The Epistle - Pentecost
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Transcript of The Epistle - Pentecost
Mission and the Church
epistle What is Pentecost?
living out Pentecost
Mission and the Church
Feasting: worship
Serving: mission
Making: formation
Final Thoughts: Speaking in Tongues
Worship Opportunities
Pentecost is most commonly referred to
as “the birthday of the church”. As de-
scribed in the second chapter of Acts,
Pentecost marks the arrival of the Holy
Spirit and the dawning of a new age of
apostleship.
While the story itself has vivid images,
most notably, the tongues of fire de-
scending and the speaking in many
tongues, Pentecost represents a bold
new chapter in the story in which, not
one, but many are given the responsibil-
ity for God’s mission in the world.
the A seasonal publication of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church
Issue 1.5 in this issue >>>
Every year, we get through the
gloom of Holy Week, and rejoice
at the coming of Easter. And I
certainly felt that way this time.
But it came to me when I noticed
a theme in the Easter gospels that
didn’t work with the way we nor-
mally celebrate. It was this: the
risen Christ doesn’t let up.
Jesus is tough throughout the
gospels, constantly telling his fol-
lowers and groupies that they
need to change, that big things
are coming. Then, during Holy
Week, we think they’ve arrived.
The big things are done. Now it
is time to kick back and party!
But the Jesus that comes to that
upper room doesn’t relax. He
doesn’t pass out the drinks and
turn up the music. Instead, He
tells them that it is now their turn.
All through Easter, we have been
going through the expectations
Jesus has for His disciples. Much
of it coming from Maundy Thurs-
Pentecost
Continued on page 2
You mean, it isn’t just
about believing, but
we actually have to
do work?
his year, as we have gone through Holy Week and Easter, I have come to see the seasons in a new light. No doubt you know the experience of doing the same thing again, only to find
that this time was different. You see something you never have be-fore. For me, this happened in Easter.
T
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The Epistle
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church
115 N. Sixth St. St. Clair, MI 48079
T: 810.329.3821 F: 810.329.1166
stpaulstclair.org @StPaulStClair
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Rev. Drew Downs
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Phillip Lundman
To have a submission considered for the upcoming issue of the Epistle, please contact
Rev. Drew at [email protected]
Or call 810.329.3821
Next issue: July 17, 2013 Submissions for this edition are due
by June 30, 2013
Supporting St. Paul’s
Ask us about the many ways of giving: pre-authorized giving, weekly envelopes, offer-ings at services, annual gifts and bequests.
Drop by/Mail in:
PO Box 161 115 N. Sixth St
St. Clair, MI 48079
Call: 810.329.3821
Church holidays are known as “Feasts”. This season is kicked off
with two of the seven principal feasts in the church.
Pentecost and Trinity Sunday Fifty days after Easter begins, we come to Pentecost and the arri-
val of the Holy Spirit. The following Sunday, we celebrate Trini-
ty Sunday. As principal feasts, we are to mark and celebrate
these days as special. At our 10:00 service, we will chant Eucha-
ristic Prayer D, our oldest and most ecumenical prayer form.
Our Pentecost collection On Pentecost, we will collect for two of the mission opportuni-
ties in the Diocese with our friends in South Dakota and the Do-
minican Republic. This special collection is one reflection of our
participation in mission. The other is in our increased awareness
and participation in the wider community and diocese to aid oth-
ers in common mission. Please consider being a local contact for
Mission Council.
Continued from page 1
worship >>>
Feasting Celebrating in community
day, the day Jesus gives His
last teachings before the cruci-
fixion. And in these teachings,
we have heard a recurring
command to love and to em-
body the very nature of GOD.
It seems, then, that we misun-
derstand what is great about
this party we call Easter, for it
is the dawning of a new age.
An age in which the Para-
clete, the Holy Spirit joins
with us in holy mission.
Pentecost is my favorite feast
day of the church. I have
come to believe that you can’t
really love Christ without get-
ting excited for Pentecost. For
this reason: it’s about GOD
and us. It isn’t about all the
other stuff. It is about our rela-
tionship with the divine. And
more. It is about trust. GOD’s
trust in us that we are up to the
challenge.
It is a blessing to be at St.
Paul’s with this group of won-
derful Christians, seeking
Christ in one another and do-
ing GOD’s work here in St.
Clair.
And it is a blessing to be part
of fulfilling GOD’s mission in
the world. A mission that was
made manifest in tongues of
fire and continues to be made
manifest in sorting cans and
sharing food.
The Rev. Drew Downs
3
mission >>>
formation >>>
Church Leadership
WARDENS
Sally Beck Myron Kubbe
VESTRY
Al Barnes Jacquie Ebelt
Cortney Paddock Ken Rands
Michelle Weaver
ALTAR GUILD
Peg Lozen Pat McNamara
BUILDINGS & GROUNDS
Tom Jubb
CARE/SHARE
Cortney Paddock
CHILDREN’S FORMATION
Jacquie Ebelt
THRIFT SHOP
Jackie Rands
TREASURER
Michelle Weaver
ORGANIST
Carrie Stewart-Gulan
RECTOR
The Rev. Drew Downs
Saving lives with pop cans Our Spiritual Care Share Ministry is collecting returnable cans
and bottles as a fundraiser for Nets for Life, a ministry through
Episcopal Relief and Development that gives mosquito nets and
training to those in our global community that are most effected
by insect-born diseases. We surpassed the goal of 12 mosquito
nets this year, and are onto more. Please bring in your returnables!
A Special Convention and Art Fair June will be a busy month at St. Paul’s as the Diocese of Eastern
Michigan has called a special convention June 8 to take up new
canons: four years’ work culminating in revisions that will make
our diocese more flexible and responsive to mission. And join us
at the Art Fair on Saturday, June 29. We will have a booth with
our famous bean bag toss and will have fun by the water!
Serving Participating in God’s mission
Making Creating opportunities for the Holy Spirit
In Pentecost, we are given the gift of the Holy Spirit, a wild, un-
tamed wind that blows us over and moves us, whether or not we
wish it would. Join us in the coming weeks to see where you are
being moved.
Basics of Faith Our main formation offering, Basics will gather through June on
the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays at 6:30 pm. Please join us!
1st & 3rd Wednesdays at 6:30 pm -The Living Room
Bible Study Each Sunday, we gather between the services to explore the story
of Scripture.
Sundays at 9:15 am -The Living Room
Reflections posted at spbiblestudy.wordpress.com
Newcomers Class We currently offer a newcomers class on the first Sunday of the
month for those new to the faith, looking to join, or hoping to be
confirmed.
1st Sundays, after the 10:00 service -The Office
4
In the Pentecost story, we have these two great references to
tongues. One is spectacularly visual and the other is spectacularly
audible. As visual people, we could be forgiven if we were over-
whelmed by the idea of tongues of fire descending. The other should
be much more striking to us.
The other is that the disciples are given the ability to speak the gos-
pel so that it might be heard by those around them, speaking in many
languages. What should be striking is not that it happened or even
how. But in the what. They spoke and were heard, like there was
some divine translator doing the hard work for them. That the gospel
could be heard by anyone and everyone, without regard to our tal-
ents is alarming and exciting. That we often try to speak for the gos-
pel to people who don’t need the translation means that maybe we
need to find a way to put the divine translator to work.
Speaking in Tongues
In The Next Issue
Who is St. Paul?
It is not just about speaking, but being heard
thoughts... final
Contact us at 810.329.3821 stpaulstclair.org
coming soon >>>
PENTECOST 5/19 8:00 am & 10:00 am
TRINITY SUNDAY 5/26 8:00 am & 10:00 am
PROPER 4 6/2 8:00 am & 10:00 am
PROPER 5 6/9
8:00 am & 10:00 am
PROPER 6 6/16 8:00 am & 10:00 am
PROPER 7 6/23 8:00 am & 10:00 am
PROPER 8 6/30 8:00 am & 10:00 am
Worship Opportunities After Pentecost
Visit our Facebook page for more!
www.facebook.com/stpaulstclair
PROPER 9 7/7 8:00 am & 10:00 am
PROPER 10 7/14 8:00 am & 10:00 am
PROPER 11 7/21 8:00 am & 10:00 am
PROPER 12 7/28 8:00 am & 10:00 am
SUMMER SATURDAYS Beginning July 20 at 5:30 pm
A special outdoor alternative service
of table fellowship.