Thank you to everyone who helped make Pentecost Sunday such a meaningful morning of worship and fellowship together.
We are grateful to Blake for his beautiful solo of “Holy Spirit” by Bryan and Katie Torwalt, to Julian for faithfully leading our hymns, and to Kristi for the moving organ prelude, “The Quest of the Spirit” by David Paxton. Your gifts helped create a spirit of reverence, joy, and reflection throughout the service.
We also celebrate our children’s ministry as the kids learned about Pentecost and created inflatable American flags in recognition of Memorial Day. Thank you to all who continue to invest their time, care, and energy into the life of our church family.
A special moment came at the close of worship when the congregation gathered together for a group photo beneath the stained glass windows. It is beautiful that God continues to bring us together, across generations, as one church family rooted in Christ’s love.
Scripture: Acts 2:1-12 On Pentecost, the followers of Jesus gathered together, waiting and wondering what would come next. In Acts 2, the Holy Spirit arrives like wind and fire, filling ordinary people with courage, clarity, and a message meant for the whole world. Pastor Mary reminded us that the church was born not through human power or perfect understanding, but through God’s Spirit moving among people willing to listen and respond.
This moment in Scripture reminds us that faith is not something we carry alone. The disciples came from uncertainty and fear, yet God met them right where they were and gave them what they needed for the journey ahead. The miracle of Pentecost was not simply that many languages were spoken, but that people from different places and backgrounds could finally hear and understand one another. God’s Spirit created connection where division once existed.
As we continue living into God’s call together, we are reminded that the church is still shaped by the Holy Spirit today. We may not always fully understand where God is leading us, but we trust that God continues to open minds, stir hearts, and guide communities forward in love. Pentecost invites us to believe that God still works through ordinary people, still brings hope into uncertain places, and still calls us to share Christ’s love with the world.
Take Time to Reflect
Where have you experienced God giving you courage when you felt uncertain?
How might the Holy Spirit be calling us to listen more deeply to one another?
What would it look like for us to trust God’s movement in our daily lives?
Acts 2:1-12 New International Version The Holy Spirit Comes at Pentecost 2 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues[a] as the Spirit enabled them.
5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. 7 Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? 9 Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,[b] 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” 12 Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?”
In Luke 24, we hear a powerful yet often overlooked truth: “He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.” After the resurrection, Jesus spent time with ordinary people, fishermen, tax collectors, and laborers, who struggled to fully grasp who He was and what God was doing. Like them, we often long for immediate answers, relief, and clarity in uncertain times.
The ascension reminds us that Jesus’ physical departure was not abandonment, but preparation. The mission would now continue through His followers, empowered by the Holy Spirit. They were called to witness, to share, and to live out God’s love in the world. We are those witnesses now. We are Easter people, filled with the Holy Spirit and called to carry the story of God’s love into the world around us.
Join us this Sunday at 11 am as we explore the question, “Can You Believe This?” Our sacred text this week is Acts 2:1-13, the story of Pentecost. I pray that you can join us in person or online at saintmatthewumc.com. Service begins at 11 am, with breakfast at 10:30 am. It is our turn to supply the food, and we hope you will come share in fellowship together.
Upcoming events:
May 24th: Pentecost Sunday. Wear your red as we celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit and the birth of the Church.
May 31st: Lift Every Voice Sunday. We will spend the entire worship service singing your favorite hymns along with some of the newer praise and worship songs we have been learning together.
June 7th: Bring a Friend to Church Day Invite your neighbors, friends, coworkers, or anyone looking for a place of belonging. Following worship, we will gather for a cookout and fellowship together. Everyone is welcome.
There is something special about gathering together in worship, sharing meals, lifting our voices in song, and walking through life side by side.
As we prepare for Pentecost Sunday, we give thanks for the many ways God continues to move through our church family. From heartfelt worship and meaningful conversations to acts of kindness and shared fellowship, we are reminded that the Holy Spirit continues to shape us into a community rooted in love and belonging.
We look forward to worshiping with you this Sunday at 11 am. Don’t forget to wear red as we celebrate Pentecost together!
