The Magazine of Westgate New Church Issue 470: September 2017
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The Magazine of Westgate New Church Issue 470: September 2017 Westgate New Church, Peterborough United Reformed/Methodist 68b Westgate, Peterborough, PE1 1RG Minister: The Revd Lesley Moseley Minister: 01733 751681 The Church http://www.westgatechurch.org.uk/ where you belong Our Mission Statement We at Westgate New Church are called by God to highlight Jesus Christ’s love for the people of Peterborough. We pass on this good news by worship, fellowship, mission, education, personal life and social service. Our minister, Lesley, was on holiday when this article should have been written, but approved this choice as a substitute for her letter prior to leaving. It was written by Revd Dr. Matthew Prevett, who members will remember leading services at Westgate when he was a student minister. Editor Acts 10: 44-48 Reflection: While Peter was still speaking, the Holy This passage continues to astound me. Spirit fell upon all who heard the word. It doesn’t astound me that God’s The circumcised believers who had come Spirit falls upon all who heard the word with Peter were astounded that the gift preached by Peter. Pentecost teaches of the Holy Spirit had been poured out us that God’s Holy Spirit falls upon an even on the Gentiles, for they heard them array of people of many tongues and speaking in tongues and extolling God. backgrounds. It teaches us that the Holy Then Peter said, “Can anyone withhold Spirit fills the people with abilities to the water for baptizing these people speak to one another about God’s grace who have received the Holy Spirit just and love. It teaches us that the Spirit’s as we have?” So he ordered them to gifts can be shared equally among all be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. those who hear. Then they invited him to stay for several It’s not astounding that God’s Holy days. Spirit would rest upon those who have heard the Word preached. 2 But rather, what is astounding is ‘circumcised believers’ might have wished, the response of the ‘circumcised’ – the but are we really doing enough to look people of faith who were with Peter. beyond our own ways of doing things and They ‘were astounded that the gift of our type of people to see and respond to the Holy Spirit has been poured out even how God Spirit is speaking to the world? on the Gentiles.’ They were a people who could not understand that the Spirit Prayer: might actually be about more than just Astounding God, those who filled the pews and already who speaks beyond our imaginings, called the local Synagogue their own. help us to open our eyes They were unable to see how it might to the remarkable ways you speak to all be possible for God’s Spirit to touch who hear your word those who weren’t already in the family. and open our hearts to the astonishing They were astounded that God’s action acts of witness that come from your Spirit. might not actually be restricted to their Astound us so that we might see in others own blinkered expression of faith. the gifts that come from you It’s not astounding that the Holy Spirit and welcome into your family those who can be received by all who hear the Word. have received of your Holy Spirit. Amen It’s not astounding that the message of the gospel is one of love and compassion Writer: and community and welcome. The Rev’d Dr Matthew Prevett is the But what astounds me – and I minister of St Andrew’s URC, Monkseaton continue to see it in the Church – is the and Northern Synod Minister idea that what we expect, as people of faith, is that God’s grace, mercy, peace, Bible Version: and love to be confined to our ways of New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised doing things and our type of people. I’m Bible: © 1989, 1995 the Division of not astounded that God might speak to Christian Education of the National Council people through pop music or sports or of the Churches of Christ in the United visiting an art gallery; but I am astounded States of America. Used by permission. All that we don’t do more to help people who rights reserved. have the encounter with God’s Holy Spirit to know that they too might be part of Copyright © 2017 United Reformed God’s communion. Church, All rights reserved. We may not be withholding the From the Daily Devotions of the United welcome of the Church in the way Peter’s Reformed Church, with permission. Now I've been free, I know what a We have come a long way from the dreadful condition slavery is. I have seen days of slavery, but . discrimination and hundreds of escaped slaves, but I never inequality still saturate our society in saw one who was willing to go back and modern ways. Though racism may be less be a slave. Harriet Tubman blatant now in many cases, its existence is (American abolitionist, humanitarian, undeniable. Al Sharpton scout and spy for US Army in American (US civil rights activist, Baptist minister, Civil War. Born into slavery, escaped.) talk show host, ex White House adviser ) 3 Stories within the Story: Learning from our Mistakes Don’t you just Peter, to his credit, graciously love it when the important accepted this criticism from people, leaders and exemplars one who, at that time, was in the church, are shown up still a fairly new and less for getting things wrong? I experienced minister to the do; somehow it brightens up church. He reminded us, and my day. indeed himself, that he had When Peter, who was then been one of the first to take the leader of the church, came down to us the gospel to non-Jews – Centurion at Antioch he at first joined in all we did – Cornelius and his household, at Ceasarea. Jews and foreigners worshipping and He acknowledged that he had forgotten having fellowship, even eating, together – some of what God had taught him we thought this was how God’s people through that incident – that just as all were meant to be. Then some more creatures are ”clean” before God, so all people came down from Jerusalem, people are equal in God’s sight and should Christians but also strict Jews, and they be in ours. persuaded Peter that as a good Jew, The great Peter, the Lord’s right hand following the customs of maintaining man, caught with egg on his face! national purity, he should no longer eat I thought it was funny, until someone and drink alongside those of us who were reminded me of another incident involving not Jewish, It began to look like it would a far greater person than Peter – our Lord be one church for Christian Jews and one Jesus himself. for all the other Christians. Jesus had been travelling through a Until Paul, then an active evangelist in region that had a mixed population of the Antioch church, stood up amongst the Jews and foreigners, and it was a foreign whole congregation and confronted Peter. woman who called out to him for help, We are all what we are, he said, because "Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; of God’s bounteous grace in Jesus our my daughter is tormented by a demon." Saviour, expressed through our common Jesus ignored her, and even when she faith in Jesus. Those who come from a knelt in front of him he told her "I was Jewish background treasure the heritage sent only to the lost sheep of the house of their ancestors’ trust in the law of of Israel. It is not fair to take the Moses, but are no longer bound by it. For children’s food and throw it to the dogs." all of us Jesus Christ is the Way we follow However, she was a quick-witted woman – and the Truth and Life – so we are all and answered, "Yes, Lord, yet even the one in Him. Anything that makes a dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their division in the church community, based masters’ table." Jesus was impressed, and on race or anything else, is contrary to recognised a real claim on his ministry. He our faith. Peter, and others should confess commended her faith, and the daughter and repent the sin of promoting division in was healed at once. our community. So even our Lord could make the 4 mistake of disregarding people who were equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI). All not Jews – just once, though. Jesus bodies in the church were urged to take definitely learned by this incident, or I, steps to become a ‘more inclusive and a non-Jew, would not be speaking to multicultural community of faith’, and an you today. And the wonderful church EDI Toolkit has been prepared to help this community at Antioch, with its mix of process this can be seen on the Methodist people from different backgrounds, could Church website at: never have come to be. Praise God! http://www.methodist.org.uk/ministers- and-office-holders/equality-diversity-and- Patricius, inclusion/edi-toolkit. (an early Christian from Antioch) It appears Antioch may have lessons AUTHOR’S NOTE: We all make mistakes, for today’s church! – especially in central and need to recognise and confess the Peterborough, where our congregation wrong-doing of the past. This year, the has much the same racial diversity they Methodist Conference passed a resolution had in Antioch.