23rd May 2021 Pentecost Sunday
All Saints Church, Childwall
READ: Acts 2:1-21 “When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. 5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. 7 Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? 9 Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” 12 Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?” 13 Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.” 14 Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. 15 These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! 16 No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: 17 “‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. 18 Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. 19 I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. 20 The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. 21 And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’”
REFLECT: People, Promise, Power.
Pentecost is an exciting and celebratory time in the Christian calendar and when preparing for this Sunday I noticed at the very beginning of our reading from Acts 2:1-21 that the disciples were ‘all together in one place’. By the time written about in Acts, Pentecost had been celebrated by the Jewish nation (who called it ‘Shavuot’ – translated as the ‘feast of weeks’) for well over 1,200 years. This festival was a big deal in the Jewish calendar and as a festival of ‘first fruits’, it marked two important things – the giving of the Torah (the first five books in the bible) to the people, and the gathering of the wheat harvest. The giving of the Torah came with signs and wonders, flames and thunder as God spoke to Moses on the mountain. This momentous event forever changed the face of the earth as this nation, singled out by miraculous signs and wonders, were being prepared to move into their promisedland. The land the Isreal were about to move into was promised, but that is not all – Israel themselves were a people of promise. In Genesis 12:2-3 it says that God made a promise to Abraham that all nations will be blessed through him. Fast forward to when the disciples were celebrating Pentecost in the upper room after Jesus’ death and resurrection, and there were more signs and wonders. There was another loud noise, flames and an outpouring of the spirit which resulted in the disciples driving out onto the streets and witnessing, speaking out to people from all nations – and they heard the good news in their own languages. Now there is a lot written about speaking in tongues but the crux of it all is that these ‘uneducated men from Galilee’ were supernaturally given the courage and the power to witness to the fulfilment of the law in Jesus, and thereby usher in a ‘new harvest’ of souls unto God. In Matthew 5:17 Jesus says ‘Do not think I have come to abolish the law or the prophets, I have not come to abolish them, but to fulfil them’. Indeed, Acts 2:17 speaks to a fulfilment of a promisemade through the prophet Joel to fulfil Moses’ wish that all would prophesy – in Joel it says ‘In the last days I will pour out my spirit on all people…’. I find Pentecost to be a wonderful, celebratory moment in the Christian calendar because it reflects what has happened in the past, testifies to the power and presence of God in the here and now – whilst also pointing to the future fulfilment of all God’s promises. Through the gift of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost God’s people can access his presence and live out his promise – being empowered to go out and make disciples of all nations.
We get to be a part of that – what a privilege!!! 😊
RESPOND: In Acts 2 Verse 7 it says the people were ‘utterly amazed’ and in verse 12 it says they were ‘amazed and perplexed’, wondering ‘what does this mean’? What does Pentecost mean to you?
Many people feel like they have never had a powerful encounter with the Holy Spirit. Reflect on what you think God meant when he said ‘I will pour out my spirit on all flesh…’ – does that include you? Reflect on the gift of God’s church and pray for those who are leading and supporting various ministries here in All Saints, in the wider deanery area and further afield. Consider what you might do (in your workplace, in your home, among your friends or relatives or indeed in church) to help serve God’s purposes.
Finally, God has given us the task of witnessing to and making disciples of all nations and people but sometimes we can find that hard. Have you ever felt the urge to want to share with others, but found it hard? Ask God now to fill you with his Holy Spirit and his power to courageously witness to the truth of the gospel in love and respect.
PRAY: Father, thank you that we can be ‘all together in one place’. Give us, your people a renewed sense of urgency for your purpose of relationship and salvation and send us out in the power of your Holy Spirit to love and serve in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Adeyinka Olushonde (Ordinand, All Saints, Childwall)
Church Services
Our earlier service is now at 9.15am and our second service remainsat 11am.
Communion which will take place weekly but will alternate between the 9.15am and the 11am service. We will receive only bread in the form of wafers and it will be administered to you where you sit. The preacher at both services will be the same as will the rest of the service except for communion.
Children’s work – Rock Club
If you would like to receive specific information about our Children’s and Youth work please email Gypsey, our Youth and children’s worker directly, who will add your email to her master list for youth and children. gypsey.allsaintschildwall@gmail.com
Unfortunately, we are still currently not able to re-open our Crèche.
Sunday 23rd May – Pentecost Sunday – 9.15am Service of the Word 11am – Service with Communion
Thursday 27th May – 10.45am BCP Communion Service
Sunday 30th May – 9.15am Service with Communion 11am – Service of the Word
Social distancing measures will be in place and masks will still have to be worn.
Online Church Services – We are continuing to record our Sunday morning service in church weekly. It will be uploaded to our website to be viewed each week soon after 11am. www.allsaintschildwall.org.uk
Zoom Sunday Coffee – Every Sunday at 10.45am – Meeting ID:842 767 1496 Password: 4allsaintshttps://us04web.zoom.us/j/8427671496?pwd=K2dMMnlvTHpwTkxDNEV6bDYwQXBDQT09
Morning Prayer– Common Worship Morning prayer service with words on screen.
Optional Chat after the service. Meeting ID: 865 694 0214 Passcode: mprayer
Evening Prayer – Every Sunday evening at 6pm led by the Readers. The liturgy and the readings will be on the screen and there will be a short reflection on the New Testament passage which has been set for the day. Please join us. Meeting ID: 789 873 7449 Passcode:Newsman
Pastoral visiting – If you would value a visit or know anyone who would please let Helen or me know, our phone numbers and emails are below.
Weekly prayer meeting – Thursday 6.30pm on Zoom. Why not join a group of us at All Saints that pray regularly. It lasts 40 minutes, you can pray, sit and listen or just contemplate. – Aidan Holmes
https://us04web.zoom.us/j/8802380315?pwd=cGxQTnQ0QVRjU1gyUnBrYnJMMzZldz09
Please note new joining ID. Meeting ID: 880 238 0315 Passcode: yt76bq
Pentecost Sunday 23 May @ 3pm ‘The Spirit at Work in the World’
The Ecumenical Pentecost Service will be on-line once again this year. The service is built around the Peace Doves installation at Liverpool Anglican Cathedral. The theme of the Service is ‘The Spirit at Work in the World.’ The service is available on the two Cathedrals YouTube channels on Sunday at 3pm.youtube.com/liverpoolcathedral; https://www.youtube.com/c/TheMetropolitanCathedralLiverpool
or also on https://www.facebook.com/liverpoolmetrocathedral) We hope you are able to join in.
Please see the Churches Together in the Merseyside Region website for further information. With my very best wishes, Elisabeth Hachmoeller, Ecumenical Co-ordinator, Churches Together in the Merseyside Region
Baptisms – Over this last year there are now 21 Baptisms that have not been able to take place because of Covid restrictions. We are in the process of trying to reschedule these for the families concerned. As a result of this we are not yet in the position to take any new bookings for Baptisms. Hopefully we will be able to take new bookings from July onwards. Currently Vestry hour which normally takes place at 7pm on Tuesday evening is still suspended and will be for the foreseeable future.
Weekly Prayer requests – If you would like other members of our church family to pray for you or a family member, please send me their names for this sheet, please ask permission from the person. Please pray for all those who are unwell at this time particularly praying for Nicoli Gray (Carole Turner’s daughter) and David Miller. Please pray for the bereaved family and friends of Eileen Miller, Kathleen Bristowand Margaret Dobbie.
With our prayers for you all at this time
Andrew Colmer – Vicar – Tel: 07305 842257 – vicar.allsaintschildwall@gmail.com
Helen Deegan – Curate – Tel: 07984 933467 – curate.allsaintschildwall@gmail.com
Gypsey Tait – Youth & Children’s Worker – Tel: 07961 793435 –gypsey.allsaintschildwall@gmail.com
Bill Forster – Associate Minister – william.forster1@btinternet.com
Adeyinka Olushonde – Ordinand –adeyinka.allsaintschildwall@gmail.com
