More Thoughts on Pentecost

As I look through my legal pad that I kept with me through my May travels, I realized that I have a lot of scraps that relate to Pentecost. Tomorrow, I'll write a more detailed blog post about Pentecost and Wind. Here are some other Pentecost thoughts (all of them come from our Assembly leaders, but unfortunately, I didn't write down who said what):

--Our Synod Assembly met on the feast day of Julian of Norwich, the medieval (12th century) anchoress. We were encouraged to "dream a missional dream--one so expansive that we will have to rely on God."

--Make a mess and call it on purpose.

--"The reason mountain climbers are tied together is to keep the sane ones from going home" Gerhard Frost, Blessed for the Journey (sounds negative at first, but it seems relevant to Pentecost, a high holy day that demands that we quiet our rational selves; we accomplish so much more when we rope ourselves together, especially as we contemplate ideas that seem outrageous or impossible).

--We studied the parable of the vines and the branches. Our leader reminded us that God is about bearing fruit, not causing us pain. Remember that, as you think about the pruning.

--We have too much to learn to be smug; we have too much to share to be modest.