Most people know the story of Jesus’ birth and enjoy all the special family time around Christmas. Most people understand that Easter has something to do with Jesus and everyone enjoys Spring sunshine and lots of chocolate. But Pentecost is simply a free day for most. If you were to ask the man on the street, they would not know what it is for.
A man that I read the Bible with - he is an atheist but willing to listen to what is in the Bible - even laughs at his colleagues on this day. He understands that most are religious in tradition but not in practice. So he told them that Pentecost is the celebration of Jesus’ father, Joseph. "Joseph, as we all know”, he would say, “was a carpenter. That is why we all head down to the IKEA on this day.”
For the congregations in the Netherlands and Belgium the second day of Pentecost is a perfect opportunity to get together as family and encourage one another. Everyone has the day free. We meet at the building of the congregation in The Hague for a day of fellowship, song and lessons from the word of God. This year we will be joined by Ukrainian brothers and sisters.
We are planning a hybrid gathering so that we can meet in person but make the day available for those who would like to join in online. We meet from 10am - 3pm (4am - 11am EST), so if you are interested (and out of bed at that time), you could jump in for some of the singing or lessons as well. Let us know and we can send you the link.
Pentecost was a feast of first fruits. This is why God has the church beginning on this very day. We are the first fruits. God is working in our lives, filing us with His Holy Spirit. It is the fruits of the Spirit which are so important in our daily lives. You may not have a free day on Monday, June 6, but we pray that you are filled with the Spirit every day.
No comments:
Post a Comment