The Gift of the Holy Spirit
Pentecost, celebrated this year on May 24, is one of the great festival days of the church—a joyful celebration of the Holy Spirit poured out upon the followers of Christ, with tongues of fire and the good news proclaimed for all people. It also marks the close of the Easter season.

In the lesson from Acts, people from many nations were gathered in Jerusalem and each heard Peter’s preaching in their own language—a powerful sign that the Gospel is meant for the whole world. To reflect that beautiful diversity, you are invited to wear ethnic clothing representing the nations gathered together. If you do not have ethnic attire, consider wearing the liturgical color of Pentecost—red—or the colors of flame: red, orange, or yellow.

One of our cherished Pentecost traditions is the reading of Acts in many languages, and we look forward to doing that again this year. Dust off your Danish Bible, find your Latvian or French one, pull out your German or Swahili translation—or any other language you may have—and join in. All languages are read simultaneously, so no one is put “on the spot,” and the result is a wonderful echo of that first Pentecost.

Watch the Sunday Epistle and upcoming sign-up sheets for opportunities to participate.