Thought For The Week

CREATING COMMUNITIES OF WHOLENESS WITH CHRIST AT THE CENTRE

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23 May 2007

PENTECOST – Acts 2.1-13
There is much that is new about Pentecost, but its worth remembering that the Holy Spirit of God has been around from the very beginning when it ‘moved over the face of the waters’ of creation [Genesis 1.2]. God is eternally Father, Son and Spirit. The Spirit spoke though David, Isaiah and so many, many others. But something special and different did happen at Pentecost and from that moment the Holy Spirit becomes the dominant reality and expression of God in the life of the early church. The Holy Spirit was the primary source of guidance, the leaders of the church are described as men and women of the Spirit, and the Spirit is the source of day by day courage and power. The early church was a Spirit-filled church and that was the source of its power?

DISCUSSION
What is your initial gut reaction to the Holy Spirit? In the early church? In the life of the church today? How do you think that the presence of the Spirit is expressed? In the early church? In the life of the church today? Have we lost something important that the early church had?

Pentecost was one of the three great Jewish festivals [along with the Passover and the Feast of the Tabanacles]. Thousands would travel to Jerusalem for these festivals and especially for Pentecost. It was held fifty days after Passover, in early June, when travelling conditions were at their best, so people came from many nations [hence the international flavour of Acts 2].

Pentecost was a celebration of the gift of the law to Moses on Mount Sinai and had a flavour of our rogation services, when agricultural gifts were presented at the temple and prayers offered for a safe harvest.

Our festival of Pentecost has a different meaning, but we have taken on the Jewish name and retained the timing.

As with Ascension, what actually happened to the disciples is a mystery, what they spoke, whether in foreign languages or in the ‘gift of tongues’ we cannot tell. What matters is that they, and thousands around them, experienced the power of the Spirit of God in ways that they had never before even imagined and it changed all of their lives. They stopped hiding and started to stand up and live and proclaim the love and power of God.

DISCUSSION
Does it matter that we don’t understand everything about the coming of the Spirit at Pentecost, or indeed about the Holy Spirit? What can the Holy Spirit be for us and for our church – even if we still don’t fully understand? What can we do to find out and experience more of the power and presence of the Holy Spirit?

16 May 2007

Following Kathryn's birth and in the midst of paternity leave this week's thought is simply the miracle of life. Kathryn is amazing and miraculous. Please pray for us all.

9 May 2007

Acts 16.9-15
John 14.23-29

In his final messages to the disciples, then and now, Jesus moves from love to peace. One leads to the other and both are at the heart of God. 'Peace I leave you, my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.' John 14.27

We've seen today a sign of God's peace that has been doubted as long as its been hoped for. Apparently the negotiations that led to the restoration of power-sharing in Northern Ireland [with Ian Paisley and Martin McGuiness is First and Deputy First Minister] took longer than those to end the Napoleonic Wars and both the world wars put together! I wouldn't have dared predict it until it happens and there's still a big part of me that asks if it can really be true. I had the same reaction in 1989 as the the Iron Curtain fell and in 1994 as Apartheid ended.

But all three and many more have happened. This is not just the world's peace, it's Gods. The world gives to us and then takes away again almost immediately - the opportunity has been lost. God gives for all eternity, and however long it takes us to recognise and accept his offer, its still there on the table. Paisley and McGuiness were both [from different sides] instrumental in destroying the last attempts at power-sharing, in 1974 and then even, just a few years ago in 2002. Today we can finally begin to see where God is calling, even when present peace is scarred with past pain.

If such peace can come to Northern Ireland, where are we, what of our relationships, families, communities and church - what peace do we need to make and how can we do it? Perhaps the prayer, below, might be one place to start. NB. We are never asked to be able to like everyone, only to love - there's an important difference!

2 May 2007

To plan a Primary School Assembly on International Labour Day [1st May] is perhaps a tall order, but I thought that I'd have a go. I had lots of role-play and discussion, songs of protest and solidarity and the links to the Christian theology of justice and the intrinsic value of each and every human being, whether worker or boss. We could have even have got onto the concept of 'Permanent Revolution'. And there was also an opportunity to look ahead to Christian Aid week. But I turned up and discovered that the whole school assembly had been changed into a Foundation Assembly - for 3 and 4 year olds! We did the drama, music and some discussion; and avoided permanent revolution! I hope the children had fun and learnt some new things.

After labour day comes Christian Aid week when we hear again the stories of some of the poorest people in the world; and in our worship we share their prayers and their praises and celebrate our common humanity across culture and continent. Christian Aid week is about far, far more than just raising money, although that is important [and if you can give an hour on 12th May to collect for Christian Aid at ASDA we'd be very grateful].

In the end, labour day, with its stress on all people being equal and being treated justly; and Christian Aid week, giving life before death to some of the poorest people in the world, and what we do and seek to be week by week at church, at home and at work, is all about love. The unconditional love that God has for us and all that that love calls and challenges us to.

I'm stilling writing this in the evening sun outside St John's Church, Haydon Wick. I was meant to be hosting a meeting of the Swindon Mission Network here tonight, but our keynote speaker, Jane Williams, is unwell and so I'm just sitting here reading and typing and waiting to apologise to any who turn up anyway. Since only four [now five, now six] have done so and we had over sixty registered our networks seem to have communicate the cancellation fairly successfully]. But whilst waiting I was reading a book by Jane's husband, Rowan [Archbishop of Canterbury]. In it he talks of God's purpose in creating us and quotes Paul's letter to the Ephesians saying that God is about is unconditional creative love leading in its turn to peace and for praise. This isn't about us, although it has consequences that effect every part of our lives, this is about God, about who he is. God is love.