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Pastor Don’s Corner .
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“When the day of
Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly
from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it
filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of
fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of
them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other
languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.” (Acts 2:1-4)
I have seen it
happen before and I am seeing it happen, again. Once in a lifetime is a
gift, twice a blessing beyond comprehension. Yet, the marks are
unmistakable, the sounds unforgettable: the Spirit is laboring. Birthing
is happening. The Church is emerging from the birth canal of God’s
imagination and new Life is being spoken in the language of the Gospel.
Those of you with ears to hear, listen! Disciples of Christ are speaking
in tongues we can understand:
W
The St. Paul facility is a blessing to be fully utilized
seven days a week in proclaiming the name of the Risen Christ at work in
the world : our sanctuary, classrooms and hall are
opportunities for after-school gatherings, classes, mentoring, and play
time, not to mention adult education courses including computer
instruction, parenting, budgeting, cooking, Bible studies, youth
programming, music classes, and family gatherings . . . just to name a
few.
W
Every day the St. Paul faith family exercises the
opportunity to speak in the Spirit and invite others to know Christ
through the work of those who help with: the Food Pantry, the
Community Care Coalition, the Volunteer Interfaith Caregivers, the
Christian HomeCare Services, Alcoholics Anonymous, the Quilters, the
Music Ministries, the Women’s Fellowship, the Funeral Luncheon Ministry,
the Men’s Fellowship, Venturing (a new youth program), the Environmental
Arts Ministry, the Technology Ministry, the Meals on Wheels program, the
Prayer Circle, the Liturgist Ministry, the Welcoming Ministry, the
Scholarship program, Church Council, the Board of Christian Education,
the Memorial Committee, the Ushers & Greeters Ministry, the Visitation
Ministry, Wazzup (the Junior Youth Ministry), the Uni-Pres
Kindercottage, the Hoyleton Youth and Family Services, the Illinois
South Conference of the United Church of Christ Ministries and Teams,
the ministries of Puentes de Esperanza, the Sunday School
Teachers/Helpers and Aides, the Buildings and Grounds volunteers, the
Lebanon Senior Citizens, the Red Cross Blood Drives, the Girl Scouts,
and the Boy Scouts . . . just to name a few.
W
For the St. Paul faith family, worship and
proclamation of the Risen Christ is a way of life, not just a Sunday
morning occurrence and you see it in: the work of those who recycle
glass, aluminum, and paper; those who consider themselves to be stewards
of God’s abundance in all things; those whose daily routine includes an
intentional time for prayer and devotion; in the number of volunteers
who offer to share rides, tend to neighbors, and help with meals when
someone needs a hand; the opportunities taken to invite others to share
the grace and peace of God in Christ on a personal level; the volunteer
hours spent throughout the community of Lebanon in the Welcome Center,
as a Fireman or part of the Auxiliary, as a coach for one of the many
community sports teams, in the Chamber of Commerce, in the city-wide
clean up, as a mentor or reader or helper in the schools, as a member of
the Band Parents or Athletic Boosters or PTO; and the generosity of
those who share the abundance of their gifts and talents to guide
projects which equip and enable others to excel in overcoming personal
adversities . . . just to name a few.
W
God’s Holy Spirit is equipping the saints for challenges in
a new millennium, proclaiming Christ in the midst of those who are:
alone and unsure of whom they can trust or turn to; the ones
feeling forgotten, unneeded, or worn out; the ones down-sized,
undervalued and de-humanized; the ones who are single-parents with
little chance for respite; the ones who need two incomes just to make
ends meet and wonder if they will ever have a chance to slow down; the
ones who just want to have a few hours each week to catch up without
having demands or guilt heaped upon them; the ones who are considered
new to the community, even though they may have lived here twenty years;
the ones who have been here all their lives and aren’t sure what to make
of all these new people, ideas and energy jumping in where others have
never dared; the ones who consider everything, including faith, to be a
consumer decision based on ‘my needs’; the ones who are afraid of what
is happening in the world and lock the doors to their lives to keep the
world out; the ones who aren’t sure if anything or anyone can make a
difference in a global economy or in an unstable international political
environment; the ones who base success on the cash, stocks or bonds they
can accumulate, the make and model of the cars/trucks they drive, the
style of clothes they wear, and the identities of those with whom they
spend their time; and, those who find themselves choosing between
eating, buying medicine, paying their taxes, having insurance, filling
the tank of their car, meeting the needs of their children, or having
enough space, if any, to live in . . . just to name a few.
If you listen
carefully, you will hear the rush of a mighty wind as the Spirit flows
through the Church to proclaim Good News to this generation, in this
place, in this time. It is God’s gift that we can hear it, if we listen,
just as it is God’s gift that flames of the Spirit rest on the heads of
Christ’s disciples, disciples who can no longer restrain themselves as
they are called forth in this new generation to speak the Good News,
each proclaiming Christ as they have gifts that others might understand.
I am seeing it
happen, again. Once in a lifetime is a gift, twice is a blessing beyond
comprehension. I pray you see it, too, and come running to experience
the birthing of God’s new Creation. It is a gift, a blessing, for all to
share.
Have a blessed and
active Pentecost Season!  |
