During these strange times when normal interaction is not possible, some people are still thinking, writing, drawing, composing, painting, etc.
We have decided to keep an informal occasional ‘journal’ showing that our worship, prayer and inspiration does not stop just because our monthly meetings have.
This journal is growing!
You will find all the March/April entries below.
If you want to see the May entries,
click here >> Coronavirus Journal for May
April 25th
Mary and the Holy Spirit
“This drawing is based on the Pentecost picture of Mary breathing in the power of the Holy Spirit deep inside of her to bring transformation from inside…..when she was with others praying.
It’s my interpretation of how she would have been praying to The One True God in an openness by the way she is sitting….”
April 23rd
Knitting the Lord’s Prayer
Many people find that spending time quietly engaged in simple crafts can stimulate thoughtful contemplation and prayer, which is why we always have ‘the big knit’ opportunity at our monthly gatherings. It has been mentioned that if you knit, you can say the Lord’s Prayer as you cast on twelve stitches.
Our Father in Heaven
Hallowed be Your name;
Your kingdom come;
Your will be done
On earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread;
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us;
Lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil,
For the kingdom, the power and the glory are Yours,
Now and for ever.
Amen.
In lockdown, Barbara thought she would like to try this, but she didn’t have any knitting needles or any wool! Ever resourceful, she improvised with sharpened sticks from an oil diffuser and thin string!
However she started again, perseverance pays and prayers are always answered.
Hallelujah Chorus
One of our regular members came across this version of the Hallelujah Chorus. We thought others might like it too.
If you click on the title below, you will leave this site and be taken to YouTube. You should be able to return to this screen by using the ‘back’ symbol on the new screen you go to – what this looks like depends on the equipment you are using!
YouTube: College Church Hallelujah Chorus
Marquetry
Pretty good for a first attempt!
Vikki says she may well have another go and see if she can improve on it.
April 21st
Reflections on our world
In the blessing of the morning
Early shafts of sunlight stream through the branches.
Reflections on the watery surface ripple in the slightest breeze
A draft that flutters the leaves and causes petals of cherry blossom
to slowly drift onto the canal and float.
The piercing cry of moorhen and louder trills of the blackbird
whose chorus hails the new day.
A glimpse of hawthorn soon to open in fragrant white billows.
My senses are alert, all is hushed and I am stilled
In this moment of quiet solitude
I thank God.
© Barbara Rolison, April 2020
Delicious new soups from Jan’s Kitchen
Pea/Spinach Pesto Soup
This soup is free from eggs, fish and milk. The pesto contains parmesan cheese and the topping, if used, contains wheat.
Ingredients, serves 5
1 tbsp rape seed oil
1 large onion, finely chopped.
750ml/ 1.25 pints of chicken stock.
300g of frozen peas.
180g pack of tender baby spinach.
3tbsp reduced fat green pesto.
For the topping, (if used) 100g chorizo, diced. 2 tbsp fresh breadcrumbs.
Method
1. Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium heat. Fry the onion for 3 to 4 minutes until soft but not browned.
2. Add the stock, peas, spinach and pesto, bring to the boil and simmer for 4 minutes. Cool slightly, then puree with a hand blender, or liquidiser. Freeze at this stage if required.
3. Topping if using. Heat a non stick frying pan over a medium heat. Dry fry the chorizo for 4 minutes or until crisp. Stir in the crumbs and set aside.
4. To serve, reheat the soup but do not allow it to boil. Taste and season with ground black pepper if needed. Top with the crumb, if using.
Lentil Soup
This soup is high in fibre and is free from dairy, nuts, fish, eggs and wheat. It is easy to make and does not need to be blended or liquidised. It can also be frozen. It serves 6.
Ingredients
225 g/ 8oz of red lentils rinsed and drained.
2 onions, finely chopped.
2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped.
1 carrot, very finely chopped.
30ml/ 2 tbsp olive oil.
2 bay leaves.
A generous pinch of dried marjoram or oregarno.
1.5 litres/ 2.5 pints of vegetable stock.
30ml/ 2 tbsp red wine vinegar.
Salt and ground black pepper.
Method
1. Put all the ingredients except the vinegar and seasoning in a large heavy-based saucepan. Bring to the boil over a medium heat, then lower the heat and simmer for 1.5 hours, stirring the soup occasionally to prevent the lentils from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
2. Remove the bay leaves and add the red wine vinegar, with salt and pepper to taste. If the soup is too thick, thin it with a little extra vegetable stock or water. Serve the soup garnished with celery leaves or parsley etc.
Today should have been our regular monthly meeting.
This month’s theme would have been Pentecost.
Song: Holy Spirit descend on me
>> Click here to play video
Holy Spirit descend on me
And fill my heart with Your eternal fire and love divine.
And strengthen my faith once more
And open my eyes.
Give me the light of Your love that I may shine on all I find.
Come and teach me Your ways, O Lord,
And open my mind so that I can see the way ahead.
Take all of the mist away
And make the road clear.
Keeping me strong through the trials I face, my faults, my doubts, my fear.
Fire within my heart,
Fire within my soul,
Fire to take me anywhere I have to go.
I surrender my all to You
The gift of Your love and Your grace are all I ever need.
Let Your passion burn in me
And let me stand tall.
Give me the mind and the skill to speak Your word to one and all.
Fire within my heart,
Fire within my soul,
Fire to take me anywhere I have to go.
So I stand here prepared, my Lord,
You wash away all of my doubt and fear and take control.
You cleanse me and make me new
And I am restored.
Fill me with power and the strength to do Your will for evermore.
©2020 David Old Moore
April 15th
Be Still and Know that I am God
I’ve heard they’re coming today,
They’re passing through our village.
I wonder, if I prepare some food, will they come and eat with us?
I could get the best dishes out,
I could cook something special,
I could put a clean cloth on the table,
I’ll sweep the floor, and dust around.
So much to do, So little time.
I hear voices, Are they here already?
I’ll run and meet them.
Jesus, Jesus, would you come to my house today?
Come and rest awhile. Join us for lunch.
So you’ll come? It won’t take me long to get the food ready.
The Master enters the house. He sees Mary.
Martha busies herself with preparing lunch.
But Mary sits at Jesus’ feet.
She listens to his every word.
Fascinated by the stories he tells,
The truths he reveals, the love he expresses.
Transfixed by his presence, her heart is at peace.
Caught up in the moment, her anxieties slip away.
“Lord, Lord, don’t you care, Mary’s not helping me!
She’s left me to do all the work by myself.
She just sits there as if there was nothing to do.
It’s not fair. I am doing all this on my own!”
“Martha, Martha. It’s ok. I am with you such a short while.
So little time to share with you the truths of the kingdom.
Truths that will sustain you in the days ahead.
You have such high expectations of yourself
For everything to look right, — to be just so.
Mary has opened her heart as she has listened to me.
She has received my love. She has given me her time.
She has been filled with eternal truth
No-one can take that away from her.”
So, I reflect,
And I see within myself two very different parts.
The one -full of agendas, things to do, people to see.
The other-longing for his presence, His peace.
Am I free to choose, which one will I be today?
Will I rush and stress, exhausted with self-imposed deadlines and expectations?
Or will I slow down, will I sit at his feet, and listen to His will for me?
Peace, perfect peace.
Ruth Campsall
Luke 10: 38-42
Easter Day
Christ is risen ALLELUIA!
April 10th (Good Friday)
An Easter message to you all
Hello Kingdom Arts Friends,
This is to wish you a joyful and blessed Easter. It will be the strangest of Easters but we can still celebrate and give thanks inside our homes, the new Life that Jesus brings us through His Resurrection.
You might be going to a virtual Service or connecting through the many resources which are available on the Internet and there we will be able to remember our families, and all our friends at Kingdom Arts. We miss seeing you .. there will be so much to share when we return.
As you are looking at this, you have found our “Coronavirus Journal” and can see the wonderful art/poetry that some of our members have contributed. We could do with more so if you feel inspired during this lockdown time send in your creations.
With love And God’s Blessings for you and yours,
Alex xxx
April 9th
Pastel drawing
April 6th
Hama Butterfly
Here it is my prayer for you that you will be sustained with the hope of better times to come as we wait to be released from this chrysalis-confinement-lockdown stage of our life.
Maybe there is a suggestion here that God sees and senses each one of us through his creation especially in the ways we deal with the more vulnerable parts of his works.
David New
April 4th
Digital Art
Inspired by the story of Mary and Martha (Luke 10:38-42) which was to be the theme of our April Gathering
Pentecost fire
One of our future activities was to be a representation of Pentecostal fire.
Starting with some simple materials . . .
. . . and finishing with this decoration:
You might like to try and work it out for yourself!
April 3rd
In this beautiful world
In this beautiful world we care for nought
We do not do the things we know we ought
We have one planet, that is all.
In our arrogant ways, we think we are above
Mother Nature’s Laws that are from God above
We bring destruction on ourselves.
Now there’s an enemy we can’t see
It’s so small.
Yet so powerful and mighty it be,
A reminder that we
Are not rulers at all,
Our position in this universe is really quite small.
We’ve been given this world in which to live,
Some just take what they can, while others give
If we’re divided, then we fall.
Now there’s an enemy we can’t see
It’s so small.
Yet so powerful and mighty it be,
A reminder that we
Are not rulers at all,
Our position in this universe is really quite small.
Let’s consider it all, there’s only one
The Ruler of all is God alone
He is beside us through it all.
He brings salvation to us all.
©2020 David Old Moore
(1) the damage humans are doing to the planet;
(2) the coronavirus – reminding us we are not as powerful as we think we are;
(3) 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 “So we’re not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace. These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us. There’s far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can’t see now will last forever.”
April 2nd
A renewed Resurrection
They nailed Him to the cross
With companions on either side
Storm clouds grew darker
Earth preparing to break apart
Birds flying unsettled
Scattering for shelter
Woman’s tears falling silently
From horror-struck bodies
The soldiers tossing lots
For ill-gotten gains
The braying fickle crowds
Thinking they knew best
But the sacrificial forgiving Jesus
Poured love on all he saw
He stretched out his hands
To believers and questioners alike
His feet pointed to God’s created earth
The land he knew and loved
His head so near the God
He worshipped and adored
There on the cross
Man and God were one.
Can we in this world’s crucifixion time
Become one with God
Reflecting His Holy teaching and caring
Drawing nearer to each other
Crossing divides of hearts and bodies
Honouring our diverse planet
Helping healing and new growth
Letting the rhythm of his words
Beat through our hearts
Washing away our fears
Replacing tears with hope
Lord hear our prayers
And lead us to a renewed resurrection
Under the shelter of your
Everlasting Love.
©2020 Helen McNicholl
April 1st
A song of the stairway
I look up to the mountains and hills, longing for God’s help. But then I realize that our true help and protection come only from the Lord, our Creator who made the heavens and the earth. He will guard and guide me, never letting me stumble or fall. God is my keeper; he will never forget nor ignore me. .. He will guard and keep you. Psalm 121.
Easter Garden Haiku
March 31st
In the waiting room of God
It’s hard in isolation on my own.
Time to sit with me and Jesus.
Some of the drawing shows His hand reaching out to us. Others are when I need Him to grip my hand so I can hang on and ask Him not to let me go during this time of isolation.
