Reaching Up ... Reaching Out
The Holy Spirit Unifies Us
Online Worship Pentecost
The Holy Spirit Unifies Us
“The Holy Spirit is part the force that has drawn us back into community together since the pandemic. Just as it has been the force that has been drawing Christians together through out our history.” The Rev'd Canon Rob Park offers prayers, a short reflection, and some reflection questions based on the Gospel reading, John 20:19-23.
Online Worship Pentecost

The Holy Spirit Unifies Us

Christ is Risen!

Welcome to your online worship marking The Day of Pentecost, May 28, 2023.

This weekend is the annual Diocesan Synod. I and St. Mark’s Lay Delegates will be leaving for London on Sunday afternoon for the Synod Service at the Cathedral and then the Synod Banquet that evening. We have a full day of Synod business on Monday.  Synod will be streamed online and you can find out more about Synod by following this link.

Today’s Opening Sentence

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful; and kindle in us the fire of your love.

Today’s Reading – John 20:19-23

When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”1

Your Online Message and Prayers

Click on the above image to view our online worship on YouTube.

Reflection questions for the week: 

  • We did miss being in each others physical presence during the pandemic restrictions. I invite you to reflect on one of your joyful memories of being able to be with others, family and friends, again after the long absence. 
  • Working together with others can be a very creative and productive endeavour. I know “group projects” could be painful in school, but when we do work with other motivated people to do good work together, often we achieve more than we could have hoped or imagined. What projects or good work have you done when in a group with others?
  • The Holy Spirit helps us be connected as community. An important part of the gift of community is diversity of thought and talents that are revealed to us. How have you grown in understanding and perspective through being part of group or community?
  • In what ways have you experienced God at work through the Holy Spirit in your experience of your church community? How have those experiences challenged you to be open to new ideas or to allow your participation in community to be lead by the Holy Spirit?

This week music is provided by Ryan Van Dijk, our Music Director, and the choir. Thank you to them all for their ministry of music!

A continued reminder that if you are at all uncomfortable being in-person for worship, or if you are not feeling well, please join us here online.

Thank you again for joining with your parish family in our online worship today.

Find out how you can support our ministry and good work in the community here.

God Bless you and have a blessed week. Be well!

Peace,

The Rev’d Canon Rob Park

  1. Scripture quotation is from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.