Pentecost

When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability. (Acts 2:1-4)

Friends,
Sunday, May 20, is celebrated in the Christian Church as the day of Pentecost. It observes the Day the Holy Spirit appeared to Jesus’ disciples and followers. It is often considered the birthday of the Christian Church.

The word ‘Pentecost’ comes from…

Jesus Come To Us

“If we receive human testimony, the testimony of God is greater; for this is the testimony
of God that he has testified to his Son. Those who believe in the Son of God have the testimony in their hearts.”
1 John 5:9-10

Friends in Christ,

If you look at the passage above, you will see the word ‘testimony’ is used 5 times in these two verses.

The word comes from a Greek word, martureia. From this word we get our word martyr. In English, martyr is a person who suffers for a belief.

However, the word was understood as ‘witness’ in the Greek.

May The Fourth Be With You

For whatever is born of God conquers the world. And this is the victory that conquers the world, our faith. Who is it that conquers the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
1 John 5:4-5

Friends,
I write this on May 4 th which is also known as Star Wars Day. It was on this day in 1977 that the movie ‘Star Wars’ was released. If you haven’t seen the movie, it is about the rebels, led by a farm boy, a princess and a swashbuckling smuggler, overcoming the evil forces of the empire. Actually, if you haven’t seen the movie, I am shocked.

Remain

Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing.
John 15:4-5

Dear Friends,
My first congregation was outside Yakima, Washington located on the Yakima Indian Reservation in a small town named Wapato. The name means ‘big potato’ in the local Native American dialect.

The area’s main industry…