For general enquiries, please contact the Priests in Charge:
Revd Claire Burnett - parishes of the Walesby group, except Tealby: claire.burnett@lincoln.anglican.org
Revd Bryan Dixon - Barkwith Group of parishes, plus Tealby in the Walesby group: rev.bryan@icloud.com
For specific parish enquiries, see also the contact details on www.achurchnearyou.com
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There are a wide range of theological opinions within the church, this article reflects the views of the author
'Are we equipped?'
Ten days ago we celebrated the Ascension and our reading from Acts last week recounted the anticipation with which Jesus’ followers asked him whether he was going to restore the nation of Israel, and their concern when he told them that it was not up to them to know - yet. However, Jesus did promise them that when God is ready they will become witnesses, at which point he ascended to heaven to be in unity with his Father. I can imagine that their next question might well have been ‘. . . . but how are we going to do this?’
At Pentecost we get the answer and read, again from Acts, how, ‘like the blowing of a violent wind’ and ‘what seemed to be tongues of fire’ the Apostles were filled with the Holy Spirit. These biblical images are incredibly powerful – as is that of the Holy Spirit being poured out ‘like rivers of living water’ (John 7:38). Once equipped by this power, the Apostles were then ready and able to become actively involved in God’s work of salvation and redemption, as Jesus had shown them and told them previously.
Pentecost is the day when God decided that the world would no longer be evangelised solely by the ministry of His son, but by the efforts of the empowerment by the Holy Spirit of all true believers. The disciples had learned from the teacher, but were no longer to be spectators – they would carry forward the message of salvation as Apostles, as witnesses – and the message would be taken to the whole world.
And so it should be for us today: we are individually called away from our role as spectators to become more of the central characters in doing God’s work because, as believers, and by the power of the Holy Spirit, we should be equipped to spread that message.
A Prayer for this Week
Faithful God,Amen
The Walesby Group, set into the north western edge of the Lincolnshire Wolds, consists of 10 parishes, 10 worshipping communities and 11 church buildings. With a population of around 2100 we are a benefice of very small communities, living in the vast open spaces of this Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. As worshipping communities we aim to grow ourselves in our faith and discipleship, support and engage with our local communities and bring new people to Christ.
We are blessed with beautiful buildings and faithful commitment from our congregations. As the group continues to integrate together, we are being enabled to offer a variety of worship and outreach styles. Lay ministry and leadership is key to all we offer, and encouraged as we endeavour to open the Kingdom and its values to all.
The Christian faith is focused on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. We also believe his death achieved something very special: the opportunity to reconnect with the God that we might believe in but might sometimes feel remote from.
We believe that Jesus was not just a human being but, in some way that we cannot fully understand, God as well. We believe in God the Father, the creator of the entire universe, and the Holy Spirit, who is the way we can experience Jesus today. Not three gods but one, who together are described as the ‘Trinity’ – a description not so much of philosophy but of the relationship at the heart of God.
In the most famous Christian prayer we pray ‘Our Father…’ This creator God wants a relationship with us, for us to be his children and to give us, as Jesus says, ‘life in all its fulness’ (John 10.10).
