General Chat

Good morning :-)


SYMBOLS OF THE TRINITY

The Trinity Shield was another symbol that depicts how each person of the Trinity is distinct but is in essence, the same God.
Originally used as a teaching tool by early Church leaders, this symbol explains that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are all part of a single God, but that they are three distinct beings that together complete God.

Glory be to the Father,
Who by His almighty power and love created me,
making me in the image and likeness of God.

Glory be to the Son,
Who by His Precious Blood delivered me from hell,
and opened for me the gates of heaven.

Glory be to the Holy Spirit,
Who has sanctified me in the sacrament of Baptism,
and continues to sanctify me
by the graces I receive daily from His bounty.

Glory be to the Three adorable Persons of the Holy Trinity,
now and forever.

Amen.

Cx :-)

Good morning :-)


So what IS The Holy Trinity?

The Holy Trinity is a central and mysterious concept in Christianity, representing the unity of three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. It has been important since the beginnings of Christianity, and various symbols have been created to represent and celebrate this idea.

Over time, various symbols have been used to try to help us understand this

The Triangle

The triangle is one of the earliest symbols of the Trinity. Its three equal sides represent the three persons in one God. The connections between the sides reflect the eternal nature of the Trinity, while the stability of the triangle symbolises God.


Father, You sent your Word to bring us truth and your Spirit to make us holy. Through them, we come to know the mystery of your life. Help us to worship you, one God in three persons. You reveal yourself in the depths of our being by proclaiming and living our faith in you. Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever.

Amen.

Cx :-)

Good morning :-)


TODAY IS TRINITY SUNDAY

Trinity Sunday is a day to reflect on the mystery of the Holy Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This important belief in Christianity can be hard to understand, as it describes how God is one and yet three. The Trinity helps us express what we know about God, even if we can't fully grasp it. God is the Creator of the universe, became human in Jesus, and lives in our hearts through the Holy Spirit.



Cx :-)

Good morning :-)


For the Spirit of Peace
that calms our mind
and stills our life,
we give you thanks.

For the Spirit of Love
that touches hearts
and reaches out,
we give you thanks.

For the Spirit of Joy
that lifts our soul
and gives us faith
we give you thanks.

For the Spirit of Power,
that gift of grace
for this your church,
we give you thanks.


Cx :-)

Good morning :-)

What a tragedy in India, so many lives lost in the air crash. We hold in our prayers the victims and their families at this time. <3


Before the Spirit came, you were just words on a page,
Black on white and yellowed with age.
Simply a story of long ago,
Of a man who had so much love to show;
Who healed the sick and cured the lame;
Took our guilt and bore our shame.
It sounded so good, but it just couldn’t last.
It was not for today but locked in the past.
Until the Spirit came.

Now the Spirit has come, you are here at my side,
Larger than life and ready to guide;
Making real to me all that you said
And doing through me the things that I read.
I am the glove that your hand has filled;
I am the cup into which you have spilled
All the love and the power which you promised would come,
Right now in the present and for everyone.
Since the Spirit came.


Cx :-)

Good morning :-)


Everyone loved Bill for his kindness and vibrant spirit. He always had the right words to say and was a trusted friend. So, when the news of his promotion that would take him far away broke, it was a hard blow to all. While they were happy for his achievement, the thought of losing his encouraging presence was a difficult one. Bill’s unique friendship was irreplaceable, and they knew things wouldn’t be the same without him. Though they might communicate through letters, calls, or emails, it wouldn’t compare to sharing moments with him in person. They all wished he could stay, but they understood it was not possible.

Have you ever known someone like Bill who profoundly impacted your life? If so, you can relate to how the disciples felt about Jesus. He was so important to them that when he left, they felt lost and wished he could stay forever.

And then the Spirit came.


Cx :-)

Good morning :-)


PENTECOST
Unless the eye catch fire,
The God will not be seen.

Unless the ear catch fire
The God will not be heard.

Unless the tongue catch fire
The God will not be named.

Unless the heart catch fire,
The God will not be loved.

Unless the mind catch fire,
The God will not be known.

- William Blake (1757-1827)

May your holy spirit
burn through us,
and call us
to tell even those who aren’t ready to listen
that the world can’t wait.
Amen.

Cx :-)

Good morning :-)

WHAT IS PENTECOST ALL ABOUT?

Pentecost marks a significant new beginning in God's plan to save the world. Christians believe that anyone can experience everything Jesus was, said, and did because of the Holy Spirit, who comes to fill those who seek him. It's crucial to recognize that the Holy Spirit is a person, not just an impersonal force. Essentially, it's Jesus returning to support his disciples, helping them in his mission to rescue the world.


May your urgent spirit send us out,
and demand our courage;
may we set forth the stories of truth
in the face of the story of power.
May world leaders listen to us.


Cx :-)

Good morning :-)


What is Pentecost all about?

Pentecost means '50'.

Pentecost Sunday is one of movable feasts in the Church calendar. This is because it depends on the date of Easter. In the Church calendar, it falls seven Sundays or 50 days after Easter Sunday.
Pentecost commemorates the coming of the Holy Spirit on Jesus’s disciples. This happened just after his Ascension at the Feast of Pentecost.


It's traditionally celebrated as Whitsun.
The word Pentecost has become more common in the UK, but traditionally the Church celebrated it as Whitsun – 'White Sunday'. It's believed that this is because it was a day for baptisms, and those being baptised would wear white.


Ever-present, ever-loving God,
May your gentle spirit surprise us,
shatter our complacency
and wake us
from our dreams.
We know the time is now.

Cx :-)

Good morning :-)

Thank you Vera <3



TODAY WE CELEBRATE PENTECOST – the coming of the Holy Spirit.

Pentecost is a Christian festival commemorating the descent of the Holy Spirit, observed 50 days after Easter. The name comes from the Greek word for "fiftieth." It's also known as Whitsun but doesn't always match the UK Whitsun Bank Holiday.

Pentecost is seen as the birthday of the Christian church and the beginning of its mission to the world.

It is also Walking Day for our church, when there is a parade with banners and bands around the area. A long-held tradition which is under threat, but we fight on!! :-D

Cx :-)

Thank you for this week's posts Cynthia - a lovely week of gentle smiles. OH and I particularly liked the little girl who asked God to "deliver us some email" :-D

I wish you all Sunday blessings tomorrow and a joyful and contented week ahead.

Good morning :-)

Little Bobby was spending the weekend with his grandmother.
His grandmother decided to take him to the park on Saturday morning. It had been snowing all night, and everything was beautiful.
His grandmother remarked, “Doesn’t it look like an artist painted this scenery? Did you know God painted this just for you?”
Bobby said, “Yes, God did it and he did it left-handed.”
This confused his grandmother a bit, and she asked him, “What makes you say God did this with his left hand?”
“Well,” said Bobby, “we learned at Sunday School last week that Jesus sits on God’s right hand!”


Quotes from children!
Noah's wife was called Joan of Ark.

Noah built an ark, which the animals came on to in pears.

The people who followed the Lord were called the 12 decibels.

A Christian should have only one wife. This is called monotony.

David fought with the Finklesteins, a race of people who lived in Biblical times.

Adam and Eve had a son, Cain, who hated his brother as long as he was Abel.

David had a son named Solomon who had about 300 wives and 500 porcupines. My teacher says he was wise, but that doesn't sound very wise to me.

God bless all children, everywhere. <3

Cx :-)

Good morning :-)

KIDS IN CHURCH – we love them!

The Sunday School teacher was carefully explaining the story of Elijah the Prophet and the false prophets of Baal. She explained how Elijah had built the altar, put wood upon it, cut the steer in pieces and laid it upon the altar. And then Elijah commanded the people of God to fill four barrels of water and pour it over the altar. He had them do this four times. “Now,” said the teacher, “can anyone in the class tell me why the Lord would have Elijah pour water over the steer on the altar?”
A little girl raised her hand and replied enthusiastically, “To make gravy!”


A mother was teaching her three-year old the Lord’s Prayer. For several evenings at bedtime, the little girl repeated the prayer after her mother. One night, she said she was ready to say it by herself. The mother listened with pride as her child carefully enunciated each word, right up to the end of the prayer, “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us some E-mail. Amen.”

Thank you, God, for children. <3


Cx :-)

Good morning :-)

KIDS IN CHURCH – we love them!
Little Johnny and his family were having Sunday dinner at his Grandma's house. Everyone was seated around the table as the food was being served. When Johnny received his plate, he started eating right away.
“Johnny! Please wait until we say our prayer,” said his mother. “I don’t need to,” the boy replied. “Of course, you do,” his mother insisted. “We always say a prayer before eating at our house.”
“That’s at our house,” Johnny explained. “But this is Grandma’s house, and she knows how to cook!


One Sunday, after church, an 8-year-old asked her other what ‘The Word’ was. Her mother was confused. The girl continued, “Every Sunday, we say 'Only say the word, and I shall be healed', but the vicar never tells us WHICH word!"


Four children were running madly around the house when their mother shouted at them, “What is wrong with you all, were you born in a barn?”
The 4-year-old stopped, grinned toothlessly, and said, “No, but Jesus was and he turned out okay!”

Thank God for children. ??

Cx :-)

Good morning :-)


KIDS IN CHURCH – we love them!


A Sunday School teacher asked:
“What is the first and greatest commandment?”
A child answered:
“Hang all the law and the prophets!”.

Another Sunday School teacher asked:
“Who lived in the Garden of Eden?”
A child answered:
“The Adamses.”

Yet another Sunday school teacher said to her children, “We have been learning how powerful kings and queens were in Bible times. But, there is a Higher Power. Can anybody tell me what it is?”
One child blurted out, “Aces!”


:-D :-D

Cx :-)

Good morning :-)

Dear Vera, it's lovely to have you posting, and it really doesn't have to be anything useful -- just knowing that someone is out there helps a lot! So pleased that your daughter is doing well, bless her. <3

KIDS IN CHURCH

A Sunday School teacher asked her class, "Does anyone here know what we mean by sins of omission?" A small girl replied: "Aren't those the sins we should have committed, but didn't?"



A little boy was overheard praying:
"Lord, if you can't make me a better boy,
don't worry about it.
I'm having a real good time like I am."

A Sunday school class was
studying the Ten Commandments.
The teacher asked if anyone
could tell her what the last one was.
Susie raised her hand,
stood tall and quoted,
"Thou shalt not take the
covers off thy neighbour's wife."

Cx :-)

:-D :-D :-D I wish I'd noted down the funny things my children and grandchildren have said.

I do look in every day and enjoy your posts Cynthia as I invariably learn something new or am given some topic to think about. However I don't post as much as I used to as I seldom seem to have anything very useful to add.

Kandj, it is kind of you to ask about my daughter and I appreciate you thinking of her.. Of course, she has good days and bad days but is generally doing well. She is fortunate in having plenty of friends and has found that keeping busy works best for her. She has just helped a friend move house and redecorate. She volunteered to do a couple of hours a week at a local garden project and in no time at all was made a trustee and is helping to write a 10 year plan. She let it be known to the local amateur music world that she is back in circulation and has already been booked to play for 2 events. Sometimes I wonder how she finds time to breathe! She has been given strength when she needed it most and I thank God for that.

Good morning :-)


Kids can say the funniest things!


A mother took her three-year-old daughter to church for the first time. The church lights were lowered, and then the choir came down the aisle, carrying lighted candles. All was quiet until the little one started to sing in a loud voice, "Happy Birthday to you, happy birthday to you...."

A three-year-old put his shoes on by himself. His mother noticed the left was on the right foot. She said, "David, your shoes are on the wrong feet." He looked up at her with a raised brow and said, "Don't be silly mummy. I know they're MY feet."

Casey asked her Sunday School teacher a question: “If the people of Israel are Israelites, and the people of Canaan are Canaanites, are the people of Paris called Parasites?”

:-D :-D

Cx :-)

Good morning :-)

The Collect (special prayer for today
O God the King of glory,
you have exalted your only Son Jesus Christ
with great triumph to your kingdom in heaven:
we beseech you, leave us not comfortless,
but send your Holy Spirit to strengthen us
and exalt us to the place where our Saviour Christ is gone before,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen

Today we hear about Silas and Paul in jail and also, how Jesus wants us to be one.



Cx :-)

Good morning :-)

Symbols of Peace – sharing The Peace

Minister: The Peace of the Lord be always with you.
People: And also with you.
Minister: Let us offer one another the sign of peace.

In the middle of our worship services, we pause to pass the Peace, a tradition where everyone greets one another with handshakes and hugs. This act, which may seem chaotic, serves a deeper purpose: to reconcile with one another before receiving Communion, as Jesus taught.

Passing the Peace is not about saying ‘Good Morning’ or having a natter, it reminds us to reflect on our relationships, to pray for those we've hurt or who have hurt us, to confess our sins, and to embrace forgiveness. It symbolises our new life in Christ, inviting us to engage meaningfully rather than simply going through the motions.

Cx :-)