Grace Lutheran Church--LCMS

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For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin—because anyone who has died has been set free from sin. Romans 6:5-7

We are well within the season of Pentecost.  Remember that Pentecost came in the shadow of Easter and Ascension. The disciples were wrestling with the betrayal, arrest, and crucifixion of Jesus. Even after his resurrection, as their hope and joy were restored, Jesus ascended into heaven while they remained in Jerusalem in fear, in hiding, unsure of what the future would hold. And in the midst of that fear and uncertainty, the Holy Spirit comes. As we at Grace relish the many changes that have taken place in our sanctuary and narthex, one thing is still a constant, the Holy Spirit is still working in the hearts of those who believe the Gospel. 

This Pentecost season, We give thanks for the Holy Spirit, for the gift of fire - a symbol of past destruction but more so a symbol of the Holy Spirit, baptism and the gift of God's grace in our lives.  God is at work all around us, connecting us to our neighbors, enabling us to be blessings to one another, and making the Holy Spirit known so that we may rejoice in every circumstance. Happy Pentecost, my friends. May your summer be full of your own stories of God showing up in big ways and small, bringing joy forth even from the ashes.