Pentecost Sunday Service

Sunday Letter

Sunday 31^st May 2020

Dear Friends

We are writing this letter before we know what the next stage of easing our lockdown is.  Perhaps there will have been good news for the churches opening a little more – we live in hope….

Today is the feast of Pentecost – where we remember the coming of the Holy Spirit to the disciples in the dramatic form of wind and fire.  We have all experienced events in our lives which have been life-forming and life-changing, and often we don’t realise the impact until after the event.  Perhaps the disciples too didn’t really understand what was happening to them on that first Pentecost, but the effect would change their lives completely and for ever.

So today, let us think back to the times and events in our lives where God, in the form of the Holy Spirit, has been at work. They probably weren’t as dramatic as the coming of the Spirit to the disciples, but if we have been paying attention then these times will have changed our lives, even in small ways. 

Let us pray for the Holy Spirit to be at work again in our lives and that of others, and anywhere where people have opened their hearts and minds to new possibilities and new ways of living.

Many people have written and spoken about the fact that we cannot go back to way society was before this pandemic.  We have a job to do to make sure that the Holy Spirit’s work of love, compassion and grace is carried on through us, through the Church and through our communities.  Let us take up the Spirit’s work of kingdom building wherever and whenever we can in the coming months and years.

News of Katharine

We need to tell you that Katharine will now be licensed to her new Benefice of Cam Vale on Tuesday 16^th June.  This will be done online, and she will be licensed as Priest-in-Charge.  Her licensing as Rector will not happen until later this year when we hope that many of us will be able to attend.

Katharine will then be moving into her new home in Queen Camel on 25^th June to take up her post there.  Sunday 14^th June will be her last Sunday with us.  She will be writing to you all before she leaves.  She is obviously very disappointed, as we are sure you are, that she is not going to be able to have a proper ‘send-off’.  However, once we are back to ‘normal’ she will come back, and we can have a proper thank you and farewell party for her.

Please pray for Katharine as she begins this new and exciting phase of her ministry, although she is beginning in less than ideal circumstances and we pray that she will find strength and encouragement in her own faith and calling as well as in the faith of others.

We cannot be together to sign joint cards for Katharine but if you would like to send her something then her address is:

83 Brutton Way       

Chard   TA20 2HB                                                                                                                                                                                             

Love and blessings

Ann, Georgina and Katherine

Ann    01460 351521

Georgina   01460 66159

Katharine   01460 261188 

Pentecost Sunday

Lord God Almighty,  pour upon us your Spirit,  and set us on fire with love for you, that we may bring forth the fruits of love, joy and peace,  and live to the praise of your holy name; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen

Come Holy Spirit, come

renew the face of the earth.

Holy Spirit, bringing order out of chaos,  

bring order to our actions 

and purpose to our lives.                                                                            

Come, renew the face of the earth.

Holy Spirit, moving in the deep places of creation,                              

move in the depths of our hearts.                                                                   

Come, renew the face of the earth.

Holy Spirit, breathing life into all creatures,                                          

refresh, renew, restore your people.                                                      

Come, renew the face of the earth.

Holy Spirit, giver of all good gifts,                                                                         

help us to use our talents and abilities aright.                                            

Come, renew the face of the earth.

Holy Spirit, giving life to dry bones,                                                                  

give hope and joy to all who are weary.                                                      

Restore the lives which without you are dead.                                            

Come, renew the face of the earth.

Holy Spirit, giver of love,               
kindle the hearts which without you are dull and cold.  

Fill your church, our hearts, and minds with love. 
Come, renew the face of the earth.    
Come, Holy Spirit, upon all bishops, priests, and all in ministry,  
and upon all who seek to serve you.  
Come upon all who strive to proclaim your power and your presence.  
Come upon the powerless and the oppressed. 
Come, be known among the poor and the exploited.  
Come and comfort the anxious, the fearful and the broken-hearted. 
Come and give strength to the ill and the dying. 
Come, renew the face of the earth.

Our Bible readings for this week:

Acts 2: 1-21

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.

Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. Amazed and astonished, they asked, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs—in our own languages we hear them speaking about God's deeds of power.” All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” But others sneered and said, “They are filled with new wine.”

But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them, “Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say. Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o'clock in the morning. No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel:

‘In the last days it will be, God declares,

that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh,

and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,

and your young men shall see visions,

and your old men shall dream dreams.

Even upon my slaves, both men and women,

in those days I will pour out my Spirit;

and they shall prophesy.

And I will show portents in the heaven above

and signs on the earth below,

blood, and fire, and smoky mist.

The sun shall be turned to darkness

and the moon to blood,

before the coming of the Lord's great and glorious day.

Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’

John 20: 19-23

When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”

                                                               

Midweek Musings from Ann

I have left Ecclesiastes and am now looking at Proverbs - I came upon this.  There seems to be a great need for wisdom in our national debates at present:

Proverbs 2: 1-11

The Value of Wisdom

1My child, if you accept my words

and treasure up my commandments within you,

2making your ear attentive to wisdom

and inclining your heart to understanding;

3if you indeed cry out for insight,

and raise your voice for understanding;

4if you seek it like silver,

and search for it as for hidden treasures—

5then you will understand the fear of the Lord

and find the knowledge of God.

6For the Lord gives wisdom;

from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;

7he stores up sound wisdom for the upright;

he is a shield to those who walk blamelessly,

8guarding the paths of justice

and preserving the way of his faithful ones.

9Then you will understand righteousness and justice

and equity, every good path;

10for wisdom will come into your heart,

and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul;

11prudence will watch over you;

and understanding will guard you.

I also found this at the end of Ecclesiastes - I make no comment:

Ecclesiastes 9: 16 - 18

16So I said, “Wisdom is better than might; yet the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heeded.”

17The quiet words of the wise are more to be heeded

than the shouting of a ruler among fools.

18Wisdom is better than weapons of war,

but one bungler destroys much good.

Enjoy the sunshine.

Ann 

The Sunday after Ascension

od has gone up with a shout,

the Lord with the sound of a trumpet.

                                                                                                     Psalm 47.5.

Grace, mercy and peace

from God our Father

and the Lord Jesus Christ

be with you

and also with you

        Prayer of Preparation

Almighty God,

To whom all hearts are open,

All desires known,

And from whom no secrets are hidden:

Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts

By the inspiration of your Holy Spirit,

That we may perfectly love you

And worthily magnify your holy name;

Through Christ our Lord.

Amen

 

Prayers of Penitence

Jesus Christ, risen master and triumphant Lord, we come to you in sorrow for our sins, and confess to your our weakness and unbelief.

Silence

Loving God, maker of all that is, we come before you now in all our weakness.

We have turned away from your goodness and forgotten your love for us.

We have not kept your command to love you with our whole selves.

Forgive us when we forget you.

Forgive us when we fail you.

Give us grace to face our mistakes and to try again.

We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ our Saviour.  Amen

  The Absolution

Gloria in Excelsis

 Glory to God in the highest

and peace to his people on earth

Lord God, heavenly King,

almighty God and Father,

we worship you, we give you thanks,

we praise you for your glory

Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father,

Lord God, Lamb of God

you take away the sin of the world:

have mercy on us;

you are seated at the right hand of the Father

receive our prayer.

For you alone are the Holy One

you alone are the Lord,

you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ

with the Holy Spirit,

in the glory of God the Father.

 Amen.

                                                                                           The Collect

Risen Christ,

you have raised our human nature to the throne of heaven:

help us to seek and serve you,

that we may join you at the Father’s side,

where you reign with the Spirit in glory,

now and for ever.

Amen.

Silence is kept.

    The Liturgy of the  Word

      Reading

At the end the reader may say:

Thanks be to God

Gospel Reading

When the gospel is announced the reader says:

Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus  Christ according to Luke.

Glory to you, O Lord

At the end:

This is the Gospel of the Lord

Praise to you, O Christ.

      The  Profession of Faith

 I believe in God, the Father almighty,

creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,

who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,

born of the Virgin Mary,

suffered under Pontius Pilate,

was crucified, died, and was buried;

he descended to the dead.

On the third day he rose again;

he ascended into heaven,

he is seated at the right hand of the Father,

and he will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,

the holy catholic Church,

the communion of saints,

the forgiveness of sins,

the resurrection of the body,

and the life everlasting.

Amen.

        Prayers of Intercession

    The Peace

Jesus says: ‘Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.

If you love me, rejoice because I am gone to the Father’.

Alleluia.

The peace of the Lord be always with you
and also with you.

Let us offer one another a sign of peace.

Hymn

The Preparation of the Table

Blessed be God,

By whose  grace creation is renewed,

By whose love heaven is opened,

By whose mercy we offer our sacrifice of praise.

Blessed be God for ever.

The Eucharistic Prayer

      The Lord is here

       His Spirit is with us.

Lift up your hearts.

We lift them to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

It is right to give thanks and praise.

        It is indeed right and good,

        Our duty and our joy,

        always and everywhere to give you thanks,

        holy Father, almighty and eternal God,

        through Jesus Christ the King of glory.

        Born of a woman,

        he came to the rescue of our human race.

        Dying for us,

        he trampled death and conquered sin.

        By the glory of his resurrection

        he opened the way to life eternal 

        and by his ascension,

        gave us the sure hope

        that where he is we may also be.

       Therefore the universe resounds with Easter joy

       and with choirs of angels we sing for ever to your praise:

Holy, holy, holy Lord,
God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.

How wonderful the work of your hands, O Lord.
As a mother tenderly gathers her children,
you embraced a people as your own.
When they turned away and rebelled
your love remained steadfast.

From them you raised up Jesus our Saviour, born of Mary,
to be the living bread,
in whom all our hungers are satisfied.
He offered his life for sinners,
and with a love stronger than death
he opened wide his arms on the cross.
On the night before he died,
he came to supper with his friends
and, taking bread, he gave you thanks.

He broke it and gave it to them, saying:
Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you;
do this in remembrance of me.

At the end of supper, taking the cup of wine,
he gave you thanks, and said:
Drink this, all of you; this is my blood of the new covenant,
which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.

 

       Christ has died:
Christ is risen:
Christ will come again.

Father, we plead with confidence
his sacrifice made once for all upon the cross;
we remember his dying and rising in glory,
and we rejoice that he intercedes for us at your right hand.

Pour out your Holy Spirit as we bring before you
these gifts of your creation;
may they be for us the body and blood of your dear Son.

As we eat and drink these holy things in your presence,
form us in the likeness of Christ,
and build us into a living temple to your glory.

Bring us at the last with Mary, Nicholas, Andrew and all the saints
to the vision of that eternal splendour
for which you have created us;
through Jesus Christ, our Lord,
by whom, with whom, and in whom, with all who stand before you in earth and heaven, we worship you, Father

almighty, in songs of everlasting praise:

Blessing and honour and glory and power
be yours for ever and ever.
Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father, who art in heaven,

hallowed be thy name;

thy Kingdom come; thy will be done,

on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive those who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation;

but deliver us from evil.

For thine is the Kingdom,

the power and the glory,

forever and ever.

Amen.

The president breaks the consecrated bread, saying
Lord, we died with you on the cross

We were buried in your tomb,

Live in us, that we may live in you.

Now we are raised to new life,

 Now we share in your resurrection.

Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world:
have mercy on us.

Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world:
have mercy on us.

Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world:
grant us peace.

The Communion

I heard the voice of a great multitude crying, Alleluia.

The Lord our God has entered into his kingdom.

Blessed are those who are called to the supper of the Lamb.

Alleluia.

     After Communion

The president says

God our Father,

You have raised our humanity in Christ

And have fed us with the bread of heaven:

Mercifully grant that, nourished with such spiritual blessings,

We may set our hearts in the heavenly places;

Through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen

We thank you, Lord,

That you have fed us this sacrament,

United us with Christ,

And given us a foretaste of the heavenly banquet

Prepared for all peoples,

Amen.

The Blessing

May the Spirit,

Who set the Church on fire upon the day of Pentecost,

Bring the world alive with the love of the risen Christ.

And the blessing of God Almighty,

The Father, the Son, and the  Holy Spirit,

Be among you and remain with you always.

Amen.

         The Dismissal

Waiting expectantly for the promised Holy Spirit,

go in the peace of Christ, Alleluia, Alleluia.

Thanks be to God.  Alleluia, Alleluia.

 The Blessing

May the Spirit,

Who set the Church on fire upon the day of Pentecost,

Bring the world alive with the love of the risen Christ.

And the blessing of God Almighty,

The Father, the Son, and the  Holy Spirit,

Be among you and remain with you always.

Amen.

         The Dismissal

Waiting expectantly for the promised Holy Spirit,

go in the peace of Christ, Alleluia, Alleluia.

Thanks be to God.  Alleluia, Alleluia.