Pastoral Reflection
Yesterday was Pentecost Sunday! Our worship space at Evergreen Presbyterian Church was filled with the color red, and it was inspiring to reflect on the Spirit's outpouring on the Church.
In preparing for my message, I was reminded that the origin of Pentecost was really the Jewish holiday "Shavuot,", the "Feast of Weeks" with an emphasis on the giving of the Torah at Mt. Sinai and the story of Ruth.
The celebration marks fifty days since Passover. And while Passover is a celebration which looks back and remembers God's deliverance, Shavuot is a celebration which looks forward and is a call to obedience to God's word. The tongues of fire descended with this celebration in a way that was open, overwhelming, and powerful.
It moved me to think about obedience to God's Word and a movement of the Spirit being bound together that day. There's an implication of order and structure, but also a freedom of expression and room for creativity, a powerful conduit for the Spirit's work. And it was a work that gave us the Church, the body of Christ in our midst.
I hope that as the Church, as we pursue a legacy of faithfulness, that we continue to find that crossroads of obedience and empowerment, and that we live into our call to creatively share the Good News with others.
Rev. Jenni Bales
Director of Communications
Presbytery of San Jose