Tag: Holy Spirit

Pentecost hymn – Come glimpsing, glancing lover

Come glimpsing, glancing Lover,*
ignite your spirit’s fire,
then fan the conflagration
and let the flame rise higher.
Inspire a dancing rhythm
till deep within each heart,
a spark will more than flicker,
a brighter light will start.

Fill every throat with music
to sing the spirit’s song,
till others come to join us,
to join this singing throng.
Dynamic dancing spirit,
give purpose to our flight
We leap into the future,
we break into the light.

Let love be born among us
and passion fired by grace,
until all those around us
will share a smiling face.
Till all the world is laughing
and laughter fills the earth,
to know that love is living,
new love has come to birth.

*Alternative first verse:

Come glimpsing, glancing Spirit
ignite your loving fire,
then fan the conflagration
and let the flame rise higher.
Inspire a dancing rhythm
till deep within each heart,
a spark will more than flicker,
a brighter light will start.

Andrew Pratt 15/4/2014
Words © 2020 Stainer & Bell Ltd, London, England, http://www.stainer.co.uk.
Please include any reproduction for local church use on your CCL Licence returns. All wider and any commercial use requires prior application to Stainer & Bell Ltd.
Metre: 7.6.7.6 D
Tune: TYROLESE (Junior Praise, Book 1/Combined, 207/253; Carol Praise)

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The Spirit blows where it will © Andrew Pratt 27th May 2020

The Trinity – some thoughts – nothing fixed or final of course…

On Twitter recently there has been some conversation about the Christian doctrine of the Trinity. Traditionally Christians believe that God is manifest in a transcendent form = creator, often called Father.

Additionally God has become incarnate, made flesh in the person of Jesus = Saviour often called the Son.

Finally Christians belove that God continues to be manifest in the life of Christians = the Holy Spirit.

The problem is that the Trinity is not specifically defined in Scripture though the names of the ‘persons’ of the Trinity are provided. Trying to put the ‘persons’ together involves mental gymnastics if we believe in Monotheism. Even the term ‘person’ is problematic as it defines an existent being.

An analogy might help:

Resonance, in chemistry, refers to contexts in which one or more electrons contribute to more than one bond in a molecule. A most common example is found in the resonant bonds between the carbon atoms of benzene rings. The molecule appears to be two things at the same time. Now if that is over-complicated it could be you’re not a chemist. No shame in that. But…

The Trinity says the same of God. God is three ‘persons’ at the same time. If we express this in familial terms we make analogies which are contradictory, don’t work. Anthropomorphising language makes it less intelligible. God is outside our human language and categories and means of expression.

What we name ‘God’ transcends time, space, language, understanding. God is not part of creation or an alternative creation. Ground of being (after Paul Tillich) best expresses this. So let’s just leave ‘God’ as mystery. Forget explanation and practise LOVE?

This broken world, your broken church – Written in the Worship Live writing weekend at Launde Abbey, June 2019 and sung on 9th June.

This broken world, your broken church,
scattered like dust upon the breeze:
God take your people, make us whole,
fire with your Spirit, bring release,
renew, restore our common bond,
until all humankind respond.

Fire of your love inflame each life,
inspire each heart upon this earth,
until all people can affirm
each person’s value, gift and worth.
Build us as one, together bound,
rooted in grace, in common ground.

Spirit of life flow on, flow free,
till we have peace within this place;
till we can look and see the Christ
in every sad or smiling face.
Forgive our inhumanity,
yet God, by grace begin with me.

© Andrew Pratt 8/6/2019 Written in the Worship Live writing weekend at Launde Abbey, June 2019 and sung on 9th June.
Tune: ABINGDON
Words © 2019 Stainer & Bell Ltd, London, England, http://www.stainer.co.uk.
Please include any reproduction for local church use on your CCL Licence returns. All wider and any commercial use requires prior application to Stainer & Bell Ltd.

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