home worship for WHITSUN DAY (Pentecost).

Some thoughts on home worship for WHITSUN DAY (Pentecost).

This week's bell-ringing, I've chosen a clip from Hoar Cross Staffordshire:

The treble (smallest bell) is almost twice the weight of Haughton's

Tenor (our heavest). Further details of the bells can be found

here from Dove's Guide.

Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful people and kindle

them in the fire of your love

HYMN: “Come Holy Ghost, our souls inspire”

Pray the Collect of the day

God, who as at this time taught the hearts of your faithful people

by sending to them the light of your Holy Spirit: 

grant us by the same spirit to have a right judgement in all things

and evermore to rejoice in his holy comfort through

the merits of Christ Jesus our Saviour who is alive and reigns with you,

in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Read the Epistle from Acts Chapter 2 verses 1-21

Read the Gospel from St. John Chapter 7 verses 37-39, then St John 

Chapter 20 verses 19-23.

Hymn: “Come down, O love divine”

Some thoughts for Whitsuntide

A class of eight year old children were asked to draw a picture of the

Ascension of Jesus. One little boy did a picture of some clouds and

wrote underneath “Jesus gone!”  The following week they were asked

to draw a picture of the day of Pentecost. The same little boy produced

a picture of some heads with Jesus shaped tongues of fire

descending on them. He called this picture “Jesus back!” 

He was not far wrong. At the ascension Jesus finally departed

this world in bodily form only to return ten days later in spiritual form,

the power of the Holy Spirit.

And power it was for these apostles who had been locked down

for weeks for fear of the Jews were suddenly given new strength

and new hope. They went out into the market place in Jerusalem

and mingled with the vast crowds. Peter, headstrong as always,

got up and began to preach to them, telling them of their own

sins and shortcomings and showing them that their lives could

be turned around completely by becoming followers of Jesus,

The Way as it was first known. Many were convinced by his teaching.

For us after weeks of lockdown, there are at last some hopes

of a break through. When it comes it will come slowly,

but we are being given just the same kind of hope which

came to those apostles all those years ago. They went out

with new strength and new vigour, we Christians must do the

same. It will be so easy to ask, “Is it safe?” and perhaps rightly.

But we need courage to face the world in whatever state

we find it, to be strong to trust in the Lord.

 We must pray for the day, hopefully not too far away when

we can return our friends and relatives, and to our churches.

Worship online, whatever form it takes – and much of what

has been offered over the media during the past couple of

months has been good, and has commanded the attention

of many people who would never have been in church, but,

however good, it can never be a substitute for the face to

face meeting of Christian people in the surroundings of Sunday

Worship for the true fellowship of one another in the presence

of our risen and ascended Lord.

Offer some Prayers

Pray for your own families, friends, and others whom you wish t

o remember.

Pray especially for Sian, Rici Garbett’s daughter with a critical illness

(not Covid) in hospital.

Pray for delivery drivers, posties, and others who come to our homes.

Continue to pray for the doctors, nurses and care workers who tend the sick.

Thank God for the lives of Mark, and Trina, (both one time churchwardens)

and for Doreen (the wife of a churchwarden)

Pray for the future of our parishes and churches,

whatever that future may be.

Thank God for your own safety and well-being and as we look

forward to a more normal way of life pray that we may have the courage

to grasp the opportunities it brings.

Pray this prayer    

Faithful God, who fulfilled the promises of Easter by sending us your Holy Spirit,

and opening to every race and nation the way of eternal life:

open our lips by your spirit, that every tongue may tell your glory;

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

And the Lord’s Prayer

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come,

Your will be done on earth as in heaven. Give us today pour daily bread.

Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.

Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

For the kingdom and the power and the glory are yours now and forever. Amen.

HYMN: “Lord, the light of your love is shining”

The spirit of truth guide you into all truth, give you grace to

confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, and strengthen you to proclaim

the word and works of God. Amen.

GEOFF SMITH