This season is a very appropriate time for inviting visitors from different denominations of Christianity. These seasons show us the beginnings of the church. Exploring some of the differences and similarities between various Christian communities that have arisen since the beginning and how these reflect the ways in which people understand their common faith can help us to understand our own faith better.
The season of Trinity is not so much about Father, Son and Holy Spirit as such but about the way in which the newly invigorated community of believers expressed its faith in such things as prayer, teaching and proclamation. Trinity is the season in which the full impact of faith centred relationships is fully felt.
Downloads:
Pentecost and Trinity in Matthew's Gospel
Ascension/Pentecost in Luke's Gospel
Music Notes
Suggestions for music could be anything which has wind or fire in the title though this is a little tenuous! You could also use music that is played on wind instruments, perhaps a little less tenuous. Perhaps, as in one or two other places in our project, this is a good time to use natural sounds – wind in particular. A more concrete suggestion would be some of the Adiemus music of Karl Jenkins, somewhat esoteric and literally sung in tongues – the words have no meaning.
Music for this season could be chosen from music which has a community aspect to it. Think about some popular songs such as Labi Siffre’s Something Inside so Strong which has in many ways superseded its origins and become a kind of anthem of bonding for everyone – alongside, of course, being a really splendid tune! In a lighter but similar vein would be Lighthouse Family’s Lifted. Another suggestion – given the recurrent theme of inclusivity in this season might be Aaron Copland’s Fanfare for the Common Man but note that this is not a piece to be played softly! (It might raise some questions about ‘Common Women’.)
Music for the season might include pieces from Miles Davis’ Kind of Blue all of which start with a relatively simple statement but grow into complex interweaving pieces – rather like the Church growing into a variety of expressions from the first simple preaching to the complex faith communities that we see today.