What do
Ascension, the day when the church observes Jesus’ ascent up into
heaven, Confirmation when some of our young people confirm that the
faith of their parents and of the church, and Mother’s Day all have in
common?
Well, we celebrate all of them this Sunday!
Sometimes we can get all sorts of things piling up at the same time, but in this case, have a chance to look into heaven with the disciples as Jesus has his transition from this plane to the next, with the reminder he will send the Holy Spirit, the Comfortor, the Advocate to them… and to us. We also mark with our confirmation class their growing into the faith they have been reared within; please plan to remain for a refreshment time celebrating this step in their lives. And, of course, it would be a nice thought (at least to the interim minister!) to take Mom to church before heading off to your other plans.
Sort of like the other big thing this time of year, graduations, Ascension and Confirmation are times of transition, of marking the end of one experience and the beginning of another one. Many times we have mixed feelings about those transitions. We are excited to start something new, but we realize we are leaving some things and some people. We are excited, yet we can dread the unknown. We are happy, but sometimes ambivalent. Such is life. Such is growth. Such are transitions. Thinking of those boundary-crossing moments in our lives can also get us in touch with the way the disciples felt as Jesus departed, even when he promised the Spirit for next week, Pentecost. “Wow, look at that!” gets mixed up with, “uh, he’s really going.” Like the audience at graduation, we are grinning at the accomplishment, yet also feeling a twinge of sadness that things won’t be the same from now on. The perspective of faith reminds us that the ambivalence is all under the category of “celebration,” of anticipation more than loss, of going forward and not looking back too much.
Jesus goes up, our youth step up, and our moms help us grow up. Come join the celebrations this Sunday. And bring someone with you to enjoy it, too!
For the next act, Pentecost next week, May 19, please bring windchimes to jingle during the service when we hear the scriptures say “Spirit,” and wear flame-bright reds and oranges and magentas in your wardrobe to “get into the Spirit” of Pentecost.
In Christ,
David
Please sign up for one of the small, informal conversations during May and early June for people to share their experiences of this church over the years (not just in the past three) so I can understand the landscape and history. Either email the church at office@fccithaca.org, sign up on our website fccithaca.org, call the church office at 607-257-6033, or sign up outside the church library and sanctuary on one of the many clipboards. I look forward to seeing as many of you as possible!
Texts For Sunday Worship:
New Testament Acts 1:1-11
Epistles Ephesians 1:15-23
Gospels Luke 24:44-53
Well, we celebrate all of them this Sunday!
Sometimes we can get all sorts of things piling up at the same time, but in this case, have a chance to look into heaven with the disciples as Jesus has his transition from this plane to the next, with the reminder he will send the Holy Spirit, the Comfortor, the Advocate to them… and to us. We also mark with our confirmation class their growing into the faith they have been reared within; please plan to remain for a refreshment time celebrating this step in their lives. And, of course, it would be a nice thought (at least to the interim minister!) to take Mom to church before heading off to your other plans.
Sort of like the other big thing this time of year, graduations, Ascension and Confirmation are times of transition, of marking the end of one experience and the beginning of another one. Many times we have mixed feelings about those transitions. We are excited to start something new, but we realize we are leaving some things and some people. We are excited, yet we can dread the unknown. We are happy, but sometimes ambivalent. Such is life. Such is growth. Such are transitions. Thinking of those boundary-crossing moments in our lives can also get us in touch with the way the disciples felt as Jesus departed, even when he promised the Spirit for next week, Pentecost. “Wow, look at that!” gets mixed up with, “uh, he’s really going.” Like the audience at graduation, we are grinning at the accomplishment, yet also feeling a twinge of sadness that things won’t be the same from now on. The perspective of faith reminds us that the ambivalence is all under the category of “celebration,” of anticipation more than loss, of going forward and not looking back too much.
Jesus goes up, our youth step up, and our moms help us grow up. Come join the celebrations this Sunday. And bring someone with you to enjoy it, too!
For the next act, Pentecost next week, May 19, please bring windchimes to jingle during the service when we hear the scriptures say “Spirit,” and wear flame-bright reds and oranges and magentas in your wardrobe to “get into the Spirit” of Pentecost.
In Christ,
David
Please sign up for one of the small, informal conversations during May and early June for people to share their experiences of this church over the years (not just in the past three) so I can understand the landscape and history. Either email the church at office@fccithaca.org, sign up on our website fccithaca.org, call the church office at 607-257-6033, or sign up outside the church library and sanctuary on one of the many clipboards. I look forward to seeing as many of you as possible!
Texts For Sunday Worship:
New Testament Acts 1:1-11
Epistles Ephesians 1:15-23
Gospels Luke 24:44-53
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