It’s the season after Pentecost and it’s 26 weeks long.  If you’re counting…that is half the year.  Even in my world were time seems to fly, that is a long time!  What is this season of Pentecost?  What does it mean?

Unlike the rest of the year, we’re not getting ready for Jesus to be born or for Jesus to die.  We’re not celebrating God with us as a baby or the resurrection of Jesus the Christ.  We’re not necessarily celebrating or waiting for anything, but during this season of Pentecost, we called to live out all that Jesus is, has been and will be in this world.  We are called to be the church…the gathered people of God!

Acts 2 gives us our first look at the church.  “All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need. Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.”

Community sharing, fellowship, potlucks, worship, and joy, much joy.  This is the church.  The church is a people, not a place.  The church is active and moving, not stagnant nor still.  The church is responsive to all that God has done.  Pentecost is a time when we respond to the stories we have heard for the past half a year.  It’s a time when we actively live out what God has taught us through Jesus Christ.

At Peace, we have so many opportunities to live out our faith over the next 26 weeks.  As we collect food and shoes and school supplies for those in need, we are being the church.  As we worship in the park and share a potluck lunch together, we are being the church.  As we attend summer camp or synod assembly, we are being the church.  We are living out God’s generosity and love in our lives.

We are God’s chosen people called to be God’s hands and feet in this world.  We are called to bring light to dark places and joy to places of sadness and sorrow.  How will you be the church these next 26 weeks?

With joy,

Pastor Dawn

“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”   1 Peter 2:9-10