The ancient Spirit Week 3: Wednesday Reading Acts 2.14-24 But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them: ‘Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say. Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o’clock in the morning. No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel: “In the last days it will be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. Even upon my slaves, both men and women, in those days I will pour out my Spirit; and they shall prophesy. And I will show portents in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and smoky mist. The sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the coming of the Lord’s great and glorious day. Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” ‘You that are Israelites, listen to what I have to say: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with deeds of power, wonders, and signs that God did through him among you, as you yourselves know— this man, handed over to you according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of those outside the law. But God raised him up, having freed him from death, because it was impossible for him to be held in its power. Reflection We are now at the heart of Peter’s sermon on the Day of Pentecost. We come to a deep truth. The Spirit is none other than that ancient Spirit, the Spirit promised in the Book of the Prophet Joel from which Peter quotes. The plan was always for all to have access to the Spirit of God, without distinction. Most revivals and spiritual outpourings in Christian history have emerged from oppressed and marginalised communities and experiences. When considering Black Spirituality, and especially the rise of Pentecostalism across the world that is connected to it, we see the same pattern. Black spiritual traditions are inherently Spirit-oriented (or “pneumatological”). This means that they prioritise the power and presence of the Spirit of God, and as such, they consistently remind us that the Spirit of God is ancient, and not contained by any religion or denomination. Watch Note your thoughts and reflections on more expressive forms of Christianity. ...and pray for a continued revival and outpouring of the Spirit within all our churches. Copyright © The Archbishops’ Council 2024.
The disrupting Spirit Week 3: Tuesday Reading Acts 2.1-13 When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability. Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. Amazed and astonished, they asked, ‘Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs—in our own languages we hear them speaking about God’s deeds of power.’ All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, ‘What does this mean?’ But others sneered and said, ‘They are filled with new wine.’ Reflection The beginning of Acts 2 records a decisive moment in the life of the Early Church. Some affectionately call it the birthday of the Church. But this is perhaps a rather a bland name for a truly dramatic event. The Spirit comes in power and disrupts everything, fills everything, displaces everything! Disciples locked away in fear become emboldened. Those who could not speak were filled with a new energy, new giftings, and new fire. Peter, the one who had denied Jesus, becomes the first preacher. There is no shame here. There is simply a deep freedom in testifying to the great work of God in Christ Jesus. Thanks to the disruptive power of the Spirit, those being hunted down by violent oppressors are now not afraid to disrupt the status quo to preach the truth of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. Ultimately, the Spirit always disrupts lies, violence and fear. Watch Consider ways the Holy Spirit might be disrupting your life and plans. ...and pray for humility to allow the Holy Spirit's power to reshape and redirect. Copyright © The Archbishops’ Council 2024.
Week 3: Spirit This week we contemplate the work of the Spirit. The Spirit of God, or God as Spirit, is key to understanding Black Spirituality. God is spirit, and life, and movement, and shows up in every aspect of Black spiritual traditions. Prayer for the Week Great Spirit of God, you remain unquenched, and we dare not attempt to domesticate or limit you. Disrupt our false ideas and idolatries. Remake and renew us in your work of recreation. Amen. The mighty Spirit Week 3: Monday Reading Acts 1.6-11 So when they had come together, they asked him, ‘Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?’ He replied, ‘It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.’ When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. While he was going and they were gazing up towards heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them. They said, ‘Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up towards heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.' Reflection Spirituality, or the presence and power of the spiritual world is emphasised in Black religious traditions, and other, mainly non-Western traditions. Black culture operates on the idea that the spiritual is intertwined with the physical and is inherently powerful. This is true within the Biblical tradition. As Jesus ascends at the beginning of the Acts of the Apostles, he promises the coming of the Holy Spirit, not in a contained and inconspicuous way, but with power. The disciples would be empowered to be witnesses to Jesus and to become people they never imagined they would be. This is the same Spirit of God in operation at the beginning of Creation in Genesis 1, who hovers over the waters, bringing order out of chaos, bring life into being. The Spirit of God is mighty! Watch Look out for ways in which the Holy Spirit might be moving in the world today. ...and pray for a deepening sense of the Holy Spirit in your everyday life. Copyright © The Archbishops’ Council 2024. #WatchAndPray Lent reflections - Week 3: Monday
Last Saturday was the first of our Team Women’s Ministry Events. We went on a walk together, setting off from Edenfield Parish Church, and then returned for hot drinks and croissants. All of our four team churches were represented and it was lovely for us all to get to know one another. It was a little damp initially but the sun came out. Watch this space for our next event in June, an afternoon tea! <a href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/retmwomensministry?__eep__=6&__cft__[0]=AZWwC0SSWrfZpVjO6eolyFmABcmaR3eA7S5ln53PBh_Au5odypmW40TKSXuzEOlp9_lRbsJhG7YiWxpYl_tc_oGtYD3PwR5Djx80yyhe3eIoJupABcj36a4hwtaJjvnrGhJsI8A9IbOeKG2ccXLdSmxDaRyjZQiFuXxzFJjDi0Ts35-gsEyguMx0nnNaznbqMa8&__tn__=*NK-R">#RETMwomensministry</a> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/fellowship?__eep__=6&__cft__[0]=AZWwC0SSWrfZpVjO6eolyFmABcmaR3eA7S5ln53PBh_Au5odypmW40TKSXuzEOlp9_lRbsJhG7YiWxpYl_tc_oGtYD3PwR5Djx80yyhe3eIoJupABcj36a4hwtaJjvnrGhJsI8A9IbOeKG2ccXLdSmxDaRyjZQiFuXxzFJjDi0Ts35-gsEyguMx0nnNaznbqMa8&__tn__=*NK-R">#fellowship</a>
