Stalbridge Congregational Church Prayer / Reflection 31.05.

2020
If you are a child, young person or just young at heart you may like to make yourself a head band with
flames around it or light some candles (not on the head band - keeping them safe)………
“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” Hebrews 11 v 1
We say the Lord’s Prayer together……
On this day of Pentecost we reflect on the coming of the Holy Spirit to the disciples – they have waited
patiently in Jerusalem for this day – Jerusalem is heaving with people from all of the known world who have
come for the Passover – everyone totally unaware of what is about to happen! Do you remember when you
first felt the presence of the Holy Spirit in your life? Are you still waiting or wondering? God’s Spirit is in the
air – is on you whether you have recognised it or not –
let us feel his presence as we sing MP 613 Spirit of the Living God…..
Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me. Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me.
Break me, melt me, mould me, fill me. Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me.

Let us pray together….

Father you are closer to us that the air we breathe, and yet, Almighty God. You are beyond the range of
radio wave, telescope sight or radar search.
Father, your touch is as gentle as a snowflake, and yet, Almighty God, yours is the power which spoke the
universe into being.
Father, we know you as loving parent, intimate and close, and yet Almighty God, we can never know you –
our imagination is not lively enough, our minds too small.
Near us and beyond us, Father and Almighty God, help us to worship you.

Read Acts 2 v 1 – 4
Just imagine for a moment you were there….. How would you feel when the sound of the wind filled the
house? Think about how windy it was last week – those sudden gusts which bent trees down and ‘stuff’
left in the garden sailed off!! Imagine that inside the house?
Look at the flames on your headband (if you made one) or at someone who has – and imagine tongues of
fire touching you. How would it feel? What was it all about?
And if that wasn’t enough – you start to speak in different languages? I have a smattering of school girl
French – even less Portuguese from a trip to Brazil a little Welsh from friends – but would never pretend to
speak anything other than English beyond bonjour, por favor, borradar or dank u weil. No prizes for
translation since the spelling is no doubt rubbish!
Read on v 5 – 13
Well, the languages now make sense at least! How many languages were needed on that day to fulfil v11
‘yet all of us hear them speaking in our own languages’. Sixteen in all – can you imagine the cacophony of
sound – how amazing that they could hear their own language among all the others – ‘about the great
things that God has done!’ Despite the chaos – the message got through –and more importantly despite
being amazed and confused they asked each other, ‘What does this mean?’ While others made fun saying,
‘these people are drunk!’
What about you? Amazed or sceptical? Do you remember when the latter became the former? Or have
you always been blessed with faith? Are there parts of the bible which once you thought ‘couldn’t be
factual truth’ but now believe? Are they conversely parts which you once took ‘at face value’ but now find
a much deeper meaning inside the words? The bible, God’s word has a way of doing that to me time and
time again! A much deeper conversation than this reflection allows.
However compare then and now – Palestine and UK – a cacophony of languages surround us – both literally
and that of faith(s), agnosticism or atheism – how do we speak to others ‘in their own language’?
 Let us sing together a song which reflects on this…. Sung to the tune of the Skye Boat Song
Spirit of God unseen as the wind, You spoke to us, long, long ago, Without Your help, we fail our Lord,
Gentle as is the dove. Gave us the written word. We cannot live His way;
Teach us the truth We read it still, We need Your power,
and help us believe, needing it’s truth, We need Your strength,
Show us the Saviour’s love. Through it God’s voice is heard. Following Christ each day.

Read on in Acts 2 v 14 – 37
In these verses we hear Peter putting it all into context – this is not just a one-off drunken episode or mad
moment – but part of an amazing and well thought out plan by God to fulfil the promises he had made
over centuries – a promise the Jews had longed to see come to fruition – a promise fulfilled in Jesus –
although hard to believe the Messiah – the Saviour would end his earthly life, dying on a cross and even
harder to believe HE ROSE FROM THE DEAD!
Do you see yourself as a son or daughter on whom God has poured out His Spirit? Are you called to
proclaim His message (I have great faith that some of you will!)?
Are you a young man or woman who (will) see(s) visions? Are you an old man or woman who (will) have
dreams? Be assured God will pour His Spirit on you will you receive it?
Continue reading Acts 2 v 38 – 40
Here comes the crunch – ‘turn away from your sins, be baptized in the name of Jesus….. receive God’s gift,
the Holy Spirit…. reflect on these verses – and take your reflection into the next song
let us sing together….. MP 1076 Jesus, be the Centre
Jesus, be the Centre, Be the fire in my heart
Be my Source, be my Light, Jesus. Be the wind in these sails;
Jesus, be the Centre, Be the reason that I live,
Be my Source, be my Light, Jesus. Jesus, Jesus.

Jesus, be the Centre, Jesus, be my vision,

Be my hope, be my song, Jesus. Rpt. Be my path, be my guide, Jesus. Rpt.

Finally read Acts 2 v 41-2

Many believed, and those believers spent their time in learning, taking part in fellowship, sharing in the
fellowship prayers and meals.
We pray for the time when we too can come together after lockdown is ended….. how will we spend our
time together? The original followers of Jesus and the new believers began a whole new life together –
their lives were never the same again….What about us – how will church look after covid-19? (Ideas on a
postcard please)

Pray…. Heavenly Father, Thank you for the coming of your Spirit into our world and into our lives. We pray
at these times of uncertainty that it’s healing power, it’s energising strength, it’s all encompassing love will
pour out on us and all those we love, those we know and those we don’t who need its blessing now, today.
For our government, NHS, Key workers in every field we seek its protection, help and hope. For those we
hold dear we name before you now – in Jesus name we pray Amen.

Let us sing in the power of the Holy Spirit – When the Spirit of the Lord
When the Spirit of the Lord is within my heart, I will sing as David sang. Repeat
I will sing, I will sing, I will sing as David sang. Chorus
When the Spirit of the Lord is within my heart, I will clap as David clapped…. Repeat and Chorus
When the Spirit of the Lord is within my heart, I will dance as David danced….. Repeat and Chorus
When the Spirit of the Lord is within my heart, I will praise as David praised….. Repeat and Chorus

We close with the Grace – said to and with each other. (Any photos of head bands or video of dancing would be great to see!)