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APPROACHING PENTECOST How quickly we are 'storming' through this wonderful Season of Easter, as we celebrate Christ\'92s resurrection and the wonderful encounters the disciples had with him over the next 40 days. I marvel that Paul was able to record the huge number of people who saw Jesus at this time. He said, "After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep." (1 Corinthians 16:6). Before his 'Ascension to the Father' Jesus gave two commands to his disciples that at first appear contradictory. Firstly, they were to go and proclaim the Gospel to the entire world and secondly they were to wait. Why wait? Well they had first to experience Pentecost, the empowering of the Holy Spirit for mission. Without the Holy Spirit they could do nothing and would soon be overwhelmed by the world. Notice that Jesus himself had to wait till he was about 30 before he began his mission, completing it in about three years! Why wait? When Jesus entered the world as the Son of Man he had no power - could do nothing in himself, he humbled himself to be like us! It was only after his baptism, in the Holy Spirit, that he had the power to do what the Father was doing and what the Father willed for him (the Trinity in action). Notice the model he has left for us! We too can do nothing towards that mission to go into the world proclaiming the Gospel of salvation without the same empowering Holy Spirit. As Metropolitan Ignatios of Lattakia said at Assembly of the World Council of Churches in 1968:- Without the Holy Spirit, God is far away, Christ stays in the past, The Gospel is a dead letter, The Church is simply an Organisation, Authority a matter of domination, Mission a matter of propaganda, The liturgy no more than evocation, Christian living a slave morality. There is indeed a real danger that church can become a series of endless meetings and rituals without any expectation of the Spirit's power pushing our boundaries into the world (and pushing us out there too) One thing I learnt on the Lent Course was what a wonderful model Jesus leaves of power evangelism. As he trusted God the Father to move in power, and worked in obedience to his calling, so the Holy Spirit manifested his power to heal, or feed, or quench a storm. (We have our own example of the latter when God graciously answered our prayers and halted the rain and brought out the sun on that fabulous FNXtra Fun Day that Nigel organised. If the weather we had in the morning persisted it would have been totally ruined). On one occasion Jesus healed a man with a shrivelled hand in a synagogue. The word went round and as a result massive crowds followed him, so many that he had to commandeer a boat to speak to then as they gathered round the waters edge. When amazing things happen people talk! That's power evangelism at work, drawing the crowds, and it's still happening today. I believe we have every right to covet the same Spirit in all his manifest power for our mission to go and make disciples (Matthew 28:19). As Paul said to the Corinthians 'Follow the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy.' (1 Corinthians 14:1) That's his command to us and that is our calling! Take the opportunity to learn more on our Fired up and Moving on day to discern our Spiritual Gifts on Saturday 17th May. Much work has gone into the planning and preparations to make this a special day. As we approach the Season of Pentecost pray (eagerly) for the Holy Spirit but remember it is so that you can GO and go with the confidence for that is your calling. God will honour your boldness! Bill MacKenzie

Parish of Littleham-cum-Exmouth