Dear Friends
Welcome to the May Newsletter with news of what is happening in Felixstowe Mission Area. Please find enclosed a Prayer Book entitled “Seeking the Sprit” celebrating the Gift of the Holy Spirit, for use in preparation for Pentecost. Pentecost Sunday falls on 23rd May and there will be an Ipswich Circuit Zoom Service at 7pm with the Link given out later on the various Circuit and Church websites.
Also enclosed is a poster for you to keep, giving all the worship options for May taking place inside our local Methodist Churches. Please note the Pentecost Sunday Service is at TRIMLEY Methodist Church at 11am. Thursday morning prayer 10.30am at Seaton Road has been offered for some weeks now and we are hoping to restart Tuesday morning prayer 10am at Trimley within the next few weeks. Mike Peck’s Zoom Bible Study continues to be offered each Monday and a Zoom Fellowship each Thursday evening. All are welcome to attend any of the physical worship events (which are held in accordance with Government guidelines) and we would love to see you at the Zoom events as well.
On 5th May, members of the Felixstowe Mission Area have a Zoom meeting with our District Chair Julian Pursehouse and our Superintendent Minister Derek Grimshaw to discuss the “Vision 2021 Document” which sets plans for the time after my retirement. If you require the link for this meeting or the document, please do ring me on 01394 282023.
The Gift of the Holy Spirit;
A wonderful reading that beautifully links the season of Easter and Pentecost is John 20; verses 19-23. Here the disciples receive the gift of the Holy Spirit during one of Jesus’ many resurrection appearances. For the writer of Johns’ Gospel, the message of Easter and Pentecost cannot be separated. In John’s understanding, the empowering of the disciples with the Holy Spirt signifies both the Easter message (resurrection) and the beginning of the infant Churches’ mission.
Jesus breathes the Spirit on the disciples, conveying his peace and the commission to minister in his name in the world at large. When the Gospel states that part of the Spirits’ role is to prove the world wrong about Sin (John 16.8), it points to a revelation of the limitless love of the Father for Creation and the possibility for the world to choose, through Christ, to enter into that relationship of love.
The Prayer Book enclosed, covers a number of different aspects of the work of the Holy Spirit. Prayers that the Spirit might live in us, fill us, change and transform us. Prayers that the Spirit might comfort, guide and strengthen us.
We continue to pray that the Comfort of the Holy Spirit might especially strengthen all those among us who are recently bereaved.
The words of Singing the Faith, number 383, go some way in helping to understand the multi- faceted nature of the work of the Holy Spirit.
“Holy Spirit, gift bestower,
Breathe into our hearts today.
Flowing water, dove that hovers,
Holy Spirit , guide our way.
Love inspirer, joy releaser,
Spirit take our fears away
Reconciler, peace restorer,
Move among us while we pray.
Holy Spirt, Christ proclaimer,
Wisdom bringer, light our way.
Fire that dances, wind that whispers,
Holy Spirit, come today.
Ease disturber, comfort bearer,
Move among us while we pray
Truth reveller, faith confirmer
Rest within our hearts today.”
(Words from the Church Hymnary, 4th Edition 2005).
God Bless you all
Rev’d Diane
27th April 2021