Seeking the Spirit in Parish Life
ReSource longs to see little, local, ordinary churches come alive in the Holy Spirit. The Rt Revd Sophie Jelley, Bishop of Doncaster in the Diocese of Sheffield, recalls God’s gentle work in one parish.
Ministry in the local church is a remarkable privilege. Remarkable, because you see the extraordinary work of God in ordinary life; and a privilege, because you often get a closer view.
Some years ago, I attended a conference on the person and work of the Holy Spirit, held on the days before the Feast of Pentecost at Holy Trinity Brompton Church in London. Theologians and practitioners gathered for a deeper day of exploration together. It was, as intended, a real feast for the heart, mind and soul. At the time I was Resident Minister working half-time in a village church in Surrey. We had seen some encouraging growth in the years I had been there, especially among children and families, but we longed to see more.
On my train journey home, I reviewed the sermon I had prepared for the next morning, and just as I sat in my seat, I had a sense of the immense power of God. I had experienced the work of the Holy Spirit in my life before, but this felt to be an empowering for a purpose, though a purpose I could not yet name.
The next morning as we gathered for worship, I preached the sermon as usual, presided at Holy Communion, and then, during the administration, found myself saying, ‘If you would like a fresh touch of the Holy Spirit in your life, simply place a hand across your body (like so), and I would be glad to pray for you as you come up to receive.’ I also remember thinking that there may be one or two people who would choose to respond.
Instead, person after person came and knelt, placed their hand across their body and asked for prayer. As the only church in the village, we sought to embrace all people by offering a variety of different styles of worship, and I knew that some were more familiar with this outward expression of faith than others. At the end of the service over coffee, people began to describe what they had experienced. Some spoke of feeling a deep warmth run through their body, others felt an overwhelming sense of love, others were given peace over a specific situation. Some were in tears, others gently reassured, others comforted; so many ways in which, just as the scriptures describe, the Holy Spirit works in the life of the church.
I have never forgotten that day. It was not dramatic or staged. It was gentle and calm, and the people of God were simply enabled to receive from Him.
As a Bishop, Confirmation services are now my regular remarkable privilege. In every case, the wonder of a person responding to God is to be celebrated. Just as I did those years ago, I still seek opportunities to enable people to receive and respond to Him, even if they simply attend as a supporter and don’t yet know Him personally.
You never know what our extraordinary God will do in the lives of His people.
The Rt Revd Sophie Jelley
Bishop of Doncaster.
The Rt Revd Sophie Jelley was consecrated a Bishop at York Minster on 21 September 2020. Sophie was installed as the seventh Bishop of Doncaster in Sheffield Cathedral on 24 September 2020.
Sophie is married to Chris and they have three children together. Sophie plays the violin and viola and is a soprano singer and has been a keen runner for many years.