Plans are coming together for an exciting celebration at a combined 10:30 a.m. worship event on the Day of Pentecost, Sunday, May 20th. Under the guidance of a planning group of the Worship Committee, lots of ideas for both the worship and fellowship following in Memorial Hall have been suggested. And while we are still in the planning stages, we can tell you a bit of what’s in store!
We'll be inside this year. The Cathedral will be well decked out! Red banners to adorn the interior and the young and young at heart will be provided with streamers to wave as we all join a grand procession from the Cathedral to Memorial Hall as worship concludes. The congregation is invited, as are the clergy, to add a dash of red to the Sunday outfit!
A red hot Baked Potato Bar will be set up in the Hall for lunch featuring baked potatoes. The potatoes will be supplied but we'll need contributed dessert items and potato toppings: sour cream to chili and everything in between! Tea, coffee, cold drinks and dessert to round off.
This is a very user friendly time to invite a friend
At worship, a full printed version of the order of service will be provided. This is a very user friendly time to invite a friend! We'll be encouraged to join in song in the diversity of musical styles that are part of a normal Cathedral Sunday. The Gospel will be celebratively proclaimed. A focused teaching will be in a unique style appealing to every age. Pentecost is also a Festival of Baptism, so we'll appropriately have a renewal of the vows of our baptism. We'll break and share the Bread of Life in the Eucharist and the procession ... did we mention the procession?
The Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament), describes Israel's annual celebration of Pentecost (the 50th day after Passover - The Feast of Weeks - 7 x 7 +1 = 50) in celebration of the giving of the Law, the 10 Commandments to Moses on Mount Sinai. Pentecost is the birthday of the Church. The Pentecost recounted in the second chapter of the Acts of the Apostles in the New Testament reports that those gathered for Pentecost that year powerfully received the gift of the Holy Spirit. They spoke in numerous languages and all understood. The appearance of divided tongues of fire rested on them and there was a rush like a mighty wind. There was no doubt for the Galileans gathered there in Jerusalem that the promise of Jesus to send his Spirit as Comforter and Guide had been fulfilled.
Those gathered powerfully received the gift of the Holy Spirit
While most Christians are very conscious of the Christian festivals of Christmas and Easter in the calendar, often Pentecost comes and goes without much thought. Pentecost is one of the seven Principle Christian Feasts, significant landmarks in the unfolding story of Jesus the Christ our Saviour. Can you name the other six?
Combined worship events at the Cathedral are a wonderful opportunity for the whole Cathedral congregation and others, younger and older, to worship together, enjoying a time of fellowship and friendship maintenance. The Day of Pentecost promises to be a day of celebration!
