Sunday Worship 24th May

 Sunday Worship - Pentecost

Welcome to Sunday Worship in Leesfield Parish as we celebrate the Feast of Pentecost (also known as Whit Sunday). 

Our Service of Holy Communion this morning is at our neighbouring church of St John the Baptist, Hey at 9.15. 

We will then hold a traditional Whit Walk from St John's, around Lees, to St Thomas' Church for the Churches Together in Lees and District joint Service for Pentecost at 12 noon.

All are welcome to join us - full details are shown in the Notices section below.

If you are unable to attend in person, you will find resources below to worship at home.

Our first hymn this morning is "Breathe on me, Breath of God"

Today's Bible Readings

John 7:37-39                Rivers of Living Water

On the last day of the festival, the great day, while Jesus was standing there, he cried out, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me, and let the one who believes in me drink. As the scripture has said, ‘Out of the believer’s heart shall flow rivers of living water.’” Now he said this about the Spirit, which believers in him were to receive; for as yet there was no Spirit, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

Acts 2:1-21

When the day of Pentecost had come, the disciples 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."

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.'"

Reflection

Do you remember the way Whitsuntide or Pentecost used to be celebrated in Lees? When I first came to the Oldham as a young man, (just a few years ago), one of my colleagues at the bank where I worked invited me to Lees for Whit Sunday. I was ‘blown away’ - not by the sudden rush of a sound like the rush of a violent wind from heaven, but by the sense of occasion as dozens and dozens of people assembled to march around the village. Assembled to pay witness and celebrate this Holy Festival to commemorate the coming of the Holy Spirit – the advocate that Jesus had promised to empower his followers to spread the gospel and build his Church on earth. 

There were people of all ages from the very young Rainbows, Beavers  and Sunday School to the active members of the Mother’s Union and right up to the elder parishioners who continued to serve the parish after decades of service in many varied lay roles.  

But it wasn’t just an excuse for a jolly good get together, it was truly an occasion to show off our Christian identity. And it wasn’t just our church! As the proceedings continued, we were joined by congregations and families from all of the neighbouring churches, not only from the Church of England but all the other local denominations as well as we worshipped together in joy and harmony. 

Whether everyone knew it or not, we were celebrating that first occasion where ‘God poured put his Spirit upon all flesh’ and where more than 3,000 people were baptised.

Whether it is on Pentecost Sunday or any other day of the year, we too are called to embrace the power of the Holy Spirit, to proclaim the Gospel and share our belief and faith with others. We repeatedly hear messages that the Church is withering but we cannot just wait and hope that the pews will suddenly fill up. What we need is power, the power only God’s Spirit can give, the power to speak the name of Jesus out in our community.  We need to courageously harness the Spirit and be openly proud of our faith, as a Gospel-sharing church that loves the world as God does.

Sadly, over the years the Whit Sunday walks have dwindled and are a shadow of their former glory. This year, thanks to brilliant teamwork by representatives of both parishes, we are trying to re-energise and build the numbers of folk involved, starting with a service and procession from St. John Hey, to Zion Methodist and then to St. Thomas church and the local streets. It may not all happen this year, but if you are able, why not join us for some or all of this act of witness, as we celebrate the glory of God and His son Jesus. Let the power of the Holy Spirit fill you anew and also inspire new believers to be open to the power of the Spirit. If you are not able to join us, why not come to your doors and give us a hearty cheer and a wave, join us in our songs of praise and invite the Holy Spirit into your life. 

Never underestimate the power of the Spirit – after my first Whit Sunday in Lees, I started coming to St. Thomas’ church and later married the wonderful person from the bank who invited me to my first Whit Sunday parade.              Paul

Our Prayers

Heavenly Father, we come before You with a hungry heart, 

asking for a fresh outpouring of Your Holy Spirit upon our lives. 

Fill us with Your presence and power and let Your Spirit overflow in us afresh every day, 

empowering us to share your Gospel with those who have yet to know You. 

Amen

Today's final hymn is "Walk in the Light"

Notices

Here are the full details of our Pentecost Celebrations

Finally, the following announcement was made in St Thomas', St Agnes' and St John's churches last week -

The Bishop of Manchester is pleased to announce the appointment of the Reverend Kirsten Stott as incumbent of Hey, John the Baptist and the Parish of Leesfield.

Please pray for Kirsten as she prepares to continue her vocational and missional journey with the parishes where she has been serving as curate-in-charge, and for the benefice as they prepare for this new stage.

We don't have a date yet for Rev Kirsten's Licensing Service, but we're all really looking forward to this next wonderful stage in the life of both parishes.

Sunday Worship 17th May

 Sunday Worship

Welcome to Sunday Worship in Leesfield Parish on the Seventh Sunday of Easter. Today is our Annual Parochial Church meeting, and we have only one service in the parish - at 11.15 am at St Thomas' Church.

If you are unable to attend our services in person, you will find resources below to worship at home.

Our first hymn this morning is "I Cannot tell, why He whom Angels Worship"

Today's Gospel

John 17:1-11      Jesus Prays for Himself and His Followers

Jesus looked up to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all people, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth by finishing the work that you gave me to do. So now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had in your presence before the world existed.

“I have made your name known to those whom you gave me from the world. They were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything you have given me is from you; for the words that you gave to me I have given to them, and they have received them and know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. I am asking on their behalf; I am not asking on behalf of the world, but on behalf of those whom you gave me, because they are yours. All mine are yours, and yours are mine; and I have been glorified in them. And now I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are one.”

Reflection

A few years ago, one of our former vicars, Edith, started a prayer group. It was  attended by a few who would come together and explore prayer. Sometimes with candles, or hand held objects or music. We experimented with different things as we explored different ways of reaching out to God and one another guided by the Holy Spirit. 

Sometimes we discussed and prayed about things in the world, or in our schools and community, and sometimes, if people were comfortable sharing things, we prayed for and about each other. 

I have a similar prayer group with some of my friends from college which has been a true blessing as we journeyed together as ordinands over the years. We continue to pray through our ups and down, highlights and worries, and find spiritual strength guided by the Spirit as we reflect about what is going on in our lives, our old and new parishes and also across the wider world.

Prayer is always special but there is something even more powerful when we come together as a group and pray as friends, and even more so when we pray for one another. It can be an intense and also unifying experience. 

In John 17, it feels like John has invited us to eavesdrop into Jesus’ prayer group with his closest friends - Those who will soon become his apostles, charged with the responsibility of continuing to take His message to the wider world and build his Church.  John brings us into Jesus presence as he prays with his disciples just before he goes to the Cross.

It starts with Jesus praying for himself, not in a selfish way but for his glorification through what he knows lies ahead and also for the glorification of God the Father. He is praying for his coming re-unification with the Father and for the disciples to understand all that has happened and what will happen. 

During our Ascension Day service last Thursday, Rev. Kirsten talked about the contrast between Christmas and the Ascension – the former being Jesus’ human incarnation on earth and the latter being the reversal, where Jesus returns to heaven to be re-united with God. 

It reminds us that Jesus existed and was one with God the Father before he came to earth, and moreover, how much he set aside to become human and be with us. We are also reminded that Jesus has been with God since the beginning of time, before the world existed and will remain with God until the end of the ages. Jesus is eternal in unity with God and the Holy Spirit. At his ascension, he is re-united in heaven at the right hand of God. 

Whilst he is praying, Jesus is mindful of his faithful disciples. Amidst the talk of his glorification, he prays for his faithful and beloved disciples; he asks the Father to watch over them and protect them on the perilous mission that lies ahead after he has gone. He prays that they are protected so that they might know the sort of unity that exists within the Godhead. 

At first glance we might think that he is only praying for his disciples – But if we read the prayer carefully, we can see Jesus extends his prayer to all who have received the truth that came from the Father to us though Christ and who believe in him. He is not just praying for the disciples but for all who believe and have been glorified in him and for those who are persecuted or ridiculed for their faith.

I mentioned how powerful it can feel when you know people are praying with you and for you, even if you are not present when the prayers are said. How absolutely wonderful and beloved do you feel when you realise that Jesus is praying for you alongside his disciples and across time when he says - “Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are one.”? How marvellous is it to know that not only is he praying for our protection but also for our unity with him? As we eavesdrop on Jesus praying, we witness his invitation to join him in unity with the Father and the Holy Spirit. How special does that make you feel today? Our unity is Jesus’ prayer for himself.                                                                                         Paul

Our Prayers

Loving heavenly Father,

Thank You that You sent Jesus to enable all who believe in Him

to be witnesses to the truth of Your Word.

Bind us together in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

to seek unity and reconciliation in our broken world,

as we spread the Good News of your wonderful plan of redemption,

through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ our Saviour.

 Amen

Today's final hymn is "Christ Triumphant, Ever Reigning"

Notices

Next Sunday is Pentecost, and the arrangements are shown in the poster below

Sunday Worship 10th May

 Sunday Worship

Welcome to Sunday Worship in Leesfield Parish on the Sixth Sunday of Easter. Our Church Services this morning are at the usual times of 9.15 at St Agnes' and 11.15 at St Thomas'.

If you are unable to be with us in person, you will find resources below to worship at home.

Our first hymn this morning is "Longing for Light, We Wait in Darkness"

Today's Gospel

John 14:15-21     The Promise of the Holy Spirit

Jesus said, ”If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever. This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in you.

”I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you. In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me; because I live, you also will live. On that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. They who have my commandments and keep them are those who love me; and those who love me will be loved by my Father, and I will love them and reveal myself to them.”

Reflection

Our Gospel passage today is a continuation from last week, where Jesus is comforting His disciples following his disclosure that he will soon die. It’s part of what is known as Jesus’ ‘farewell disclosure’ during the Last Supper. 

Last week we looked at Jesus’ message to follow Him, and what that meant following His commandment to love one another and follow His example. Here we see Jesus emphasising that same message – He starts by making it clear that the only way to show how much they love Jesus is keep His commandments. Jesus isn’t looking for signs of sorrow and mourning, He is looking for positive love in the way they love others as He loved them. 

As I think about this, I try to put myself in the disciples’ shoes – they’ve been following Him for a few years and witnessed some pretty awesome events, and heard first hand how Jesus interprets God’s word in a new and refreshing way. So they must be thinking, How do we follow an act like that? How can we possibly follow Jesus’ commandments and live up to His example without Him by our sides to guide us?

Jesus, of course, knows and understands their innermost doubts and so He promises to ask the Father to send another advocate - the Holy Spirit. A comforter who will abide in them and be constantly guiding and encouraging them, strengthening them as they grow in the power of Christ to go forward and spread the good news of the risen Lord. 

Jesus is addressing the questions and doubts that we heard about in last weeks  reflection.  But more than that, He is alluding to nature of the Spirit and the need to be open to it through our faith in Jesus and the Father. 

When he says, “This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him”, Jesus is describing those who are still alienated from God and the knowledge of His son. Importantly, that does not mean that an unbeliever cannot become a believer. Everyone is capable of becoming a believer and turning to faith - that happens to people every day. It is up to the disciples and followers here and now, who have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit to channel that precious gift and share it as widely as possible. 

I mentioned the doubt that the disciples must have felt, being daunted at the challenge of carrying on Jesus’ footsteps after He had gone. How would they spread the message without Him? 

I suspect many of us feel like that from time to time, and I’ve heard the worry expressed by several people in our churches. Sometimes it is voiced in words such as, ‘Why do so few people come to church nowadays?’

 

We too need to have faith and follow Jesus’ commandment to love one another and trust in the Holy Spirit that was sent for all to enable us to be active disciples. We can follow the examples of the first disciples and pray together and for each other, especially those who have yet to come to faith. 

Perhaps as part of our personal prayer and reflection, we could pose these questions to ourselves – “ When and how did I show love to someone today?” Or maybe, when did I fail to show love to someone today?  Whatever our answer is, we can pray that the Holy Spirit will help us to be truthful in our response, and if need be, encourage us to do better next time. 

Because the Holy Spirit is not sent to judge us or to make us feel bad The Holy Spirit is sent to be alongside us, to guide us and comfort us and help us to carry on Jesus’ mission. 

When was the last time you talked to someone about your faith either to your family, friends or even a stranger? If we don’t talk about Jesus to anyone outside church, how can we share the our faith effectively. Pray that the Holy Spirit will guide us to share our faith and give the Spirit an opportunity to bring more people into the joy and love of our gracious Father. 

Paul

Our Prayers

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for the blessing of your Holy Spirit,

to be alongside us, 

guiding, comforting and strengthening us.

Send us out each day in confidence,

to proclaim our faith to those we meet in our life journeys,

And bring new followers into your kingdom.

Amen

Today's final hymn is "Breathe on me, Breath of God"

Notices

Ascension Day is this Thursday, and there will be a service at St Thomas’ Church at 7 pm.

This week is Christian Aid Week, and we are having a ‘Big Brekkie’ on Friday 15th May from 8.45 to 10.45 am to raise funds for Christian Aid, so please come along and join us if you can.