Not just for today!

Olympic Torchbearers through Filey

Matthew Woollias and Paul Drake and Robert Reid will be carrying the Olympic Torch through Filey.  Read their stories by following the link from their  names. Its now 62 days  to the start of the Olympic Games.

 I am writing this on the train to London, and our British countryside looks beautiful. London is a great place to spend time, especially for young people who do not flag so quickly as I do!
I won't be at church in Filey tomorrow for Pentecost, but will be at St Matthews Croydon. Same God, Same Church, Same Body, Same Jesus, Same Holy Spirit. So Come Lord Jesus and pour out your Holy Spirit on our LAND and bring honour to the Father!  (tongues of Fire ahead of the Games,needing no organisation, at no cost except the death of 1 innocent man)

Holy Spirit a Person not a thing

As we approach Pentecost Archbishop Sentamu has put a stirring and inspiring address on his website. I have no problem with the first part, however the Archbishop fails to stress the Personality of the Holy Spirit, particularly in his last passage:

"Pentecost is about this life, which is passed on, one from the other. It’s like a candle that you light and I can take it from the other candle to this candle and the thing about this Holy Spirit,  it passes on from one to the other, and the good thing is that it never goes out. "

 There appears to be an increasing tendency in Christian circles to describe the Holy Spirit as 'it'. The Greek Word for Holy Spirit is neuter and biblical descriptions include 'tongues of fire' , however I am sure Archbishop Sentamu would agree that the Holy Spirit is a Person, part of the Godhead. As it is the Jehovah's Witnesses  will not hesitate to use his words as support for their doctrine that the Holy Spirit is an impersonal force. 


I'm uneasy that our Archbishop appears to believe that  the Holy Spirit transfers like some kind of candle flame, passing 'it',  from one candle to another. His illustration is unhelpful. When we are 'filled with The Spirit' , God himself does the filling. It's an intimate love relationship  between God and us, not a transfer of flame between like minded candles. 

 Perhaps he's trying to avoid a charge of sexism in describing the Holy Spirit as 'He' . Thankfully there's a precedent, the Apostle Paul broke the laws of Greek Grammar to do so. It's true to say that God is Spirit and neither Male nor Female but 'He' is definitely not an 'it'. God may be described in the bible as 'like a green tree' or compared to a 'mother hen', but He isn't either of those two things.

The 'Prince of Preachers' CH Spurgeon wrote an easy to read article which proves the Personality of the Holy Spirit. It is well worth reading and the Archbishop's 'get out clause' is quoted below:

" We are so accustomed to talk about the influence of the Holy Spirit and his sacred operations and graces, that we are apt to forget that the Holy Spirit is truly and actually a person—that he is an actual life—an existence; or, as we Trinitarians usually say, one person in the essence of the Godhead. But I am afraid that, though we don’t know it, we have acquired the habit of regarding the Holy Spirit as an divine emanation flowing from the Father and the Son, but not as being actually a person himself. I know it is not easy to carry around in our mind the idea of the Holy Spirit as a person......."

Ex Cathedra but couldn't find one

**

Not that I am infallible or even anyone in authority, but yesterday I just couldn't find a bench or chair from which to  look out on the punters in this shopping mall, let alone blog. 

In my whistle stop visit to the  leafy suburbs it was clear that I had to find a Boots and do some urgent shopping on a Sunday for aged Aunt-just little essentials that had been left behind at home before sudden move to Respite Care.

Over 40 years ago I often shopped in Croydon during a visit to now aged Aunt and her truly aged Mother. This Cathedral to Mammon known as the Whitgift Centre  had not yet been built, with its side chapels selling Sushi and Chinese Noodles, its vestments from New Look and Primark and hundreds of tills for the collection. I thought of  Filey where Dixons is just big enough and Frothies has all you need to go, but enjoyed seeing how Metroland worked and how Sunday afternoon could be spent.

Croydon was prepared for the Diamond Jubilee  I think.  All the wooden planters presented white and blue flowers. I can only surmise that  by June 2nd when the Jubilee weekend begins, the gardeners of Municipalia will dash round and insert Red Geraniums in each trough.

I've done it for you Croydon !

I'm on my way home now. Next week C and I will go for longer and support Aunty further. I am trying to be cheerful ,writing this on the train with the free wifi. Croydon had a superficial cheefulness. Every one was helpful and kind. The coffee was good everywhere, the buses frequent , the fashions amazing. It was a people watching secret spot. The Buzz that London always gives me was over-ridden this time by the sheer misery of my aunt. She just wants to die. This isn't living she said.

(an aside -I could not fault the care Aunty is having. She has lost her mobility , and her batteries for her hearing aid, her dignity , her home and her HOPE)

So if you are reading this please pray for a Christian Old Lady , who has all her mental faculties, but going through a dark dark night of the soul.

**Escalators in Whitgift Centre (Paul Gillett) / CC BY-SA 2.0

Raising the Canopy of Prayer and Praise over the British Isles

Copied in its entirety from an e mail to Margaret Rowling, highlighting just some of the Christian Initiatives during this Special Summer. 

'Well, we are here, already into the second quarter of 2012 and now starting this historic 75 day prayer & worship ‘push’ across the British Isles – 14^th May-27^th July 2012 made possible by the unity and partnership of many different churches, organisations, networks and individuals – all covering different areas in prayer.  This all undergirds the mission taking place connected to the Olympic Torch Relay and the Queens Diamond Jubilee when thousands of churches are planning to serve their communities!

Each day from 19^th May-27^th July God has put in place:

• Church bells being rung each day during this season   http://www.cccbr.org.uk/olympics


7:14 events in each of the 70 towns & cities where the Olympic torch makes an overnight stop at 7.14pm (based on 2 Chron 7:14 in partnership with Kingdom Come 2012 (Alpha & 24-7prayer)– starts Plymouth on 18^th May. Follow them on Facebook at 7:14

• A Praise Bus, declaring the praise of Jesus, travelling ahead of the Olympic Flame convoy by c 2 hours around Great Britain www.thejourneyfromescalls.co.uk
• The 70 day Prayer Relay which will take place around middle of each day in the same 70 towns and cities. This is launched at Lands End on Fri 18^th May and the first prayer relay exchange is in Plymouth on Sat 19^th Maywww.morethangold.org.uk/prayer follow link under events or go to  https://www.facebook.com/pages/More-Than-Gold-UK/117009724976998?sk=events

In addition we know of hundreds of prayer events done by churches, prayer groups, home groups, prayer walks, prayer vigils, days of prayer, weeks of continuous prayer, mini prayer relays that will be happening county by county e.g. by Anglican Dioceses and deaneries, Methodist circuits and by Salvation Army corps. This continues through the Diamond Jubilee weekendat the Big Lunch with the grace, Children’s Prayers being gathered and over 3,000 beacons lit across the nations! www.hopetogether.org.uk   

At Pentecost : please pray for and/or come along to these prayer events:

• 26 May: Londons’ Burning – with Heaven’s Love: Leyton Orient Stadium E10 5NF 2-8pm. www.londonsburning.org.uk  or call 020 8558 6935.
• 27 May: Arise Bristol & Beyond Ashton Gate Stadium, Bristol BS3 2EJ 2-6pm  www.bristolnetworks.org.uk 

And why has our Father in heaven put all this in place? We believe it is because of all that is involved spiritually with the UK hosting an Olympic Games:

• The games are a pagan festival dedicated to Zeus:  our Father wants Jesus to be worshipped as King.
• The games never allow mention of Jesus: our Father wants Jesus to be shown as Lord
• The root of the O Torch Relay (dedicated to Zeus) is all about taking the spirit of Games around nation : our Father is inviting His church to praise, pray and release His blessings which all point to Jesus the hope of the world; Jesus the who brings peace; Jesus who brings eternal life.
• The games are all about power & financial gain for host nation and sponsors: our Father wants his church to humbly serve and share the gospel in word and deed everywhere.
• Our Father wants to use this season so when the world watches it sees the church in action Isaiah 60:1-3 - its our time to shine!
• The games is a wonderful opportunity for us to welcome 205 nations – so that all who come from the nations, national leaders, team members & their coaches, media and visitors -will experience the presence of Jesus and hear about the good news of Jesus. .. as well as reaching all those from these nations already living here!

Can you link in where you live/work and so cover all our nations in prayer?

Options:

• Pray on the day that that the Olympic Flame passes your area
• Exalt Jesus as Lord along with the Praise Bus and the church bells
• Go to a 7:14 event – or host one in your village, town or city
• Come along to support the prayer relay exchange
• Pray through the whole of the 70 days for each of the towns & cities for God’s blessing

Especially calling all those who live in these areas – do join us as the praise and prayer cascade flows through Lands End, Cornwall Plymouth & Exeter, Taunton, Bristol, Gloucester and Cheltenham, Worcester (and through into Cardiff, Swansea, Aberstwyth, Bangor) Chester, Stoke on Trent, Bolton and Liverpool and then on to Northern Ireland (with the prayer baton being flown over from Liverpool).

All resources following in Email no 2!

Prayer for 2012

O Lord God almighty, we worship and bless your Holy Name.

We bring the British Isles before you. Have mercy on us and forgive our foolish ways.

Come to our aid, Father. Cause your will to be done among us.

Come, Lord Jesus; you alone are the Way, the Truth and the Life.

May you be honoured and glorified in our nations. Come, Holy Spirit; refresh and revive us again.

Draw us after you and let us run together. In Jesus’ wonderful Name.  Amen

Ffald-y-Brenin Trust, 2012 (from More than Gold A Time to Shine Church Prayer Guide

www.morethangold.org.uk – resources '

 Jane Holloway

M: 07917 465006    O: 0121 633 7393

World Prayer Centre, Cornerstone House, 5 Ethel Street, Birmingham B2 4BG, UK

E: prayer@worldprayer.org.uk

W: www.worldprayer.org.uk; www.prayerforum.org

The World Prayer Centre is a company limited by guarantee, registered in England No: 3601828.Registered charity No: 1072222

Every precaution has been taken to help ensure this message is acceptable for public transmission and contains no known viruses; however, The World Prayer Centre accepts no responsibility for any contents of any electronic mail entering or leaving our network.

 

Please let us know of any in our Area 

More Filey Trees

Not many people can walk all the way to St Oswalds without having to go on a single road. I love the footpaths and tenfoots around the Old town of Filey. I  read somewhere that one of  Alnwick castle's visitor attactions is a walkway through the treetops and we have one all of our own, at no expense, in Filey.  

I woke up in a state this morning, writing lists of all I have to do in the next week,all the things I have to cancel to fit in an unexpected London trip to attend to Family things, the race to get our house totally empty and clean by Friday , the chaos of unpacking at this end,now we are sleeping  in our  Old Town Cottage. I was in a state at the small number of Filey Parish people at the Parish Prayer meeting on Monday, and that the new cat flap does not cat flap properly.

You will know whats coming next all you who know me. 

In the midst of tears and anxiety I just had to stop . I hadn't time but quietly walked the tree walk to Morning Prayer. I was able to give God all my torment. I got home and C said his prayer Trio had prayed for me. 

Anne Platt and I have been talking recently about the 'feeling' of being cushioned in Gods Love  and held up by the Prayers of others. So Thank you God, thank you for that peace that passes all understanding as the Holy Spirit soaks us in HIS balm.

The Filey Tree and the Filey Trees

Congratulations to Ian Elsom for getting the FILEY TREE  in the public domain using the Family Search Community portal. I know Ian has worked tirelessly and thoroughly to add these records for all Filonians,  those married to them, and those interested in Genealogy to use. My sister in Hull , friends in Filey and some of my own Elder and Bruce relations across the world spend hours and days researching the History of their families. We saw June Brown of Eastenders discover the fascinating history of her Jewish gggg grandfather , a  pugilist of some renown on BBC 1  TV  this week, and genealogy web sites are more than legion.

It has been a tree week.

I am still reeling from the sight of St Oswald's Church  last weekend. Paul Wilson , known to so many of us as the man who cuts our trees and trims back 10 years of Ivy was married to his Emma, and three TREES decorated the church, as well as lovely green and white flower arrangements.

Vicar Mary of course has been making the most of it. 

Trees thrive when they are rooted and grounded in good soil. The Flower arrangements will eventually die. We need to be grafted into Jesus the living Vine  to bear fruit, and expect to be pruned . I try not to make too much of the dead branches that are thrown into the fire, but its there too.

John 15 v1-8

Thanks Richard Cowling for Sharing these.......

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Trying to remember the date? 96 ish ? Please comment

They are now in the Parish Photo Album -RHS of this homepage , below the Daily Bible Reading. Richard is putting the originals in The Crimlisk Fisher Archive