Thankfulness and the Trinity

Dear community of St. Andrew, 

It is a good thing to give thanks to the LORD,
    and to sing praises to your Name, O Most High;
 To tell of your loving-kindness early in the morning
    and of your faithfulness in the night season. (Psalm 92:1-2)

This week, I've been reflecting on thankfulness. The sun is out and warming up! And last week, thanks to the efforts of volunteers who went above-and-beyond even some days before the occasion itself, a wonderful Royal Afternoon Tea was enjoyed. I had a delightful time with friends familiar and just-met; the scones were delicious and my tea cup, it overfloweth! Well done, and well done again to Lethel and her team.

The picture at the top of this message is a simple Trinity knot. It's a kind of Celtic knot, with a strand that has no beginning and end. And the three points can represent for us the Trinity of God, who is in three persons - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - yet somehow, is the same one God. 

This whole idea of the Trinity is a struggle to understand, let alone explain, even for those of us with theology degrees! But what I encourage you to reflect on, today and on Sunday, which is Trinity Sunday, is not the three points of the Trinity knot, but the bonds between them. There is one unending strand moving through each point and onto the next in an unending motion, what is sometimes called the "dance of love" between the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. It is an unstoppable of flow of grace being outpoured by one and received by the next...repeated again and again and again. 

A church community is also one of motion: not necessarily physical motion, like picking things up and walking around. I know some are overdue a rest from things like that! Rather, if we open ourselves to it, a church is full of the motion of the Spirit, who moved the disciples at Pentecost, and will move us now if we are truly thankful for God's goodness. When we recognise God's grace in the people and the happenings around us, we may find ourselves getting caught up in the flow. We may find ourselves joining in the motion in which we outpour ourselves for our neighbours, and receive the same from them. 

Every Sunday is a "thanksgiving" to God. This Sunday, as well as being Trinity Sunday, is Father's Day, and we will also recognise the generosity and service of the Guyanese Pioneer Fund Raising Group over nearly four decades. 

God-willing, I look forward to joining you at our Spirit-filled church then. 

Yours in Christ, 
Jake+