This Sunday will be another Sunday to celebrate and give thanks for God’s benevolence. First, this is Pentecost Sunday when we pause to celebrate the gift of the Holy Spirit. The disciples were gathered when suddenly they became aware of the movement of God’s Spirit in their midst in a rushing wind and “tongues of fire.”
For Hyde Park Community UMC, this is also our Legacy Sunday when we pause to celebrate our beneficent God whose Spirit moved among the generations before us. Many were stirred to generosity toward our church Endowment Fund to secure the future ministry and mission of this church.
The Spirit of God and the resources of God’s inspired people are shaping and equipping us today to be a church whose people have a clear mission. We are to spend ourselves to share God’s love with ALL people. Through generations past who had a vision for continued ministry and mission, and we who are members today, God is providing what we need to be God’s love to all.
Artist Scott Erickson’s artwork that is our backdrop for this week bears the title, “Given.” Writing about God’s Spirit given to the disciples who were trying to find their way after Jesus appeared to have left them, Erickson writes: “The followers were given what they needed to accomplish what they were being asked to do.” The generosity of God provides so we also may live faithful and meaningful lives; to do what we are being asked to do.
This Sunday we will look at many examples of how Hyde Park Community UMC is finding ways to use “all that we are and all that we have” (I Chronicles 29), including the HPCUMC Endowment, to change lives.
We have an exciting calling to fulfill and an amazing story to tell. As the disciples at that first Pentecost, we are given what we need (the Holy Spirit and our abundant resources) to do what we are being asked to do. We are blessed with resources to BE God’s love. Come and see many of the ways we are doing so.
Blessings,
Michael