When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place.
And suddenly from 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 2:1-4

Each year the Church remembers the beautiful Acts 2 account of Pentecost. The early church was gathered together, worshipping and working to live into the community that Jesus taught them to be. No doubt there were arguments already brewing, of course. Who is included in the followers of Jesus? Do you have to be Jewish first like Jesus was? Can Gentiles be a part of the church without following specific dietary laws?

Humans are going to argue, aren't they? 
 
Suddenly a mighty rush of wind descended upon the gathered people as the Holy Spirit filled, enlightened, and encouraged the early Christian community. Peter preached a prophetic word remembering the prophet Joel, and the church – led by the Holy Spirit – was born. It was an event powerful enough that we continue to celebrate it in 2023.  

To imagine the church gathered together and listening to the Spirit in unity is an encouraging image; alas, it feels strange to think about unity right now as the United Methodist Church is fracturing. Last weekend, your Saint John’s annual conference delegation attended a special called conference where 33 churches from the Río Texas annual conference completed the steps to disaffiliate. When all is said and done, likely over 100 churches from our conference will leave the denomination. Of these disaffiliations, many will join the more conservative Global Methodist Church denomination, and some will become independent.

I've said before – I have mixed feelings about this season. I feel sadness and loss for the people whose churches are leaving the UMC – those folks are seeing a fundamental shift at the churches where they worshiped for years. Churches which were United now have a vote has made them untied.  
 
Yet, I also feel that if staying together means our LGBTQ+ members are treated unjustly – it wasn’t unity to begin with anyway. I continue to advocate for our gay and lesbian members to be granted full participation in our denomination.  
 
If Pentecost teaches us anything, it’s that the whole gathered church was blessed by the Holy Spirit. Not only those who were arguing for circumcision or against dietary laws. Not only the Gentiles. Everybody. All of them. 

Oh, how I continue to long for and work toward our denomination to include everyone. Until that day, Pentecost reminds me that the Holy Spirit already includes everyone and that the Spirit is still moving in the Church today. 
 
I’ll see you Sunday in worship. 

Rev. Hilary Marchbanks, Senior Pastor