by Sally Carey

Image by: GBGM Mission News

Attending my childhood church home (Christ Church, UMC) on Pentecost Sunday was a gift to my soul. The church is a 'downtown' church in the center of Glens Falls, a small northern New York city. It is a blessing to be in this nurturing church community as an adult. There are many reminders of my younger days. I sat with my parents' friend who had recently lost her husband. But there were new things as well - new people sharing worship with several people whom I remember from my youth, but, I notice today, especially, two big, bold red banners proclaiming Pentecost.

The pastor, Rev Henry Frueh is a gentle, quiet spoken pastor who invites the children to join him near the front pews of the sancutary. The children almost run to join him. They gather on the floor in anticipation of another great story.

Rev Frueh told the children who came forward that he was going to lead them on a search to find Jesus. Certainly He was here in the sanctuary. They looked under the pews, in the choir loft, behind the organ, under the piano cover – even asked a man who was almost 100 years old if he had seen Jesus. The children looked on the altar, at the foot of the cross – all over. They didn’t see Jesus.

Then Rev Frueh told the children about the first Pentecost – when people were gathered from all over and the Holy Spirit came to them.

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

As he finished speaking with the children (and the adults) he said that the Holy Spirit is wherever the church is doing God’s work. When Jesus was in human form, he did miraculous things, telling about God’s love, helping those who needed some help. Now it is the Holy Spirit that guides us to do work in the name of Christ for each other.

As UMCOR helps after disasters, as a Volunteer in Mission assists in the rebuilding of a church, as a missionary listens to a person in pain, as we extend our hands in friendship to those who seem different from us, as a United Methodist church pledges support to a missionary, as we welcome patients to a health clinic, God sends the Holy Spirit to give us support and love.

We rejoice in the presence of the Holy Spirit and pray that the church, through GBGM and each of us, continues to do God's will.

Sally Carey is Content Manager of the GBGM website.

	See Also... Topic: Children |  Christian love |  Special Sundays |  Geographic Region: World |  Source: United Methodist Churches
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Date posted: Jun 09, 2003