The Diocese of Massachusetts is getting ready to put on its Pen
tecost red for what promises to be a big, lively, public celebration of Church, capital "C," meaning, God's people, all of them.
It will happen on Pentecost Eve, Saturday, June 11, 7 p.m., at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul (138 Tremont Street) in Boston: There will be bishops, high-power preaching by the Rev. Edwin Johnson of St. James's Church in Cambridge, prayer in many languages, drumming, dancing and singing.
"It's going to be wonderful," says the Rev. Leslie Sterling of St. Bartholomew's Church in Cambridge, one of the celebration's organizers.
"The idea of Pentecost is that all of the different people, even though they spoke different languages and came from different places, were made one by the presence of the Holy Spirit. Isn't that what the church is about? We're going to celebrate that unity and that diversity, but we need everyone in the diocese there to really do it fully," Sterling said.
Many people and groups have been involved in celebration preparations, including the diocesan Clergy of Color group, Antiracism Ministry Team, Hispanic Ministries Committee, Lift Every Voice-Diversity in Leadership Committee, Slavery and Reconciliation Task Force, Union of Black Episcopalians and the Episcopal Boston Chinese Ministry, along with the Cathedral Church of St. Paul.
"We're told in Acts 2 that in our own languages we hear about the mighty acts of God. We hear about how the crowd gathered and was amazed. We'll get to have a little bit of the experience that those first disciples had," Sterling said--and then be inspired to go out and share it.
Help spread the word:
A flier and link to Bishop Shaw's invitation are available here for sharing.
Art by June Santosa