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Block Print by Mike Newman
Projects
Link to the reports from Jan 15 Annual Meeting
Daily meditations in words and music.
Your daily prayer online, since 1999
"We invite you to make a ‘Sacred Space’ in your day, praying here and now, as you visit our website, with the help of scripture chosen every day and on-screen guidance."
Saints of the Week, May 28 – June 4
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28
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[John Calvin, Theologian, 1564] |
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29
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30
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[Jeanne d’Arc (Joan of Arc), Mystic and Soldier, 1431] |
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31
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The Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary |
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1
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Justin, Martyr at Rome, c. 167 |
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2
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Blandina and Her Companions, 177 |
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3
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The Martyrs of Uganda, 1886 |
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4
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[John XXIII (Angelo Guiseppe Roncalli), Bishop of Rome, 1963] |
May 28 – Easter 7 – Ascension
The Week Ahead…
May 31 – 10:00am, Ecumenical Bible Study
May 31 – 6 pm, "Road to Emmaus", Christian education
June 4 – 10:00am, Godly Play (preschool through 2nd grade
June 4 – 10:00am, "Road to Emmaus" (repeat from May 31)
June 4 – 11:00am, Holy Eucharist, Rite II, Pentecost
June 4 – 12:00pm, First Sunday Social
Sunday, June 4 Readings and Servers
Pentecost is often called “The Birthday of the Church.” If you like to bake, bring a cake to enter in the PENTECOST CAKE BAKE-OFF at First Sunday Social, June 4, 12pm! An impartial panel of judges will select the winner. All entries will be devoured.
Next Sunday’s First Sunday Social is also a covered dish. Please bring a covered dish. Susan Tilt will be bringing fried chicken.
"Thy Kingdom Come," Prayers from Ascension to Pentecost
Thy Kingdom Come is a global prayer movement, which invites Christians around the world to pray between Ascension and Pentecost for more people to come to know Jesus Christ. You can "Pledge to Pray."
What started as an idea from Archbishop Justin Welby gained momentum and in May 2016 more than 100,000 Christians from different denominations and traditions took part from the UK and across the world. They joined in more than 3,000 events and services to pray for others to come to know Jesus Christ and for God’s kingdom to come.
Here is a video from the Archbiship which expresses his thoughts about the movement.
The hope is that:
- people will commit to pray with God’s world-wide family – as a church, individually or as a family;
- churches will hold prayer events, such as 24-7 prayer, prayer stations and prayer walks, across the UK and in other parts of the world;
- people will be empowered through prayer by the Holy Spirit, finding new confidence to be witnesses for Jesus Christ.
Resources
1. Prayer resources for individuals, congregations and/or families can be downloaded here.
2 A prayer journal or young people and adults to record thoughts, prayers and ideas throughout Thy Kingdom Come
Video messages began with Presiding Bishop Michael Curry on May 25. Here is the link
Curry writes, "God came among us in the person of Jesus of Nazareth to change the world. Jesus came to show us the way to change the world from the nightmare it often is into the dream and vision that God intends.
"The Archbishop of Canterbury has invited us to pray – ‘Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven.’ Prayer actually does change things. We may always not know how; we may not always know the details; we may not always see the end result or the end product but prayer changes things…"
More videos in the series can be found here.
Travel the Road to Emmaus continuing Wed May 31, 6pm . These sessions are repeated at 10am the next Sunday. This 6 week class is for everyone and especially those in preparation for reaffirmation, confirmation or reception. Learn about ways the church can help you to increase your faith. Renew your relationship with God. Refresh your knowledge about the church.
These classes will continue Tuesday, June 6, and Wednesday, June 14th. We’ll begin with a simple supper at 6PM, followed by learning and discussion which will end by 8PM each evening. Not only will we have fun together, but we’ll learn a lot together. Topics include:
1. Beginnings: Baptism and Confirmation, The Bible. Knowing our History
2. Faith: What do we believe?
3. Worship: Responding to God’s blessings;
4. Sacraments: Signs of Grace;
5. Spirituality: Created for Prayer;
6. Navigating the Church: From Local to Worldwide Church and The Mission of God: What’s your Ministry?
Please let Catherine know if you plan to attend.
What is Pentecost?
Pentecost literally means “fiftieth day.” As a religious celebration, it first delineated the fifty days after Passover with a harvest festival. It was also a celebration of the giving of the Law at Mount Sinai, still celebrated in the Jewish tradition as Shavuot.
In the Christian tradition, Pentecost marks the end of the 50 Days of Easter. In Acts 2, the apostles and friends are gathered together in Jerusalem. Suddenly there is a great rushing of wind, and tongues of fire rest on each of the apostles. They begin to speak in different languages, and the crowds around them, Jews from across the diaspora, having come to Jerusalem for the Festival of Weeks, understand them, although some disparaged them as drunks. It was at this moment that Peter stood up and preached, revealing the will of God in Jesus Christ, as prophesied by Joel, and affirming a continual outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon repentance and baptism.
Why does Pentecost Matter?
There are at least three reasons to start with:
1. It marks the birthday of the church. Pentecost was a turning point. Before the rushing wind, the flames, and the speaking in tongues, the apostles were a group of followers who listened to Jesus and assisted as he helped those who came to him for healing and grace. Without Jesus, they were aimless and confused. After the Holy Spirit enters that room, after Peter preaches repentance and baptism, they no longer look inward. The end of Acts 2 records that they devoted themselves to the teaching and to fellowship, they performed wonders and signs, they gave to others in need…and the Lord added to their number daily those who were saved.
The Holy Spirit gave the disciples direction and power to form the Christian community, which would become “the church.” So, Pentecost is a birthday, and some churches today celebrate with cake!
2. Pentecost completes the Trinity. Christian theology is grounded in a doctrine of three in one, and Christians often pray in the “name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.” Pentecost was the first and definitive moment in which we can say that the Father sent the Holy Spirit to make the Son present. No Pentecost, no Trinity.
3. Jesus kept his promise. In Matthew 28:20 Jesus told his followers, “I will be with you always, even until the end of the age.” He promptly ascended and was seen no more. What gives? Well, in John 15:26 he says, “I will send you the Advocate-the Spirit of truth. He will come to you from the Father and will testify all about me” (NLT). The point is: Jesus is present through the Holy Spirit. Pentecost marks the fulfillment of Christ’s promised presence.
from buildfaith.org
Pentecost – The quick version
Click here or on the picture above
Lectionary, June 4, Pentecost
I. Theme – The coming of the Holy Spirit
Window from St Aloysius’ church in Somers Town, London
The lectionary readings are here or individually:
First Reading – Acts 2:1-21
Psalm – Psalm 104:25-35, 37 Page 736, BCP
Epistle –1 Corinthians 12:3b-13
Gospel – John 20:19-23
Gospel 2 – John 7:37-39
Pentecost is a milestone in the story of salvation. It was on that day that the Holy Spirit was poured out upon the believers in an upper room in Jerusalem as they awaited the baptism Jesus told them they would receive. Jesus had promised this event just before He ascended into heaven.
"And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other languages, as the Spirit gave them utterance."
The symbol of fire is important for Pentecost.Fire has long represented God and the presence of his Holy Spirit. Fire consumes but is its own energy force.
That energy is around action and for the church, mission. Acts is about mission, about speaking, proclaiming, the good news to people everywhere, in languages (and language) they can understand. This is the day in which the mission of the church was given birth.
The Psalm is a hymn of praise, offered in the course of Temple worship, probably at the Autumnal harvest festival, given its theme of creation. It is a poem praising God and celebrating the order, the balance and majesty of creation reflecting upon God’s mighty power.
His creative agent is his “spirit.” Creation is continuous, continually renewed.
Paul spends chapters 12, 13 and 14 of Corinthians trying to get them to enjoy and express their gifts in ways that give strength to the community and glory to God.
Paul talks about gifts are shown through the Holy Spirit, not for personal edification but “for the common good” for building up the Church – wisdom, healing, knowledge.
There are two Gospel readings from John which take place before the Resurrection.
In John 20 Jesus breathed on his disciples and gave them the Holy Spirit as a foreshadowing of the Spirit they were to receive at Pentecost. Jesus message is that His followers need His Spirit to continue His work.There is no doubt that when John spoke about the breath of God in this way he was thinking back to the story of creation of humankind. When Jesus breathed on them and commanded them to receive the Holy Spirit he was reminding them of the creative life-force emanating from the being of God.
In John 7, there is a return to the metaphor of water. "Let anyone who is thirsty come to me, and let the one who believes in me drink. As the scripture has said, `Out of the believer’s heart shall flow rivers of living water.’" Living water is flowing water. In contrast, there can be "dead" water. Water going nowhere — stuck in a stagnant pool.
In John, "thirst" has the double meaning of literal thirst for real water and physical life; and "spiritual" thirst for a real relationship with God and eternal life.
Thus, those who come to Jesus and trust him will have floods of life flowing out of them. When he is lifted up on the cross, Jesus declared his work is finished and passes on his spirit.