Pastor's Portal
June 2025
Rev. David Schmidt
June 1, 2025
As June begins, the church enters the season of Pentecost, its longest, stretching from Sunday, June 8th to November 23rd. Pentecost marks the Holy Spirit’s arrival upon the early church, an event detailed in the book of Acts. Before his ascension, Jesus instructed his disciples to remain in Jerusalem, promising the Holy Spirit who would empower them as his witnesses “in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8).
The remarkable events of that first Pentecost are described in Acts 2:1-4: “When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.”
Following this event, Peter rose and preached about Jesus Christ, and Luke records in Acts 2:41 that “about three thousand were added to their number that day.” The Holy Spirit, working through Peter’s words, instilled faith in those who heard.
The same Holy Spirit that guided the early church in Acts continues to be active in the church today. His arrival on that first Pentecost was not temporary; he remains with us, working through the gifts he has given. We encounter him in baptism, bringing us faith. We hear his voice in the reading and preaching of his Word, and as we study Scripture. Our faith is sustained as we partake in the Lord’s Supper. In all these ways, the Holy Spirit deepens our relationship with Christ, reveals our sinfulness so we can repent and receive Christ’s forgiveness, and empowers us to live out our faith with hope and boldness to share it with others.
As we journey through this extended season of Pentecost, let us be ever mindful of the Holy Spirit’s active and abiding presence among us, empowering us for life and witness.
