Christian Coffee House - Prayer/Chat thread. No rubbish church coffee allowed.

[Madhairday]

With the latest prayer thread coming to an end, we thought we would create a new thread for prayer and general chat too - we had chat threads running for years alongside prayer threads, and we thought it would be great to combine them. I try and collate some of the prayer requests from the last thread in the next few days. In the meantime, dive in! Lurkers/newbies - you are welcome to post. Feel free to start any chat subject about Christianity, church, worship etc, and do share any prayer needs.
Would love to hear from those who were on previous threads and haven't been around for a while, too. Come and let us know how you are.

"Corpus Christi" is the latin for "the body of Christ"

The Catholic celebration in English is called "The most holy body and blood of Christ" far easier to say Corpus Christi.

I'm not sure on the history of the feast, but someone once explained it to me like this: it's something that should really be celebrated on maundy Thursday the day when we remember Jesus celebrating the last supper. However there is so much going on that day, the focus is far more on Jesus' impending death, that there's not really room to make a big thing about him starting the whole bread/wine body/blood thing. The bible reading carholics use on that day is John's gospel, Jesus washing the disciples feet.
So we took another day to remember the beginnings of communion.

Traditionally children make their first holy communion on this day. Though in reality they often happen throughout the spring and summer months.
Also many places would process with communion bread (which Catholics believe has become Jesus's body) through the streets, to bless the people and the town. I think this is an old tradition which is starting to come back into fashion.

Thank you!

I was going to say I didn’t know that about processing through the town but then I remembered that we do process with it around the church grounds every year. It’s our patronal feast so it’s possible it’s a bit bigger in our church than in others.

I’m not doing too badly madhair. Had a bit of a wobble about a month ago and ended up having a few days off work but since then it’s been OK.

Have kitted myself out with masks for the bus and from Monday everyone has to wear masks at work which will hopefully make it safer. Still waiting for a result from the risk assessment... A vaccine might be available first

grr... fridge part of fridge freezer is at 22 degrees. (we have a spare borrowed small fridge. ) I think it has died, hoping the food stays frozen until tomorrow. will need to drive 55 miles to a spare freezer. eek. (thankfully not much that will nto survive)

getting anew one is difficult as we need it delivered up two flights of stairs. had to put it off due to the delivery teams not doing stairs.

Electrical equipment is forever playing you up, isn’t it BES? I hope you can sort it out, it sounds even more tricky than usual.

Well, it was still frozen this morning, so not doing an emergency drive to mums with a boot full of frozen food.

Good to see you, BES and hope the fridge can be sorted soon.

A prayer for tonight

Be present, O merciful God,
and protect us through the silent hours of this night,
so that we who are wearied
by the changes and chances of this fleeting world,
may rest upon your eternal changelessness;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen

Thank you @Madhairday.

Love that prayer, thanks MHD.

Thanks, it was from night compline on the CofE site, not one of mine that one.

How are you all doing?

My children still need prayer.... We are, in some ways, fine, but there are big problems as well, and the services which were going to help are not really available at the moment.

Am also a bit stressed about work/people at work.

Thank you for asking mhd! How are you? Can't remember if you've told us whether you're venturing out at all now you're "allowed"?

@Dutchomahow did Big Music Sunday go? I didn't download the music because I realised it would be too much for me to learn. I'm not an experienced singer, just enthusiastic! I didn't have time to tune in. Teatime on a Sunday is family time . Did it go well.

MHD, that's a lovely prayer. Will say it before bed tonight.

What do people do at prayer or bible study meetings? I'm not sure what I need to do to prepare for one. Would be helpful to have ideas or understand others' experience.

I'm sorry your DC are struggling, @StrawberryJam200. Praying that processes and programs are put back in place soon to help. So awful at the moment for anyone with MH issues or any kind of disability or SN :(

I have been going out for little walks around my local park. the world feels very big and scary but it is lovely to be out. I'm fed up of sheilding and the government not giving us the promised update on it, rumours abounding. My consultant rang today and just said keep shielding.

@ZenNudist they're usually very relaxed. If it's a Bible study usually a host will introduce it, maybe using a video or just talk about the passage and often ask for volunteers to read out sections. Then usually people are invited to share stuff that speaks to them or they need more clarity on. Sometimes there's a set of questions the host works through but nobody should feel pressured to share if they don't wish too. Same with prayer meetings usually but does depend on the group, the ones I'm in are relaxed and chatty and we share thanksgiving and prayer requests and then pray for one another, again no pressure to pray out loud hopefully.

This all does depend on the group though and I guess some are much more formal than others.

Hope you enjoy it!

ZenNudist It went very well, thank you. There was an awful lot of music to learn and I am not a strong singer either. So I just did the two pieces that we did in our own service and a little bit more and listened to the rest. It is still available at RSCM Big Sunday if you Google.
We have had one Zoom prayer meeting, we had the ‘order of service’ sent out so we could print it. It began with introductions, then we worked through the printed sheet. Liz played some music, but that was not a success and it is a bit weird to pray together, like we did for the Lord’s Prayer, it doesn’t sound together at all. There was time left for everyone who wanted to pray, but no pressure. It was lovely.
I hope thhings keep continuing to go well MHD, I think your consultant is right to urge you to remain cautious. It’s no good relying on the government, they haven’t got a clue and what clues they have they ignore. Our rector wrote:” restrictions are being lifted, but the virus has not gone away’. Please pray for him and his family as they expect their second child any time now. They have a dear 2-year old ds who shares in all the services, the sweetest thing.

Glad you’ve managed to get out Mad. It gets a bit less scary the more you do it. I don’t notice the bus these days unless it is busier than usual. It’s definitely not stringently socially distancing but until work sort out a risk assessment there’s not much more I can do.

Strawberry will keep your DC in my prayers and pray that the services you need can get running in some form as soon as possible.

I find it comforting to know that people on here who don't even know my name are praying for me/ DC, thank you. Am finding unexpected blessings in the situation.

How have everyone's Sundays been?

Hello everyone I dont know if it's shallow to ask for prayer over relatively minor things but can you pray for me please? I'm under loads of pressure at work and have no help at all from my team around me, made worse by remote working. It's causing me lots of anxiety and sleeplessness. Am walking around worrying all the time. Plus dealing with the kids at home all the time and not much let up on that till September I am really down. Sorry to ask. Thought it might help me. Thanks.

That is hardly a minor matter ZenNudist and certainly worthy of sharing for prayer. This situation is getting on all our nerves, especially since I (for one) do not think the government is dealing with this at all well.
On top of that we are missing our regular prayer support of ‘saints on earth’ and so I pray for you that you will feel supported by the Church Universal, that the Holy Angels will carry you and give you peace, today and always.

Will pray @ZenNudist .

@Madhairday also continuing to pray for you and all shielding, in the light of the announcements yesterday.

Will say a prayer zen

@ZenNudist it's not shallow at all, nothing is too small to ask for prayer for and what you are going through is not small or shallow, it's hard

Father, I lift up Zen to you today. May she know your peace that passes all understanding and be wrapped up in your perfect love that casts out all fear. I pray that you will give her wisdom and strength to negotiate stuff at work and at home and that you will ease the pressure on her. May she sleep peacefully, aware of your presence and everlasting arms holding her, and may she have patience for the times ahead. Light up her darkness, ease her sadness and weariness and 'fill her with all joy and peace as she trusts in you, so that she may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit' (Romans 15:13)

Amen.

@StrawberryJam200 how are you doing - how are your kids? Praying for you this morning too, especially for hope in all of this. thank you for your prayers too.

@Dutchoma praying that you feel surrounded by the peace and presence of God and consoled as you miss your church activities so much

Thank you MHD I’m praying for you as well as the lockdown is lifting, but the anxiety about your own fragile condition is not.

Thank you all for your prayers. I felt so weighed down all weekend and woke up at 5am and flicked open my phone and this was the first page open. So I thought to ask for help. I went back to bed and prayed for calm anyway and said thanks because I am a privileged person really. I have felt much better as the week has gone on. So prayer has worked!

I appreciate your kindness and understanding and pray for you all too.

Hello, I wondered if I could join here. Been a browser of the board on and off for a while, am an occasional attender of Quaker meetings and my local church’s services but have two young kids and ironically been managing to get to services more during lockdown than ever with everything being online. Finding a lot of comfort in it in all this turmoil and would be lovely to be able to chat prayer and faith.