OneChurch Basingstoke brought Basingstoke Christians together during the trypraying campaign for Pentecost Prayer.

A Prayer for the Power of the Spirit
OneChurch Basingstoke met in prayer on Sunday 9 June at London Street URC, led by Will Ross. They began the evening by praying for the power and presence of the Holy Spirit amongst them before singing Keith Getty and Stuart Townend’s song, In Christ Alone affirming that he alone is control of our life’s destiny and purpose.
A Pentecost Portrayal
Members of the Basingstoke Open Book group brought a dramatic portrayal of the events of the first Pentecost before we reminded ourselves of the biblical narrative by reading Acts 2:14-24; 37-42 together.
Commission us to Preach the Gospel
Reverend Kay Blackwell, Minister of London Street URC preached on the events of Pentecost. She reminded us that our community was full of people who were lost and lonely and far away from God. The church’s task is to preach God’s Good News to our community.
But she admitted the church has lost the right to speak because of our sin: abuse, hypocrisy and intransigence, amongst others.
The Holy Spirit can empower us to be a people and a church that can earn the right to preach the gospel again. He came in power on the first apostles and helped them fulfil the Great Commission in their time. But the Holy Spirit keeps on coming. He comes upon us day by day, if we ask him, and he will come now and commission us for the next steps he wants us to take in our community.
It starts with faithfulness. It continues with listening to Jesus, gathering in prayer, as we had done today.
Praying for trypraying
Using words from Romans 10, Peter Hay led us to pray for the trypraying campaign as Christians across Basingstoke prepared to hand their booklet on to someone they know, with the invitation to try praying, before the congregation sang, Holy Spirit we welcome you here.
At the end of the gathering, four local ministers – Rev Alison Bennett (Christ the King Basingstoke), Rev Dave Bishop (Basingstoke Baptist Church), Ebow Essel (Wessex Church Basingstoke) and Reverend Ruth Midcalf (Basingstoke & Reading Methodists) – prayed for the Holy Spirit to rest on the congregation and the churches throughout Basingstoke, before the congregation concluded OneChurch Basingstoke Pentecost Prayer with Rend Collective’s lively song, Build Your Kingdom Here.
Photo by Andrew Neil on Facebook