Spiritual and Sacred Links - Monday 25 May 2015

Supplied by a UK colleague ...

Here are some things which may be of interest: #1 Mike Pilavachi, Soul Survivor preacher on the action of the Holy Spirit in the Church; #2 Bishop Rennis Ponniah on the call to Christian service; #3 Stewart Ruch explains the charismatic understanding of prophesy; #4 Professor John Lennox on the compatability of Christianity and Science, but not Atheism; #8 and 9 Bellringing for Pentecost in Hull; #10 Ascension choral evensong from Lichfield; #13 I thought of apologising for or cutting some of the many links to persecution of Christians, but the reality is that it is accelerating, particularly in from Muslim and atheistic forces, so please pray for the many Christians under pressure across the world; #15 Thoughts on Pentecost, science and the fall out from the UK election.

Prayers for you for the coming week

SERMONS AND TALKS
1. Holy Spirit for the Local Church - Mike Pilavachi - St Albans Fulham Audio [Acts 2]
http://tinyurl.com/oktln6j

2. The Nature of Christian Service - Bishop Rennis Ponniah
http://tinyurl.com/qhcj6m8

3. Pentecost Sermon - Rev Steward Ruch - St Andrew's Cathedral Singapore Audio [1 Corinthians 13:13 and 14:1]
http://tinyurl.com/nwnnbq4

4. Cosmic Chemistry: Do Science and God Mix? John Lennox - Veritas Forum at U of Florida
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Km0FGgbx42I

Commentary
5. Preaching Ideas and Commentary - Rev Peter Carrell
http://preachingdownunder.blogspot.co.nz/

6. The Sunday Readings - Rev Stephen Trott
https://laworgospel.wordpress.com/

7. The New Testament in a year with Rev Andrew Goddard
http://www.sjtl.org/category/reading-nt/

WORSHIP
8. The bells of Holy Trinity, Hull - BBC Radio 4
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b05vssqb

9. Sunday Worship from Holy Trinity, Hull - BBC Radio 4
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b05vssqn

10. Choral Evensong from Lichfield Cathedral - BBC Radio 3
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b05vh9ps

11. Sunday Hour - BBC Radio 2
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b05vxlj5

12. Choral services from the chapels of King's College Cambridge
http://www.kings.cam.ac.uk/choir/webcasts.html
and St John's College, Cambridge
http://www.sjcchoir.co.uk/webcasts
and Trinity College, Cambridge
http://trinitycollegechoir.com//webcasts/listen-again/
and New College, Oxford
http://www.newcollegechoir.com/webcasts.html

PRAYER
Please pray for the Church of England, Christians and all facing persecution and crime in Syria and Iraq, Nigeria, Kenya, Sudan, Iran, Pakistan and China; for those affected by the earthquakes in Nepal; for peace in Burundi, Ukraine, Israel and Gaza; and for the Diocese of South Carolina.

13. Topical Prayers - Church of England
http://tinyurl.com/6wnk2pk
Prayers for the Church of England from Lent and Beyond
http://tinyurl.com/mvux2u3
Nigeria: Christians killed as villages raided - Release International
http://tinyurl.com/ouzdebx
Four priests beaten to stupor as Enugu government battles Anglican Church - Daily Post Nigeria
http://tinyurl.com/orl29ha
Kenya: Al Shabaab attacks village in Kenya's Garissa - CT
http://tinyurl.com/qdcox7s
Sudan: Trial begins for Sudanese Clergymen - CSW
http://tinyurl.com/ocfu3k6
Iran :Eighteen Iranian Christian Converts Sentenced to a Total of 23 Years in Prison - ICNA
http://tinyurl.com/pzawf64
Pakistan:Pakistan charges 106 over deaths of Christian couple burnt in brick kiln - CT
http://tinyurl.com/nbd22m5
China:Chinese President warns religious groups against foreign influence - CT
http://tinyurl.com/plonmbg
South Carolina: Visit of Primate of South America
http://tinyurl.com/q6f5erh
Prayers from Lent and Beyond
http://tinyurl.com/kssn33y

CURRENT AFFAIRS
14. Sunday Programme - with Edward Stourton - BBC Radio 4
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b05vssqj

Food for thought
15. What is Pentecost? - Mark Woods
http://tinyurl.com/o33esx6
Why doesn't the Holy Spirit do anything to me? - Martin Saunders - CT
http://tinyurl.com/ntmxmsz
Seven Spirits of God: A Pentecost Exhortation - Peter J Leithart - First Things
http://tinyurl.com/nszpcqa
3 Reasons for Christians to Engage in Science - Ed Stetzer - Christianity Today
http://tinyurl.com/pgfosp9
The time bomb in the church's midst... and how to defuse it - Martin Saunders - CT
http://tinyurl.com/qek5twg
The 2015 General Election: Religious Affiliation and Party Vote Share Across Constituencies - BRIN
http://tinyurl.com/pxfymrk
CofE celebrates key Christian appointments in Parliament - Ruth Gledhill - CT
http://tinyurl.com/or2k9fd

FINALLY
16. Alpha International Lookback 2015
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQ3uxlJJGsw

17. O thou who camest from above - Stopford - Ecclesium
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAdWe67BajU

18. Spirit Fall - New Wine Worship
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TdioQL3HWLM

19. Praise the Lord with Drums and Cymbals - St. Olaf Handbell Choir [Psalm 150]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwrshiYDn0M