Dear friends,

This is my first letter to you all as Minister of Elstead URC, so "hello!"  Many thanks indeed to those of you I have met so far who have been so friendly and welcoming, and who have done so much to make us feel at home amongst you.  If I haven't met you yet, then I hope I have that pleasure soon.

This month, on June 4^th, we have the important Church festival of Pentecost (or Whitsunday as it is also known).  On this festival we remember how the disciples were met together seven weeks after Easter, in a locked room for fear of the authorities who might have wanted to arrest them, as they had Jesus.  As they were gathered together the Holy Spirit came rushing like a wind through the room and the power of God filled them.  They were so enthused by this experience that they went out into the streets of Jerusalem and told the people there the news about Jesus Christ.  The result was that many people came to believe in Jesus and the Church began.  If you like, Pentecost is the birthday of the Church. 

The Holy Spirit is the power of God still at work in the world today, through ordinary human beings like you and me.  I saw a picture once of a sailing boat on a lake.  Underneath was the caption, "You cannot control the wind, but you can adjust your sails."  It is a reminder that we human beings cannot control the Holy Spirit, or tell God how to work in his world.  But we can try to be open to the gentle tug of his Spirit on our hearts and in our minds. 

Let us give thanks to God for his Church, and that he has given us his Spirit to do his work in the world today.  May that work be to be of generous love to others and to him, who loves us more than we shall ever know.

Best wishes,