Jenny’s letter 8th June

Dear friends,

Pentecost is another of the great feasts of the Church which is often overlooked but full of power, promise, and possibility.

It marks the moment the disciples, once frightened and uncertain, were filled with the Holy Spirit and transformed. They went from hiding in an upper room to boldly proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ in the streets of Jerusalem. The church was born—not through strategy or structure, but through the dynamic power of God’s Spirit. That same Spirit is still at work today.

Pentecost reminds us that the Christian life is not something we live out in our own strength. Left to ourselves, we grow weary. Our best efforts can fall short. Our ministries risk becoming just busy activity rather than life-giving mission. But the Spirit brings energy where there is tiredness, courage where there is fear, and unity where there is division. The Spirit gives us power to live, speak, serve, and love like Jesus. And we need that power now.

As a church, we are facing many challenges. Some among us are struggling with health issues—both physical and mental—which take their toll not just on individuals but on the whole church family. Others are simply worn out. The last few years have left many of us running on empty, and the sense of being constantly stretched can make even good work feel overwhelming. Even more so when there are still more things that we can see need to be done.

Perhaps the hardest challenge is one that’s both spiritual and practical: the growing difficulty of finding people able to serve. Volunteers are thin on the ground, and it’s easy to feel discouraged when there’s more need than there are hands to meet it.

These are not small things. They are real. And they can feel like attacks—not just on individuals, but on the body of Christ as a whole. Yet Pentecost reminds us that we are not left to struggle alone. The Spirit comes not only to comfort, but to equip. Not only to strengthen the few, but to awaken the many. This is a time to be honest before God—and with one another. It is also a time to pray.

The early Church did not begin with clever strategies, but with prayer. The Spirit fell not during a conference, but in a prayer meeting. If we want to be people who make a difference—at work, in our families, in our communities—we must start on our knees. That’s not weakness; it’s wisdom.

So let me encourage you this Pentecost to renew your commitment to both individual and collective prayer. Set aside time each day to be still before God, to ask for the Spirit’s presence and power. And look for ways to pray with others. Whether that’s in a formal group or informally over coffee, it all matters.

When we pray together, we realign ourselves with the One who can do infinitely more than we ask or imagine. And then, as the Spirit leads, let’s act.

Let’s do what we’re called to do—not in our own strength, but in His. Whether it’s helping a neighbour, volunteering in the café or in the church, reaching out to someone who’s struggling, or simply offering a word of encouragement—do it with prayerful dependence. 

This Pentecost, may we be people who pray first, trust more, and live boldly—not by might, not by power, but by God’s Spirit. 

Come, Holy Spirit. With every blessing,