The Holy Spirit comes and births the church!!
The Holy Spirit comes and brings Peace.
The Holy Spirit brings Joy, Encouragement,
Purpose, Energy, Motivation.
The Holy Spirit comes to baptize, to heal, to renew.
The Holy Spirit is alive.
The Holy Spirit comes and births the church.
The coming of the Holy Spirit is not a one and done moment. It is the presence of God in and among us – in each breath we take. The spirit of God moving in each of us and in our church.
This church birthing is an ongoing, evolving, alive, breathing, changing, acting, living out of God’s plan for love and peace and joy.
What are we becoming?
We are a church valuing inclusion over mere welcome. A church encouraging others in their spiritual life of prayer and practice. A body of believers grounded in and living out the baptismal covenant.
Here they are:
Will you continue in the apostles' teaching and fellowship,
in the breaking of the bread, and in the prayers?
Will you persevere in resisting evil, and,
whenever you fall into sin, repent and return to the Lord?
Will you proclaim by word and example the Good News of God in Christ?
Will you seek and serve Christ in all persons,
loving your neighbor as yourself?
Will you strive for justice and peace among all people,
and respect the dignity of every human being?
We renew our baptisms together this Sunday, by agreeing to each question, ‘I will with God’s help’! This is a long-standing ritual of the church, kind of like singing happy birthday or blowing out the candles on a birthday cake, each time we renew the words of our faith together.
Will you join us? Wherever you are on Pentecost try to read them with another person, if you are by yourself maybe call someone. If you know someone who is alone, call them and read them together.
This birthday ritual is powerful. We remember the promise and the gift of the Holy Spirit and together we re-imagine what life is like now and tomorrow – and beloved, whatever that looks like, the promises of our way to live together as the church nurtured and guided by the Holy Spirit, pointing us to live a life of joy, peace, love.
And we commit together … I will with God’s help.
