The Mosaic

Pentecost and God’s Spirit
Steven Graham

“You know, I have discovered there are only two good reasons why anybody should be here this morning,” said Reverend Johnny Ray Youngblood, pastor of the Saint Paul Community Baptist Church in New York City.

“One is that they may believe in Jesus---and all who do, may I see your hands, that you may witness.” Hundreds of hands push upward. “And the other good reason for folk bein’ here is they lookin’ to believe in somethin’ and everything they got is fallin’ down and crumblin’ around ‘em. And we just wanted you to know you’re in the right place and you’re lookin’ for the right One.” (from his book, Upon This Rock!)

Pentecost will be celebrated this Sunday at Royal Lane. Together we will wear red to be like the flame of God’s spirit! Together we wish to declare that we are here for those lookin’ to believe in somethin’.

The purpose of our being the body of Christ is to sense the sacred around and within us, to share the journey with those who join us along the way, and to seize the moment by choosing and deciding and acting more and more like the Galilean carpenter!

As a fellow struggler I hope you will find strength and reassurance and community and warmth and light for the journey by stepping into the circle of care and concern which is present at Royal Lane. You may be in need of more light for the journey. You may be looking for more warmth along the way. You may be ready to breath deep and take in the freshness of God’s grace to supply the air for which you are gasping.

You may need fellowship with others to know that you are not alone. There may be someone out there who just very well may need you to lighten the load and brighten their experience which has grown weary and dark at the close of the day.

We break into summer with the gift of God’s spirit freely given!