St Paul's
Beaconsfield

Anglican Church near Fremantle, Western Australia

23 May 2010 Pentecost

Our parish is a community that seeks God and the fullness of creation by finding ourselves in relation to others. Our giving to the common, to the other, our sharing of ourselves is our commitment to this endeavour.

Year B

Sunday, 9.15am Holy Communion see also Readings

Regular Services

Lectionary

The full text of the readings for Sunday are available in our Sunday's Readings section.

Other Resources

Textweek The Text This Week - Revised Common Lectionary, Scripture Study and Worship Links

Online Revised Common Lectionary Vanderbilt Divinity Library

Earlier Thoughts      Year B 0506      Year C 0607      Year A 0708

Sunday, 9.15am Holy Communion

LITURGICAL NOTE: From the start of Advent we follow the YEAR C readings in the three-year lectionary cycle. See the inside back cover for more about the liturgical year.

Before entering the sanctuary or the vestry…
Please allow the Choir to complete the ‘postlude’ and any additional songs that are part of our offering in worship – Our holding the sacred space is part of our common union - our being together in communion

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All who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God

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Reflections on the Word
Sundays in the chapel from 6-7pm – a time to reflect on the readings of the day, to share the Word and to explore the scriptures further.... Starting from NEXT Sunday 30th May

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Morning & Evening Prayer will be held in the chapel from Monday.... It will feel different and so we should be open to the changing space and to changing the space as we come together in prayer.

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For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.
John Shelby Spong (in his book, Eternal Life: A New Vision) argues that religion (church) “is little more than an attempt to return to that level of security we enjoyed when as children we could ascribe infinite power to our parent figures.”
The feast of Pentecost is often seen as the birth of the church.... If we reflect on the readings that we hear today and then look at ourselves, do we recognise in our very being the ‘Spirit’ that was birthed/gifted at that first Pentecost?
Today we encounter Pentecost in this very time and in this very place, It is an encounter of empowerment that calls us beyond the walls of tradition... It calls us into a new way of being and so into a new paradigm of church....

Now is the time to dance heaven's dance,
Time to discern eternity's face,
Moment of knowing beyond all sight,
Day of God's smile and tender embrace.
(W L Wallace)

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A Blessing
May God’s breath stream within you.
May God’s breath renew you.
May God’s breath invigorate you.
Walk with confidence into this day.
(Traditional Jewish blessing)

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"Was Pentecost a miracle of speaking,
or one of hearing and understanding?"
The Journey with Jesus: Notes to Myself, Daniel B. Clendenin

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Spirit of life and hope, we sense your presence in this place.
Awaken us again to the mysteries that humble us,
the realities that orient us,
the fellowship that sustains us,
that we may give ourselves in honesty and openness
to the larger life before us.

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I, the fiery life of divine wisdom,
I ignite the beauty of the plains,
I sparkle the waters,
I burn in the sun and the moon and the stars.
Hildegard of Bingen

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"Was Pentecost a miracle of speaking,
or one of hearing and understanding?"
The Journey with Jesus: Notes to Myself, Daniel B. Clendenin

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From last week’s sermon: As we stand “in-between”, as we inhabit the place between birth and death, we realise we are not called to move from one to the other, but rather we are called to realise ourselves in the place where Christ is, to know ourselves as the dynamic that shapes creation, and to rejoice in the truth that the Divine seeks us in the very same process that we seek the Divine. We are between Easter and Pentecost, between completion and consecration, and we are empowered to create life, in each other and in all.

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All were amazed.
Amazed, astonished and perplexed.

There had been much work and many journeys that brought them together in one place.... Some had been trying to get to this place for some years, others had been inspired quite recently and had joined in the effort to create, restore, reshape and rejoice..... It had taken everyone to collect together some money to make on start on the building works... and as they built so too they found themselves being reshaped... They worked together and yet Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, Some spoke and could not be understood, and yet as they worked together they created something of great beauty. All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, "What does this mean?". Then the archbishop arrived and spoke their beauty into reality.... and they knew for themselves that they had created a sacred place... that built on the traditions of the past and yet went Beyond the Church toward a future filled with new possibilities.

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Thank You - For being here today - and for your generous giving that enables us to be here tomorrow.

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From the service sheet PENTECOST 2006….
Church East End A group of 13 met last Tuesday and continued to conversation, concluding with the following summary:
This is an opportunity to say/define what is important to our generation of worshippers in the early 21st century. An opportunity to define who we are and embrace the challenge of integrating the (NeoGothic) past of 100 years ago with the present; for this to be stated, seen and sensed in grounds, buildings and symbols; to create and leave something which speaks of who we are/were and what we are living out/lived out for future generations.

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From Why Go to Church?
“When we go to church there is nothing much to see except a small bit of bread and wine. It may look an empty ceremony, as though the church, like the tomb, is just a place of absence. Why bother to go? Before we are ready even to recite 'Our Father' we must see how God is enthroned on this void.
The Eucharist moves towards ever-deeper emptiness and plenitude. At the Offertory, we placed our gifts on the altar so as to have empty hands to receive Jesus' body and blood. Now we hope to be filled, but we must endure a more profound emptiness the disappearance of the body. At every stage we are asked yet more radically to let go of God." Timothy Radcliffe

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The Elm Dance

After the choir sings the postlude on Sunday morning, those who wish to join in “The Elm Dance” gather in the circle dance area outside the church before going up to coffee in the hall. The Elm Dance

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The Divine Gift of Life, Light and Love
Our offering - a reflection of the gifts we have received
and an orientation of our giving to the life of this community.

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There is nothing in all the Universe so much like God as silence.
Meister Eckhart

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Sacred Space, Liturgy & our Community @ Worship
As we seek to offer our best in worship these guidelines may be helpful.

1. Silence before worship enables us to be ‘gathered’ into the introit sung by the choir
2. Conversations with others are often our way of avoiding those more divine words that search for us.
3. The sanctuary ‘space’ is ‘held’ by those who lead our worship, please keep to a minimum any movement in this ‘space’ and, at the end of our service, please wait until the choir have finished singing before entering.
4. NOTICES are an important part of our community story… however please use the service sheet to convey notices so that we can minimise the number that have to be given in church.

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We meditate on the glory of the Creator;
Who has created the Universe;
Who is worthy of Worship;
Who is the embodiment of Knowledge and Light;
Who is the remover of all Sin and Ignorance;
May The Divine enlighten our Intellect.

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Peace
Om Shanthi Shanthi Shanthi

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May creatures all abound in wealth and peace;
May all be blessed with peace always;
All creatures weak or strong,
All creatures great and small;
Creatures seen or unseen,
Dwelling afar or near.
born or awaiting birth,
May all be blessed with peace!
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Giving made easy
Direct debit forms are available from the back of the church and the hall for anyone who wants to use this facility. 
St Paul’s bank account details are:
30004913 Beaconsfield - for the East End account
30003006 Beaconsfield - for regular giving
For Internet or other bank transfers you will also need the BSB which is the same for each account – 706-001
Please contact Bob Matthews if you have any questions.

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