Dear Friends
During the Easter season we rightly celebrate with joy.
The sense of new life bursting out and the hope and excitement that gave to the friends of Jesus. They were just beginning to learn that the whole world, indeed the whole of creation is now to be seen in a new light. Their lives were being turned upside down (again!) by Jesus.
In the church year, the celebration of Pentecost follows 50 days after the celebration of Easter. In Pentecost, we celebrate the Spirit bursting through the lives of people and the beginnings of the communities of those who wanted to follow in the way of Jesus (Church). In a movie it would be a good place to end with the words “and they all lived happily ever after” scrolling across (and sets it up for that all important
sequel!).
Of course they didn’t all live happily ever after as the New Testament Epistles testify. Indeed they found themselves in very challenging situations and when new people came along (Paul) there were very strong disagreements (eg with Peter) about the way forward. But in all things they kept finding themselves driven back to the grace of God revealed in the resurrected Christ.
In the ADP circuit, as in the other Scottish circuits, we are facing significant challenge and change and some things coming to an end. It may well feel as though our lives are being turned upside down and so much that was familiar is changing. At such times we remember to open our hearts to the Spirit and learn afresh/again to depend on the abundant grace of God. The early followers of Jesus may not have lived “happily ever after” but they did live in a new light, with a passion for the good news and today we are the witnesses to all these things. Together let us take time to pray depending on the grace of God in all things.
With love,
Nick