Is it Pentecost?
If you browse the online resources in search of help for Sunday’s service, you’ll notice that in America it is also Mother’s Day! In fact on some of the usually great web sites I regularly check on, you wouldn’t know it was Pentecost this week. It’s a tough call, I suppose. Do you celebrate the gift of the Spirit or your mum? You risk either alienating your congregation or leaving them in their fears and ignorance of the Holy Spirit. Thankfully, we don’t have that problem in the UK.
With the aid of the Google translator, I put together this image to capture the idea that the Holy Spirit empowers a community that embraces diversity, cutting through all human barriers. The days of Babel are over. All that divides humans; our culture and background, wealth and poverty, are blown away in “a violent wind”. And so you should be able to tell it’s Pentecost!
Based on this week’s lectionary bible reading in Acts 2.
Appologies to anyone for whom Google translator gets it wrong!
Of course, she says with great mischief, you could explore the feminine aspects of Spirit and so link with the USA mother’s day… But maybe you’d like to keep your job?!
Yes, I like it. This is something I have dropped into the odd sermon here and there, but making it the central focus of Pentecost would be quite bold.