I do hope and pray that many of the over 40 people who viewed the 2 posts on here were able to join in with the live stream this afternoon.
Those of us who would have wanted to be present were ably represented by members of our congregation that were able attend in person.
The link I posted yesterday only works on a desktop or laptop. For a tablet device you need an App, find it here
I am a fan of BBC Radio 4 and regularly listen to it in the car. Last week I was listening to a programme called rethink. In it, a panel of experts were asked about what they personally had done differently during the lockdown. One had almost become addicted to a certain bar of chocolate. As a result, she is now trying to get rid of those extra chocolatey pounds. Two others admitted to perhaps drinking a little more alcohol than is wise. Someone else said they no longer took the countryside around them for granted and was getting out and about more.
Listening to what the panel was saying led me to think about what I had done differently during lockdown. I could really identify with some of what was said. I will leave you to guess which ones of the above it might be!
Without a doubt, the coronavirus has changed all of our lives. Some changes are beyond our control, some are life-changing and some changes have had a more positive outcome than others.
I once heard a sermon which spoke about the small changes we could make to our prayer life. The one that stuck in my mind is saying the Lord’s prayer. The congregation were challenged to say the Lord’s prayer every single day. Not difficult you may think, it doesn’t take long to say. Yet how often do we pause to consider the meaning of those familiar phrases?
The Lord's prayer forms a pattern of prayer for every Christian and for myself is a template around which I build my personal prayers. So, this week why don’t we make a habit of saying the Lord’s prayer daily. Take time to think of the importance of what we are saying. Maybe a particular word or phrase will jump out and challenge us. Saying the Lord's prayer daily maybe a simple change but I am sure our lives will be enriched through gaining a better understanding of this prayer.
The link to the live stream from Oldham Crematorium at 1.30 pm on Tuesday is here. You do not have to sign in, choose the "join anonymously" option if you wish.
Rev'd Chris is being Ordained Priest on 4th October in a private service at Oldham Parish Church. You can watch the service on a live stream on Facebook from 2pm; link here. You do not need to be on Facebook to watch the stream.
