The Minister writes… from our June newsletter

Dear friends,

You would have had to have been living on another planet not to realise that this is the month in which the country will be celebrating our Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. Whether you are an ardent royalist or staunch republican, it would be a very rare person who would not be impressed by the achievement being recognised: 70 years since Elizabeth R came to the throne, 70 years of devotion to duty. They are years that have been marked with joy but also by sorrow. There have been good times but there have most assuredly been difficult ones too, on both a personal and national scale.

Elizabeth Windsor ascended to the throne on 6th February 1952 so various events have been happening throughout the year to mark the occasion, but it is the weekend of the 2 – 5th June which has been set aside for celebrating nationwide. Will you be celebrating? Maybe there’s a street party planned in your road that you’ll be joining in with? Whatever you might be doing, I hope it is a great weekend for you.

It is a great weekend for the Church of Christ too because Sunday 5th June is Pentecost: that time when we remember the coming of the Holy Spirit and rejoice! Often called the birthday of the Christian Church, it is also a time for celebration. Yet it is so much more than simply the recalling of an historical event because the Holy Spirit is still present now, still comes now to every believer in Jesus Christ. His transformative power can still be unleashed in our lives – if we allow it. Sometimes, I think, we’re a little afraid to let that happen, fearful of what might result. Yet if we would only trust God for his love and good purposes in our lives, then we might feel more able to pray (and mean it!) ‘Come, Holy Spirit, come!’

Think of how the Church grew exponentially in those early days with hundreds, even thousands, being added to the number of new believers. We live in an age where a message can be transmitted across the world in the blink of an eye. Two thousand years ago, the only way for news to spread was by word of mouth or by letter. So think what a truly amazing thing it was how the Gospel message spread in those years. That people across all the neighbouring countries came to hear about Jesus and many believed despite persecution. Eventually the message of salvation would heard over the whole world.

Imagine what God might be able to do through this church, through you, if we –  if you – would only pray ‘Come, Holy Spirit, come!’ May that be our prayer, not only on this Pentecost Sunday in the midst of general celebration, but each and every day!

With every blessing

Sharon