I wrote this for the May edition of The Link, Hanslope & Castlethorpe’s monthly church magazine. As it is seasonally appropriate, I thought I would share it with all of you now.
Happy Birthday to us!
Happy Birthday to us!
Happy Birthday, dear church!
Happy Birthday to us!
Pentecost is the Birthday of the church and we will celebrate it in church on the 11th of May. Pentecost is one of my favorite days of the church year; after all I always like a good Birthday party. Pentecost marks the end of the Easter season, the gift of the Holy Spirit and the birth of the church.
The story of Pentecost is told in the book of Acts. It tells of the disciples being sad together because Jesus had gone and they missed their friend. They knew they wouldn’t see him again on this side of heaven.
These friends of Jesus gathered to pray together to God when they were surprised by the extraordinary. Suddenly the room filled with the sound of a great rushing wind. It was bright and everywhere they looked they could see what looked like flames of light resting on each other’s heads.
They were then even more surprised that they were speaking and praising God in different languages; languages that they had never spoken before. They were no longer afraid or sad; they were filled with joy and happiness. They rushed out into the street praising God in the different languages they were speaking.
The gift of the God’s Holy Spirit made this miracle possible. That same gift of God’s Holy Sprit assures us that God is with us, through the Holy Spirit, here and now. The miracle of Pentecost began in one small back room but it gave birth to the church, which today still speaks a myriad of languages in praise of God.
On Pentecost you might think of sticking a candle in a piece of cake, singing Happy Birthday to the church, and remembering the gift of the Holy Spirit’s presence with us, which came as wind and light, as you blow out the candle. Happy Birthday, dear church!
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