Dear Friends
On June 8th we celebrate Pentecost, the day when the Holy Spirit came like a rushing wind and set the early followers of Jesus on fire—not with destruction, but with love, courage, and peace. That moment changed everything. It turned a small, frightened group of disciples into bold messengers who shared Jesus’ message with the whole world.
But Pentecost isn’t just something that happened long ago. It still matters today—especially in a world filled with war, hatred, and injustice. When we look at the news, when we hear stories of people suffering, or when we experience conflict in our own lives, we might wonder: Can anything really bring peace? The message of Pentecost answers with a bold yes.
Pentecost is a message for all People. One of the most powerful parts of the Pentecost story is how people from many different countries and languages all heard the message of Jesus in their own language. God didn’t force everyone to speak the same way— God helped everyone understand each other. That’s what peace is really about. Peace isn’t about making everyone the same. It’s about learning to listen and care for one another, even when we’re different. The Holy Spirit brings that kind of peace—the kind that makes strangers into friends and enemies into family.
Real Peace Starts with the Spirit. It doesn’t just mean “no fighting.” Real peace, the kind the Bible calls shalom, means wholeness. It means justice, safety, health, and joy for everyone. It means people being treated fairly, children growing up with hope, and communities working together.
When the Holy Spirit came at Pentecost, it didn’t just give the disciples new languages. It gave them new hearts. Suddenly they were sharing everything they had, feeding the hungry, caring for widows and orphans, and loving people they used to ignore or avoid. That’s what the Spirit does—it changes us from the inside out.
So what about today? The world we live in has many of the same problems as the world the early Christians faced. There’s still poverty, war, racism, greed, and loneliness. People are still divided by politics, class, and fear. But Pentecost reminds us that the Church, the people of God, was made for times like this. We’re not here to hide or escape the world’s problems. We’re here to face them with love, led by the Spirit. That means standing up for what’s right, helping those in need, forgiving others, and building bridges between people who don’t agree.
So what might it mean to be a “Pentecost Church” in today’s world? Maybe it means we try to be a place of peace—where everyone is welcome, where we listen more than we argue, and where we serve others instead of just thinking about ourselves. Maybe it means we speak up for people who are treated unfairly, even when it’s hard. Maybe it means we build friendships with people who are different from us—different races, cultures, incomes, or backgrounds. Maybe it means we care about people who are hurting, lonely, or forgotten. Maybe it means we pray not just for our own comfort, but for healing in our neighbourhoods, our country, and our world. And maybe we do all this not because we’re perfect or powerful, but because the Holy Spirit is with us—guiding us, comforting us, and giving us strength.
Real peace takes courage. It’s not always easy. Sometimes it’s easier to stay angry or silent. Sometimes it’s easier to avoid people who think differently from us. But the Spirit gives us courage—the same courage that helped Peter preach in front of a huge crowd. The same courage that helped the early Christians stand up to powerful leaders.
The peace Jesus brings is active. It means doing the hard work of forgiving, of listening, of standing up for justice, of simply just being kind in a very unkind world. That’s not weakness, that’s Spirit-powered strength. There’s a beautiful old idea that God’s name is as close as our breath. On Pentecost, the Spirit came like a mighty wind. Every time we take a breath; we’re reminded of that Spirit living inside us. When we’re angry, the Spirit helps us breathe and calm down. When we’re afraid, the Spirit gives us peace and confidence. When we’re unsure what to say, the Spirit gives us the right words. When the world seems hopeless, the Spirit reminds us of God’s promise to make all things new.
Pentecost isn’t just a holiday. It’s a way of life. Every time we choose peace over fighting, kindness over hate, hope over fear—we’re living out the message of Pentecost. We’re letting the Spirit shine through us. So let’s keep asking: What does the Spirit want to do through me today? How can I bring peace to someone’s life? Who can I listen to, forgive, or stand beside?
Because when the Church really lives in the Spirit, the world starts to change. So, may we breathe in that Spirit. May we live with that fire. May we be the Church the world needs—full of peace, full of love, full of God.
Go well
Karen
On June 8th we celebrate Pentecost, the day when the Holy Spirit came like a rushing wind and set the early followers of Jesus on fire—not with destruction, but with love, courage, and peace. That moment changed everything. It turned a small, frightened group of disciples into bold messengers who shared Jesus’ message with the whole world.
But Pentecost isn’t just something that happened long ago. It still matters today—especially in a world filled with war, hatred, and injustice. When we look at the news, when we hear stories of people suffering, or when we experience conflict in our own lives, we might wonder: Can anything really bring peace? The message of Pentecost answers with a bold yes.
Pentecost is a message for all People. One of the most powerful parts of the Pentecost story is how people from many different countries and languages all heard the message of Jesus in their own language. God didn’t force everyone to speak the same way— God helped everyone understand each other. That’s what peace is really about. Peace isn’t about making everyone the same. It’s about learning to listen and care for one another, even when we’re different. The Holy Spirit brings that kind of peace—the kind that makes strangers into friends and enemies into family.
Real Peace Starts with the Spirit. It doesn’t just mean “no fighting.” Real peace, the kind the Bible calls shalom, means wholeness. It means justice, safety, health, and joy for everyone. It means people being treated fairly, children growing up with hope, and communities working together.
When the Holy Spirit came at Pentecost, it didn’t just give the disciples new languages. It gave them new hearts. Suddenly they were sharing everything they had, feeding the hungry, caring for widows and orphans, and loving people they used to ignore or avoid. That’s what the Spirit does—it changes us from the inside out.
So what about today? The world we live in has many of the same problems as the world the early Christians faced. There’s still poverty, war, racism, greed, and loneliness. People are still divided by politics, class, and fear. But Pentecost reminds us that the Church, the people of God, was made for times like this. We’re not here to hide or escape the world’s problems. We’re here to face them with love, led by the Spirit. That means standing up for what’s right, helping those in need, forgiving others, and building bridges between people who don’t agree.
So what might it mean to be a “Pentecost Church” in today’s world? Maybe it means we try to be a place of peace—where everyone is welcome, where we listen more than we argue, and where we serve others instead of just thinking about ourselves. Maybe it means we speak up for people who are treated unfairly, even when it’s hard. Maybe it means we build friendships with people who are different from us—different races, cultures, incomes, or backgrounds. Maybe it means we care about people who are hurting, lonely, or forgotten. Maybe it means we pray not just for our own comfort, but for healing in our neighbourhoods, our country, and our world. And maybe we do all this not because we’re perfect or powerful, but because the Holy Spirit is with us—guiding us, comforting us, and giving us strength.
Real peace takes courage. It’s not always easy. Sometimes it’s easier to stay angry or silent. Sometimes it’s easier to avoid people who think differently from us. But the Spirit gives us courage—the same courage that helped Peter preach in front of a huge crowd. The same courage that helped the early Christians stand up to powerful leaders.
The peace Jesus brings is active. It means doing the hard work of forgiving, of listening, of standing up for justice, of simply just being kind in a very unkind world. That’s not weakness, that’s Spirit-powered strength. There’s a beautiful old idea that God’s name is as close as our breath. On Pentecost, the Spirit came like a mighty wind. Every time we take a breath; we’re reminded of that Spirit living inside us. When we’re angry, the Spirit helps us breathe and calm down. When we’re afraid, the Spirit gives us peace and confidence. When we’re unsure what to say, the Spirit gives us the right words. When the world seems hopeless, the Spirit reminds us of God’s promise to make all things new.
Pentecost isn’t just a holiday. It’s a way of life. Every time we choose peace over fighting, kindness over hate, hope over fear—we’re living out the message of Pentecost. We’re letting the Spirit shine through us. So let’s keep asking: What does the Spirit want to do through me today? How can I bring peace to someone’s life? Who can I listen to, forgive, or stand beside?
Because when the Church really lives in the Spirit, the world starts to change. So, may we breathe in that Spirit. May we live with that fire. May we be the Church the world needs—full of peace, full of love, full of God.
Go well
Karen
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