Pastor’s Corner – May 28, 2023

The birth of the church began with the empowerment of God’s Spirit upon Galileans who spoke in tongues! Often, we associate popular imagination and culture with Pentecostal movements, that is congregations with high emotional expressions as part of their worship, lots of shouting and babbling what some call pre-language expressions. This however is more modern phenomena that Harvey Cox in his book “Fire from Heaven” describes. What I’m really interested in is the question, what is the miracle of Pentecost? Is it really speaking in tongues that amazed diaspora communities? If we pay careful attention, it’s not really speaking but hearing! As we always do during Pentecost Sunday, we read from the Acts of the Apostle chapter 2. When the Spirit of God came upon the disciples, and they spoke in tongues, the question was raised, “Are they not Galileans, but how is it that we each hear in our own language?” Galileans who live up far north of Judeah in small towns as fisherman. Those who are marginalized are now in center Jerusalem, their voice finally heard! This is the miracle of Pentecost. What then does this mean for us as a church? Our identity is rooted in God’s Spirit that brings marginalized community to the center and gives voice that can be heard in larger communities. This is our beginning and in our DNA. Would you like to hear more about what this means for us today? I encourage you to read Acts 2:1-21. As we move forward into the future with apocalyptic vision that Joel is quoted in our reading, don’t forget to wear red for this Sunday! 

P.S. Starting Pentecost Sunday, every Sunday worship will begin with “Chiming of the Hour, that will denote the beginning of the service, to quiet our minds and hearts in preparation for worship. 

Pastor Dae