Keep Thinking

Birthday Celebrations

People have fond memories of Whitsun weekends in years

gone by when there was a march around the town and then

off to the fields for sports, fun and games for all the families.

Despite the fact that the Spring Bank Holiday was fixed as the

last Monday in May nearly 40 years ago, people still speak of

what they’re going to do at the Whitsun break.

While the date of the Spring Bank Holiday is fixed,

Whit Sunday is always seven weeks after Easter Sunday

and so this year falls on May 31st, the weekend after

the Bank Holiday. Whit Sunday is considered by many to be

the day to celebrate the birthday of the Christian Church.

Shortly after the death and resurrection of Jesus there were a large number of people gathered to observe the Jewish festival of Pentecost. At that time Peter, and the rest of Jesus’ apostles, felt the presence of God so strongly that they stood in the crowd and started speaking about how Jesus had shaped their understanding of God. They managed to put it across in a way that made sense, and sounded exciting, to all the people there who came from all sorts of different backgrounds.

Peter said “God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact ……… You will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all.” (Acts 2:32,38-39). As a result of this 3,000 people joined the existing followers and so, essentially, the Christian church was born and started to grow.

Whatever your plans are for the Bank Holiday,

hopefully it will be an opportunity for some rest and relaxation

and to recharge your batteries so that you feel that you have

a new lease of life. You may wish to join with Christians

near and far as they celebrate the risen Jesus and the

power of God at work in the world today.

Happy Birthday.

Anthony Thomas

(Accredited Local Preacher of the Methodist Church UK)