Sermon, 5th June

Many of the readings were those selected by the CofE for the Platinum Jubilee services, but also for our Pentecost celebration

Readings; Psalm 101, Luke 22, 24-30,Romans 13, 1-10, Acts 2, 1-4 and 14-21, 1 Corinthians 12, 1-14

Address

It seems wholly appropriate that we celebrate 70 years of the reign of our Queen on the day we also celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit. The Queen’s faith has been highly evident throughout her life, and she has not shrunk from professing her belief and how that has influenced her thinking and her monarchy. When we have heard the various chosen  readings today, it would be a hard person not to read through those words many of the qualities we have seen in our Queen, in her life of service, in her dealings with government, and in her fortitude through some hard and difficult times, both for the country and in her family life

In the Queen’s Coronation speech; she said “Throughout all my life and with all my heart I shall strive to be worthy of your trust” and I think, as a country and here on this outreach of the British Isles we can say that in 70 years she has done just that.

And much of that has been because of her faith. In her Christmas speech of 2011 the Queen said

Although we are capable of great acts of kindness, history teaches us that we sometimes need saving from ourselves - from our recklessness or our greed.

God sent into the world a unique person - neither a philosopher nor a general, important though they are, but a Saviour, with the power to forgive.

Forgiveness lies at the heart of the Christian faith. It can heal broken families, it can restore friendships and it can reconcile divided communities. It is in forgiveness that we feel the power of God's love.”

 And in  2016 at Christmas she said “Christ’s example helps me see the value of doing small things with great love,”

I often preach on the value of love, that true love, that self-giving for others of which Christ often spoke and exemplified in his life. But it is important not just in our personal lives, but in that of our communities as well, as the Queen pointed out.

In our reading from Roman’s as Paul speaks of authority and government, he concludes that all law must be governed by love, and in our reading from Corinthians, when speaking of the gifts of the Spirit, whose coming we celebrate today, Paul speaks of the different gifts we are all blessed with , in order to bring unity, a wholeness to the world where every part of the body of the church has it’s part to play.

This message of love, of forgiveness, of reconciliation and of unity is surely one the whole world needs to hear today, more than ever, and it is only through the power of the Holy Spirit that we can even attempt to achieve this, for in human terms such unity and reconciliation appears, at first, an impossible dream, but in Christ all things are possible.

Perhaps, as we celebrate the long and faithful service of our Queen, itself inspired by her deep faith, we might ourselves be inspired in our service of others and in that love that leads to forgiveness, reconciliation and a unity, a togetherness within our community which we experience at such times of celebration, but which perhaps we might strive for at all times.

Let’s enjoy this final day of celebration, and as we picnic and celebrate together at our street party , let’s strive for that sense of unity within our community to continue tomorrow and in many days to come.

Amen