PENTECOST 20th May 2018 20 May 2018.pdf · PENTECOST 20th May 2018 Without Pentecost the...
4
PENTECOST 20 th May 2018 Without Pentecost the Christ-event - the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus - remains imprisoned in history as something to remember, think about and reflect on. The Spirit of Jesus comes to dwell within us, so that we can become living Christs, here and now. Henri Nouwen Call to thoughtfulness The Answer R S Thomas Many Rivers press 1996 Not darkness but twilight in which even the best of minds must make its way now. And slowly the questions occur, vague but formidable for all that. We pass our hands over their surface like blind men feeling for the mechanism that will swing them aside. They yield, but only to re-form as new problems; and one does not even do that but towers immovable before us. Is there no way other than thought of answering its challenge? There is an anticipation of it to the point of dying. There have been times when, after long on my knees in a cold chancel, a stone has rolled from my mind, and I have looked in and seen the old questions lie folded and in a place by themselves, like the piled graveclothes of love’s risen body.
Transcript of PENTECOST 20th May 2018 20 May 2018.pdf · PENTECOST 20th May 2018 Without Pentecost the...
PENTECOST20thMay2018
WithoutPentecosttheChrist-event-thelife,death,andresurrectionofJesus-remainsimprisonedinhistory
assomethingtoremember,thinkaboutandreflecton.TheSpiritofJesuscomestodwellwithinus,sothatwecanbecomelivingChrists,hereandnow.
HenriNouwenCalltothoughtfulnessTheAnswerRSThomasManyRiverspress1996
Notdarknessbuttwilightinwhicheventhebestofmindsmustmakeitswaynow.
Andslowlythequestionsoccur,vaguebutformidableforallthat.
Wepassourhandsovertheirsurfacelikeblindmenfeelingforthemechanismthatwillswingthemaside.
Theyyield,butonlytore-formasnewproblems;andonedoesnotevendothatbuttowersimmovablebeforeus.
Istherenowayotherthanthoughtofansweringitschallenge?
Thereisananticipationofittothepointofdying.
Therehavebeentimeswhen,afterlongonmykneesinacoldchancel,astonehasrolledfrommymind,andIhavelookedinandseentheoldquestionsliefoldedandinaplacebythemselves,likethepiledgraveclothesoflove’srisenbody.
ItisnottrueChurchisjustforbelievers:Churchisfirstaboutbelonging.
ItisnottrueChurchisalistofdoctrines:Churchisfirstawayofrelatingtotheworld.ItisnottrueChurchhasanendingalreadyworkedout:Churchisanadventureandarisk.
PROCESSIONALHYMN607Thebrightwindisblowing,thebrightwindofheaven
WELCOMEcanyoufeelthespirit?ThegatheringprayerDaybyday,dearLord,ofyouthreethingswepray:ToseeyoumoreclearlyToloveyoumoredearlyTofollowyoumorenearlyDaybydayWildGeeseMaryOliverSelectedPomesBloodaxe2007(firstpub’1979)Youdonothavetobegood.YoudonothavetowalkonyourkneesForahundredmilesthroughthedesert,repenting.Youonlyhavetoletthesoftanimalofyourbodylovewhatit loves.Tell meaboutdespair, yours,andIwill tell youmine.Meanwhiletheworldgoeson.Meanwhilethesunandtheclearpebblesoftherainaremovingacrossthelandscapes,overtheprairiesandthedeeptrees,themountainsandtherivers. Meanwhilethewildgeese,highinthecleanblueair, areheadinghomeagain.Whoeveryouare,nomatterhowlonely,theworldoffersitselftoyourimagination,callstoyoulikethewildgeese,harshandexciting—overandoverannouncingyourplaceinthefamilyofthings.HYMN590HolySpirit,giftbestower,breatheintoourheartstoday
EZEKIEL371-14p735thelordbroughtmeoutbythespritandsetmedowninavalley
HYMN…whileshakenfaithknowssolidgroundWordsAndrewPrattTuneRockingham392 Look:gnawedandbleached,dismemberedbones,adesertvalleystrewnwithstones, ametaphorofhopelessness,forpeoplewornwithweariness. Ittookapoet'swaywiththought,animagethathismindhadcaught: imaginefleshandnewfoundlife, acountertohistoricstrife. Andnowthebonestakehumanformassaultingeachexpectednorm, thisisthegeniusofhisplan. Ezekielwouldsetfreehisclan. Thepeopleheardtheprophecy,aseedofhope:theymightbefree; withinthedarknessnewfoundlight, anendtoyearsofconstantnight. Themessagethattheyheard,weshare:whenGodseemsabsent,Godisthere; whenallishopelessGodisfound, whileshakenfaithknowssolidground.CopiedfromHymnQuest:HymnQuestID:12379REFLECTIONwhatarethosedrybones,whosearethey…ourstoo? PRAYERGroansandsighs(basedonRomans822-27)URCprayerbookp54HYMN592Likethemurmurofthedove’ssong,likethechallengeofherflight
ACTS21-21p109butit’sonly9am!
PrayerhonkingwildgeeseURCprayerhandbookp55OFFERTORYHYMN593Shesitslikeabird,broodingonthewaters(Piano) PRAYERSfortheworld
LambofGod,youtakeawaythesinsoftheworld,havemercyonusLambofGod,youtakeawaythesinsoftheworld,havemercyonus
LambofGod,youtakeawaythesinsoftheworld,havemercyonus,giveusyourpeace TheLord’sprayer HYMN618SpiritofloveSingvs1,2,3andrepeatv1TuneLondonderryAir729Atryst(Spokentogether)Lord,setyourblessinguponusaswebeginthisnewweektogetherConfirmusinthetruthbywhichwerightlylive;confrontuswiththetruthfromwhichwewronglyturnWeasknotforwhatwewant,butforwhatyouknowweneedAsweofferourselvesandthedaysaheadforyouandtoyouMayourfaith,unboundfromfear,prideoranxiety,speakofyourboundlessgrace,forgivenessandlove.Makeusyourdisciples,faithfuldisciples,foryourlove’spurposeTheBlessingafterwhichwesing786
WhatisemotionallyrootedisnotintellectuallysolubleRev’dWilliamSloaneCoffin,Jr.
LetnomanpullyousolowastohatehimMartinLutherKingJr
Itisanunderstatementtosayweliveinadeeplycomplexanddifficulttimeinthelifeoftheworld.Thisisatimewhenagainitisanunderstatementtosaytherearechallengesbeforethechurchandcommunitiesoffaith.Thisisatimeofdifficultyandhardshipformany.Atimeofgoodnessandjoyforothers.Andatimewhenwemustevenfindwaystosavethemotherearth,whoisthemotherofusallBishopMichaelBruceCurry
