Newsletter - 08 June 2025
PENTECOST SUNDAY
This is a solemn day, because of the Coming of the Holy Ghost; the fiftieth day from the Lord’s Resurrection, seven days multiplied by seven. But multiplying seven by seven we have forty-nine. One is then added: that we may be reminded of unity.
What is the meaning of the Coming of the Holy Ghost? What did it accomplish? How did He tell us of His Presence; reveal It to us? By the fact that all spoke in the tongues of every nation. There were a hundred and twenty people gathered in one room; ten times twelve. The sacred number of the Apostles was multiplied ten times. What then, did each one upon whom the Holy Spirit descended speak in one of the tongues of each of the nations: to this man one language, to this man another, dividing as it were among themselves the tongues of all the nations? No, it was not so: but each man, singly, spoke in the tongue of every nation. One and the same man spoke the tongue of every nation: the unity of the Church amid the tongues of all the nations. See here how the unity of the Church spread throughout all nations is set before us.
He therefore who possesses the Holy Spirit is in the Church, which speaks in the tongues of all nations. For this reason the Holy Spirit deigned to reveal Himself in the tongues of all nations, that each may understand, that he possesses the Holy Spirit who is nourished within the unity of the Church, which speaks in every tongue.
Attend to this, you who are our members. A body is composed of many members, and one spirit gives life to all the members. The duties of each member are different, but one soul joins all together. Many things are commanded, many done, but one commands, one is obeyed. What our spirit, that is, our soul, is to our own members, this the Holy Spirit is to the members of Christ, to the Body of Christ, which is the Church.
Hear, O disciple, what you have learned from your Master: But you shall receive the power of the Holy Ghost coming upon you. Once more unity is commended; by the tongues of all nations. It is commended by the Lord rising from the dead; it is confirmed this day in the Coming of the Holy Ghost. Amen.
Extract of the Sermon of Saint Augustine for the Feast of Pentecost
Focus of the week
PENTECOST WORSHIP EVENING
Saturday 7 June – 7.30pm
An Ecumenical evening with Christ the King, St Andrews, Southgate and the CCN Community. We are happy to welcome Rev Edward Turner as our guest speaker.
