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.

Praying Mulinobianco and MHD. It struck me yesterday just how much fear there is surrounding covid 19. I'd thought some people were just not taking it seriously enough. Now, I see some folk are worried about the economic effects and that they may lose their jobs and not be able to pay bills and that this is driving some behaviour. Others are of course worried about the health effects and want everything shut down. I naturally fall more into that camp, but can see that there is so much fear for many different reasons. I'm so thankful that we have a faith we can rely on and don't need to panic.

My dd sent me this

Lockdown❤️

Yes there is fear.
Yes there is isolation.
Yes there is panic buying.
Yes there is sickness.
Yes there is even death.
But,
They say that in Wuhan after so many years of noise
You can hear the birds again.
They say that after just a few weeks of quiet
The sky is no longer thick with fumes
But blue and grey and clear.
They say that in the streets of Assisi
People are singing to each other
across the empty squares,
keeping their windows open
so that those who are alone
may hear the sounds of family around them.
They say that a hotel in the West of Ireland
Is offering free meals and delivery to the housebound.
Today a young woman I know
is busy spreading fliers with her number
through the neighbourhood
So that the elders may have someone to call on.
Today Churches, Synagogues, Mosques and Temples
are preparing to welcome
and shelter the homeless, the sick, the weary
All over the world people are slowing down and reflecting
All over the world people are looking at their neighbours in a new way
All over the world people are waking up to a new reality
To how big we really are.
To how little control we really have.
To what really matters.
To Love.
So we pray and we remember that
Yes there is fear.
But there does not have to be hate.
Yes there is isolation.
But there does not have to be loneliness.
Yes there is panic buying.
But there does not have to be meanness.
Yes there is sickness.
But there does not have to be disease of the soul
Yes there is even death.
But there can always be a rebirth of love.
Wake to the choices you make as to how to live now.
Today, breathe.
Listen, behind the factory noises of your panic
The birds are singing again
The sky is clearing,
Spring is coming,
And we are always encompassed by Love.
Open the windows of your soul
And though you may not be able
to touch across the empty square,
Sing.

Fr. Richard Hendrick, OFM

March 13th 2020

Love that Oma.

It’s gorgeous, isn’t it? And precious as it is coming from my dd.

It's lovely Dutchoma. Would you all please pray for a friend who has it right now? She is a doctor although she's not in frontline medicine now. She and her kids have asthma so she's worried. X

Most certainly Lisette. Let us know how she gets on

Sending prayers for her Lisette. And for Mulino and MHD too.

I think that’s the right decision MHD. I have asthma so I’ve been starting to do the same. There’s not much I can do about work or the bus to work but I’ve been shopping at quieter times and am going to try using the bus less at weekends.

Unfortunately it’s going to involve missing mass which has been keeping me sane over the last few months but our congregation is huge. It looks like the catholic church are preparing to stop masses anyway.

Hello - can i join?

I've not posted for years but often read the religion/philosophy threads. As a Christian who often struggles with doubt I've appreciated the time that many of you give to posters who are questioning.

I love that verse Dutchoma - much needed at the moment I think. I'm currently self-isolating with a dry cough/headache (hopefully nothing) and it's lovely to read some of the good that is coming out of this awful situation.

In my parish we are trying to balance the need for sensible precautions with a concern for vulnerable and isolated parishioners. We are not a big church in terms of people so we can do the 1m distance easily. We are the only human contact some of our people get and as most are elderly with limited IT I'm not sure live streaming will be an answer. Last week we did the peace with no contact and bread only. This week we have hand sanitizers everywhere and individually wrapped biscuits for coffee. Midweek services have been put on hold and one coffee morning has had to be cancelled as the chief volunteers are vulnerable.

It is a worrying time.

Hello again

I have been staying off mumsnet for lent but did allow myself to keep up with the religious board so am catching up. I'm sorry everyone suffering with CV19 anxiety.

Praying for all of you, and also as requested on this thread especially @Lisette1940 doctor friend. MHD I'm so sorry this is particularly challenging for you. I pray you stay well.

I had some encouragement yesterday which is a bit esoteric but felt like a sign. Ive been praying psalm 23 and singing the Lord's my Shepherd since this cv19 started, especially the vale of death bit resonates. It's been stuck in my head. It came up when I unwisely played bible roulette (not doing that again, seeing "yea though I walk in the vale of death yet will I feel no ill" did not at the time feel comforting, it shook me up to see the word death and I kind of ignored the next line: "Thou art with me and thy rod and staff my comfort still". Anyway, Ive been meditating on it because it is in fact a comfort. Sooooo... yesterday I was preparing next week's reading as its my turn. I also have to read the psalm, which is.... yup psalm 23! Felt like a blessing and a reminder that God is with us all. I share here as its such a well known favourite. I hope it will give others comfort too.

Dutchoma that passage is lovely and hopeful.

Thanks also to Becca, digitalnun blog is great.

Digitalnun is in my daily prayers, she is such an encouragement. I started with a cold on Thursday, so didn’t go to choir practice and was still not feeling well enough to go to church. I have been up and about and did some shopping yesterday, keeping myself to myself. I think the housegroup on Tuesday will be cancelled and the choir were going to do a Lent lunch that can’t go ahead. I don’t mind all that much, there is lots you can do when you don’t have to go out to meetings etc.

Hi, new to the thread
Coffee or tea?
Tea

Hymns or worship songs?
Worship songs is my preference, old hymns
Band or organ?
organ
Flavour/denomination?
RC
What sort of after church snack?
Only ever had biscuits

Hi, Icare. Welcome to the thread.

Just checking in to say hi. I've enjoyed reading all your updates having been active on the chat thread a few years ago then dropping off. We used the 24:7 prayer for the virus in church today. If I can find it I'll post it later on.

Checking in too, hi everyone 👋🏼

DO, that is absolutely lovely. I am printing it off to give to people, and sending it on my social media too.

Your dd was on the first ever thread I read on MN in 2000!

Hello Icare and welcome.

@thanksamillion it's so great to see you again :)

Zen, I love that about Psalm 23!

We'll, first week day of isolating... It seems a long road ahead. Thank you so much for all of your prayers and support. I feel okay about it - at peace about the decision. I can hopefully get my book written and other stuff done I need to, and more time in prayer. Our church livestreamed the service for the first time yesterday and it was so wonderful to be a part of it, real sense of community in the comments as we took communion together.

Love to all at this really challenging time.

Day 1 in isolation, a whole three hrs in with a cough. Physical health fine, but think I have a stress headache. Mental health not good. Please pray for that and that my DM did not catch anything from me.

Bored so was thinking of gyms/verses to help with worry/peace

Dear lord and father of mankind
Drop Thy still dews of quietness,
Till all our strivings cease;
Take from our souls the strain and stress,
And let our ordered lives confess
The beauty of Thy peace.

Though the mountains may fall
Could the Lord ever leave you?
Could the Lord forget his love?
Though the mother forsake her child, he will not abandon you.

Guide me, O my great Redeemer,
pilgrim through this barren land;
I am weak, but you are mighty;
hold me with your powerful hand.

Praise the Lord the king of heaven
Fatherlike he tends and spares us;
well our feeble frame he knows.
In his hand he gently bears us,
rescues us from all our foes.
Alleluia, alleluia!
Widely yet his mercy flows!

Be still
Be still and know that I am God,
Be still and know that I am God,
Be still and know that I am God.
I am the Lord that healeth thee,
I am the Lord that healeth thee,
I am the Lord that healeth thee.
In thee O Lord I put my trust,
In thee O Lord I put my trust,
In thee O Lord I put my trust.

Hymns not gyms!

Hello Icare - sorry to hear you're struggling - the emotional side of self-isolating is really tough, especially if you're already not in a good place.

I'm on day 5 of self-isolating from the rest of my family and it's getting quite tough now in terms of practicalities as well as the emotional side. I've been trying to get some work done but keep watching videos by inspirational Christian speakers instead!

I hope your headache eases (it's been my most annoying symptom too and hard to ignore!)

Praying for you and your mum now - that she stays well and you're mood improves so you can look after yourself and stay well too

That's a wonderful hymn for this situation - 'Well our feeble frame he knows' particularly resonates with me!

If I understand Boris’ speech right, I might have to self isolate for 12 weeks. Assume MHD is in the same position and a few others.

Hello everyone. Sorry I haven't read the whole thread. Can I have some coffee and some totally non Corona virus related prayers please.

My heart is beyond broken. I don't even have the energy to explain but God knows.

Thank you

Praying for you now Porpentina.

So sorry for whatever you're going through - I hope you feel God move close to you and He carries you through this.