Coming Up Sunday, May 27

This Sunday is Pentecost, when the church describes the gift of the Holy Spirit described in Acts 2.  On that day, a few weeks after Jesus' resurrection and ascension into heaven, the disciples ventured out of hiding and preached the gospel.  The preaching was so powerful, through the Holy Spirit, that the diverse audience heard the words perfectly, each in their own language.  And some 3000 became Christians that day.

There will be some special things in Sunday's service.  First, everyone is encouraged to wear red -- the color of the Holy Spirit -- to Eastgate that morning.  For my part, I'll be wearing a bright red dress shirt and a red stole over my white robe.  I hope that you'll find shirts, shoes, earrings, scarfs, pins, or other things in bright red too.

There will be a special sermon focusing on the Holy Spirit, drawn especially from the description of the spirit found in the Gospel of John.  In "What is Truth?" (a question also famously asked in John's gospel), drawn from John 16, I will consider the relationship of the spirit of truth and Jesus and the distinctive role that the Holy Spirit plays in our hopes and experiences.

Also, we will collect the Pentecost special offering, which supports New Church Ministry, the planting of new churches and the support and training for pastors who lead new congregations.  This year's theme, "Setting the Table in New Places," allows us to live out the Pentecost experience in spreading the gospel and seeking new converts for Jesus Christ.