Pentecost Sunday 2022
On this day where God empowers the church to minister we welcome our new Pastor of Youth and Community to Union to further strengthen and equip us! Come and meet our new member of the Union family and give thanks for the work of the Spirit!
Celebrate the gift of the Holy Spirit into our lives to connect and equip us to be God’s agents of reconciliation in an estranged world. We celebrate God’s dream for humanity to live as new creation that cares for creation as we seek the dignity and welfare of all people.
On the day of Pentecost 2000+ years ago people from all the known nations were gathered in the bustling, overcrowded city of Jerusalem. Many were there to celebrate Shavuot – the Feast of Weeks, 50 days after Passover, people had come together to acknowledge God as creator and giver of the law. Some in the crowd were just there – as happens in any big city. (If you saw the crowded streets of Windsor this week – you have a vision of a crowd).
A few were there because they had followed Jesus, now risen from the dead, and Jesus had told them to wait in Jerusalem.
Into this expectant, faithful, discouraged, overwhelmed crowd – God acts. God moves. God’s Spirit descends upon this gathering of people who spoke the diverse languages of “every nation under heaven” we are told. And the disciples, now empowered by the Holy Spirit, share the Good News of God’s love and salvation in the native tongues of those who where there.
[Acts 2:1-4]
When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them.4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.
The Holy Spirit is a very real energizing Presence. – God on the Move. And because of the Spirit, Jesus is not gone and God is not distant. Because of the Spirit, our lives are united with God, our Creator, and Jesus, our Lord and Advocate.
God created us, Jesus leads us & the Spirit shows the way. In dealing with the Spirit we are dealing with none other than the personal presence of God.