Dave spoke this morning from John 1:43-51 on the call of God. We are all used to annoying ‘nuisance’ calls these days from people trying to sell us goods or persuade us to apply for claims, and so often, we learn to ignore such calls and fail to respond to them. The danger is that we can learn to ignore God’s call to us, perhaps because we do not recognise the ways He speaks to us or because we are unwilling to believe He actually does call to us.

The call of Samuel (1 Sam 3) shows us plainly that hearing the voice of God is something we have to learn; initially, Samuel thought that Eli was calling him and had to be taught to wait on God to hear more clearly. God often speaks to us gently and subtly, in ways we might perhaps think can be ‘explained away’, but there is power in His words. In this passage in John 1:43-51, we see Jesus finding Philip and Nathaniel, seeking followers and calling to them. Nathaniel is initially hesitant, not expecting anything good to come from Nazareth, but ultimately he is grateful for his friend’s words and for how Jesus calls him.

God can speak to us through other people and through His word. His call is personal; He is still seeking followers and worshippers, just as He sought Philip and Nathaniel. He may speak to us in different ways: through dreams, through people, through colleagues, through the Bible and through prayer, but we need to be people who listen for His still, small voice. This requires a slowing down and patient listening, judging what we hear by the Word of God. When we hear God speak, we need to be quick to do what He says and then we will experience the power in God’s words.

This week is the ‘National Volunteer Week’ in the UK, an opportunity to celebrate volunteering in all its diversity.

As a church, we simply couldn’t exist without volunteers. Church members volunteer in so many different ways: in bringing God’s word to us, in serving through music ministry, in helping run Sunday School and youth clubs, in serving coffee and tea after services and at the coffee morning, in running the Parent & Toddler group, in cleaning the church building, in providing for the local food bank and in many, many more ways. We are profoundly grateful for everything that people do and for their faithfulness and service.

Volunteering in the community is a great way to be involved locally and in that sense builds community itself. We are privileged to be able to be involved in local events (such as the recent Dinosaur Day) and are looking forward to working with the Dearne Area Team over the summer holidays in providing ‘Summer Fun’ days on Wednesdays for local families. These start on 25th July (at the Salvation Army) and we will be hosting a ‘Summer Fun’ day at GPCC on Wednesday 15th August from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. Volunteers are needed at these events, so please do join us if you can help!

Thank you to everyone who serves God and the church so faithfully each week. We couldn’t do this without you!

We believe that Jesus has a heart for children; He told HIs disciples, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” (Matthew 19:14) As a church, we are privileged to support Bedline (an 8 year old in Haiti, through the charity Compassion) and Amshika (a disabled toddler in India whom we met last year on our missions’ trip) and we have just pledged to support a 13-year old boy called Innocent Okot in Uganda through the charity Watoto.

Innocent was abandoned by his father at a young age, but lives with his mother in a Watoto village.These villages provide a familiar traditional dwelling for people in Africa. The houses in the villages are positioned in clusters of nine houses, and provide all the essentials of a basic home.

Psalm 114 deals with the same history as many other historical psalms (chiefly the exodus, the most important event in Israel’s history), but does so in a very different way. Just eight verses long, the psalm does not mention God until near the end (the NIV’s interpolation of ‘God’ in verse 2 clarifies the psalm’s meaning, but is not present in the Hebrew text), but is written in very poetic language (using personification of the seas and mountains) and form (using the poetic chiastic form A B B’ A’). One commentator says that it has ‘a sense of exhilaration, even glee‘ (Michael Wilcock), focussing on God’s sovereignty and power through His actions on His people’s behalf.

In mentioning the parting of the Red Sea and the parting of the River Jordan (Ps 114:3), the psalm contains the whole of the exodus history in just a few verses, alluding also to the giving of the Ten Commandmants (when the mountain trembled) and to God’s provision of water from the rock (Ps 114:7-8, see also Ex 17:1-7) From this, we see God’s total control and ability to provide for His people, no matter how impossible the situation may look. We see also in this psalm God’s desire to be with us (‘Judah became His sanctuary, Israel His dominion’.) Paul repeatedly teaches that we are now ‘in Christ’ (Rom 8:1, Rom 16:9, 1 Cor 15:22), but even more amazing is the truth that Christ dwells in us (Col 1:27, Eph 3:17, 2 Cor 13:5, Gal 2:20). We have become His sanctuary, made possible through the sacrifice of the Lion of the Tribe of Judah. God’s presence was the thing that distinguished Israel from all other nations and before whom the whole earth trembles; God’s presence is the thing that sets us apart for HIs rule and reign.

Today’s Pentecost Party at Houghton Road Centre, Thurnscoe had a number of craft activities (including making fruit kebabs as we considered the fruit of the Spirit.)

Setting up the activities

Since it was a birthday party, we had a cake (of sorts) – multiple buns in the shape of the ‘Churches Together’ cross, thanks to Jackie:

We played ‘Pass The Parcel’ and enjoyed crazy golf outside:

We enjoyed hearing about the story of Pentecost through a godly play:

We heard about the tongues of fire and had red and orange balloons to remind us of the first Pentecost:

Thanks to all who prepared the lovely lunch:

All in all, we had a great time thinking about how the Holy Spirit helps us live for God and how He wants to grow His fruit within us – love, joy, peace, kindness, goodness, gentleness, patience, faithfulness and self-control.

My little granddaughter has just discovered the wonders of water play. She will spend hours filling buckets, cups and jugs with water to tip this water somewhere else (often where it should not be tipped…) The process of filling and refilling, pouring and emptying, is absolutely fascinating to her. She can spend hours doing this, watching the flow of water, enjoying the feel of the liquid, exploring its properties with concentration and eagerness.

It occurs to me, as I watch her carrying her buckets of water and spilling inadvertently in places which I would prefer to stay dry, that we are much the same when it comes to the living water Jesus gives us. (John 7:37-39) We are filled with His Spirit, but as we carry this precious water, we can spill it before we even reach our destinations, allowing bad habits, wrong attitudes, anxieties and worries to tip out this precious load before we reach those to whom we want to offer water. We need, therefore, to come again to be re-filled, even as she comes confidently again to the water sources to re-fill her buckets. It doesn’t matter how many times we come. We are leaky vessels and need God to fill us with His Spirit each day.

Today we hope to enjoy a Pentecost Party at Houghton Road Centre, Thurnscoe, sharing the joys of the Holy Spirit with families who may not perhaps know the source of living water. May we have water to share, living water which satisfies our thirst and gives us love, joy, peace, kindness, goodness, gentleness, patience, faithfulness and self-control, fruit which bring satisfaction too. Come and join us if you can!