Sunday's Readings

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I have recently been holding up to the parish family, as the Lord is holding up to my own heart, the simplicity of being God's people. Moving out in the power and authority of the Holy Spirit doesn't have to be complex; rarely is it easy, but never complex. When you see a need, and you feel the Lord is calling you to it, step out and meet that need. Speak words of healing. Offer words of comfort. Stand up for what is true. Encourage, bless and forgive with reckless abandonment. When in prayer, be bold, be expectant, and learn to celebrate even the smallest of breakthroughs. I love this last one. Are you mindful of the small, quiet answers to prayer?

I told you that I would be sharing some of the emails I receive regarding these small, seemingly insignificant breakthroughs, that we might celebrate them together. The Lord is moving in power in and around the people of All Saints. One such example comes from the Rev. Doug Harvey:

Early on Pentecost Sunday as I prepared for worship, a desire rose up in me to "feel the earth shake" and to "hear a mighty rushing wind". When the clergy team came together to pray and to prepare for the services, I told the others and then I prayed that the earth would shake and that we would hear the blowing wind. As we began to sing and worship, it happened for me. The chorus of "Glorious Day" goes like this:

"Living He loved me dying He saved me. 

 Buried He carried my sins far away. 

 Rising He justified freely forgiven. 

 One day He's coming. O glorious day."

These words connected me to a real time encounter with Jesus Christ that happened in October, 1980, during a worship service that included Stations of the Cross. My experience of singing and remembering those life changing words, caused me to shake from top to bottom. The earth did not shake and I did not hear a mighty rushing wind but my body shook at the awesome reminder of Jesus' answer when I asked Him that night, in 1980, "What do you want from me, Lord?" And He replied, "All."

Thank you Lord for the ways you meet us in worship. Thank you for the ways you prepare us to be met by you. Thank you for the way you breakthrough and usher us into your presence as we seek your face. Amen

I look forward to worshipping with y'all this Sunday,

Rob