Dear Friends

'This is what I will do in the last days, God says:

I will pour out my Spirit on everyone.

And then, whoever calls out to the Lord will be saved. '

Acts 2: /7, 2/ Good News Bible

Already over the past three months John and I have grown to love so much of the life in Watchet and Williton. .. the people and the places ... the beauty and the friendliness ... but one of the things that I particularly love is the sound of the sea. You may think this strange as I have spent the last nine years living in a seaside town - but do bear in mind that it was Weston-super-Mare. In Weston the sight of the sea is a rarity, and so, too, its sound!

Often, as I walk along to Holy Cross Chapel for worship, I hear the crashing of the waves­ sometimes I take time to go and watch. Then I hear and see the almighty power of God pounding in my heart, and I know that he is with me. Contrasting the scene with that in Weston, I am reminded of the times in my life when God has seemed so far away. I can hardly see or hear him. I can hardly feel him.

I wonder if that is how the disciples felt when Jesus left them? He had left them when he died. Then he had returned in his resurrection body to visit them; to reassure them that he was alive and still with them ... and then he left them again, when he ascended to his Father in heaven. The 'sea' must have gone way out for them then.

How it must have come crashing back, ten days later, when the Spirit came. The Holy Spirit came, the third dimension of God if you like, came and made his presence felt. He came with wind and fire (and I suspect that had they been on the coast he would have come with crashing sea!).

The disciples were left in no doubt that their Mighty God was indeed with them ... that their Risen Christ Jesus was with them ... and that he would always be with them through the presence of the Holy Spirit.

When God seems distant to you, don't become fearful, because he has not left you. He will never leave you. You will feel his presence once more ... perhaps in the crashing of the sea, perhaps in the quiet of the church, perhaps in the love of another person ... perhaps in a way unique to you.

Be still for the presence of the Lord, the Holy One, is here ...

Be still for the glory of the Lord is shining all around. ..

Be still for the power of the Lord is moving in this place.

Be assured that God's power is moving in these places and in our lives and the lives of the Churches. May we be filled mightily with the Holy Spirit as those first disciples were on that first Pentecost.

With love and prayers

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