Letter from Jon, June 25
But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.
John 16:7
Dear Liberty Family and FriendsA little bit later with my pastor's letter this month due to covid rearing its ugly head again last week!. Anyway, as you may know, over these last couple of Sundays our attention has been drawn to the Holy Spirit as we have looked at the last words of Jesus to his disciples before he ascended to the Father, instructing them to wait in Jerusalem for the gift of the Holy Spirit, and then, a few days later, the coming of the Spirit in power at Pentecost, and the birth of the church.
As I prepared these messages I was struck again by the word that Jesus uses to describe the Spirit a number of times in John's gospel; the word 'advocate'. This is also often translated as counsellor or helper and it comes from the original Greek word parakletos, or paraclete. The literal meaning of this word is one who comes alongside to help, and I love this description of the Spirit. As I have mentioned more than once recently I have been reading a book called 'The Familiar Stranger' by Tyler Staton, and in this book he mentions that in Greece, if a boat or ship gets lost at sea or caught in a storm then they would send out another boat to come alongside this boat and to lead it back into safe waters. The name given to this boat is none other than 'parakletos', the very same word used to describe the Holy Spirit. What a beautiful picture of the Spirit.
I know that in our lives we can often feel like that boat, tossed around by the waves, often bruised and battered and not sure which way to turn. The thought that the Holy Spirit is the one who comes alongside us in these 'stormy' parts of life and leads us home is such a source of comfort and strength. But the Spirit is not just alongside us in the storms of life. The Spirit is there in every moment of life, in every situation and conversation and challenge. It is the Spirit of God that gives us the strength day by day to continue to live and give and forgive, to serve and love others. It is the Spirit of love beside us that prompts us and guides us, that gives us courage and wisdom.
At the end of Sunday's meeting we gave space for a corporate response where we could, together, invite the Spirit to come, to refresh and restore and empower us again. I pray, as you go through this week and beyond that you would be aware of the Spirit in you, walking beside you, your constant helper and encourager. I pray that as you seek to witness to Christ wherever he has placed you through your actions and your words, that you would know that you are never alone, that God is present and powerful through his Spirit in every moment. I pray that in the moments or days where you feel lost at sea that you would know the strength and comfort of the advocate drawing alongside you and leading you to safe waters.
Much love
Jon
Jon Farrimond, 10/06/2025