The Evening Service began with sketch on Gifts received from the Holy Spirit.

Tom, Jo Ashton, Pat Richardson, Yadwiga and Desmond showed that although we recieve gifts or talents it is up to us whether we accept and use them; choose to reject them; discourage those from using their gift; or, encourage a person to use their gift to the full.

It was funny, but also poignant.

Father Gerard gave a talk on the nature of the Holy Spirit.  He drew upon personal experience; the Scriptures; Hymns;
Eucharistic Prayers and the Creed as his sources in what is a difficult concept for most people.

We are all ‘aware’ of the Holy Spirit as part of the Trinity, but whilst we may be able to visualise [in human terms] the Father and the Son, the Holy Spirit is altogether more mysterious and elusive. 

The Father gives us the gift of the Holy Spirit, whether we choose to open our hearts and receive this gift is another matter.

God has the capacity for individual relationship with people – he is effectively walking in parallel with us through our lives.  The Father gives the Holy Spirit to different people in different ways; bringing ‘life’ to us in various guises.  Through the Holy Spirit, the Father anoints us with natural gifts and talents.  He supports us in times of weakness through our prayer.

he Holy Spirit is a shared gift and grows in our relationship with God and with our fellow men and women.  We are urged to ‘love thy neighbour’ and in doing so our relationship with God grows.  We desire to know God more clearly and closely.  As we do it brings peace in hearts.  The Holy Spirit comes in response to this desire.

We were then called by Allegra – the Sion Team would pray on our behalf that we should receive the Holy Spirit.