A MESSAGE FROM REV. KAREN KINNEY: CELEBRATING THE BIRTH OF OUR CHURCH
Grace and peace to you,
This Sunday, June 8, we celebrate Pentecost, which is known as the birth of the church! (Read the story at Acts 2:1-22). Why is this church observance so special? And, what is going on with the howling wind, descending doves and flames landing on the disciples’ heads and then them being able to speak in a language not native to them? Sounds confusing and frankly a tad terrifying. I don’t know what I would think about that – it’s all bewildering.
And, yet… can you imagine being a Parthian or a 
Mede or Cappadocian or Egyptian who suddenly hears a Galilean of all people speaking your language, to help you understand just who Jesus and God are? You totally get the good news of the Gospel and now you want to join! You want to belong to this new community of faith that is forming in Jerusalem but soon will pop up all over the geographic area.
If we read further in Acts 2, we discover that about 3,000 were added that day to the already growing community. Listen to what they did: The believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to the community, to their shared meals, and to their prayers. A sense of awe came over everyone. God performed many wonders and signs through the apostles. All the believers were united and shared everything. They would sell pieces of property and possessions and distribute the proceeds to everyone who needed them. Every day, they met together in the temple and ate in their homes. They shared food with gladness and simplicity. They praised God and demonstrated God’s goodness to everyone. The Lord added daily to the community those who were being saved. Acts 2:42-47
In other words, they went out and became the church. They became a community of faith that kept bringing in people because of their fruit of the spirit actions and their inclusive teaching. They committed to being out there as dangerous as it would become. They gave birth to the church.
Guess what?! Their DNA is our DNA – we still have this in us. How will we think about communicating the message of God’s love for all in ways that can be understood? A question to ponder. Come and see, come and explore, come and be.
Don’t forget! Wear your red, orange or yellow or any combination to celebrate the birth of the church!
Blessings,
Pastor Karen