Stephen asked us a poignant question this morning at Cherry Tree Court: ‘when was the last time you spoke to your father?’ For some people, bereaved many years ago, it may be difficult to recall that last conversation; for others who have never really known a father, it’s a bittersweet question to face. But whatever our experiences of conversations with fathers (mine was, at that point, yesterday, to let him know we had returned safely from our holiday!), we are able to think about our last conversation with our heavenly Father.

Today is Fathers’ Day, but the wonderful truth is that as a Christian, every day can be ‘Father’s Day.’ Our conversations with our heavenly Father are fuel for our lives, and in Matt 6:9-15, Jesus gives us a framework, a template, for prayer. That prayer, often know as the Lord’s Prayer or the ‘Our Father’, reminds us that we can talk to our heavenly Father about absolutely everything. No subject is off limits. We can also talk at any time: we don’t have to wait for special occasions. We can talk anywhere: just as with telephones, computers and mobile phones, we are no longer limited to a specific place to have a conversation with people, so too we are not restricted in where (or how) we can have those heavenly conversations we call prayer.

Our conversations with God can be personal, intimate and involve us listening to God as well as talking. Let’s take the opportunity to have conversations with our heavenly Father on this special day as well as with our earthly Dads if we are able.

One of the things I love about holidays is the opportunity to find out what’s happening in other local communities regarding the arts. Knowing that Dearne Community Arts’ Festival is taking part in Thurnscoe Big Local’s ‘Go Wild’ sculpture trail in the summer holidays, I was stunned to find a similar arts’ project on the Isle of Man. The hospice there has been involved in a sculpture trail called ‘Wallabies Gone Wild’ involving 64 painted sculptures of wallabies and I had great fun tracking these down! (for more information,see the website here).

Here are some of the amazing wallabies I found on holiday:

At Castletown:

At Maughold:

At Peel:

At Port Erin:

At Port St Mary:

At Ramsey Mooragh Park:

At Ramsey:

The Thurnscoe ‘Go Wild’ sculpture trail will take part in the school holidays, but Dearne Community Arts’ Festival will be decorating the sun bear on Saturday 27th July at the ‘Love Your Park’ event (12-4 .p.m.) at Thurnscoe Flower Park. We’ll be decorating our sun bear with snippets from famous paintings using the art form of decoupage and he’ll then be in the sculpture trail and on display at the Dearne Community Arts’ Festival on Saturday 28th September at Astrea Academy Dearne. If you’d like to have a go at something a bit different and be part of championing creativity and celebrating community, then come along to be part of our very own sculpture trail!

Today is Fathers’ Day, a ‘designated day’ in the UK calendar to celebrate fathers. Many feel such days are artificial and overly commercial and that it is not wise to be attached to them, but the Bible reminds us to honour our father and mother and this can be an opportunity to thank fathers for their often unsung influence and input into our lives.

Fathers have a vital role to play in a child’s upbringing and development, but we live in a society where fathers are often marginalised, playing a peripheral role, if one at all. Many children do not know their fathers, have little or no contact with them and have few male role models in their lives. Other children, even if they live with their fathers, see them as remote and distant. To be a good father is a difficult job.

Jesus talked frequently of his relationship with God as a father-son relationship. We know very little about his relationship with Joseph, the man who assumed paternal responsibility for him (it’s believed Joseph died when Jesus was relatively young), but a lot about the intimate relationship he had with God. He talked about God as his Father (John 5:17-18) and said, ‘the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.’ (John 5:19) Fathers influence us more than perhaps either they or we realise. What a father does, a child will automatically copy.

This is both a sobering and challenging thought to ponder on this Fathers’ Day. Fathers, what are you doing which your child will also do? Are you modelling a life of faith? Are you showing your child how to walk in the Spirit? Are you demonstrating godly values? Or will your child see impatience, objections, a dog-eat-dog mentality, a workaholic who is forever saying ‘not now’ or ‘later’? Our lives can seem so busy, so frantic, so constrained. Do our children know they are unconditionally loved, accepted and welcome or are they learning they’re an inconvenience in our world?

Jesus sad, ‘the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, and he will show him even greater works than these.’ (John 5:20) A good father loves his child and spends time with him. A child primarily learns skills and confidence from parents. Jesus talked of the Father giving responsibility to him. (John 5:22-23) We too need to give responsibility to our children as they grow, for how else will they become trustworthy, competent adults?

Today, fathers, reflect on the awesome privilege you have as fathers to shape, influence and model God to your children. This is your primary role as a father. Children, today reflect on the fact that no matter what your earthly experience of fatherhood has been, you have the opportunity to know God as your Father in the same intimate and loving way that Jesus did. Let’s rest in that relationship and, like Jesus, seek to do only that which pleases the Father. (John 8:29)

Peter’s first sermon on the Day of Pentecost was powerful and effective (Acts 2:13-36). It reflects the change the Holy Spirit made in Peter’s life, for prior to this, he was the impulsive, big-hearted disciple who nonetheless knew fear and doubt and had denied Jesus three times. Now, he is bold and fearless as he proclaims a message of hope which sees 3000 added to the church in one day.

The people there heard Peter proclaim peace and freedom to all who would follow Jesus Christ. For centuries the Jewish people had known that they were special. They were the ones chosen by God Almighty to be His own special people.For centuries God had protected them, directed them and provided for them. They had a relationship with the Creator of the whole universe that was totally unique.

However, that relationship came at a price. The price was total obedience to a series of over 600 laws and directives and when they inevitably failed to keep all those laws, there was an elaborate sacrificial system to deal with these infringements of the Law. The very fact that there were so many people in Jerusalem at this time was because it was Pentecost, one of those mandatory times of sacrifice and offering to God.

But now Peter is telling them that all this ritual and law keeping, all this costly and elaborate sacrificial system, was no longer necessary. Jesus Christ had become the ultimate and final sacrifice and had paid the price for all of their sins. Because of the working of the Holy Spirit that day, because of what they saw in these disciples of Jesus, the people believed the message that Peter preached.

As these 3000 people responded to the message, the Holy Spirit began a work in each of them. Suddenly all the barriers of race, colour and gender melted away and the new converts began to meet with each other every day. One of the distinguishing traits of the early Church was its love for one another.(Acts 2:44-46). This continues to be the distinguishing mark of the church, for we – who are all different in so many ways – are called to be the family of God. We are called together to belong, to love, to share and to welcome others. As we do this, our church too will grow and we will see the continuing, exciting growth of the church as the Holy Spirit adds to our number those who are being saved.

We enjoy celebrating birthdays at our church – birthdays are a celebration of life and as such, worth remembering and making a fuss of, even if (as we get older), we tend to want to tone down the celebrations somewhat! Pentecost Sunday is the day when we celebrate the arrival of the Holy Spirit and in many ways celebrate the birth of the church.

Before Pentecost, the followers of Jesus were confused, bewildered and still a little afraid. They knew that when Jesus was cruelly put to death on the Cross of Calvary, they had stood and watched in silence. Now, even though the Risen Lord had appeared before them, some of them doubted. They doubted that He could ever forgive them.They doubted that He would ever want anything else to do with them.They doubted their own sanity and wondered whether He was just a figment of their own imaginations.They were frightened and confused and they clung together trying to find some sort of security with familiar faces and friends.

Uncertain what would happen next, they waited and prayed, waited and prayed, and eventually, on the 10th day after the Ascension of Jesus on a cloud, they received the promised Holy Spirit. (Acts 1:1-Acts 2:13)

The Holy Spirit came with great force and with dramatic signs. The effect was truly amazing. They heard the sound as of a mighty rushing wind, and tongues of fire danced on each of their heads. Immediately each one began praising God at the top of their voice. It must have been like a madhouse in there, men and women dancing, shouting, singing, exploding in joy and worship to God. But it didn’t stop there! They spill out into the street, still jumping and rejoicing and praising God. The people outside think that they are drunk but Peter stands up and begins to preach the first gospel sermon and they see 3000 added to their number that day. The church continued to grow and find favour with many, even as Jesus had found favour with many. Everything was different after this day. We celebrate Pentecost today because of that day. This was a birthday to remember, a birthday we can all celebrate.

Two birthdays were celebrated last Sunday: