Comment (March 2009)

Bishop's Letter

by Bishop Martin

I was encouraged by the number of people who told me how much they appreciated the events of the 125th anniversary of the founding of our diocese during 2006 and 2007. They told me that they particularly appreciated getting together with folk from across the diocese in big celebrations – for example at the Diocesan Picnic in Alnwick Gardens, the Mothers’ Union Picnic Praise on Holy Island, and the final celebration service at St Nicholas’ Cathedral. But we can’t wait another 25 years before we get together again!

I am therefore most grateful to the small Task Group which has conceived, and is still busy planning, the ‘Fire Works’ event due to take place on the eve of Pentecost this year (Saturday 30th May). The pun in the event title reminds us that the Fire of the Holy Spirit is still at work today in God’s world and God’s Church – and this gives us much to celebrate.

During the day a great variety of events, activities and workshops for all ages will be happening around the city from 1 p.m. A programme, together with venues, will be in a future edition of this newspaper (as well as being sent out to those who buy tickets for the evening).

The climax of the day will be a great gathering in the Newcastle City Hall where up to 2000 of us will celebrate through music, song, word and story, our life together and all the ways in which the Fire of the Holy Spirit is at work among us. (This will be a ticket-only event, so do book well ahead – see elsewhere in this edition of Link for details).

We will be helped to celebrate by John Bell of the Iona Community and Jonny Baker from Grace and I am told there may even be an internationally-known Gospel choir to give the evening a true ‘wow’ factor. This will remind us that the Holy Spirit is at work all over the world!

But the focus of the evening will be particularly upon us as a diocese. We shall hear and experience some of the many situations in which the Holy Spirit is working. And we shall be inspired to allow this same Fire to work more and more in the lives of our churches and communities. In response to what we learn we shall sing and worship God together, in praise of all that God is doing among us. There is something very special - a large group of people singing God’s praises together, and I do hope you will be able to be part of it. The evening will end, appropriately for Pentecost Eve, with an act of commissioning as we go back into the world, in the power of the Spirit, to live and work to God’s praise and glory.

I hope that, by the time you read this edition of Link, you will each have received a bookmark and flyer telling you more about what is planned for the Fire Works event. I do commend it to you and hope that you will come together with me and the diocese to celebrate and worship as we continue to serve the people and communities which God has trusted to our care.