News from our Churches

Saturday 23rd May

Thaxted 10.00am Requiem Mass for Fr Anthony Couchman (DS)

Sunday 24th May - Day of Pentecost, Whit Sunday

Gt Sampford 8.00am Eucharist (DS)

Hempstead 9.30am Eucharist (SL)

Thaxted 11.00am Sung Mass, 2.00pm Baptism of Laurence Hall (DS)

Wednesday 27th May

Thaxted 10.00am Low Mass

Sunday 31st May -Trinity Sunday

Thaxted 10.00am Sung Mass (DS) 

Hempstead 3.00pm ‘scratch / come and sing’ choir run through for the Jubilate service.

Hempstead 4.00pm Benefice Service, everyone is welcome.

As our Lord’s disciples were transformed by the Holy Spirit from being people with seemingly talent and worried about their future into bold heralds for Christ’s Gospel, may we allow ourselves to be inspired afresh by that same Spirit.

Our Benefice, its five churches, Fr David, the Ministry team and for all elected on the various PCCs.

All trying to discern their Christian vocation at this time.

For the work of Christian Aid and for other aid agencies that they might not be obstructed in carrying out their wonderful work and can provide help to those who need it.

Those who live in parts of the world most at risk from climate change.

Tuesday 26th May

HIGNFY at St Mary’s Church, Little Samford. We will continue talking about non fiction books from our previous meeting and will include Views on the Chelsea Flower Show. Refreshments will be available and any new guests will be very welcome! Contact Roberta 01799 586212 for more information.

Saturday 6th June

Evensong (6pm) - choir of Wanstead Parish Church at Thaxted Parish Church.

Tuesday June 9th June 

Messy Church returns to Thaxted URC from 4.00pm -5.30pm. As usual, we will be having fun with crafts, games and songs, followed by a shared tea. Please book by phoning 01799 524944.

Wednesday 10th June 

Seedlings will be at St Mary’s Radwinter at 1.30pm. Contact Sarah Kidd (07854 744915) or Kate Napier (07969 749270) for more details.

Saturday 13th June

Second Saturday Coffee Morning at Thaxted URC. 10.00am to 12.30pm. Join us for coffee, tea, cake and chat! Everybody welcome.

June 13th & 14th

Sustainable Uttlesford’s District-wide “BIG GREEN FESTIVAL” at Thaxted Parish Church, with an exhibition in church of Michel De Bono’s striking sculptures on an environmental theme.

Friday 19th June

The start of the Thaxted Festival at Thaxted Parish Church.

Saturday 27th June

Pilgrimage to the Anglican Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham. 

Thursday 2nd July

Brentwood Mac at Thaxted Parish Church. www.brentwoodmac.co.uk for tickets.

Saturday 4th July

Bradwell pilgrimage: Living stones

Saturday 4th July

Music for a Summer Afternoon, Great Sampford Church at 3pm. A concert by Saffron Singers and Fiesta Flutes followed by tea in the churchyard. More details to follow!

Dear sisters and brothers,

This Sunday marks the birthday of the church: the day the Holy Spirit came down from heaven and filled the apostles with divine power and ability. From then on, the church would never again fit into a single room, but  be spread through the whole world:

And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability. (Acts 2:2-3)

The gospel reading for this Sunday comes from Jesus' entry into the locked room where his disciples sheltered after his death: Jesus appeared to them and 'stood among them',  'Peace be with you', he said, and then, breathing on them, said 'Receive the Holy Spirit'.

Jesus is love, because he is God. Surely, too, not only is he forgiving and peaceful, but similarly *is* forgiveness and peace. Peace be with you, receive the Holy Spirit: that breath of Jesus over his disciples is a beautiful inspiration.

Inspiration (from inspiratus) means "to breathe into", whereas expiration means to breathe out. Jesus, though, inspired by breathing (out) life and spirit into the souls of his disciples. Jesus, through breathing out, actually breathed *into*.

The moment in the locked room, Jesus' breathing out his Holy Spirit, is a wonderful foretaste of the powerful, violent rushing wind that would herald and accompany the Spirit as it filled the apostles on the day of Pentecost. The same Holy Spirit, through our temperamental and flawed nature, gives us, through God's grace, the means to share the Good News of Jesus Christ. We can speak about it, we can live it out in the ways we love God and neighbour. For the love of God, praise his name!

Peace be with you. Easy words for us to say, but hard to consistently live out the same with intention and commitment to peace. In our society, power trips, recriminations, or other manipulative behaviours are all too normal. Jesus is our guide. How beautiful is the example Jesus gives, and how wonderful it is when we follow him.

Fr David - Rector of Thaxted, the Sampfords, Radwinter and Hempstead