Pentecost Hymn Festival

This Sunday marks the great day of Pentecost. On Easter, Jesus rose with a mighty earthquake and with a stone that declared, “let’s roll.” Fifty days later on Pentecost, God shook the ground again, this time beneath his followers and said, “let’s roll.” God’s people were stirred up with passion, resolve and unity. You can hear in Peter’s Pentecost sermon echoes of the Jesus’ victory cry, “let’s roll!” This is Jesus’ cry for his church today. It’s the call of the Holy Spirit kindling revival in us.

At St. John’s, we try never to let the joy of one of the church’s great festivals go unopened. Pentecost is a time to let God “shake the house” with all his power and goodness. This year we’ve planned a hymn festival for our Sunday morning celebrations. We will Meet Jesus and Experience the support of a Church with music from a variety of traditions and cultures fitting of Pentecost’s global spirit. God’s word will roll into the room with sacred hymns, psalms and spiritual songs blowing the wind of the Spirit over us all. We’ll be led by a host of musicians and singers that will provide the inspirational background for God’s Word and Spirit to reignite our passion, resolve and unity as followers of Jesus and as his Church together.  I’m energized by the plans we have for this Sunday. It will serve us well as we voice the victory cry of Pentecost, “let’s roll!”

Our Advent/Christmas season began the new church year with a particularly joyful hymn, “These are the Days of Elijah.” It makes a climatic return on this Sunday where we raise up our creedal cry, “Jesus will come again!” How can we say that in our creeds with even a hint of complacency? We’re not simply waiting for his return; we’re called to bring it on! These are the days! Jesus’ last words were, “Go, make disciples!” Perhaps they would ring stronger in our hearts and ears if we translated them, “let’s roll!”

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