It’s the birthday of the church of Jesus Christ!

It’s Pentecost, the fiftieth day after the Resurrection of Our Lord, the birthday of the church of Jesus Christ, the joyful anniversary of the giving of the Holy Spirit. Today we celebrate with both Sacraments, our weekly meal of sustenance and strength for service as disciples, the Holy Eucharist, and also the Sacrament of Holy Baptism, the gift of God in the waters of death and life which brings us into the one, holy, catholic and apostolic church, beginning our life as disciples of the Crucified and Risen One. Baptized today, a new sister and brother in Christ, are Andrew Micheal Sampson and Emily Anne Faethe Carroll.

I rejoice that I can celebrate all of this with you today, and give thanks that I am able to take the next two weeks off as holiday, spending at least part of that time in Minnesota with Melanie’s family.

Her mom, Cynthia, is in hospital recovering from a broken hip, hip replacement surgery, and pneumonia. I will be back here at work on Sunday, June 10th. In the interim the Venerable David Pate will be on call strictly for emergencies, essentially dying and death. God forbid that we should need him. David has also graciously agreed to preach and preside at both services, next Sunday, June 3rd. Thank you, David!