Dear St. Lukers,
Well, here we are 50 days after Easter, the close of Eastertide – and what a ride it’s been! Over the last five weeks the sermon series Renovate has called us to rethink and rebuild the way we love, hope, believe, confirm, restore, and persevere as a resurrection people. And now my friends, it’s time that we either fish or cut bait as the saying goes, because this Sunday is Pentecost Sunday. It is THE moment where we, as laity (not talking to the clergy here but to us lay folk) are reminded that we are fully empowered by the Holy Spirit to pick up where Jesus’ earthly ministry left off.
We, as Christ followers, tend to focus on Jesus’ birth, death, and resurrection – and rightly so. But we tend to gloss over one of the most powerful and beautiful gifts God gives to each of us in the form of the Holy Spirit. Pentecost may well be the most underrated and unappreciated of holy days, yet it is one of the most important to our faith story. And by the way, in our Methodist understanding, there is no subordination or rank order to the Trinity (God in three persons – God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit). One of the great mysteries of our faith is that no one part of the Holy Trinity is greater or lesser than the other – and they have all been present since creation. So how is it that we don’t have greeting cards, children’s pageants, concerts, or special family meals for the day reserved in celebration of the gift of the Holy Spirit?? Things that make you go hmmm.
Well, come Sunday, we St. Lukers are going to remedy that! WE (that means you and me) are going to have an all-out, “It’s all about you Holy Spirit,” kind of Pentecost celebration! So, get your best Pentecost garb on (red, yellow, orange, white – anything flame or dove-looking), and come prepared to hear the story of the day the Holy Spirit fell on those gathered in the Upper Room (you can read the story in Acts chapter 2 – spoiler alert, it’s pretty awesome) and what it means to us as followers of Christ.
And absolutely “yes,” if so moved you are encouraged to give the big H.S. (Holy Spirit) a shout-out, dance in the aisles, or sing like there’s no one listening…I know I will!
Blessings,
Alice Williams
Florida Conference Co-Lay Leader
St. Luker since 1984