This Sunday, May 23, 2021 is Pentecost! It is the celebration of the descent of the Holy Spirit on the disciples of Jesus after his Ascension.
Around the church you will see signs of this occasion with splashes of red and gold.The fabrics you will see at the front of the sanctuary are the next round of renewed altar fabrics.The ribbon frontal was created by Sally and Martha.Sally also made the pulpit fall, and Martha sewed the burse. And, the bookmarks were originally made by Beryl and refurbished by Cana.
Fr Howie’s vestments will show the eye-catching reds and golds, and traditionally the St. Thomas’s congregation also worn these spirited colors. But, why? For a long time in England, the color worn for this Sunday was white; hence, the term Whitsunday. Red is associated with the heat of energy, passion and love. Red symbolizes immediate action, confidence, courage, and change. Red is the warmest and most dynamic of the colors, and next to luminous gold, it reminds us of flames. With that context for these colors, it makes sense that we associate them with Pentecost. It symbolizes joy and the fire, recalling the fiery tongues that descended upon the Apostles when they received the Holy Spirit.
The festival of Pentecost celebrates the birth of the church. The Holy Spirit came upon the faithful disciples of Jesus to inspire and energize them- and us, in turn. They told the story of what God had done for them in Jesus; they preached, they baptized, they healed, they formed communities, and they invited the world to join them, just as we strive to do. We boldly wear red on this day as an outward sign of the Spirit’s flames warming in all of us: joyfully illuminating, and fueling the greater Glory of God!
Happy Monday family! Pentecost is a Sunday we all look forward to, and this year should be no different. We are celebrating celebrating the descent of the Holy Spirit on the disciples of Jesus. Typically we come together waving streamers, processing, and picnicking in our fun RED clothes.