This Sunday is the feast of Pentecost! Pentecost always feels like it should have an exclamation point, because we naturally think of Luke's Pentecost story in the Book of Acts. There, fifty days after Easter and ten days after Jesus had ascended into heaven, the Holy Spirit falls on the disciples in spectacular fashion. Loud and bright miracles abound, with rushing wind, tongues of flame, and miracles of speaking and hearing. The feel we get is of an ebullience that bursts out of all containers and spills into the streets. It's a good day for a party, and we'll have one, with the parish picnic following the 11:00 service in the River Room (you can find details below). But even in Acts, this ebullience has a direction: it spills out into mission and proclamation.

But our readings on Sunday have another Pentecost story, too. In the gospel of John, the story is very different. There, Jesus comes to the disciples in the evening of Easter Sunday, in the small room where they are hiding. And in that small, quiet room, he breathes the Holy Spirit on them. There aren't many biblical scenes of greater intimacy between us and the divine.

The Holy Spirit can be shouted; the Holy Spirit can be whispered. However the Holy Spirit is coming to you these days, join us on Sunday. It's the last Sunday of our program year—the last regular Sunday for the choir, Sunday School, and several other regular activities—and we have much to celebrate. Come to church for the shouting and the whispering, the fire and the breath, the public proclamation and the intimacy with God and each other.

Eric+

Cameron Vivanco, our Episcopal missionary in Ecuador, met with some members of the team, via Zoom, to review the schedule and answer questions. We will have a busy, but fun and meaningful, week in Quito. Some highlights are completing construction projects, conducting home visits, having dinner with residents of Casa Gabriel (a home for former street boys), holding a sewing and craft class for women, working in the church store, cooking with parishioners, holding a fun day for adolescents at Second Chances, and spending time at the El Refugio retreat center. Our team will be featured on Cameron’s podcast, June 14 at 1:30, so tune in if possible. We'll send the link in a future Weekly Postings along with the link to our Zoom "call" to the Parish on Sunday, June 11, when we'll check-in and share our trip with you. Please pray for the communication between Ecuadorians and our team so that we learn from each other.

We've learned that several over-the-counter first aid items are needed in Quito. While they are available in Ecuador, they are VERY expensive. The list includes Ibuprofen, Tylenol, multi-vitamins, children's Tylenol, Children's vitamins, Benadryl, Band-Aids, Neosporin. We'll also be taking playing cards, card games, and water balloons to be used in our time there. If you'd like to contribute any of these items to the mission trip, please signup using the link below and drop off your items to the parish office by Sunday, June 4.

Pledged Offerings Received this Week $11,559.00

Total Operating Expenses to Date $370,025.56

Total Operating Income Received to Date $498,157.83

Please contact the Parish Office to update our files.