Sunday is the Day of Pentecost, the day of the holy spirit, the birthday of the Church, the upsetting, world-spinning day of Christian mystery.

For the most part, the holy spirit is quiet and controlled in our Lutheran tradition. We like it that way. Our routines tend to be cerebral and orderly. We, along with most of our peer

churches–Episcopal, Presbyterian, UCC, etc.–are Christians who do “the right thing”. We trust in constitutions and bylaws and conduct predictable services and programs. For us, and for others like us, the spirit moves in the word of God, that’s why we sit every Sunday to hear it and stand to receive Christ in the reading of the Gospel. The spirit is alive in the sacraments, in the Sunday morning assembly itself, in the grace of everyday surprises and chores, in ethical decisions, and in the hope we have in our hearts. Sunday we will witness the baptism of Genevieve Reepmeyer. This sacrament is the chief illustration of the way in which our congregation is spirit-filled. The baptism will be at the beginning of the service. I hope you will come and witness the spiritual rebirth of a child in the water and the word.

During the prayers of the day we will hold up the millions of “Pentecostal” Christians who practice a hotter and livelier kind of Christian community life. Pentecostal and Holiness churches try to allow the holy spirit free movement in their assemblies through passionate preaching, extemporaneous testimony and physical movement. When we pray for Pentecostal Churches we are recognizing a segment of the Christian world quite different from our own. The spirit moves in different ways among our sisters and brothers in other places.

The children will sing. Thank you to Kathryn who has been working with them during the Sunday school hour.

The choir practices at 8:45 am.

It’s the end of the Sunday school year. During the Sunday school hour the children will work on a banner that will be carried in the Wayland parade on Saturday, June 14. Parents and adults are welcome to help!  Bring a picnic lunch.

The confirmation students will plant the sunflowers that Joanna Flies started for us. They look healthy and ready to blast up out of our little garden plot.