternally.
Let there be peace on earth,
And let it begin with me.

Cx :-)

Another couple of interesting and thought provoking weeks Cynthia. .

I don't post very often as I seldom feel I have anything to add but I do look in every day and appreciate you keeping the thread going. At times you must wonder if you are talking to yourself but I am sure there are others who don't post but do look in.so Thank You.

Good morning :-)

The War is over. What next?

Once the soldiers had been treated for their injuries, whether or not they had, it was commonplace for the men to be left to help themselves, with little or no financial help to get back on their feet in society.

Unemployment was low during the war but once the men had returned there weren’t enough jobs for all, even though women had largely had to leave the jobs they’d taken on.
There were a number of charities and organisations that tried to provide support and relief. The British Legion was formed in 1921 when four national organisations of ex-servicemen were united.

They helped with financial assistance for ex-servicemen and their families and helped them manage their injuries or disabilities, providing medical aids such as wheelchairs and crutches.

Cx :-)

Good morning :-)


The War is over – what next?

The government thought it was important that those returning should quickly get back into everyday life, to their homes and jobs.

This was made more complicated by the fact that a large proportion of the men had been injured, and many suffered long-term disabilities caused by amputation, blindness, disfigurement and poison gas damage to heart and lungs.

Surgery had improved, and there were advances in artificial limbs and so sometimes doctors could help soldiers become independent once more, when the injuries were physical.

A greater challenge was helping those with mental health problems caused by the trauma of being in war.

“Shell shock” as it was called then, caused patients to shake, to have nightmares and to see and hear things that weren’t there. It was frequently impossible for someone with shell shock to lead a normal life.

Doctors didn’t really know how to treat mental health problems like these and sometimes their attempts were brutal – men would be told to stop being cowardly and pull themselves together.

Today we better understand the effect of traumatic events on mental health.

Lord, we pray for those who are suffering from PTSD due to recent conflicts. We ask that they be given the help and support they need. Amen.

Cx :-) :

Good morning :-)

That's a new one on me kandj :-)


The War was over – what next? Leaving the army

Before he would have left the battlefield, a soldier would have had a medical examination to document any injuries he had sustained. He would also be given forms for claiming civilian clothes and an employment certificate to show what he had done in the army. If he’d lost any of his equipment that would be logged because it would have to be paid for out of his wages.

On arrival in England, the man would move to a Dispersal Centre. This was a hutted or tented camp or barracks. Here he received a Protection Certificate which enabled him to get medical care and a railway warrant or ticket to his home station.

They’d receive any outstanding payments or vouchers to receive this from the post office, a ration book and could choose to have either a clothing allowance of 52 shillings and sixpence or be provided with a suit of plain clothes.

They had to return their army great coat within 28 days of leaving and were given a pound in return.

The soldiers might have expected a hero’s welcome but it wasn’t the same for all. In some places, there were bands at the railway stations playing triumphant music as the trains pulled in. Others may have arrived late at night to an empty platform.

Lord, we pray for soldiers who are returning home.

Cx :-)

Hello all

I have these words going around in my head.

Faithful one
So unchangng.
Ageless One
You're my rock of peace.
Lord of all I depend on You.
I call out to You, again and again,
I call out to You, again and again.
You are my rock n times of trouble.
You lift me up when I fall down.
All through the storm
Your love is the anchor.
My hope is in you alone.

Sending hugs for all who are struggling today.

Good afternoon :-)


The War was over – so what next? Going home

Winston Churchill, who was a politician at the time, decided that the order system wasn’t fair – those who’d been on farms and mines were often the last to be called up to join the war and so going home first angered the others who’d served for longer periods of time.

He changed the rules so other things were taken into account, – such as length of service and any injuries.

A few soldiers weren’t in a hurry to return home, or leave the army. They’d become accustomed to the way of life, or perhaps hadn’t family or friends to return to.

Some would stay and marry and raise families in the places where they’d fought, or continue to serve as soldiers in other parts of the world.

Those who did return home could find themselves on another long journey back to normality.

Lord, we pray for those who are leaving military service today. May they be well cared for. Amen.

Cx :-)