THE service at Crediton Methodist Church on Sunday, May 24 was led by Pam Murphy and her theme was ‘Pentecost – Poured Out’.

Pam had recently met a dear Christian lady who doesn’t speak any English.

An enormous smile filled every feature of her face. With gestures, asked if she could hold her hands. She grabbed Pam’s hand joyfully and started talking in her own language at a great rate of knots and still with her lovely beaming smile.

In one sense, Pam did not understand a word she said. In another God-given sense, Pam understood everything that was important – her whole being spoke of her faith, trust, joy, welcome, of their unity in Christ and these hymn words came into Pam’s head – so aptly fitting that brief encounter: ‘Here is love, vast as the ocean, loving kindness as the flood’ God’s love in her and flowing out of her. What a treasure! What a blessing!

Timing. Often so important! Everything in God’s timing. God had chosen, as Jesus had promised, to pour out His Holy Spirit at the very time when many thousands of Jews and God-fearing Gentiles from all around their known world were gathered together in Jerusalem celebrating the first fruits of the season.

Despite the diversity of their languages, God enabled everyone to hear and to understand what the disciples were saying. The newly empowered Peter preached to them with confidence, with power and with clarity.

The impact of the Holy Spirit working through Peter and the disciples resulted in about three thousand people being added to their number that day. Christ’s holy Church was born. We are here today because of that first Pentecost, and because, over the centuries since, others too have responded to the powerful blessing of the Holy Spirit to inspire others.

John Wesley was one of them, allowing God to use him to help transform the lives of so many in our country, putting people together in groups or ‘classes’ so that they could encourage and sustain one another in their faith; appointing others to go and preach; showing them the undoubted benefits to all the family of life-style changes.

John Wesley introduced radical social change in the 18th century through the Methodist movement by using education to empower the poor, founding schools to provide good education to working class children, and he worked to combat injustices like slavery and exploitation. Despite challenges, difficulties and opposition he endured, just like Peter and the first disciples had faced, he and they did not give up.

They persevered, not in their own strength, but through prayer and faith and the power of the Holy Spirit in them.

On that first Pentecost something new was begun – not by casting off the old teachings entirely but interpreting them in new and fresh ways – the revolutionary ways that Jesus had shown the disciples. They travelled and preached and ministered to people where they were.

John Wesley looked with new, fresh eyes and heart – his open-air preaching was revolutionary back in the 18th century – it just was not regarded as respectable!

He had been banned from speaking in many Church of England pulpits, accused of trespassing on other priest’s designated territories.

So in 1739 he began to preach outdoors instead, famously declaring ‘I look upon all the world as my parish’ and he travelled thousands of miles on horseback to preach to people who were not attending the traditional churches.

It was interesting to hear recently at Circuit Meeting one minister speaking about ‘looking at the new’ and about us ‘being willing to let go of the old’. Time comes for change.

Maybe, for example, there will be an outdoor area for worship – already there is a fairly new forest church service open to everyone.

One minister spoke about allowing ourselves permission to stop doing what we have done for years especially when it has become a burden. Another minister asked us to ask ourselves ‘Is the Spirit of Pentecost leading us to something new?

Is the Holy Spirit only about the energy we see in wind and fire? The Bible speaks of the Holy Spirit as water, cleansing and refreshing. Jesus, speaking to the Samaritan woman at the well, described the Holy Spirit as a ’spring of water welling up to eternal life’.

Be prepared! – wind, fire and water can be unpredictable, disruptive and hard to control. How does that sound? welcome or challenging – or both?

Jesus‘s promise is that the Holy Spirit will be in the world and in us. Each of us, unique, blessed by Him with gifts that differ from one person to the next.

Some blessed and gifted to be great evangelists. Most of us blessed to serve in quieter, gentler ways.

All of us can ask ourselves a question ‘Is the Spirit of Pentecost leading me to something new?’ Or leading me to be supportive of, or to share thoughts about new innovative ideas, new possibilities – while we are keeping true to the foundation of our Christian faith and welcoming and including everyone.

However our hearts are filled and led by the Spirit, the Holy Spirit does not impose on us, but helps us to be all we can be.

May the Holy Spirit ignite our hearts, empowering the church to transform brokenness with a longing for new life, new ways, new hope. Trust in God with all your heart. Trust in Christ Jesus our Lord and Saviour.

We continued our Pentecost celebrations by joining Christians from the other churches in the town for a Picnic in the Park followed by a short ecumenical service with hymns excellently led by the Town Band. A really wonderful joint celebration.

Bronwyn Nott