In all the years I attended a Baptist church growing up, I do not recall ever celebrating Pentecost Sunday. Nope, it was celebrated as a normal church day. Of course, it's not like I had never heard of this particular Christian holiday, which is celebrated the seventh week after Easter. I knew of it, but my church didn't celebrate it.
For almost a year now, I have been following the Presbyterian church. After my online service today, in which our sermon was most definitely centered around Pentecost, I did a bit of research for my own curiosity and mindful well-being.
Other than Christmas and Easter, and maybe Advent and Holy Week, most 'modern' churches view the church calendar as liturgical and ritualistic. I am so happy to have found a church that does not have this view and indeed celebrates one of the most important days in scripture.
Almighty God, on this day You opened the way to eternal life to every race and nation by the promised gift of Your Holy Spirit: Shed abroad this gift throughout the world by the preaching of the gospel, that it may reach to the ends of the earth. For Your glory’s sake, we pray. Amen
Lord, I’ll be honest, sometimes I forget that I even have the power of the Holy Spirit in me. I stumble about like I’m spiritually blind rather than walk surefooted like an empowered child of the King. Help me to access the power that You have already given me. Help me to understand what that power looks like. Help me to understand the person of the Holy Spirit better. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Allen Reynolds, an editor for Urban Faith, wrote a short article titled Why Don't We Celebrate Pentecost this Year? A great read, and I have to agree with the commercialization of Christian holidays.
Happy Pentecost. It was nice to see so many wearing red in my Church this morning.
ReplyDeleteHave a good pentecost. May your mindfulness bring you enlightenment and inner calm and understanding to help all sentient beings.
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