Filled with the Spirit!
pastor Kathy’s page
Recently, I went to a packed auditorium where everyone was dressed in Red, well at least many were dressed in Red, and the place was filled with excitement! It was the UW Varsity Band Concert at the Kohl Center Madison…Bucky Badger was there, 250 band members, thousands of fans, and an allegiance to the University. Red was the color. The whole space was filled with a spirit….a school spirit.
Before Badger red came into vogue, and school spirit was the excitement of the day, there was red in the Church, especially for the day of Pentecost, where we celebrate the Holy Spirit coming into our lives and being born into the Church.
When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly form 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 1:1-4)
Pentecost Sunday comes on May 23rd this year. It is an exciting time to be the Church as we welcome the Holy Spirit into this place and into our lives. It is life changing when we are led by the Holy Spirit in our lives. Appearing like the rush of a wind, or as divided tongues of fire resting on our shoulder, our entire lives are enveloped in this holiness.
Let us all gather in one space, (Norway Grove Memorial Lutheran Church), on Sunday May 23rd, and wear red to celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit on this incredible day of the Holy Spirit entering into the life of the Church.
In addition to this day being Pentecost, it is also the day where we bless our high School seniors, at the 10:30 Service, as they journey off into the world.
All of May is filled with many wonderful worship events before Pentecost even gets here. On May 2nd, we celebrate Holy Communion with the 3rd graders; on May 9th, it is the final day of Sunday School for the year as well as it being Mother’s Day; May 16th is when we Affirm 11 young people’s faith through the Rite of Confirmation. All of these things happen because the Holy Spirit is here leading and guiding us on in faith and life in the Church.
Summer Worship hours begin on May 30th…..one Service at 9:00 a.m. on Sunday, and one service on Wednesday evening in June and July at 6:30 p.m.
Life indeed goes on in God’s Church, with God’s plan. We are invited to participate fully in this.
It is an important time for all of us to engage fully in the Church so that we are able to continue all of the ministry that God has called us to. Many of you may know that we are experiencing some financial difficulties at this time. I have chosen to extend the 90% pay for my position through the end of June to see if we can somehow turn this situation around. Then we will be in conversation about this topic again. Your input and participation is important for the well-being and ministry of the Church that God has called us to. How is God calling you to promote unity in the Holy Spirit here in this place?
May the Holy Spirit within you shine more brightly than school Spirit shines for the Badgers!
God’s Blessing to you and yours!
pastor Kathy