Let those Pentecost fires burn, for the world is always about to turn:
A little project that will become a big gift, titled “The World is About to Turn” | June 2025
Well, here we are. The world is blooming, the sun’s sticking around longer, the scent of sunscreen and charcoal is in the air, creativity is flowing, and Pentecost reminds us that the Holy Spirit is right here living and breathing among us- inspiring us to one turn after another–over and over again!
I remember being a young girl, sitting outside my home parish as my mom weeded the front garden, having just placed red banners all around the interior of the church. Mom, telling me that it was Pentecost, as I mused on how much I liked the drape and color of the red fabric while the sun beat down on my skin, warming it past golden brown and into pink-ish red. I received a bit of a sunburn that day. And, I imagine the disciples received a bit of a burn (proverbial or literal) on their own initial day of Pentecost, too. Encounters with the Holy Spirit change you. It’s inevitable, and important. And so, as we engage our annual celebration and commemoration of that first Pentecost, or just as we work our way through the year…we re-member that part of our intention is, indeed, to be changed, to be transformed, by the fires of the holy.
And, one of those holy fires is our strategic planning work. You might not think “strategic planning” screams Pentecost energy—but I’d argue it does. Because discernment is spiritual work. Every time we ask, “Who are we? What are we here for?”—that’s Holy Spirit work. And soon, when the committee presents our new mission and identity statement, we’ll be handed something that’s not just a sentence to memorize and take to heart—it’s a filter. A lens for looking at ourselves and all of our decisions going forward. A way to hold up all our choices and ask: does this line up with who we say we are and who we say we want to be?
Because that’s what the Spirit does. She reminds us who we are. Who we’re committed to becoming. She breathes life into dry bones, transforms with heat and pressure, and keeps moving the church toward resurrection living, even when we’re trying to cling to more familiar deaths.
And summer, with all its warmth and openness, is a pretty great metaphor for that kind of Spirit energy. It’s not a flash-in-the-pan blaze. It’s a slow, steady burn—sustaining us through the seasons, keeping our hearts soft and our minds open long after the fireworks fade.
The mystic and theologian Howard Thurman once said:
“Ask what makes you come alive and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”
This Pentecost, may we have the courage to let that heat ignite something in us, and come a little more alive. To let the Spirit move us into clarity, into boldness, into the new thing. Even if it scares us a little. Even if it sets something old on fire and means allowing the ash to become the soil for the new thing God wants us to see them doing.
Amen Amen, I say to you— let us enjoy this special Pentecost season!
-Intern Pr. Sam
Laughter, Singing, & Glorious Water Splashing
We had a joyful Easter morning! — Laughter, singing, and a glorious splashing of water as we re-membered our baptismal promises. We re-membered our commitments to walk in the way of Jesus, as water sprayed around and ran over our hands and faces. One of my favorite liturgical reminders that we are baptized not once, but daily, into fulfilling Jesus’ promises, helping to build the kindom that God creates here on earth.
Speaking of baptismal waters and building kindoms, the poet Rumi once said, “Don’t grieve. Anything you lose comes round in another form.” I wonder if this isn’t part of the shape of resurrection — learning to listen carefully, shedding the tears that need to be shed, and stepping bravely into new life, however unfamiliar or even empty it may feel.
In that spirit, about 25 of us gathered at the end of April with Evan Moilan, our GSB consultant, and soon-to-be Gulf Coast Bishop Emeritus Mike Rhinehart, for a community listening session in Charter Hall. Thank you to each of you who participated — you showed up with open hearts and honest words, sharing your hopes, worries, and dreams for Faith Lutheran. We thought deeply about our strengths and needs, where we shine, where we ache, and where the Spirit might be waving for us to come and play along.
The Strategic Planning Committee is hard at work. We will meet again in early May to review the results of our congregational survey and a summary of everything we shared in our listening session. The next steps will bring us into conversation with community leaders, as we learn more about the real gaps and opportunities around us. As always, we’ll keep you posted and invite your prayers as we continue this journey of discernment.
Finally, I’m considering starting a little regular gathering I’d like to call the Co-Creator’s Collective — Maybe an hour or two every other week for anyone who wants to dabble in art, sip a cup of something good, share a snack, and simply enjoy one another’s company to come together. No skills required, just a willingness to have some fun and love one another. If this sounds like something your heart might need, let me know. I’d love to get this going and gather with you.
with joy,
– Intern Pastor Sam
Lent Continues, Easter Approaches
Hello Faith Friends!
Over the past weeks, we’ve stepped beyond our familiar walls and into the wider community, gathering with neighbors, listening, learning, and opening our hearts to their needs, hopes, and stories. And what a rich and meaningful journey it has been.
We’ve still got two more chances to gather:
• April 2 at VIDAS, where we’ll learn about their vital work with immigrants and underserved communities.
• April 9 at First Congregational UCC on Humboldt Ave, where we’ll celebrate beauty together in a creative and moving way.
As we approach Holy Week, we’ll step even deeper into the story of Christ’s love. On Holy Thursday, we’ll gather at Christ Church on Yulupa Ave at 6:30 pm for a service reflecting on Jesus’ mandate to love one another as he loved us. We’re expecting a large turnout, so please RSVP to make sure there’s room for everyone. You can sign up on the clipboard in the church narthex or use the link in one of my emails. We’ll close RSVPs on Friday, April 11.
At the beginning of Lent, I shared with you Martin Luther’s image of incurvatus in se—the human tendency to turn inward on ourselves. It’s easy to shrink our world into a small place of self-focus or self-preservation, clinging to familiar comforts or old versions of ourselves. But throughout this season, we have worked to stretch beyond self. With curiosity and compassion, we’ve worked to turn outward—listening and leaning into the beauty and struggle of the world around us. We’ve discerned with the Holy Spirit, witnessing God’s presence in surprising places—from our shared Ash Wednesday service to local ministries like The Living Room and Flat Rock Park, where we heard stories of resilience and hope from people whose lives look very different from our own, yet whose needs are very much the same as our own.
And now, as we prepare to step into Easter’s season of renewal and growth, we are called to do so with this same open, discerning posture. Easter isn’t just a celebration of what God has done—it’s an invitation to re-immerse ourselves into what God is still doing. The hard truth is that there is no resurrection without the painful death on the cross. The beautiful truth is that resurrection is real—Jesus showed us that death is not final. It is simply a threshold into God’s larger vision for all of us.
It’s fitting, then, that our Lenten pilgrimage flows directly into the work of our Strategic Planning Committee. Just as we’ve spent Lent opening our hearts to the community around us, the committee is guiding us in opening ourselves to God’s vision for Faith Lutheran. Their work in this phase is focused on discovering and clarifying our mission, vision, and identity—the foundation that will shape our plans, decisions, and ministries moving forward.
And friends, you have a vital role in this renewal process:
• Survey: If you haven’t filled out the strategic planning survey (March 30 – April 13), please take a few minutes to share your voice. Nothing is set in stone—the items in this survey are just ideas and musings for imagination purposes. This is the time to breathe deeply, imagine with God, and sense where the Spirit is moving.
• Listening Session: On April 27, right after worship, we’ll gather for a Community Listening Session. This will be a creative, collaborative time of dreaming and discerning together, guided by our consultant Evan Moilan, and Bishop Mike Rinehart.
The same Spirit that drew us beyond ourselves in Lent is still at work, calling us to stretch, grow, and trust God’s future for us. So, let’s keep turning outward with hope—believing that new life is already breaking in, ready to surprise us with promise, purpose, and joy.
With impending Easter joy and gratitude for all that you are in this world,
– Intern Pr. Sam