The next two Sundays, May 31st and June 7th, are important ones. May 31st is Pentecost Sunday. Pentecost comes 50 days after Easter Sunday. (Pente = five or multiples thereof) God sent the Holy Spirit to the Church on the Day of Pentecost. You can read about it in the second chapter of the Book of Acts in the Bible. On this Sunday the Church celebrates the reality of the Holy Spirit in its life. We are Christ's witnesses in the world only because the Holy Spirit gives us the power to live and speak for Christ. The Christian life is a spiritual life. Without our connection to the presence of God through the Holy Spirit the Church is forced to live a life with effort, but no victory; with duty, but no joy; with the knowledge of what needs to change in us and our world, but not the power to change; with the hope of eternal life, but not the assurance of it. Come to worship on Pentecost May 31st ready to celebrate God's gift of the Holy Spirit. It is traditional to wear something red which is the liturgical color of Pentecost.
Sunday June 7th is Confirmation Sunday. Confirmation is the rite in which the baptized children of the Church make the vows their own that were offered on their behalf by their parents at their baptism. In the case of children whose parents did not present their children for baptism in their early years, it is a time of preparation for baptism. In both cases, the children are received into the full membership of the church through Confirmation. It is the opportunity for youth to make their own profession of faith and intentionally declare their desire to live the Christian life in the Church of Jesus Christ and in our congregation of the United Methodist Church. We will baptize one youth and confirm three. It has been a pleasure to share the faith with Dan Ritz, Matt Nicol, and Emily Vasquez.
June 7th will be a great day of rejoicing in the goodness of God and the working of the Holy Spirit in the lives of these young ones, our brothers and sisters in Christ. It is important that we all be present together to help confirm these people in Christ and to welcome them into our church as our equals in faith. The children of our congregation will not leave for Wow Now during the worship service on June 7th. I believe it is essential that our kids witness the rites of baptism and confirmation. This gives parents and families the opportunity to talk to their children about their baptism and upcoming confirmation. We must not segregate our children from the major rituals and celebrations of the Church. The worship of the People of God is for the whole people of God.
See you in Church, APUMC!
Pastor Carl