Pastor's Page— May 2009

The season for growing

Dear Friends,

I pray that you are refreshed and invigorated after the glorious Easter worship we had at St. Paul’s UMC! With the coming of the Pentecost season or Ordinary Time, as it is sometimes called, beginning May 31st, we will enter into what might be called the “second semester” of the church year. During the first half of the church year we focus on Christ’s birth, his ministry, then death and resurrection, while the second half, the long, non-festival Pentecost season, we focus on Christ’s teachings and parables.

In John 14:18, Christ promises, “I will not leave you orphaned,” and he keeps that promise with the giving of the Holy Spirit to his disciples and to his new church. On Pentecost Sunday, we then commemorate Christ’s church unified in the Holy Spirit and empowered for its mission in the world. The gift of the Holy Spirit is God’s way of continuing Christ’s work on earth.

Pentecost is the time that we are to grow in the understanding of our Lord’s teachings. It is the season during which we should focus on applying Christianity to our daily living. After all the “Hosannas!” it is now time to put muscle on our faith and put it to work!

It is ironic that the long Pentecost season—the time of the church—includes the summer months when traditionally many of us go on extended vacations. I implore you not to allow the summer portion of Pentecost to become a kind of “spiritual hibernation.” If your work schedule is less hectic or you have less to do during the summer months, why not begin a simple Bible reading plan? Or borrow a book from the many new books in the church library? If we are truly to grow in the understanding of our Lord’s teachings, then we cannot take a vacation from living them. May this season of Pentecost bring each of you a time of rest, learning, and renewal.

Blessings and love to all,