Celebrating the Day of Pentecost
By Pastor David Tinker
The Day of Pentecost
Sunday, May 24 9:30 a.m.
The Day of Pentecost of the fiftieth day of the Easter Season. Easter began on Resurrection Sunday, April 5, goes for 7 weeks (49 days) plus one day. That one day at the end of the fifty days is the Day of Pentecost. On that fiftieth day we celebrate God the Holy Spirit, through whom and in whom the people of God are created and re-created. We give thanks for the dramatic outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the whole community of Disciples as they were gathered in one place in Jerusalem. On that day the Holy Spirit came as a rush of violent wind and as tongues of fire on the disciples. They were then sent out by the Spirit to proclaim in various languages the mighty acts of God. specifically the saving work of Jesus through his death on the cross and his rising from the dead. Pentecost is sometimes called the church’s birthday, but might more appropriately be called its baptism day, since the gift of the Holy Spirit is the fullness of baptism.
How we will celebrate
There are three special ways we will mark this festival this year.
1 – Bring Red Flowers for the Cross. This is a relatively new way for our church to celebrate Pentecost. Like last year, we are going to use the Easter Flower Cross to make a Pentecost Flower Cross. This is a wooden cross with a chicken wire framework around it. We are invited to pick or purchase live flowers for placement in/on the cross. This will be placed near the main doors of the church. The flowers can be red or similar to red – orange, maroon – and some white to accentuate the flame aspect. This will add some joy and natural beauty to our celebration of the pouring out of the Holy Spirit on the whole church.
2 – Wear Red to church on Sunday. All are invited to wear something red for worship. It could be a tie, a coat, a shirt, a blouse, a pin, a dress, suspenders, pants, a shawl or scarf, or whatever you can secure to wear for this day. The color red is the liturgical color for the day. This will be shown in the paraments and banners on and near the altar. It will be the color of the pastor’s stole. The color red on this day reminds us of the fire of the Holy Spirit which was over the heads of the disciples on the Day of Pentecost.
3 – Read the account of the Day of Pentecost in the Bible. In preparation for the day or in reflection on the day, read Acts chapter 2. You can do this on your own or with others in your household. See and ponder the mighty acts of God which took place that day. Pray for the stirring of the Holy Spirit in your life and faith. Seek to know and serve God more faithfully.
