On a lovely sunny morning Rev. Roger Baker conducted a beautiful service at Ashley Methodist Church. Rosalind welcomed us all and Rod Smith played the organ. After prayers of praise, thanks and repentance Guy and Ros read to us from Luke 24 (Jesus appears to his disciples) and Acts 1 (Jesus is taken up into Heaven and promises to send the Holy Spirit).
The theme was the message of The Ascension of Jesus when the disciples saw their leader in a new light as they realised fully that he was the Son of God. The Ascension reveals to us emphatically just who Jesus was and is. We have a practical part in God’s purpose. We care for others because God cares for us. We must take every opportunity to witness to our belief in Jesus as our Saviour. We are empowered by God to live as followers of Christ. We should pray daily for that empowerment, for the gifts of the Holy Spirit to guide, prompt and light up our witness.
We recited the Nicene Creed together before Roger served Holy Communion, assisted by Jill Harrison, and our worship was rounded off with a fervent rendering of the hymn “Go forth and tell, O church of God awake”. Roger prayed for the power of the Holy Spirit to work among us and gave us a blessing.