Provincial Diary for May May 9/10 PEC, BMB, Unitas Estates Meetings The PEC 11/12 Irish District MWA Retreat 16 Renewal Committee, Hall Green Sr Groves 16 Trustees meeting with Fulneck Governors The PEC 18 Mailing of Synod documents from Church House 20 Eastern District Conference and Fellowship afternoon Br Hopcroft May 2012 23 Synod briefing meeting, Fulneck The PEC 28 Ockbrook School Governors Br Hopcroft 30 Western District Conference, Kingswood, 6.00pm. Sr Taylor June 2/9 European Continental Provincial Synod 8/11 Provincial Synod, Swanwick 19 PEC, BMB, Unitas Estates Meetings The PEC 23 Provincial Men's Fellowship Day, Blackbird Leys Br. John Wilkinson offers Pentecost PRAYER NOTES these thoughts about: 6th May - Visakha Puja/Buddha Day (Buddhist) A Prayer for Pentecost Ministers are taught (or should be) churches in worship, since we are The essential point for the church is 10th May - Lag B'Omer (Jewish) Come, thou Holy Spirit, come: And from thy celestial home send thy light not to use personal illustrations. without minister: only then did the to affirm is that there was a pivotal 17th May - Ascension Day (Christian) and brilliancy. Come, thou father of the Which preface, as any of my awful truth begin to dawn that old moment, the Holy Spirit did sweep 23rd May - Declaration of the Bab (Baha'i) poor, come who givest all our store, come congregations would recognise, is a John Wilk would be in Corfu that day. through the disciples, and constitute the soul's true radiancy. Come, of 24th May - All Ascension Day (Orthodox Christian) sure-fire sign that a personal them into Christ's body, the church. comforters the best, of the soul the The shame of it, a minister, albeit But did the Holy Spirit come that 27th May - Pentecost (Christian) sweetest guest, sweetly and illustration is coming up! The only a retired one, who forgot Pentecost! exceptions, according to my sermon day because it was the Jewish Festival 27th - 28th May - Shavuot (Jewish) refreshingly._Come, in labour rest most My only defence, apart from senile sweet,_shade and coolness in the heat, tutor, would be stories that reflect to of Pentecost? I doubt that, because decay, is that my diary, although it comfort in adversity. Thou who art the the discredit of the preacher, or reveal the whole point about Christ was that Light most blest, come fulfill their inmost noted Easter, did not mark A Collect for Ascension his stupidity. So here goes. dependence upon the old dispensation breast, who believe most faithfully. For Whitsuntide, was at an end, Temple cult and Law A Prayer for Ascension O God, whose blessed Son, our great without thy Godhead's dower, man hath This year I forgot Pentecost, or high priest, has entered once for all nothing in his power, save to work But that is a poor excuse, mia were no longer valid, no longer to O Lord, Your Ascension into Whitsuntide, as I still know it. into the Holy Place and ever liveth to iniquity. What is filthy make thou pure, culpa. impose burdens upon the faithful. heaven marks the culmination what is wounded work its cure, water Planning my holiday abroad, I carefully intercede on our behalf: grant that we, It does raise the question, for me, what is parched and dry. Gently bend negotiated through the hurly burly of I believe that the Holy Spirit came of the Paschal Mystery, and it sanctified by the offering of his body the stubborn will, warm to life the heart about why the church should defend just then because the disciples were contains an important teaching may draw near with full assurance of Passiontide and Easter, the May that's chill, guide who goeth erringly. the variable dates for for us. May we live life as an Lovefeast and Communion, and found there, and the timing was purely God's faith by the way which he has dedicated Fill thy faithful who adore, and confess good will. earthly reality and develop our for us and evermore serve thee, the thee evermore, with thy sevenfold two free weeks at the end of May, Easter and Whitsuntide, against human potential to the fullest. living God; through the same thy Son, mystery. Here thy grace and virtue send, which I booked. It was only when suggestions that the dates be fixed. It follows that today, the church's May we make use of the results our Lord Jesus Christ, who liveth and grant salvation in the end, and in heaven our Church Committee noted that we We manage perfectly well with fixed true role is to gather Christ's people felicity. Amen. (Latin Hymn, 13th of science to achieve a better life reigneth with thee, O Father, and the are the lead church in this years Whit dates for Christmas etc, and I rarely together and make them available to century) on this planet. But in our best Holy Spirit, one God, world without Walks, in Dukinfield and that I was forget those, and the old necessities the Holy Spirit at all times and in all moments we know that there end. Amen. Church of South India booked to stand on the Town Hall about employing equinoxal events to places, receptive to him, in the name must be more than all of this, a steps with the Mayor to lead all the correct the calendar are long gone. of the one who sends him. transcending Reality. As A Meditation for Pentecost Christians, we know that this Reality is Your loving Father Who When was the last time that we heard the wind of your Spirit roar through this place? When was the last time your fire lit up this room? When was the last time we awaits us with You and the Holy took you at your word and met together in expectation of your Spirit filling this place Spirit. Where You have gone, we and these lives with your Glory and Power? Lord, you challenge us with Pentecost. ultimately will come - if we are Do we believe that this was a once in eternity experience never to be repeated? That faithful._ the Holy Spirit was poured out on your followers for a single purpose and ended His work at that instant? If so, then maybe that is why the Church seems so powerless New Saint Joseph People's in this age helpless when faced with the needs both spiritual and physical that we Prayer Book see in the world. Lord, as we meet together and celebrate once again the memory of that first Pentecost may it be for us as it was then a moment of empowerment an awareness of your Glory in this dark world a life changing experience. INSIDE THIS MONTH’S ISSUE YouthZone Service in THE MORAVIAN MESSENGER Grandstand View The Settlement of the The Faith and Order Kathmandu Over 18's Open Book Diamond Jubilee Yorkshire Congregation and Inter-Church Official Journal of the Moravian Church in the British Province. Editor: Judith Ashton. Contributions for the Messenger should reach Weekend in 1 PETER Relations Committee Published monthly by the authority of the Provincial Synod. the Editor, Sunnybank, Raglan Road, Tintern, Monmouthshire NP16 6TH Maureen Colbert Bradford 1742 Hilary Smith David Newman Peter Gubi Advertisements and all communications concerning distribution and E-mail: [email protected] by the 3rd day of the preceeding Phil Ferdinand John McOwat supply should be sent to the Moravian Book Room, 5 Muswell Hill, London month. PLUS ALL THE REGULAR FEATURES N10 3TJ, and NOT to the Editor. Produced by David Bull (Red Rag Design) 240 Huddersfield Road, Liversedge, West Yorkshire WF15 7QQ Tel 01924 410339 e-mail: [email protected] • Your Letters • News from Congregations • Church House News Update • Printed and distributed by G.R.Walkden, 3 OakTree Close, Shap, Cumbria CA10 3PR Tel/fax: 01931 716703. A word from the Editor Christian Aid Week 13-19 May 2012 Service in In 2011 Christian Aid Week raised over £12 million Seeds and tools were distributed to local farmers and pounds. Once again thousands of churches and they were trained to use more effective agricultural approximately 100,000 volunteers are preparing to raise practises. MCSL also helped them to negotiate the loan Kathmandu funds to help some of the world's poorest and most of a tractor allowing the community to plough larger vulnerable in the world. Why do these people give their tracts of land. The village development committee has time and energy year after year delivering and collecting been established in 25 communities near Gbap allowing envelopes and fundraising in various ways when world people to feel more empowered and enabling change children in the playground, all were sung to the accompaniment of poverty seems so intractable? Quite simply because to happen. of which are a pleasant change a pop group (bass, rhythm and they are putting their faith into action and they want from what I am used to doing. acoustic guitars with keyboard, drum If your congregation is not involved with a house- The children are getting used machine and Nepali drum). The to make a difference. Christian Aid believe that poverty to-house collection there's still time to do some to me and my ways and no congregation sings with great fervour is a scandal which can be ended. As well as giving fundraising. At Brockweir we will be holding a Soup longer cry when I enter a which is most moving and uplifting. practical aid they also work to empower poor Lunch as it's something we are good at doing and it's room! (I forget what an At the end, whilst the instruments communities to speak up for their rights, challenging also a very good form of outreach to the community.