Text of the
Week: Acts 2:38-39 Have a whole new way of thinking and
be baptised, everyone one of you in the name of Jesus Christ, so that your sins
may be forgiven; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the
promise is for you, for your children, and for all who are far away, everyone
whom the Lord our God calls to him.
On this, the Day
of Pentecost, when we celebrate the birth of the Church and the power of the
Holy Spirit, welcome to our services.
And a special welcome this morning one of our Highbury families as they
brought their two little ones to be baptized. At the heart of the Christian
faith is the initiative God takes in reaching out to each of us in love. That
grace of God comes to each of us before ever we have done anything to deserve
it, before ever we have come to understand it. It is that gift of God’s grace
so freely given that we celebrate in baptism. With the gift we celebrate comes
the hope that as they grow older these two youngsters come to know that love of
God for themselves and find out what a difference it can make in the living of
their lives. Our hope is that even now they can respond with a child’s faith to
the love that is poured into their hearts. And then in the fullness of time
when they come to make decisions for themselves our hope and prayer is that
they make their own profession of faith in God and in Jesus Christ as Lord and
Saviour. That means there are promises to make for their parents, for their
family and friends, and for us all as a church family – to welcome them into the
family, the wider family and the church family too, to share with them the
security of love and the Christian faith that can make such a difference for
them. In our celebration of baptism there’s one final thought! Maybe we were
baptised when we were little in a service that celebrated the reality of God’s
love in our lives: have we made that love our own and discovered the difference
it can make to us!.
Today’s service was
planned immediately after the appalling atrocity in Manchester. We shared the
service the day after the horrors of London Bridge. The people caught up in
those tragedies were very much in our thoughts and prayers.
Welcome
and Call to Worship
40
Praise to the Lord, the almighty
Prayer
and the Lord’s Prayer
Reading:
Acts 2:1-4
When
the day of Pentecost had come,
they
were all together in one place.
And
suddenly from heaven there came a sound
Like the rush of a
violent wind,
and it filled the
entire house where they were sitting.
Divided
tongues, as of fire, appeared among them,
and
a tongue rested on each of them.
All
of them were filled with the Holy Spirit
and
began to speak in other languages,
as
the Spirit gave them ability.
The
disciples spilled out of that upper room, rushed down on to the streets and
they could contain themselves no longer. They had the most wonderful message to
share and they shared it in such a way that everyone from everywhere got it!
Then
it was that Peter got to his feet, quietened the crowd, and told the story of
Jesus and all that he had done, the wonderful love he had shared, that death on
the cross that seemed such a tragedy and turned out to herald the most
wonderful resurrection victory.
And
the greatest thing of all was that it really was for everyone!
Reading:
Acts 2:37-39
Now
when they heard this, they were cut to the heart
and
said to Peter and to the other apostles,
‘Brothers,
what should we do?’
Peter
said to them,
‘Repent,
have a whole new way of thinking,
and
be baptized
every
one of you in the name of Jesus Christ
so
that your sins may be forgiven;
and
you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
For
the promise is for you,
for
your children,
and
for all who are far away,
everyone
whom the Lord our God calls to him.’
Those
who welcomed the message were baptized and that day 3000 people were added to
that group of disciples and the Church was born.
From
that point on as people came to follow in the footsteps of Jesus they were
baptized and often the whole family as well.
We
share in the sacrament of Baptism
Today
is very special for us as a church family as our friends bring their youngsters
to be baptized.
At
the heart of the Christian faith is the initiative God takes in reaching out to
each of us in love. That grace of God comes to each of us before ever we have
done anything to deserve it, before ever we have come to understand it. It is
that gift of God’s grace so freely given that we celebrate in baptism.
We’ll
pour a little water over each of them and that water is real – just as the
water we see and can feel is real, so the love of God is real too!
But
if you pour water over something it just cascades to the ground – to make use
of it you need to catch it and then use it – maybe in a glass or a jar. Our
hope and prayer is that as they grow older they will come to know that love of
God for themselves and find out what a difference it can make in the living of
their lives.
Our
hope is that even now they can respond with a child’s faith to the love that is
poured into their hearts. And then in the fullness of time when they come to
make decisions for themselves our hope and prayer is that they make their own
profession of faith in God and in Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour.
That
means there are promises to make for their parents, for their family and
friends, and for us all as a church family –
·
to welcome them into the family, the wider
family and the church family too,
·
to share with them the security of love
and the Christian faith that can make such a difference for them.
In
our celebration of baptism there’s one final thought! Maybe we were baptised
when we were little in a service that celebrated the reality of God’s love in
our lives: have we made that love our own and discovered the difference it can
make to us!
So,
I invite our two friends to bring their youngsters forward.
To
Mum and Dad: Do you believe in God and in Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour and
do you promise to bring these two little ones up in the security of your loving
family and home, and do you promise to pass on to them the teachings of our
Christian faith and give them a sense of the love God has for them and for
everyone as they grow up?
We
do
Let
me ask all of their family and friends who have come specially to share in this
baptism service to stand.
Do
you promise to give your blessing, your encouragement and your support to these
two as they bring their little ones up in their family and in their home?
We
do
Let
me ask all who belong to this church family and everyone who has come to join
us in church today to stand.
Do
you promise to give these two little ones a welcome into our church family and
to pass on to them the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God in the
fellowship of the Holy Spirit?
We
do.
As
I name you,
I
baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
The
Lord bless you and keep you;
the
Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;
the
Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.
As
I name you,
I
baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
The
Lord bless you and keep you;
the
Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;
the
Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.
Baptism
Prayer
It
really has been wonderful welcoming these two into our church family in this
last eighteen months – and to see them really growing up.
It’s
been great to welcome them into the church family already – on a Sunday in our
services, on a Tuesday morning at Toddlers.
Then we’ve got Messy church that’s really good – and also we’ve got Film
club – great for all the family and a great introduction to watching films
together.
But
I have a feeling neither of them need introducing to films.
Someone
told me that one of their favourites was Frozen … and in Frozen the best bit of all was Let it
Go.
So
we’re going to have a look at film clip of Frozen.
In this clip from
Disney's "Frozen," Elsa, whose secret powers have just been revealed,
flees Arendelle and unleashes her magic, creating a breathtaking ice palace.
Performed by the voice of Elsa, Idina Menzel, "Let It Go" is an
original song by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Tony Award®-winner Robert Lopez.
The
snow glows white on the mountain tonight
Not
a footprint to be seen.
A
kingdom of isolation,
and
it looks like I'm the Queen
The
wind is howling like this swirling storm inside
Couldn't
keep it in;
Heaven
knows I've tried
Don't
let them in,
don't
let them see
Be
the good girl you always have to be
Conceal,
don't feel,
don't
let them know
Well
now they know
Let
it go, let it go
Can't
hold it back anymore
Let
it go, let it go
Turn
away and slam the door
I
don't care
what
they're going to say
Let
the storm rage on.
The
cold never bothered me anyway
It's
funny how some distance
Makes
everything seem small
And
the fears that once controlled me
Can't
get to me at all
It's
time to see what I can do
To
test the limits and break through
No
right, no wrong, no rules for me,
I'm
free!
Let
it go, let it go
I
am one with the wind and sky
Let
it go, let it go
You'll
never see me cry
Here
I stand
And
here I'll stay
Let
the storm rage on
My
power flurries through the air into the ground
My
soul is spiraling in frozen fractals all around
And
one thought crystallizes like an icy blast
I'm
never going back, the past is in the past
Let
it go, let it go
And
I'll rise like the break of dawn
Let
it go, let it go
That
perfect girl is gone
Here
I stand
In
the light of day
Let
the storm rage on
The
cold never bothered me anyway!
Wow
– isn’t that great – and the cold never bothered me anyway!
At
our Family Film Club Andrea chooses the films carefully and then prepares a
leaflet to take away. A year ago we showed Frozen. And this is the leaflet that she handed out.
The
Day of Pentecost is a great day for a baptism service – as it’s a day of
looking forward – and looking forward in the presence of God whose love will
never let us go!
A
Hy-Spirit Song
Activities
for all over 3
A
blessing to give and receive
I
prepared this service 10 days ago hard on the heels of the stuff that happened
in Manchester. I then enjoyed a holiday last week, and had the whole day in the
garden yesterday. I was ready just to run with the service I had prepared.
And
then last night all the stuff at London Bridge happened.
Again,
what I had prepared then seemed once more to connect.
It’s
a scary world we are all living in at the moment.
It’s
a scary world these two children are growing up into and indeed all our
children are growing into.
I
have a sneaking feeling it always has been a pretty scary world.
It
certainly was 2000 years ago. The Roman
civilsation was a wonderful civilation. But it was also a brutal one. One of
the few to consider throwing human beings to the lions or pitching them to
fight each other to the death as acceptable entertainment.
And
when they conquered they really did conquer and hold their peoples under
constraint.
It’s
a scary world now.
It was a scary world then.
And
the blessing that was given at Pentecost is a blessing that is as real and
important to us today as it was then.
The
grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and that fellowship we can have
with the Holy Spirit and God has with us through the Holy Spirit really can
make a difference to our lives. And
really can make a difference to the lives of these two as they grow older.
It’s
a way of life that’s based on love for one another. And it’s a way of life
that’s rooted in the love God has for us in Christ
It
finds its focus in the life and teaching, the death and resurrection of Christ
and there is that conviction that nothing in the present, or the future,
nothing in life or death, not heights no depths can separate us from the love
of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
It’s
that kind of all embracing love that reflects the very nature of God that has
the power to drive away fear.
And
that’s what is scary about our world today.
Terrorism really does breed terror.
In
one sense we must not allow it to.
But
in another sense our Christian faith shows us that fear does not have the last
word – and the thing that drives out fear is love.
Wasn’t’
that the powerful message that came out of Manchester? From taxi drivers to
hoteliers to the guy going round with a placard announcing free hugs for all –
it was a spirit of love that was going to drive away the fear.
But
the reality is we cannot do it on our own.
Fear is not something that we can simply get the better of.
And
the message of Pentecost is that there is a strength and power from beyond
ourselves that we can draw on that can make all the difference in the living of
our lives.
It
is that strength, that power from beyond ourselves that sows in our hearts the
seeds of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness,
gentleness and self-control.
This
is what can get the better of those who want to sow the seeds of terror.
Reading:
Galatians 5:22-26
The
fruit of the Spirit is
love,
joy,
peace,
patience,
kindness,
generosity,
faithfulness,
gentleness, and self-control.
There
is no law against such things.
And
those who belong to Christ Jesus
have
crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
If
we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit.
Let
us not become conceited,
competing
against one another,
envying
one another.
Bear
one another’s burdens,
and
in this way you will fulfil the law of Christ.
Let’s
make that our prayer as we remain seated and sing
236
May we, O Holy Spirit
1 May we, O Holy Spirit, bear your
fruit—
your joy and peace pervade each word
we say;
may love become of life the very
root,
and grow more deep and strong with
every day.
2 May patience stem the harmful word and
deed,
and kindness seek the good among the
wrong;
may goodness far beyond our lips
proceed,
as manifest in action as in song.
3 May faithfulness endure, yet as we
grow
may gentleness lend courage to the
weak;
and in our self-restraint help us to
know
the grace that made the King of
Heaven meek.
Paul
Wigmore (born 1925)
©
Paul Wigmore/Jubilate Hymns
Lots
of people from church have been following bible readings each day – and this
week we begin a sequence of readings for Pentecost – it’s called Longing to
belong – and we find ourselves in conversation with Katie Miller, a pioneer
minister in the Church of England working in Speke in Liverpool. It’s on the
theme Longing to Belong – one in the Spirit.
Wednesday’s
reading caught my eye – it’s a reading I often use in a Baptism service. I had
thought not to use it today as it was Pentecost Sunday – but then I saw these
notes. I want to read the passage and then the notes as well.
Mark
10:13-16
People
were bringing little children to him
in order that he
might touch them;
and the
disciples spoke sternly to them.
But
when Jesus saw this,
he was indignant
and
said to them,
‘Let
the little children come to me;
do not stop them;
for
it is to such as these
that the kingdom
of God belongs.
Truly
I tell you,
whoever
does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child
will never enter
it.’
And
he took them up in his arms,
laid his hands on
them,
and
blessed them.
The
heading for the comment on Wednesday is
Jesus
reminds us here that we are one in the Spirit with those of all ages. Children
are not to be excluded. They are welcome and belong also. In fact, they are to
be an example to us of how to receive the Kingdom of God.
I
was recently at a church weekend away where there were, as is not uncommon,
activities for the children.
At
the end of the weekend, at the final service, the children sang for us and
showed some of the activities with which they had been involved.
Everyone was delighted and appreciative of their input.
None
of this is unusual.
However,
after this the adults were then invited to hold out their hands so that the
children could pray for them. Praying simple prayers for those who swished to
be involved, the children circulated the group blessing and praying for all
those holding out their hands. It felt like a profound reversal of roles to
allow the children to bless us. I was reminded that being one in the Spirit
with others means allowing all to both give and receive. We are not truly one
when one group is only ever giving and another only ever receiving.
It
made me think about our service today.
It’s
wonderful to give so much to these two little ons. It is wonderful to promise to give so much
more.
But maybe even more than that is the wonderful they give to us, to us all.
Children
can do that.
It
was Mum who said that Let It Go was their favourite. She had so enjoyed Richard
playing it the other Sunday we asked Richard to play it again today. But then,
not knowing the film very well, I googled it … and what struck me was how
powerful those words were thinking of all these two youngsters had experienced
in their lives. Maybe this was a moment
when they were speaking to us and we were receiving.
I
had just that experience of receiving from youngsters 10 days ago when I did
the assembly at St John’s.
It
was a week last Wednesday. I arrived at St John’s and walked through the
playground ready to take assembly after the morning break.
One
of the teachers came up to me and asked me to say a prayer in assem bly for all
the people in Manchester. I hadn’t thought of doing that. But I went up to the
Head and she was in agrteement. The previous evening I had stumbled across an
article written by Winston’s Wish and published on the Echo Web site. Winston’s
Wish is a Gloucestershire charity that has spread nationwide giving support to
children in bereavement. Their article gave advice about how to talk kto
children about what had happened in Manchester. Don’t cover it up. Tlak about
it with them.
having read the article I felt better equipped … but still very helpless and not a little apprehensive – what should I say, what words of prayer should I use – what can one do? How can I give to the children?
I
went into the assembly only to discover a theatre group had got there before
me. Four Square theatre had been doing a
show called Fishermen’s Tales – telling the story of the fishermen followers of
Jesus./
Actually
it tied in with my Assembly. It was the second one I had done this term on the
term’s theme, Forgiveness. Forgiveness
by numbers. My first assembly had been about the number 3 – three times Peter
denied Jesus, three times the risen Jesus asked him do you love me – three
times Peter was challenged to look after and care for everyone. And the number
of the fish they caught that day could be laid out on the ground in the shape
of an equilateral triangle with seventeen fish on each side of the triangle –
153 fish is the triangular number of 17.
Today’s
assembly turned to the times tables and Jesus’ favourite times table – the
seven times table. Peter lost his cool and wanted to know how many times to
forgive seven times? Seventy-times seven
times.
I
came to the end of my assembly telling the story of the King who forgave the
slave who owed him three and half billion pouds and went outside and wouldn’t forgive
the slave who owed him a mere £60000.
My
talk over I asked the two youngsters operating the computer to put up the words
for the song. I didn’t know it – it was
one the youngsters had learned last year from one of the theatre group when he
had joined the school with I Sing Pop.
Great
way of teaching the youngsters pop songs with all the moves but a Christian
message.
I
decided to say my prayer first.
I
avoided any link with the forgiveness theme – that was something for another
day and another time – and a big one to get your head round in the wake of
Manchester. Not for that day, not for that time.
I
prayed that God would comfort people in Manchester after all that had happened
and I prayed that all over the country we would work together at caring for
each other so that we could all be together and supporting each other.
Something
like that. I hope it was OK – I did my best.
Then
I got them to play the words of the song.
I
was at the front – the youngsters were singing for all they were worth. It may be a year since they did I sing pop –
but they sing the songs brilliantly.
I
found I had to turn with my back to the children – to follow the words.
It
was hard to stop the tears coming down my cheeks.
I
had supposed I would offer something to the children to help them.
They
were a blessing to me as the words they sang were words of hope in a world of
devastation.
And
it took the children to share that blessing with me.
There
is somewhere with a love we can all share
No
more sorrow and a whole new tomorrow
I
can feel it in my fingers
#I
can feel it in my toes
I
can feel my body moving
#letting
everybody know
So
imagine this
Everybody
has love to give
And
we all have a chance to live
Freedom
with sadness ended
Love
defended
There
will be no pain
And
the broken will rise again
Darkness
fading the night will end
Love
is when Chains are broken Heaven opens
A
memorable moment I for one will not forget.
Let’s
join in singing …
246
Spirit of holiness
Spirit of holiness, wisdom and
faithfulness,
wind of the Lord, blowing strongly
and free:
strength of our serving and joy of
our worshipping—
Spirit of God, bring your fulness to
me!
1 You came to interpret and teach us
effectively
all that the Saviour has spoken and
done;
to glorify Jesus is all your
activity—
promise and gift of the Father and
Son:
Chorus
2 You came with your gifts to supply all
our poverty,
pouring your love on the church in
her need;
you came with your fruit for our
growth to maturity,
richly refreshing the souls that you
feed:
Chorus
3 You came to the world in its pride and
futility,
warning of dangers, directing us
home;
now with us and in us, we welcome
your company;
Spirit of Christ, in his name you
have come:
Chorus
Christopher
Idle
©
Christopher Idle/Jubilate Hymns Ltd
12
10 12 10 13 10 13 10
Used
By Permission. CCL Licence No. 3540
Copied
from HymnQuest: Copyright Licence Users' Edition
HymnQuest
ID: 61224
Prayers
of Concern
245
There’s a spirit in the air
This
is the definitive version of the text. An earlier version in Faith Looking
Forward and many other books is given elsewhere but the definitive version
should be used wherever possible.
1 There's a spirit in the air,
telling Christians everywhere:
'Praise the love that Christ
revealed,
living, working in our world!'
2 Lose your shyness, find your tongue,
tell the world what God has done:
God in Christ has come to stay.
Live tomorrow's life today!
3 When believers break the bread,
when a hungry child is fed,
praise the love that Christ
revealed,
living, working, in our world.
4 Still the Spirit gives us light,
seeing wrong and setting right:
God in Christ has come to stay.
Live tomorrow's life today!
5 When a stranger's not alone,
where the homeless find a home,
praise the love that Christ
revealed,
living, working, in our world.
6 May the Spirit fill our praise,
guide our thoughts and change our
ways.
God in Christ has come to stay.
Live tomorrow's life today!
7 There's a Spirit in the air,
calling people everywhere:
Praise the love that Christ
revealed,
living, working, in our world.
Brian
Wren (born 1936)
©
1969, 1995 Stainer & Bell Ltd
7
7 7 7
Used
By Permission. CCL Licence No. 3540
Copied
from HymnQuest: Copyright Licence Users' Edition
HymnQuest
ID: 62482
Words
of Blessing
No comments:
Post a Comment