West Springfield United Methodist Church

I am asking for you to join me on Thursday at 4 p.m. to ‘take a knee’ for 8 1/2 minutes. I just read about the Mayor and chief of Police of Easthampton inviting their residents to join them in kneeling for 8 ½ minutes on Thursday to protest racism and the recent death of George Floyd at the hands of police in Minnesota.

“Wherever you are in the city of Easthampton, we’re inviting you to join us, for 8 ½ minutes to reflect,” Mayor Nicole LaChapelle said.

Floyd, a black man from Minneapolis, died after a white police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes. That officer, Derek Chauvin, now faces both a manslaughter and a third-degree murder charge. State and independent autopsies have both concluded that Floyd’s death was a homicide.

You are encouraged to wear face coverings and stand at least six feet apart from others. You may come to our church and kneel outside or whereever you are. Kneeling is a sign of respect, as Christians, we do it all the time in worship. Let this moment be a moment of reflection, prayer, sorrow, and hope. Pastor Rick Rabe

source for some information https://www.gazettenet.com/Vigil-planned-in-Easthampton-for-George-Floyd-34582325

On Pentecost Sunday, we remember the day the disciples received the Holy Spirit in a special way. The story in Acts 2 describes a powerful wind and tongues of fire as the Holy Spirit was poured out on people from all over the world who came to Jerusalem to celebrate a Jewish feast. At the first Pentecost over 3000 people were baptized, creating the first church. This is why Pentecost is known as the birthday of the Christian church.

The word Pentecost comes from a Greek word meaning fiftieth. The Jewish Festival of Pentecost (called Shavuot, meaning “weeks” in Hebrew) falls on the fiftieth day after the original Passover. On that day, God gave the Torah to Moses on Mount Sinai. The Christian festival of Pentecost falls on the 50th day after the resurrection of Jesus.

This Sunday we share a wonderful service from the New England Conference in celebration of Pentecost.