Pentecost Recap; May 15

Pentecost Sunday

My last name is Schut. It’s pronounced skut, though. You probably read it as shutor shoot, though. Am I right? Such a simple name, yet so tricky. On Monday I graduated from seminary. My name was called, I walked across stage, and received my diploma. And they got my name right. It felt good.

Bob invited us to experience Pentecost as God calling our true name. Pentecost Sunday celebrates God’s Spirit being poured out on the first church and “saturating the entire world.” A slight but significant detail in the Pentecost story is that everyone who encountered the disciples on that wonderful day heard them speaking in their own language. Luke, who tells us the story, lists all of the different nationalities that were present twice. He doesn’t want us to miss the fact that each person heard the story of God’s love in their own language. Bob pointed out that Greek and Aramaic were so widely spoken, that those two languages probably would have gotten the message across. But it was God’s desire that each person hear the good news of God’s hope and love in their native tongue. It may not be so far fetched to imagine Chicago, a diverse place and many languages are spoken. English communicates most efficiently, but imagine a crowd of diverse Chicagoans hearing the message in their own tongues. Not only miraculous, but meaningful as well!

God longs for each person to experience His love in particular and intimate ways. God delights so much in knowing your true name. He cares deeply about the details of your life, and invites you to experience the good news of hope and love wherever you are.

Communion Song: “Presence of the Lord” Eric Clapton

Prayer

• We pray this morning for an end to the violence done against women and girls in Chicago and around the world.
• We continue to lift up Andrew and Amy Fields as they continue to seek a new ministry and home.
• Open our ears to hear your word and draw us closer to you that the whole world may be one with you as you are one with us in Jesus Christ our Lord.

Announcements

• Volunteers are needed for preparing dinner at Breakthrough this Thursday, 6:45-8:30. Email Sarah (sarahelesch@gmail.com) if you’re able to help!
• Stephan Gombis will be with us next Sunday (22nd) during the Sunday School hour (9:30am) for his final lecture on emotion coaching.
• We held a business meeting after church. See Friday’s blog for a summary of that meeting.