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Welcome
CATHERINE DE SOUZA
Good morning and welcome to Sunday Worship. We are Revd. Catherine and Revd. Dominic De Souza, Senior Leaders of City Church, Cardiff.

Our theme in today鈥檚 service is 鈥榳aiting鈥�. In the church calendar, today 鈥� Sunday 29th May 鈥� sits between Ascension Day 鈥� when Jesus ascended to heaven, as recounted in Acts 1 鈥� and Pentecost 鈥� the event which signalled the dawning of the age of the Spirit and the birth of the Church, as described in Acts 2.听

Whilst we have the benefit of knowing the end of the story, for the original disciples the ten days between Ascension and Pentecost were days of waiting 鈥� not knowing how long the wait would last. Yet they trusted Jesus鈥� words 鈥� and it is this posture of heart that guides our worship this morning.

DOMINIC DE SOUZA
Our preacher this morning is Revd. Chris Cartwright, the General Superintendent of the Elim Pentecostal Churches 鈥� the movement of churches that City Church is a part of. Elim was founded by George Jeffreys, a young man from here in South Wales, near the beginning of World War One. Today we are a movement of more than 550 Christian congregations based in towns and cities across the UK, and many hundreds more across the world 鈥� a network committed to making disciples, growing churches, developing leaders and reaching nations.听

Our local church here in Cardiff is made up of many people from all walks of life and over 50 nations spanning all the generations, uniting as one family to praise God鈥�

CATHERINE DE SOUZA
鈥�as our Music Team now lead us in the great Welsh hymn 鈥楪uide Me O Thou Great Redeemer鈥�. The last couple of years have been challenging for us all 鈥� so much has changed 鈥� but this song declares that even in our weakness, God is mighty.

Hymn 1: Guide Me O Thou Great Redeemer

DOMINIC DE SOUZA
Though there are times in life when God鈥檚 presence can seem readily apparent and evident, there are also times when He appears silent 鈥� or when we have to wait for His answer to come, or for the path ahead to become clear. What do we do in such times? What do we do when we pray and no answer is forthcoming? What do we do when the promises of God seem far off?

CATHERINE DE SOUZA
The Bible is not unfamiliar with such questions. In Psalm 13, for instance, David says:

1 How long, LORD? Will you forget me forever?听 How long will you hide your face from me?听2 How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me?听3 Look on me and answer, LORD my God.听 Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death,听4 and my enemy will say, 鈥淚 have overcome him,鈥澨� and my foes will rejoice when I fall.听5 But I trust in your unfailing love;听 my heart rejoices in your salvation.听6 I will sing the LORD鈥檚 praise, for he has been good to me.

It鈥檚 thought that when David penned this psalm that he was being pursued by an enemy. The hours, days, weeks, and months dragged on as David waited for God to act; yet it seemed as if God had hidden himself. Though David had not yet been delivered, by the time the psalm ends we find him declaring his trust in the unfailing love of God. David counts God鈥檚 future deliverance as past, and as he praises God, a quietness of soul comes upon him and his perspective changes. Inspired by David鈥檚 example, we praise God now through our next song which declares our confidence in God and His promises.

Song 2: Yes & Amen

DOMINIC DE SOUZA
Thank you Father that all your promises are YES and AMEN. Thank you that you are faithful forever 鈥� that through your Spirit you come alongside us and carry us, not just in the triumphs but also in the trials of life.

In our church we like to share our personal stories of how God has been, and is, working in our lives. Amy Evans, a member of City Church, comes now to share something of the confidence she has in God, whilst battling through ill-health.听

Personal Story - AMY EVANS
I have a chronic illness 鈥� an autoimmune condition. I go through periods of remission, where I鈥檓 healthy, and periods of active disease, known as flares, when I can get sick very quickly.听听

In 2020, during the first lockdown, I experienced my worst flare to date. I lost a lot of weight, I was in pain, and I was struggling to eat. In normal circumstances I probably would have been hospitalised, but the treatment for this disease is to suppress the immune system, so I had to shield. I found this incredibly difficult 鈥� I was already furloughed and now I couldn鈥檛 be in the same room as anyone else! I lived alone in 2 rooms for months.

When everything else is stripped away you realise what鈥檚 important鈥� and God was with me every step of the way, even when I couldn鈥檛 sense His presence, even when I couldn鈥檛 find it in myself to pray. He knew about every tear, heard my every frustration, and He prompted people from church to call me with words of encouragement, and to pray for me.Gradually, over time and through taking medication, I began to get better.

I believe that God can heal the sick - the Bible is full of stories of healing! So, although I have not yet received healing from my illness, I continue to hope that in the fulness of time I will be made well again.听 But, whatever happens, and in the meantime, I wait with faith, trusting God to provide what I need to get though each day. My lockdown experience has shaped me in ways that I wouldn鈥檛 otherwise have been shaped, and I can see in retrospect now the way that God has and is redeeming that difficult period of my life for good.

It鈥檚 easy to conceptualise hope as this beautiful but fragile thing 鈥� like an ornament that shatters when knocked off its perch. But hoping in Jesus is very different. It鈥檚 surrendering the broken pieces of myself to God, jagged edges included, and choosing to trust in His character and timing for restoration in the way that He knows best. It鈥檚 watching Him bring beauty from the brokenness, and something sweet from the bitter.听听

Song 3: I Surrender All

Reading (Acts 1:6-14)
CATHERINE DE SOUZA

Our Bible reading today is taken from Acts chapter 1 verses 6 to 14.

6 Then they gathered around him and asked him, 鈥淟ord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?鈥澨�听7 He said to them: 鈥淚t is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority.听8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.鈥� 9 After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.10 They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them.听11 鈥淢en of Galilee,鈥� they said, 鈥渨hy do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.鈥� 12 Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day鈥檚 walk from the city.听13 When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James.听14 They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.

DOMINIC DE SOUZA
We sing now our next song, 鈥榃aiting Here For You鈥�. Afterwards, the Revd. Chris Cartwright, General Superintendent of the Elim Pentecostal Churches, shares from God鈥檚 Word.

Song 4: Waiting Here For You

Message -听CHRIS CARTWRIGHT
Pentecostals love the opening chapters of the book of Acts. We are drawn to the words of Jesus 鈥測ou shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you.鈥� We love to recount the 鈥渟uddenly鈥� moment in Acts 2 that announces the coming of the Holy Spirit that launched the church in Jerusalem and transformed the lives of the 120 or so of Jesus鈥� first disciples.

But, left to our own devices we are likely to jump from the Ascension mount at the start of Acts 1, to the Upper room at Pentecost in the next chapter and the drama of the suddenly moment. As the Holy Spirit came upon them all individually they poured out onto the streets collectively in the Spirit鈥檚 power to witness to Jesus in a city where the streets were filled with crowds who had come from many nations to celebrate the Jewish feast of Pentecost.

The section of our reading from Acts chapter 1 verses 12-14 takes place neither on the heights of the Ascension Mount with Jesus鈥� final words to his disciples, nor on the day of Pentecost, but in a strange 鈥渋n-between鈥� time. Were it not for the rhythms of the church calendar we might be tempted to rush past this extraordinary 10-day period.

Yet what happened in these days was crucial both to the experience of Pentecost for those first disciples and to the way they would live from that point onwards.

It was to be a time of deep preparation, both personally and communally that would ready them for the explosive beginnings of the Church in Jerusalem and launch them forward.听 Not just into believing in Jesus as their Saviour and Lord, but living courageously as witnesses for Him to others in the city where they were gathered, and in the diverse communities and cultures to which they would go.听

It was only 40 days since the disciples had watched Jesus crucified - the gospels tell us that when they witnessed his death, they had felt all hope was lost. Their instinct had been to get out of Jerusalem 鈥� to return home to more familiar ground and to the places and people they had left behind to follow Jesus.

It seems for the majority of the disciples that were following Jesus that Jerusalem was not their city. But the opening verses of the book of Acts tell us that Jesus ordered them not to leave Jerusalem but to wait for His promise of the Holy Spirit.听

He tells them they will receive the Spirit鈥檚 power to be His witnesses, first in Jerusalem, then Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth. As if to reinforce the point, even angels appear telling them to stop staring into the sky and get moving. So they return to Jerusalem, to the upper room where they had been staying to wait for the Spirit to come; they know not when and they know not how.

I don't know how comfortable you are with waiting, but it's been suggested that the British are experts at waiting. Our national habit of queuing seems to provide a mixture of amusement and incredulity to visitors from other cultures. Yet I'm sure that many of us struggle when faced with times of unexpected disruption and unwanted delay. News feeds have been filled with heartrending stories of the impact during the pandemic on the huge numbers of people that are waiting for medical tests, treatment or surgery. For so many, life itself seems to be put on hold.

Jesus鈥� followers also faced a time of uncertainty. The city was for them a hostile and dangerous place. So they met in secret 鈥� behind closed doors听 鈥�day after day awaiting the fulfilment of Jesus鈥� promise.

We don't get a lot of detail in Doctor Luke's account but, in broad brush strokes, we get a glimpse, of how the 120 who began to gather handled this unexpected delay. Firstly, they prayed. We hear that they came together every day with 鈥渙ne accord鈥� and devoted themselves to prayer. What followed was what one Bible commentator called 鈥渢he most powerful prayer meeting in history鈥�.

Those first disciples had not been from the ranks of the religiously trained.听 We are struck by their ordinariness 鈥� some are named personally while most remain unnamed. They include fishermen, a tax collector, one a fanatical nationalist, Jesus鈥� mother, Mary, many women and Luke tells us, Jesus鈥� brothers. None were experts in the Scriptures.听 Prayer was a mystery to them but they had seen and heard Jesus pray and they were captivated. They had witnessed His relationship with God the Father and asked him to teach them to pray. So gathering and waiting together in the room, they started to do just that: pray, fervently.The second thing is that they were together. Over those long days and nights of waiting, they began to be united as one. Beyond the blend of their voices, their hearts seem to be drawn together.听 This is where, despite their diversity, they begin to become a new community, united in love, care and support for one another.

In recent weeks we have seen vivid and moving pictures of the people of Ukraine. In those basements, bunkers and underground tunnels, under constant bombardment, shortages of food and basic necessities.听 We have seen unforgettable examples of people and families forced together in crisis, finding extraordinary unity and strength together in the face of the unrelenting strain of inhuman attack. As we pray for their deliverance and for peace, we cannot help to be moved and inspired by that spirit of unity and resilience that has been forged in crisis.

For the disciples, their commitment to Jesus is deepened and faith is formed in those days. They were waiting, not in comfort and convenience but in an atmosphere of hostility.They unite around Jesus鈥� words. I imagine them recounting Jesus鈥� words, dwelling on them, feeding on them. As John retells in his gospel of Jesus鈥� invitation to 鈥渃ome unto me and drink,鈥� he says 鈥渁t the time we didn鈥檛 understand He was speaking about the Holy Spirit鈥�. The gospels record the people saying they've never heard words like Jesus鈥� words. As they reminded each other who He said He was and what He said He had come to do, they began to trust in what He had said. Faith began to overcome their fear, fresh desire for God began to replace their disappointment and expectancy began to rise.听

Finally, they Worship Jesus 鈥� they had seen Him risen - now they worshipped him not merely as a teacher or even a prophet but as their Lord and Saviour.听

I鈥檝e asked myself why did Jesus wait 10 days to send the Spirit?
To bring them to a place where each one would individually prepare themselves for His Spirit to come to them.听
To bring them together in unity.听
To develop fresh expectancy and hope for the journey forward from the Upper Room.If you identify with that sense of waiting, longing, hoping for change to come,听 can I encourage you to ask Jesus to be with you. You can turn to Him at any place and at any time.听
听
Bring your need to Him in words of simple prayer. Hold on to Jesus鈥� life giving words of love and strength. As you do, I pray that you will experience the Spirit of the living God at work.

Song 5: Spirit of the Living God

MUSIC FADES IN AND OUT OF PRAYERS
Prayers
DOMINIC DE SOUZA
Let us pray.听 Heavenly Father, you know the beginning, you know the time in-between and you know the end. We put our trust in you, even in the waiting.

We remember that some of the greatest figures in the Bible had to wait for many years to see your promises realised. Yet you used the time in-between to prepare them 鈥� inwardly and outwardly. Would you do the same with us.

Excited by the celebration of Pentecost next week, we prepare our hearts to receive your Spirit afresh.

We also pray for those who are struggling 鈥� we ask that you would grant them peace.We pray for those who feel alone, for those who feel like giving up, for those who are full of despair 鈥� would they know that you are with them.

CATHERINE DE SOUZA
We bring before you those who are hurting, those who are sick, those who are experiencing difficult circumstances, those who are feeling burdened by the cost of living increase right now 鈥� bring healing, resolution, comfort and reassurance through the power of the Holy Spirit.

God of justice and peace, we pray also for the nation of Ukraine. We pray for comfort for those who are grieving and for those don鈥檛 know what tomorrow will bring. We pray that you would grant wisdom to the politicians and the peacemakers. We pray for an end to attacks, for Ukrainian people being welcomed and integrated into other countries such as our own, and for the Church in Ukraine to be a beacon of hope.

We pray for our leaders 鈥� Her Majesty the Queen, our government, our politicians and all those in authority. We ask that you would grant them your wisdom and favour to lead us in these difficult times.听听

DOMINIC DE SOUZA
And now, as our Lord Jesus Christ taught us to do, we pray together the words of the Lord鈥檚 Prayer:

Our Father, who is in heaven, hallowed by your name. Your Kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.听 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For yours is the Kingdom, the power and the glory, forever, Amen.

Blessing
CATHERINE DE SOUZA
Thank you for joining us at City Church Cardiff today. We close our service with the song 鈥楽pirit Break Out鈥�, expressing our hope to see God鈥檚 kingdom come in even greater measure.

DOMINIC & CATHERINE DE SOUZA
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all. Amen.

MUSIC FADES UP UNDER SPEECH
Song 6: Spirit Break Out

Closing Anno听

The music team at City Church, Cardiff, bringing to a close this week鈥檚 Sunday Worship, with 鈥楽pirit Break Out鈥�.听 The preacher was the Reverend Chris Cartwright, and the service was led by the Reverend Catherine and the Reverend Dominic De Souza.听 The programme was produced by Nia Llewelyn Jones.