Sunday, June 4, 2017

A Pentecost Baptism Service - after the atrocities in Manchester and London


Text of the Week:  Acts 2:38-39          Have a whole new way of thinking and be baptised, everyone one of you in the name of Jesus Christ, so that your sins may be forgiven; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you, for your children, and for all who are far away, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to him.

On this, the Day of Pentecost, when we celebrate the birth of the Church and the power of the Holy Spirit, welcome to our services.  And a special welcome this morning one of our Highbury families as they brought their two little ones to be baptized. At the heart of the Christian faith is the initiative God takes in reaching out to each of us in love. That grace of God comes to each of us before ever we have done anything to deserve it, before ever we have come to understand it. It is that gift of God’s grace so freely given that we celebrate in baptism. With the gift we celebrate comes the hope that as they grow older these two youngsters come to know that love of God for themselves and find out what a difference it can make in the living of their lives. Our hope is that even now they can respond with a child’s faith to the love that is poured into their hearts. And then in the fullness of time when they come to make decisions for themselves our hope and prayer is that they make their own profession of faith in God and in Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour. That means there are promises to make for their parents, for their family and friends, and for us all as a church family – to welcome them into the family, the wider family and the church family too, to share with them the security of love and the Christian faith that can make such a difference for them. In our celebration of baptism there’s one final thought! Maybe we were baptised when we were little in a service that celebrated the reality of God’s love in our lives: have we made that love our own and discovered the difference it can make to us!.

Today’s service was planned immediately after the appalling atrocity in Manchester. We shared the service the day after the horrors of London Bridge. The people caught up in those tragedies were very much in our thoughts and prayers.

Welcome and Call to Worship

40 Praise to the Lord, the almighty

Prayer and the Lord’s Prayer

Reading: Acts 2:1-4

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.

The disciples spilled out of that upper room, rushed down on to the streets and they could contain themselves no longer. They had the most wonderful message to share and they shared it in such a way that everyone from everywhere got it!

Then it was that Peter got to his feet, quietened the crowd, and told the story of Jesus and all that he had done, the wonderful love he had shared, that death on the cross that seemed such a tragedy and turned out to herald the most wonderful resurrection victory.

And the greatest thing of all was that it really was for everyone!

Reading: Acts 2:37-39

Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart
and said to Peter and to the other apostles,

‘Brothers, what should we do?’

Peter said to them,

‘Repent, have a whole new way of thinking,
and be baptized
every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ
so that your sins may be forgiven;
and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

For the promise is for you,
for your children,
and for all who are far away,
everyone whom the Lord our God calls to him.’


Those who welcomed the message were baptized and that day 3000 people were added to that group of disciples and the Church was born.

From that point on as people came to follow in the footsteps of Jesus they were baptized and often the whole family as well.



We share in the sacrament of Baptism

Today is very special for us as a church family as our friends bring their youngsters to be baptized.

At the heart of the Christian faith is the initiative God takes in reaching out to each of us in love. That grace of God comes to each of us before ever we have done anything to deserve it, before ever we have come to understand it. It is that gift of God’s grace so freely given that we celebrate in baptism.

We’ll pour a little water over each of them and that water is real – just as the water we see and can feel is real, so the love of God is real too!

But if you pour water over something it just cascades to the ground – to make use of it you need to catch it and then use it – maybe in a glass or a jar. Our hope and prayer is that as they grow older they will come to know that love of God for themselves and find out what a difference it can make in the living of their lives.

Our hope is that even now they can respond with a child’s faith to the love that is poured into their hearts. And then in the fullness of time when they come to make decisions for themselves our hope and prayer is that they make their own profession of faith in God and in Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour.

That means there are promises to make for their parents, for their family and friends, and for us all as a church family –
·         to welcome them into the family, the wider family and the church family too,
·         to share with them the security of love and the Christian faith that can make such a difference for them.

In our celebration of baptism there’s one final thought! Maybe we were baptised when we were little in a service that celebrated the reality of God’s love in our lives: have we made that love our own and discovered the difference it can make to us!

So, I invite our two friends to bring their youngsters forward.

To Mum and Dad: Do you believe in God and in Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour and do you promise to bring these two little ones up in the security of your loving family and home, and do you promise to pass on to them the teachings of our Christian faith and give them a sense of the love God has for them and for everyone as they grow up?

We do

Let me ask all of their family and friends who have come specially to share in this baptism service to stand.

Do you promise to give your blessing, your encouragement and your support to these two as they bring their little ones up in their family and in their home?

We do

Let me ask all who belong to this church family and everyone who has come to join us in church today to stand.

Do you promise to give these two little ones a welcome into our church family and to pass on to them the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God in the fellowship of the Holy Spirit?

We do.

As I name you,
I baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

The Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;
the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.

As I name you,
I baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

The Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;
the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.

Baptism Prayer

It really has been wonderful welcoming these two into our church family in this last eighteen months – and to see them really growing up.

It’s been great to welcome them into the church family already – on a Sunday in our services, on a Tuesday morning at Toddlers.  Then we’ve got Messy church that’s really good – and also we’ve got Film club – great for all the family and a great introduction to watching films together.

But I have a feeling neither of them need introducing to films.

Someone told me that one of their favourites was Frozen  … and in Frozen the best bit of all was Let it Go.

So we’re going to have a look at film clip of Frozen.

In this clip from Disney's "Frozen," Elsa, whose secret powers have just been revealed, flees Arendelle and unleashes her magic, creating a breathtaking ice palace. Performed by the voice of Elsa, Idina Menzel, "Let It Go" is an original song by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Tony Award®-winner Robert Lopez.


The snow glows white on the mountain tonight
Not a footprint to be seen.
A kingdom of isolation,
and it looks like I'm the Queen
The wind is howling like this swirling storm inside
Couldn't keep it in;
Heaven knows I've tried

Don't let them in,
don't let them see
Be the good girl you always have to be
Conceal, don't feel,
don't let them know
Well now they know

Let it go, let it go
Can't hold it back anymore

Let it go, let it go
Turn away and slam the door
I don't care
what they're going to say
Let the storm rage on.
The cold never bothered me anyway

It's funny how some distance
Makes everything seem small
And the fears that once controlled me
Can't get to me at all

It's time to see what I can do
To test the limits and break through
No right, no wrong, no rules for me,
I'm free!

Let it go, let it go
I am one with the wind and sky
Let it go, let it go
You'll never see me cry
Here I stand
And here I'll stay
Let the storm rage on

My power flurries through the air into the ground
My soul is spiraling in frozen fractals all around
And one thought crystallizes like an icy blast
I'm never going back, the past is in the past

Let it go, let it go
And I'll rise like the break of dawn
Let it go, let it go
That perfect girl is gone
Here I stand
In the light of day
Let the storm rage on

The cold never bothered me anyway!

Wow – isn’t that great – and the cold never bothered me anyway!

At our Family Film Club Andrea chooses the films carefully and then prepares a leaflet to take away. A year ago we showed Frozen.  And this is the leaflet that she handed out.



The Day of Pentecost is a great day for a baptism service – as it’s a day of looking forward – and looking forward in the presence of God whose love will never let us go!

A Hy-Spirit Song

Activities for all over 3

A blessing to give and receive

I prepared this service 10 days ago hard on the heels of the stuff that happened in Manchester. I then enjoyed a holiday last week, and had the whole day in the garden yesterday. I was ready just to run with the service I had prepared.

And then last night all the stuff at London Bridge happened.

Again, what I had prepared then seemed once more to connect.

It’s a scary world we are all living in at the moment.

It’s a scary world these two children are growing up into and indeed all our children are growing into.

I have a sneaking feeling it always has been a pretty scary world.

It certainly was 2000 years ago.  The Roman civilsation was a wonderful civilation. But it was also a brutal one. One of the few to consider throwing human beings to the lions or pitching them to fight each other to the death as acceptable entertainment.

And when they conquered they really did conquer and hold their peoples under constraint.

It’s a scary world now.

It was a scary world then.

And the blessing that was given at Pentecost is a blessing that is as real and important to us today as it was then.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and that fellowship we can have with the Holy Spirit and God has with us through the Holy Spirit really can make a difference to our lives.  And really can make a difference to the lives of these two as they grow older.

It’s a way of life that’s based on love for one another. And it’s a way of life that’s rooted in the love God has for us in Christ

It finds its focus in the life and teaching, the death and resurrection of Christ and there is that conviction that nothing in the present, or the future, nothing in life or death, not heights no depths can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

It’s that kind of all embracing love that reflects the very nature of God that has the power to drive away fear.

And that’s what is scary about our world today.

Terrorism really does breed terror.

In one sense we must not allow it to.

But in another sense our Christian faith shows us that fear does not have the last word – and the thing that drives out fear is love.

Wasn’t’ that the powerful message that came out of Manchester? From taxi drivers to hoteliers to the guy going round with a placard announcing free hugs for all – it was a spirit of love that was going to drive away the fear.

But the reality is we cannot do it on our own.

Fear is not something that we can simply get the better of.

And the message of Pentecost is that there is a strength and power from beyond ourselves that we can draw on that can make all the difference in the living of our lives.

It is that strength, that power from beyond ourselves that sows in our hearts the seeds of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

This is what can get the better of those who want to sow the seeds of terror.

Reading: Galatians 5:22-26

The fruit of the Spirit is

love, joy,
peace, patience,
kindness, generosity,
faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

There is no law against such things.

And those who belong to Christ Jesus
have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit.

Let us not become conceited,
competing against one another,
envying one another.

Bear one another’s burdens,
and in this way you will fulfil the law of Christ.

Let’s make that our prayer as we remain seated and sing

236 May we, O Holy Spirit

1          May we, O Holy Spirit, bear your fruit—
            your joy and peace pervade each word we say;
            may love become of life the very root,
            and grow more deep and strong with every day.

2          May patience stem the harmful word and deed,
            and kindness seek the good among the wrong;
            may goodness far beyond our lips proceed,
            as manifest in action as in song.

3          May faithfulness endure, yet as we grow
            may gentleness lend courage to the weak;
            and in our self-restraint help us to know
            the grace that made the King of Heaven meek.

Paul Wigmore (born 1925)
© Paul Wigmore/Jubilate Hymns

Lots of people from church have been following bible readings each day – and this week we begin a sequence of readings for Pentecost – it’s called Longing to belong – and we find ourselves in conversation with Katie Miller, a pioneer minister in the Church of England working in Speke in Liverpool. It’s on the theme Longing to Belong – one in the Spirit.

Wednesday’s reading caught my eye – it’s a reading I often use in a Baptism service. I had thought not to use it today as it was Pentecost Sunday – but then I saw these notes. I want to read the passage and then the notes as well.

Mark 10:13-16

People were bringing little children to him
in order that he might touch them;
and the disciples spoke sternly to them.

But when Jesus saw this,
he was indignant
and said to them,

‘Let the little children come to me;
do not stop them;
for it is to such as these
that the kingdom of God belongs.

Truly I tell you,
whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child
will never enter it.’

And he took them up in his arms,
laid his hands on them,
and blessed them.

The heading for the comment on Wednesday is

One in Giving, One in receiving.
Katie Miller from IBRA notes Fresh from the Word

Jesus reminds us here that we are one in the Spirit with those of all ages. Children are not to be excluded. They are welcome and belong also. In fact, they are to be an example to us of how to receive the Kingdom of God.

I was recently at a church weekend away where there were, as is not uncommon, activities for the children.

At the end of the weekend, at the final service, the children sang for us and showed some of the activities with which they had been involved.

Everyone was delighted and appreciative of their input.

None of this is unusual.

However, after this the adults were then invited to hold out their hands so that the children could pray for them. Praying simple prayers for those who swished to be involved, the children circulated the group blessing and praying for all those holding out their hands. It felt like a profound reversal of roles to allow the children to bless us. I was reminded that being one in the Spirit with others means allowing all to both give and receive. We are not truly one when one group is only ever giving and another only ever receiving.


It made me think about our service today.

It’s wonderful to give so much to these two little ons.  It is wonderful to promise to give so much more.

But maybe even more than that is the wonderful they give to us, to us all.

Children can do that.

It was Mum who said that Let It Go was their favourite. She had so enjoyed Richard playing it the other Sunday we asked Richard to play it again today. But then, not knowing the film very well, I googled it … and what struck me was how powerful those words were thinking of all these two youngsters had experienced in their lives.  Maybe this was a moment when they were speaking to us and we were receiving.

I had just that experience of receiving from youngsters 10 days ago when I did the assembly at St John’s.

It was a week last Wednesday. I arrived at St John’s and walked through the playground ready to take assembly after the morning break.

One of the teachers came up to me and asked me to say a prayer in assem bly for all the people in Manchester. I hadn’t thought of doing that. But I went up to the Head and she was in agrteement. The previous evening I had stumbled across an article written by Winston’s Wish and published on the Echo Web site. Winston’s Wish is a Gloucestershire charity that has spread nationwide giving support to children in bereavement. Their article gave advice about how to talk kto children about what had happened in Manchester. Don’t cover it up. Tlak about it with them.

having read the article I felt better equipped … but still very helpless and not a little apprehensive – what should I say, what words of prayer should I use – what can one do?  How can I give to the children?

I went into the assembly only to discover a theatre group had got there before me.  Four Square theatre had been doing a show called Fishermen’s Tales – telling the story of the fishermen followers of Jesus./

Actually it tied in with my Assembly. It was the second one I had done this term on the term’s theme, Forgiveness.  Forgiveness by numbers. My first assembly had been about the number 3 – three times Peter denied Jesus, three times the risen Jesus asked him do you love me – three times Peter was challenged to look after and care for everyone. And the number of the fish they caught that day could be laid out on the ground in the shape of an equilateral triangle with seventeen fish on each side of the triangle – 153 fish is the triangular number of 17.

Today’s assembly turned to the times tables and Jesus’ favourite times table – the seven times table. Peter lost his cool and wanted to know how many times to forgive seven times?  Seventy-times seven times.

I came to the end of my assembly telling the story of the King who forgave the slave who owed him three and half billion pouds and went outside and wouldn’t forgive the slave who owed him a mere £60000.

My talk over I asked the two youngsters operating the computer to put up the words for the song.  I didn’t know it – it was one the youngsters had learned last year from one of the theatre group when he had joined the school with I Sing Pop.

Great way of teaching the youngsters pop songs with all the moves but a Christian message.

I decided to say my prayer first.

I avoided any link with the forgiveness theme – that was something for another day and another time – and a big one to get your head round in the wake of Manchester. Not for that day, not for that time.

I prayed that God would comfort people in Manchester after all that had happened and I prayed that all over the country we would work together at caring for each other so that we could all be together and supporting each other.

Something like that. I hope it was OK – I did my best.

Then I got them to play the words of the song.

I was at the front – the youngsters were singing for all they were worth.  It may be a year since they did I sing pop – but they sing the songs brilliantly.

I found I had to turn with my back to the children – to follow the words.

It was hard to stop the tears coming down my cheeks.

I had supposed I would offer something to the children to help them.

They were a blessing to me as the words they sang were words of hope in a world of devastation.

And it took the children to share that blessing with me.

There is somewhere with a love we can all share
No more sorrow and a whole new tomorrow

I can feel it in my fingers
#I can feel it in my toes
I can feel my body moving
#letting everybody know

So imagine this
Everybody has love to give
And we all have a chance to live
Freedom with sadness ended
Love defended

There will be no pain
And the broken will rise again
Darkness fading the night will end
Love is when Chains are broken Heaven opens




A memorable moment I for one will not forget.

Let’s join in singing …



246 Spirit of holiness

            Spirit of holiness, wisdom and faithfulness,
            wind of the Lord, blowing strongly and free:
            strength of our serving and joy of our worshipping—
            Spirit of God, bring your fulness to me!
1          You came to interpret and teach us effectively
            all that the Saviour has spoken and done;
            to glorify Jesus is all your activity—
            promise and gift of the Father and Son:
            Chorus

2          You came with your gifts to supply all our poverty,
            pouring your love on the church in her need;
            you came with your fruit for our growth to maturity,
            richly refreshing the souls that you feed:
            Chorus

3          You came to the world in its pride and futility,
            warning of dangers, directing us home;
            now with us and in us, we welcome your company;
            Spirit of Christ, in his name you have come:
            Chorus

Christopher Idle
© Christopher Idle/Jubilate Hymns Ltd
12 10 12 10 13 10 13 10

Used By Permission. CCL Licence No. 3540
Copied from HymnQuest: Copyright Licence Users' Edition
HymnQuest ID: 61224

Prayers of Concern

245 There’s a spirit in the air

This is the definitive version of the text. An earlier version in Faith Looking Forward and many other books is given elsewhere but the definitive version should be used wherever possible.

1          There's a spirit in the air,
            telling Christians everywhere:
            'Praise the love that Christ revealed,
            living, working in our world!'

2          Lose your shyness, find your tongue,
            tell the world what God has done:
            God in Christ has come to stay.
            Live tomorrow's life today!

3          When believers break the bread,
            when a hungry child is fed,
            praise the love that Christ revealed,
            living, working, in our world.

4          Still the Spirit gives us light,
            seeing wrong and setting right:
            God in Christ has come to stay.
            Live tomorrow's life today!

5          When a stranger's not alone,
            where the homeless find a home,
            praise the love that Christ revealed,
            living, working, in our world.

6          May the Spirit fill our praise,
            guide our thoughts and change our ways.
            God in Christ has come to stay.
            Live tomorrow's life today!

7          There's a Spirit in the air,
            calling people everywhere:
            Praise the love that Christ revealed,
            living, working, in our world.

Brian Wren (born 1936)
© 1969, 1995 Stainer & Bell Ltd
7 7 7 7


Used By Permission. CCL Licence No. 3540
Copied from HymnQuest: Copyright Licence Users' Edition
HymnQuest ID: 62482


Words of Blessing

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