There was such relief when a baby is born; I fear more so from Mum’s than Dad’s. But what follows is never really one anyone could prepare for. Yes, we can buy things for the room at home, but babies seem to transform everything they touch. What usually happens afterwards is a dynamic revealing of life in ways we could never predict.
I do know that the first 18 years are the cheapest…
I want also to talk about another wonder of the cosmos. In our exploration of Genesis we will have discussed the creation of the universe. There was nothing and then life started, which is a brief synopsis of the first creation myth. According to scientists, there was the Big Bang: a huge singular explosion from which such energy was dissipated that, upon cooling, stars were created, from which planets were formed, and then life. Stars flung out in all directions and from that the message of universe started to propagate.
Today is Pentecost.
This is the festival celebrated 50 days after the Passover. It is a time at the end of the Spring Harvest when all could celebrate: all your children, all your servants, the immigrants, the orphans and the widows – according to Deut 16:11.
We have celebrated Christmas, then Easter and now Pentecost. For the followers of Jesus: the birth is important as the divine is of human form on Earth; his death is important as it broke the bounds of Roman authority, God was supreme in all things; and Pentecost is that moment when the groups of followers, in those early days, exploded, propagated across Galilee, Syria, Turkey, Rome, North Africa, India and Europe. Belief in Christ exploded exponentially.
Like birth, there is so much of life yet to come, which we are unable to predict. Like the Big Bang, from that moment, so much has happened and can continue to happen as the universe evolves. The church is standing looking back at the origins of Pentecost and marvelling: it possibly needs to look forward and see what might occur and how it can play its part.
What did this Pentecost with the Spirit mean?
Following Christ meant being liberated from the chaos all around them: the Romans. Recall that chaos was the word to describe the state prior to the earth and Heaven being formed. Chaos was the deep dark waters that could engulf society. Following Christ meant liberation from Babylon, and the power they had over them. Yes, they had military power. It is like someone threatening you, but then we realise that if we don’t engage, their perceived power is removed. Following Christ is being liberated from Rome. Whereas Rome promised death, usually through the cross, to all who denied that Rome had overall power, and that the Emperor was god, Christ rebelled, showing that death had been conquered.
So what do we need liberating from?
The ancient church had to be flexible, not pinned down by institutional and/or traditional demands, but willing to break free. I recall in my training told that all the walls are made of rubber, push on them.
As a church do we know where we are going? Because if we don’t, then therein lies a problem.
Mandy uses a word Coddiwomple, which means to travel purposefully towards a vague destination. It is what we intend to do from August onwards. It will be our raison d’être. Perhaps the Church might also adopt this.
With the Circuit becoming indistinguishable from the District in the future, the role of the Church is so important. We can look back to the festivals of Christmas, Easter and Pentecost, and marvel at what they looked like, or see them as a springboard to what lies ahead for us. Not worrying too much about where exactly we are going, but ensuring that we are following the example of Christ.
“Without Pentecost, we’d just be people who tell Jesus’ story.
Danielle Shoyer
With Pentecost, we’re people who live into Jesus’ story”
There will be a break now from new blog releases until 9th June
The dialogue was very good and I enjoyed it