I'm saying a prayer for you today.
I'm lighting a candle too.
I pray that God will be at your side
In all that you are going through.

I don't know what you are suffering
I know I cannot be there.
But I can pray for comfort for you
And commit you to God's care.

I pray that there will be calmness
And reassurance of mind.
I pray that you will find comfort
And fresh hope you will find.

I pray for a positive outcome
Whatever that may be.
I'm saying a prayer for you today.
That from your worries you'll be free.

I'm lighting a candle for healing.
I'm praying that you will cope.
I'm sending you God's blessing.
I'm praying a prayer of hope.

When life is turning pear shaped.
Then let your response be prayer shaped.

When life is hurtling all downhill,
Then turn to prayer, let your anxieties still,

When troubles come knocking at your door,
Then turn to prayer or a good friend, more.

When everything seems all too much,
Then seek calmness with prayer and such.

When illness is defeating you and you don't care,
Then find others to pray and they will share.

When all seems lost and you have no hope.
Then remember others will pray for you to cope.

When life is turning pear shaped.
Then let your response be prayer shaped.

With you by my side, every day is an adventure 

Every day is an adventure,
With you by my side, 
New things to discover,
life's  a roller coaster ride.

Let’s get out there together.
Search the whole world wide.
I can do anything,
With you by my side.

Exploring daily wonders,
With you by my side.
Partners, sharing as equals.
Perfect friend and guide.

Together we are awesome.
Your love fills me with pride.
Every day is an adventure, 
Because you are by my side.

A poem about our email prayer link

My mate, God, is mysterious.
So I've heard people say.
And I, too, often wonder,
when I begin to pray.

I'm not the World's best prayer.
I don't always know not what to say.
I try to say what's on my mind & heart.
Being open when I pray.

Somedays I hardly pray at all,
And feel a bit of a fraud,
But I pray that He knows, before I pray
Cos He's such an amazing Lord.

I never asked for fame or fortune
So don't feel that I am miffed.
I never asked or went looking...
To get poetry and encouragement as a gift.

I never went looking for a ministry,
Of forwarding on requests for email prayer.
But requests come flooding in
So what can I do...but share?

Prayers sent off via the Internet,
An amazing tecnological link
Prayers whizzing off into the ether,
Faster than I can blink.

So thank you Lord for praying friends,
For people who are concerned and who care.
We're trying to show your love to all,
Thank you for our email prayers.

Excerpt from Spring newsletter

CHRISTIAN WOMEN’S FELLOWSHIP

SPRING 2013 NEWSLETTER

FOUR GENERATIONS FROM ONE FAMILY AT THIS YEAR’S CONVENTION – see  the April edition of ‘Reform’.

This year’s Convention was a thought provoking weekend and we were blessed by many new members to the CWF.  Some were introduced by friends and some by ‘Reform’ or Facebook.  

The theme of this year's Convention was ‘Transforming Lives’ and started off on the Friday evening with a presentation about the Global Women’s conference in Brazil.

On Saturday morning, our guest speaker was Loretta Minghella, director of Christian Aid who talked to us about unconditional love and how we are all uniquely beautiful reflecting Christ in our person. She told us that love takes you so far and then hard work has to kick in. Loretta went on to explain that poverty is not just about money but also about dignity, allowing people to have a voice, empowering them and providing equality. 

She asked ’what can we do to show solidarity?’   

Answer:  Apart from giving with our annual abroad collection and, of course, our prayers, we acted in a positive manner by signing a petition to the Prime Minister supporting the IF Campaign.  A reply from a correspondence officer at 10 Downing Street was received on 28^th February stating: “Mr Cameron is most grateful for the time and trouble you have taken to get in touch.  I have been asked to forward your letter and petition to the Department for International Development, so that they too are aware of your views.”

Many members also took copies to send personal letters to their MPs and/or Prime Minister.  If you would still like a copy to organise your own petition or send a personal letter to either the Prime Minister or your local MP then emailcwf1927@yahoo.com

Sunday morning Bible Study  showed in drama, verse and narration how 5 women’s lives had been transformed by Jesus - Mary, mother of Jesus, Mary of Magdala, the woman at the well, the woman with the long-term bleeding and the final woman was one of our CWF friends who gave a frank testimony of how Jesus had transformed her life. 

At an excellent Communion service  based on the story of the loaves and fishes,we were given small wooden crosses and challenged to go out and give to others; to someone that we felt would need it. In doing so, we were sharing in the leftovers of the loaves and fishes meal. Sharing Christ! 

We hope and pray that there will be some positive reports when we all meet again next February.

Speaking of next year; your Committee has met and planned another good Convention.  The chosen theme is ‘UNCONDITIONAL LOVE’  

There will be more in the autumn newsletter, which you will receive along with a booking form.   The autumn newsletter and booking form will be sent out at the end of September this year.

 Don’t forget our email address is cwf1927@yahoo.com

Prayer - St Paul's conversion

Acts 9: 1-20 – The Conversion & Call of Paul

Prayer

This prayer could be used at the end of the sermon, or with a reflective group:

When I am certain,
open my eyes.
When I am too quick to condemn,
open my eyes.
When I rejoice in another’s downfall,
open my eyes.

Help me to see you
in the poor, the lonely,
the person struggling with illness or disability.
Help me to see you
in those whose lives are chaotic,
in the most horrible criminal.
Help me to see you
in the past-it politician
and the people who used to be somebody.

And then,
when my eyes are open
and I can see you,
give me the insight
to make good choices,
to walk in your way.
Amen.

The U in Jesus

 

Before U were thought of or time had begun

God stuck U in the name of His Son,

and each time U pray you’ll see it’s true

you can’t spell out JesUs and not include U.

 

You’re a pretty big part of His wonderful name

for U He was born, that’s why He came,

and His great love for U is the reason He died,

it even takes U to spell crUcified.

 

Isn’t it thrilling and splendidly grand

He rose from the dead with U in His plan.

The stones split away, the gold trumpet blew

and this word resUrrection is spelled with a U.

 

When JesUs left earth at His Upward ascension

He felt there was one thing He just had to mention.

‘Go into the world and tell them it’s true

that I love them all, just like I love U’.

 

So many great people are spelled with a U

don’t they have a right to know JesUs too?

It all depends now on what U will do

He’d like them to know, but it all starts with U.

Only  a few more days  until some of us (most of us) will be at The Hayes, Swanwick,

renewing our friendships, making new friends and having a very thought provoking, uplifting and spiritual weekend.

I have been kept busy, this past year, with many requests for prayer and lots of positive feedback.Thank you!

I feel blessed that I am able to be used (by God) in this way.

I'm sorry, if at times, there seems to be a lot of emails  - but that is just how it happens. I know that you pray when you are able and if you are not praying, someone else is praying somewhere.

I am looking forward to seeing you again. I'm not very good with names and faces - so please bear with me! You know me!

I know that there will be lots of hugs, greetings and laughter.

I also know that there will also be tears.

God Bless!

Not long now until we all meet up again at The Hayes. 
Just a quick reminder - 
I will be having a stall of second hand books to raise funds for cwf. 
So please bring a book or two to doanate and purchase another!

Books priced at 50p! So hopefully some bargains to be had!

This stall is always very well supported and any surplus books are given to The Hayes
 who fundraise for a local Hospice.

BBC interview with Loretta Minghella

You might be interested to hear the Joan Bakewell Belief programme broadcast on BBC Radio 3 on Friday night in which she interviews Loretta Minghella who is to be our speaker at the convention next February.  It lasts half an hour and you should be able to reach it by clicking on  http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01f689w  (Evidentally it was originally broadcast in April and should be available to hear on line for some time).