Dear Spirit Filled Saints,

On Sunday, May 20^th the entire Christian Church celebrated Pentecost so I was wondering if we are feeling the presence of the Holy Spirit with the same sense of power that the disciples did at Pentecost. With the birth of the Church, the disciples were inspired to move out beyond themselves and begin spreading the Gospel.

Throughout June, the red colors on the altar table will be there to remind us of the coming of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost. The questions which are before us are these: Do we feel the Spirit? and Where is the Spirit moving us?

The disciples suddenly were empowered to speak the languages of those about them so that they could bring Christ into their midst. It was a dramatic and powerful moment. If you don’t recall the power, reread Acts 2. I have often wondered what would occur if something similar happened to us, whether during the week or at Sunday worship.

Imagine the impact it would have on this church. All of us feeling the power at the same time moving out into the community and telling the story and, more importantly, showing the story. Are we able to speak and act in ways that our friends and those we come in contact with understand? Do we communicate the unconditional abiding love of Jesus Christ to all with whom we rub shoulders? More importantly, do we seek out those who are physically, emotionally, and spiritually in need of knowing that they are loved by God?

At Pentecost, the Holy Spirit was poured out on the disciples so that they could be the Church. Let me repeat that. At Pentecost, the Holy Spirit was poured out on the disciples so that they could be the Church. The disciples were scared, powerless and in hiding prior to the coming of the Holy Spirit. The thought of reaching out with the message of God’s redemptive love for all was chained within. Jesus gave them the final pep talk at the Ascension and prepared their hearts and minds for the moment of Pentecost. When the moment came, they could not help themselves. They were so filled with the Holy Spirit that they had no choice but to evangelize.

The event known as the Day of Pentecost was not just a one-time event. It is there for us, the Church, to experience day after day. Do we understand that we do not have to wait for the pouring out of the Holy Spirit? The Holy Spirit is around us, through us, and within us. Once we recognize that, we experience the same empowerment that the disciples experienced on the Day of Pentecost. And, when a congregation of Christ’s Church experiences that together, watch out!

Blessings on all of you as you begin your summer. I pray that the rush of wind I hear will not be our usual summer storms, but will be a mighty release of spiritual power flowing out to McCutchanville, Evansville, Vanderburgh County, Indiana and all of the communities of which we are a part.

Be Blessed and Be a Blessing,

Pastor Greg