Rev Chris’s Weekly Update – 5th June

Dear all,

The Platinum Jubilee weekend has arrived! I do hope that everyone has a wonderful time whatever they are doing, and I may see you at one of the various events taking place.

Sunday is also Pentecost, or some will know it as Whitsun. This is an important festival in the life of the church as it recognizes an event in the bible that is in many ways the birthday of the church. In the book from the bible, The Acts of the Apostles, we read of the disciples that had followed Jesus for the last three years (minus Judas, now replaced with Matthias) waiting together, the risen Jesus having ‘ascended’ to return to the Father.

The waiting ends in the dramatic events of the coming of God as Holy Spirit. There is drama as we read of the house that they are in being filled with the rush of a violent wind and then tongues of fire resting on each of them as they are ‘filled’ with the Holy Spirit, and they begin to speak in other languages!

The passage in Acts goes on to speak of people from many different countries with different languages being present that can understand all that they have to say. To me this speaks powerfully of the need for ‘relevance’ that enables others to understand what is being said – this seems to be a good principle to take hold of when we seek to speak of God to others as ‘churchy’ language can easily confuse. Jesus didn’t aim to set up a church, he aimed to set up a movement that was about all of humanity (all of creation) ultimately reveling in the love, joy, beauty, and glory of God.

May we all revel in the joys of this coming weekend and sense the presence of God in all that we are and all that we do.

Jubilee blessings,

Rev Chris

Ps. Many of you will know Gordon Lorimer who has been a part of our church and community for many years. He has not been well for a while now and sadly passed away in the early hours of Wednesday morning this week. I shall provide details of his funeral in due course but for now our thoughts and prayers go out to Deirdre and the family.