To: Clergy and People
From: The Bishop
1st June, 2017
Whitsuntide greetings
The Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is the Third Person of the Trinity, God at work in the world and in the Church even now.
The Holy Spirit is eternal and like Jesus is God, in the Old Testament the Holy Spirit is revealed as the giver of life, the one who spoke through the prophets, raised up leaders in the time of crisis and empowered them for service. While in the New Testament the Holy Spirit is revealed as the Lord who leads us into all truth and enables us to grow into the likeness of Christ.
We recognize the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives when we confess Jesus Christ as Lord and are brought into love and harmony with God, with ourselves, with our neighbors, and with all creation.
We recognise the truths taught by the Holy Spirit when they express the mind and will of Christ as witnessed by the Scriptures.
The fruit of the Holy Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. (Gal 5:22-23).
The gifts of the Holy Spirit are wisdom; understanding; counsel; inward strength (fortitude); knowledge; true godliness (piety) and reverence and true religion. (Isaiah 11:2).
The Christian Church was born on the day of Pentecost through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles. The people were amazed because each one heard the Apostles proclaiming the wonderful acts of God in the native language of each. The Apostles were empowered, equipped and enabled to continue Christ mission and ministry, as it were, in the world.
Since the Christian Church was born on the day of Pentecost and it is the outpouring of the Holy Spirit which gave birth to the Church, and by the power of the Holy Spirit the Church participates in God’s mission and ministry and the Holy Spirit is the means through which the
Church has its existence. If the term Pentecostal refers to this truth then all churches are Pentecostal. Whether Roman Catholic, Methodist, Baptist, Seven Day Adventist, Evangelical, Anglican and those which call themselves Pentecostal. Let us not be afraid to claim this truth.
May we experience the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives, receive its comfort and be open to its transforming grace and power.
Grand Parents
Archdeacon Christian Glasgow and The Rev’d Eleanor Glasgow have informed me that they are now Grand Parents. This morning at 7:39 their daughter Shannon gave birth to a baby boy. Both mother and child are doing well.
Invite you to join me in congratulating them and Shannon and her husband as well. Te Deum Laudamus!
With every good wish and God’s blessings!
Sincerely
Rt Rev’d C. Leopold Friday
Bishop of the Windward Islands