Dear all,
This Sunday is Trinity Sunday – not a big church festival celebrating a moment of God’s action in the world but for me a really important moment for us to do some theological thinking. A moment to move us beyond the basics of our faith, beyond the narratives, to a point where we can actually contemplate the enormity of God and who God is – not just what God does. Bible scholars will tell you that there is no clear doctrine (fancy word for set of beliefs) of the Trinity in the bible but as we read the New Testament it is clear that in nearly every book this is the big thinking that the authors were wrestling with after Easter and after Pentecost – they could see these different ways that God was interacting with the world and with humanity that didn’t quite fit with their previous understanding of God – how does Jesus fit? How does the Spirit fit? How do they all connect, interact and act? The doctrine of the Trinity is beginning to be worked out on the pages of scripture and great minds continued to wrestle with it for a further 300 years until we established what we as Christians believe and it was laid out in the Nicene Creed. If you don’t do a lot of big thinking or clearly laying out what you actually believe about who God is – let me invite you to do so for one day this year. And as a lead in to that deep thinking I give you Malcome Guite’s Sonnet for Trinity Sunday taken from his book Sounding the Seasons:
*In the Beginning, not in time or space,*
*But in the quick before both space and time,*
*In Life, in Love, in co-inherent Grace,*
*In three in one and one in three, in rhyme,*
*In music, in the whole creation story,*
*In His own image, His imagination,*
*The Triune Poet makes us for His glory,*
*And makes us each the other’s inspiration.*
*He calls us out of darkness, chaos, chance,*
*To improvise a music of our own,*
*To sing the chord that calls us to the dance,*
*Three notes resounding from a single tone,*
*To sing the End in whom we all begin;*
*Our God beyond, beside us and within.*
*News and Upcoming Events*
*Monday Small Group. *A new small group for Bible study, discussion and prayer will meet for 6 weeks, starting May 27th, on Mondays 11am-12.30. We’ll meet in the Prayer Room with tea/coffee and discuss passages from Mark’s gospel. Email lucy@stphilipschurch.org.uk if you would like to come or have questions!
*Prayer Room furniture. *Now that we have small groups meeting in the Prayer Room, we would love to make it cosier by replacing the green church chairs with living-room furniture. Please talk to Ruth or Lucy if you have a chair, cushion or throw that you no longer need. We hope to find things that are comfortable, sturdy and go with each other. It would be great to do this with second-hand, home-like items but please be aware we can only accept furniture with soft furnishings that have fire safety certificates (there should be a tag on them!)
*Warm Spaces (Young Adults’ Version). *From May 29th, Warm Spaces will be open on Wednesday evenings (7-9pm) to provide a relaxed social space, tea and snacks, friendship and maybe some board games for younger adults. The aim is to create a coffee-shop-type atmosphere, for people who may be at work while cafes are open, house-sharing or living with family, and short of opportunities to socialize and meet new people. Please do spread the word among 20s/30s you know!
*Warm Spaces Volunteering. *Warm Spaces relies on volunteers who make tea and coffee, chat to guests and make sure the space is safe and welcoming. If you could help out on Wednesday morning or evening, Friday afternoon, or occasional Thursdays after Romsey Music Project concerts, do speak to Lucy (01223 414775 / lucy@stphilipschurch.org.uk) to learn more about this role.
*It’s Your Move 2024 *GenR8 are looking for young people in Year 11 and 13 who will have finished college and exams to take part in It’s Your Move workshop tour in July 2024. It would also suit university students back for the summer. Each workshop is an hour long and they visit up to 15 primary schools in a week in July after exams/college are finished. The workshop mainly involves being with small groups of Year 6 students sharing experiences and giving encouragement to the students as they approach the transition to Secondary School. It will take place Monday 8th July to Friday 12th July and two preparation days: Monday 1st July and Thursday 4th July. For more information including pictures from past years, please visit: https://genr8.org/what-we-do/its-your-move-plus/
*CIO Summer Outreach – Hosts needed *Each year Friends International run 6 weeks of summer teams (3 x 2 weeks) for outreach to (mostly) language students and equipping/Christian growth of the team members. Home (cambridgeinternationaloutreach.uk) https://cambridgeinternationaloutreach.uk/ Our team members stay with local Christians who kindly open their home for 2 weeks to offer bed and breakfast for free. If you have a spare room and would be willing to host a team member the team would love to hear from you. Please get in touch with Jenny.Hunter@friendsinternational.uk
*Toilet Refurbishment* these are progressing – thanks for bearing with us as various toilets have been out of action.
*Opportunities*
*Heritage School full-time (term time only) TA* *for 1 year*– An opportunity for any young person who might benefit from working next year? The role will suit a young person who would like to explore work with children or young people and who would like to obtain significant work experience in a school setting prior to further education or training. Those who are interested, should visit https://heritageschool.org.uk/about-heritage/job-opportunities/ https://heritageschool.org.uk/about-heritage/job-opportunities/%20 where they will find information about how to request an application pack. Closing date: 3rd June.
*Diocesan Synod Representative – *Ely Diocese has some exciting changes ahead next year with the arrival (hopefully) of a new Bishop and of course the CofE has lots of decisions in the pipeline, not least about Prayers of Love and Faith. If you’ve ever wanted to be a part of that decision making process or at least closer to the action then now is the opportunity to be elected on to Diocesan Synod (Deanery Synod is the local level of central decision making – then Diocesan – then General ie National). Ask Ruth for an application form if you are interested.
*Eco-Bite – our new green “nugget” each week: *
Advocate for change! It can sometimes feel that, individually, our voices have very little power but this week’s General Election announcement has just given your voice extra influence. Ask questions at hustings, read the policies, challenge the statements. Yes, there are MANY things we want our government to tackle but perhaps this election campaign you could let the candidates know Green Issues are not a minor matter.
*Last Week’s sermon*
Last week’s sermon if you want to catch up: sermon 19.5.24.mp3 http://sermons.stphilipschurch.org.uk/2024-05-19%20-%20Ruth%20-%20c.mp3
The link to our sermon archive: St Philip's sermon archive http://sermons.stphilipschurch.org.uk/
*This Sunday 26th May – Trinity Sunday*
*10.30am – Holy Communion with Explorers *Our readings will be Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31 & John 3:1-17.
If you can't attend church in person you can always use this Zoom link:
meeting ID: 976 3739 9129 and Passcode: 330714
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/97637399129?pwd=TGhKWWxOcWF1S242aVhrWDlJdUkxZz09
*Prayers *
If any of you have specific prayers you would like us to include in this newsletter do please get in touch.
*Please also pray for our Mission Partner this month:*
*CPAS* – Making Mission Possible
CPAS is an Anglican evangelical mission agency, who believe that the message of the gospel is relevant to all people, and that effective local church ministry is the key to seeing men, women, young people and children come to faith in Christ.
*Regular Weekly events to join:*
*Friday 12noon Lunchtime Bible Club *A relaxed look at the bible passage/s for the upcoming Sunday. Bring along a packed lunch and explore scripture whilst eating lunch together.
*Wednesday 12noon Reflective Holy Communion* A quiet time to help find space and peace in the middle of the week.
*Monday & Friday 8.30pm – Compline on zoom *
Meeting ID: 836 5965 9953 Passcode: 749968 https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83659659953?pwd=btP5AjGMu1s-dE_2W9T0MMFqnnPKSS.1
*Wednesday 10.30-12noon & Friday 1.30-3.00 –* Wednesday & Friday Friends
*Both are “Warm Spaces” with Tea/coffee, cake/biscuits and chat * Just turn up if you’d like to join us for a cuppa/read the paper/do some of the jigsaw/knit/colour/sit quietly watching the world go by.
*Wednesdays 7.00-7.30pm - Weekly Prayers on zoom*: -
Meeting ID: 852 1105 2733 Password: 397987
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85211052733?pwd=OE52bm9NS1RtQVQ0ZytTc0xBZnVsUT09
*Saturdays 8.15am - Morning Bible Discussion and Prayer on zoom*:
Meeting ID: 143 338 655 Password: 824271
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/143338655?pwd=L1JJTFZJNU9EaFZjaUFjQzVlalpMZz09
With love and prayers
Ruth
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Blessings Ruth
*Revd Ruth Barry* *Vicar, St Philip's Church, Cambridge*
185 Mill Road, Cambridge, CB1 3AN 01223 318315 vicar@stphilipschurch.org.uk *My day off is Tuesday*