Category Archives: Services

News Releases, Pentecost, Services

Strange events, the Holy Spirit and a Sung sermon – it must be Pentecost

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Media outlets have a new rival – the Roman Broadcasting Company (RBC) whose reporter has been recording virtual interviews, trying to uncover the truth behind strange events taking place in Jerusalem almost 2,000 years ago. The interviews will be broadcast on this website on Sunday, May 31, in a Pentecost service which will be online from 9am.

The RBC will be investigating stories of ordinary people being transformed from scared individuals into confident and joyful women and men who started telling everyone about Jesus, a man from nearby Galilee who had been killed by crucifixion but had risen again and was offering a new way of living and coming close to God.

The story, of course, is the one recalled in chapter two of the book of Acts, when the disciples received the Holy Spirit and began a new ministry which saw the beginning of what became the Christian church. This story will be celebrated on Sunday, May 31, in three services – a formal one and an informal one available in the morning, and an all-sung service in the evening, available from 6pm. The informal service will include a dramatised version of the story involving the RBC interviewing witnesses of the events. You may also want to have a candle, a pot of bubbles and also cake to help you take part!

Here’s what Lesley Crawley has to say about it: “A few days before the events we celebrate at Pentecost, the risen Jesus had ascended to heaven and had promised that the disciples would receive power when the Holy Spirit came down on them, enabling them to be brave and follow Jesus in loving service to others. This is what we are reflecting on here. And of course, the Holy Spirit wasn’t just for those early disciples but is available to all of us and is in us as we work to help others and love others, trying to be the hands and arms and heart of Jesus today.

“So come and join us online on Sunday, May 31, at our formal or informal services in the morning or our all-sung service in the evening from 6pm. Even the sermon is being sung! It’s all on https://badshotleaandhale.org/ and everyone is welcome!”

Pentecost also marks the end of The Kingdom Come, the period from Ascension Day which each year is dedicated to prayer. We are celebrating Thy Kingdom Come with a different version of the Lord’s Prayer each day at noon and sharing resources from the Thy Kingdom Come organisers.

Services, St George's Church, St John's Church, St Mark's Church

Sunday Worship – 24th May

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Below are the resources for this week, the Sunday morning services and five sermons for your enjoyment, but first the notices:

Notices

If you missed it, please take a look at Ascension – a brilliant service by Kris and Maxine.

We have a birthday to celebrate – Jenny Bull on 22nd May:

Also – we really need your help… Next week is Pentecost and it is a special service where we dedicate ourselves to serving the world. Please can you record yourself saying these responses and send them to Alan by Wednesday, If you haven’t done this before, instructions can be found by clicking here.

Responses

  • and also with you
  • He is risen indeed. Alleluia.
  • fill us with your Spirit
  • His Spirit is with us
  • nothing can separate us from your love.
  • fill us with your saving power
  • bring strength, healing, and peace
  • Let us praise and bless God for ever
  • and fill us with your spirit
  • Blessed be God for ever
  • By the Spirit’s power, we will
  • We will
  • Amen
  • Thanks be to God. Alleluia, alleluia

Plus send us a video of you lighting a candle

Resources

Here are the resources for adults at home this week.

Here are the resources for families at home this week.

Services

Sermons

Lesley’s BCP Sermon

Lesley and Alan’s Easter 7 Sermon

John Evans’ Friday Sermon

Maxine’s Ascension Sermon

 

Ascension Day, Pentecost, Prayer

Thy Kingdom Come

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Thy Kingdom Come – words so many of us know from the Lord’s Prayer, and, since 2016, the name given to the days between Ascension and Pentecost (this year May 21-31) which are set aside by many churches and individuals as a time of prayer.

We are joining in – church closures can’t get in the way of prayer! Every day we will be posting a video below, and, at midday you will find a version of the Lord’s Prayer spoken (or sung) by a member of the parish. There are also loads of wonderful resources on the Thy Kingdom Come website, including an app for Apple and Android.

Then there is a fun, interactive prayer map (the Archbishop of Canterbury is said to be a bit of a fan),  with a daily podcast , a prayer journal, a Novena (a guide for nine days of prayer), and other ideas. It will end on Pentecost Sunday when we will be having three services – 9.30am formal, 10.30am informal, and 6pm all-sung (even the sermon!).

Day 11: This Pentecost is very different from last year’s but it is the same Spirit! Here are some highlights from last year:

Day 10: Can you meet God in silence?

Day Nine:

A touching video about what adoption into God’s family means:

Day Eight:

Pope Francis prays ‘Thy Kingdom Come’:

Day Seven:

Faith on a different frontline.

Christian Armed Service workers share about the power of faith on the frontline and how it sustains them through difficult times.

Day Six: The power of prayer.

Methodist Youth president, Thelma Commey reflects on God’s love through praying and serving others.

Day Five: Watch Eye Can Talk author Jonathan Bryan reflect on what it means to offer our lives to God irrespective of our circumstances.

Day Four and a moving story about the life-giving, transforming, rescuing power of Jesus, with us in real darkness, in light and in everything:

Day Three and two videos. In the first, Bishop Michael Curry of the Episcopal Church talks about giving thanks and in the second emergency workers talk about prayer:

Day Two, focuses on praise and a new hymn for Thy Kingdom Come:

Day one of Thy Kingdom Come:

Pentecost

Pentecost Service – Your part!

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May 31 is Pentecost and the services have more congregational responses than most services.  Please would you video yourself doing the Responses  (below) and send them to Alan by Tuesday 26th May using FileMail, TransferXL or PCloud (works better on mobiles).

All responses should be in one take with a good space between them to make editing easier.

If you haven’t done this before, instructions can be found by clicking here.

Thanks

Responses

PLUS… send us  a video of you lighting a candle

Services

Changes to services from 31st May

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From the 31st May (Pentecost) we are going to try something slightly different with the Sunday morning online services. So far we have had:

  • 9:30am St John’s
  • 10:00am St George’s
  • 11:00am St Mark’s

In the same way as we did in real life.

However we would like to try instead:

  • 9:30am A more traditional service
  • 10:30am An all-age service

This is because it is quite difficult to explain what the services are like new people who are coming along who haven’t been to a service in one of the buildings. Also, people aren’t coming to the ‘right’ service, especially fringe members – St Mark’s people attending St John’s and St George’s, St George’s people attending St John’s…

Two services will also mean that they will be very different (with different sermons and hymns etc) so those who like to watch more than one service will have a bit more variety. We hope that people from all three churches will be involved in the two services so we should be seeing a variety of faces and voices.

If this is of concern please get in touch with us.

Lesley

Services, St George's Church, St John's Church, St Mark's Church

Sunday Worship – 17th May

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Below are the services, but first… here is something new for you:

Resources for Adults on this week’s bible readings, and

Resources for Families on the readings.

Also – Anne will love this – on the Children’s page is a lovely story and craft for Adventurers, but we can all enjoy it.

Services

Sermons

Alan

Bishop Andrew

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