Pentecost daybook, 6: one body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all
My Pentecost daybook for these 8 days of celebrating (today through Trinity Sunday next week).
Join me, won't you? (see all Pentecost Daybook 2016 posts here)
look
Boat race in India - source
read
Ephesians 4:1-6:
I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
all readings for the day: Psalm 8; Proverbs 3:19-26; Ephesians 4:1-6
pray
Almighty God, on this day you opened the way of eternal life to every race and nation by the promised gift of your Holy Spirit: Shed abroad this gift throughout the world by the preaching of the Gospel, that it may reach to the ends of the earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (source)
listen
My Pentecost playlist on Spotify.
do
Photo credit: Erica Jarrett, from her Epiphany guest post
At the Ascension Jesus gave us, his followers, a great task -- to go to all the world, proclaiming with our lives and words the Gospel to all people, everywhere. At Pentecost, He empowered with His own Spirit to accomplish this task. At Pentecost, we get to act out with our everyday lives what the Holy Family embodied at Epiphany, the good news that the gift of Christ is for all people. All of the longing, doubt, grief, and the sins of the world we held up in the dark nights of Advent and Lent, all of the bright hope and relief that resurrected to life with the Risen Christ is channeled into this great movement of Spirit and Church at Pentecost.
The movement of Pentecost is lit for outward projection, the great current of Spirit moves us toward all people, in every nation, everywhere. Some of us send, some of us go, and all of us move toward the peoples of all nations. This is is - our one task, our one job until we are reunited with Christ.
Consider with your friends and families how best to move toward the foreigner in your midst. For the rest of the week, I'll share a few ideas here (thanks to Jessica Snell for ideas shared in Let Us Keep the Feast: Living the Church Year at Home)
Call a local office that settles refugees, and see what opportunities you have to serve newcomers or donate supplies. (For those in Austin, here are a couple of options: Refugee Services of Texas & Caritas of Austin)
Invite an international student from a local university to your home for a meal. If you don't know any personally, many campuses have para-church ministries geared towards international students who should be able to make introductions for you. (In Austin: AustinBridges.com , Bridges International)