by Jill Fandrich

Sunday, May 19, is Pentecost, the end of the season of Easter which began this year on March 31. Eastertide lasts 50 days, during which liturgical readings and music recall the stories of the risen Jesus. The season of Easter celebrates the promise of resurrection.
 
The season of Easter comes to an end on Pentecost, an end which is actually another beginning. The bible tells us that after appearing to his disciples in the weeks following his resurrection, the risen Jesus ascended directly to heaven, leaving the disciples once again facing the loss of their leader. They were afraid and unsure of what the future would bring. They gathered in locked rooms, awaiting the “helper” that Jesus promised them would come. Pentecost celebrates the arrival of that helper-- the Holy Spirit.
 
Pentecost is sometimes called the birthday of the Christian Church, because it marks the time when Jesus’ disciples went from being a ragtag group of followers to leaders in their own right who would bring God’s message to others.
 
The story of Pentecost is found in the second chapter of the New Testament Book of Acts. The apostles were gathered in a room in Jerusalem in the days following Jesus' ascension, confused and frightened about their future. The story says that as they were gathered, a great wind filled the room, flames rested above their heads, and they began speaking in other languages. But even though they spoke in many languages, everyone could understand each other. The wind and flames represented the coming of the Holy Spirit, and the speaking in “tongues” the power of God to be experienced and heard by all.
 
The mighty rush of wind, the flames, and the speaking in tongues drew a large crowd, many of whom were travelers in Jerusalem for a Jewish festival. The story says that people were amazed that they could all understand the apostles, no matter what language they were speaking. But some mocked the apostles, saying they were drunk, or as the King James Bible says, “full of new wine.” The Apostle Peter defends the apostles saying, in effect, “We’re not drunk. It’s only 9:00 in the morning!”
 
The story relates that 3000 people received the spirit and were baptized that day. The term “Christian” was not used at that time, but it was actually the beginning of the Christian church. The early church grew to include people from many cultures. They worked together to support each other, shared their belongings, took care of the poor and weak, and used their gifts and talents to be the body of Christ in a world in which Jesus no longer existed in bodily form. They were “filled with the Holy Spirit” so that God was still among them in a new way.
 
My church celebrates Pentecost every year, and it is a day of celebration. Red is the color of Pentecost, so worshipers wear red clothes and the sanctuary is decorated with red paraments, red flowers, and red streamers. Sometimes we hand out balloons or pinwheels to represent the wind, or children make red crowns to represent the flames that appeared over the apostles’ heads. Some churches have a big birthday cake to celebrate the “birthday of the church.”
 
This year on Pentecost, we will have a special guest in worship. Aliona Abramova, a citizen of Ukraine who has been living in Auburn for two years, will lead the Lord's Prayer in Ukrainian during the service, and after worship, will offer her perspective on life and traditions in Ukraine and the war which has been raging for over two years. She escaped from her home country but her husband remains there. Aliona’s presence at Westminster on Pentecost Sunday is a reminder that God is present in many lands and cultures and languages.
 
Pentecost is a favorite church holiday for me. Christians understand God in three different ways—God as Creator, Jesus as God incarnate, and the Holy Spirit as an unseeable, but real, presence. Our trinitarian understanding of God gives us three ways to express how God interacts with humankind. I resonate with all three, but the Holy Spirit is how I best understand God-- an unseen, mysterious, and powerful presence.
 
We invite you to celebrate Pentecost at Westminster on May 19 at 9:30am!

Jill Fandrich is a Ruling Elder at Westminster, who also coordinates the church's communications (website, social media, newsletter, etc). She is currently co-chairing the Pastor Nominating Committee, which is seeking a new installed pastor at the church. 
 

by the Rev. Dr. Pamela Masten

Look around. Spring is here! The daffodils are poking up their heads! The days are getting longer! Yes, we made it to spring, and with that came Easter. Though Christians celebrated the resurrection of Jesus Christ on March 31, Easter is not just a day, it’s a season. Your chocolate eggs may be gone, you’ve had enough ham sandwiches to last for another year, and you feel like you celebrated Easter, but Easter isn’t over!

In western Christianity, Eastertide, or the Easter season, begins on Easter Sunday and lasts seven weeks, ending with the coming of the 50th day, Pentecost Sunday (the celebration of the gift of the Spirit to the body of Christ — the church). In our church we celebrated Easter with lilies and tulips, a beautiful choir and special music, an Easter egg hunt for the children and, of course, the good news that Christ is risen, indeed! Though we reflected on what the earliest followers of Jesus saw that first Easter morning, a 20-minute message does not seem adequate in order to understand what it means for us and all of creation. Hence, an Easter season may be exactly what is needed to grapple with the meaning of the resurrection of Jesus.

I love Easter, and I love the traditions that go with it. I still remember my uncle bringing baby chicks to our kitchen for my siblings and me on Easter morning! The older I get, the more I want to wrestle with the idea that death has been swallowed up in victory, and how the Resurrection gives us new birth into a living hope; I’m grateful that the church gives us time to rejoice and experience what we mean when we say, "Christ is risen." It’s a season for focusing on what we believe and how we live out our faith, and for preparing for what’s next. My time in Auburn has provided me space to reflect on the goodness of life and also remembering the joy of life to come. Signs of spring will do that, as bright yellow daffodils pop up out of nowhere, after days of clouds and gray skies. And who doesn’t look forward to spotting a robin on their lawn as a welcome sign of spring?

On Monday, April 8, in Auburn, we were fortunate to be on the path of a total solar eclipse, the first one I have seen in my life, and for me, it is a reminder of the gift of life we have been given. Look at how families were planning to gather together to witness the handiwork of God, as we donned our eclipse glasses around town. Look how people were coming together as we encouraged wonder, celebrated community and educated people of all ages. Look how local businesses were working together, thereby strengthening community relationships. It's not coincidental that this year, the eclipse happened during Eastertide, as this year we weren’t able to miss seeing God at work on April 8!

Eastertide gives us a chance to grow deeper in our understanding of what the Resurrection means. What would happen if we become more aware of God’s goodness all around us, noticing the beautiful sunsets over Cayuga Lake, walking through a cemetery and thanking God for the saints gone before, hearing the sounds of children’s laughter, and sharing a homemade meal with old friends and new ones? What would happen if we ruminated on what’s really important in life? Do we need to make some changes in our life, work and relationships? Will you and I embrace the gift of life and pass it on to our neighbors in Cayuga County and beyond?

Happy Easter, friends! Eastertide is a time of new beginnings, new life and growth. I invite you to experience the richness of Eastertide by becoming present to the goodness and wonder of life abundant in and around our beautiful Cayuga County. How can these reminders help us to better live our lives to grow, learn and serve? 
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The Rev. Dr. Pamela Masten, BCC, is temporary paster at Westminster Presbyterian Church, 17 William St., Auburn. For more information, visit westminsterauburn.org or call (315) 252-3331.