Pentecost . . . Come, Holy Spirit!

Post date: May 29, 2020 3:29:35 PM

Dear Middletown Reformed Church Family Member,

Grace and peace to you.

Here is the link for today’s devotion. It is a reading of something I wrote to you all in May 2018 and it seemed appropriate to share again with you this May 2020.

https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/6-tlP-D-0VtJfM_qsmjbVfYFOdrOT6a813IbrvReyB3ZtF-qiyd5bHSBFdI7pnUs Password: 7a?8g@s6 

I hope to see you online this Pentecost Sunday when we will gather at 10:15 AM to check in with one another, and then worship together at 10:30 AM. Judith Daugherty will be playing “Every Time I Feel the Spirit” for our Prelude and “Spirit of God, Descend Upon My Heart” for our Sermon-Prayer-Reflection. We have a special anthem “Kaamulan,” a song in Manobo, the language of the Lumad indigenous people in the southern Philippines. The song is composed and sung by Rev. Goel B. Bagundol, a pastor in the United Church of Christ in the Philippines, a dear friend of Deborah Shields when she worked in that area. Lastly, we have a very special Pentecost Litany called Reversing Babel, adapted from the work of Sharon Veltema. Several of our members will be praying this litany in various languages, evoking a Pentecost-like atmosphere. Since it is Pentecost Sunday, I invite you to wear red, orange, or yellow and have a candle with you for our prayer time.  

It is with joy I anticipate worshiping with you this Pentecost Sunday. And when we do, let us remember to claim our Spirit-filled promise from God. May we prophesy, see visions, and dream the dream of God’s reign. May the Spirit, gentle as a dove, be our comforter. May the Spirit, burn like fire in our lives, giving us a spark of life when we need it. May the Spirit blow through our lives like a mighty wind, and give us breath to face another day to proclaim God’s love and grace. And may the Spirit be boisterous, loud, and unsettling, provoking us to embrace new possibilities. A new wind has been set loose on the earth, giving a fresh breath of hope to all. So breathe easy, breathe deeply . . . you’ve been given new life.

In gratitude for the privilege of being your pastor and the holy call of loving you,

Pastor Trish

We are thankful for those who have sent in their tithes and offerings, and would be grateful for your continued giving — as you are able — in these difficult times. Please send your offering to 121 Kings Highway, Middletown, NJ 07748. Thank you!