A new Law

Dear friends,

Fifty days after the Passover festival, the disciples were gathered in Jerusalem for the Jewish festival of Shavuot. This is the celebration of the wheat harvest, and is used to remember the giving of the Torah – the ten commandments – to Moses on Mount Sinai. They were being faithful to Jesus’ instruction to “wait in Jerusalem” for “that which God has promised”. St Luke writes in Acts 2 that, on the day, there was a sound like a rushing wind which filled the whole house, and tongues, as of fire, rested on each of them. The gift of God’s Spirit was manifest, not just in wind and flame, but in divine utterance, as the disciples became able to speak in languages in which they had not been schooled. These tongues – “new” to the disciples – were however tools for the communication of the good news of God to the cosmopolitan crowds who were drawn to the commotion – Jewish pilgrims from all over the Roman world. St Luke lists some of those present, who heard God’s deeds of power spoken of in their own speech: Parthia, Media, Pontus and Asia, Egyptians, Cretans, Arabians, and others. Luke gives examples from all points of the compass, to show to us all that God’s gifts are for the whole world, and that the wonder of the resurrection has opened the doorway for all peoples – both Jew and Gentile – to know God’s power and love. The prophets Jeremiah and Ezekiel both looked forward to the day when the Laws written on tablets of stone, and mediated by priests and scholars, would be superseded by a new Law, written by the Spirit of God on the hearts of men, women and children. “From the least to the greatest, they will all know me.” (Jer 31:31ff) Pentecost now, for Christians, celebrates the giving of this, God’s new Law – the word of life written on our hearts – and we celebrate it fifty days after Easter Day

In the moment, however, St Peter’s take on Pentecost did not reference these two great “major” prophets, but a “minor” one. He takes a passage from the book of Joel to interpret to the amazed and perplexed onlookers what is unfolding before their eyes, and in their ears. “This is God’s promised Holy Spirit. This is the great Day of the Lord. The heavens and the earth are being shaken. The gates of salvation are now opened to you all. From today, everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Acts 2:14-21)

Personally, I take encouragement from the story of Pentecost; there are times and seasons within the life of any group of those who follow Jesus when amazement and perplexity are absolutely the right response. God does things. Do not be tempted to stand with those who sneer and scoff, but let us walk with those who call on the name of the Lord, and throw ourselves into the waters of baptism and the path of discipleship.

Worship Services for Pentecost Sunday 8th June

9.30am Morning Prayer at St John’s Stoke Row with Revd Romey Poston

11am Holy Communion for Pentecost at St Peter and Paul, Checkendon with Canon Kevin Davies

Midweek zoom service: Wednesday Evensong at 5.00pm  410 935 129

Looking forward:

There are some diary dates, and prayer requests for you to take note of for the month of June: Next Sunday at Checkendon we welcome Vlad and Victoria into Christ’s Church as they are baptised. Do join us for our friendly all-age service.

Katy Adams and Sacha Alam are to be married on Saturday 21st, please pray for Katy and Sacha as they make this solemn commitment to one another.

Checkendon PTA are hosting the CheckFest on Saturday 28th (tickets here). A great evening of music and food for the whole community to share!

and Revd Romey’s Valediction is at the Team Service at Checkendon at 10.30am on Sunday 29th June. Again, please do join us for a celebration and a great chance to raise the roof in praise.

Finally, in your prayers, please remember all those known to you who are in a nursing home, or receiving help at home. May our care, both personal and institutional, show compassion and love. Your prayers are also requested for Andy, who has received a serious cancer diagnosis this week. Pray for the medical teams treating him, for wisdom, and insight, and for Andy’s friends and family, who are coming to terms with the shock of the news.

Thank you all for your care and concern for one another, and for your churches. Here’s a lovely choral/keys arrangement of John Wimber’s Spirit Song with music to follow if you wish.

Your Rector, Canon Kevin.

Bonus PS: John Wimber was a gifted musician and keyboard player, and in the 1960s played and later managed the band that became The Righteous Brothers. God had other plans, however, and John Wimber took his musical gifts with him into Christian ministry, where he was “instrumental” in founding the Vineyard group of churches, which in the 1980’s were “key” in introducing a new level of professionalism into the use of contemporary music in Christian worship. This new style of worship brought a (forgotten) intimacy and joy back into focus in hymnody, which you can see in the above song. John Wimber’s friendship with Revd David Watson (St Michael le Belfry, York) brought both the worship, and the refreshed emphasis on the work and gifts of the Holy Spirit, here into the UK. It is fair to say that, now, forty years on, there isn’t a church in the land that hasn’t been touched by the legacy of this unsung saint.