Dear Church Family and Friends,
Happy birthday, church!!! When I say “church” I’m not talking about our local church here at Avondale UMC … I’m talking about the church universal. This Sunday we, the church, celebrate what’s known as Pentecost Sunday. It’s the Sunday we remember how the Holy Spirit – that Jesus had promised would come – descended on the disciples with tongues of fire (Acts 2) and the church was born. This happened 50 days after Easter Sunday which is where we get the title Pentecost since it literally means 50.
The Holy Spirit has been working and moving in the hearts and minds of the people of Avondale for more than a century (145 years!). It led them to build a little white church on the corner of 42nd Street and 5th Avenue before they built our current church building in the late 1920s-early 1930s where it stands today just a couple of streets over on the corner of 40th Street and 5th Avenue. The people of Avondale could envision folks coming to know God in Christ on this hallowed ground as they sang the ancient hymns … prayed prayers of both praise and lament … and heard God’s word preached. Today, our church continues to live into that vision and remains inspired by the Holy Spirit. Part of our call is to be good stewards of our beautiful, historic building, and there is much to be done to care for it.
This Sunday following worship, we will have a luncheon to celebrate Pentecost and to give an update on our Capital Improvement Plans and Financial Needs. Make plans to join us in Worship at 10am where we’ll celebrate both Communion and a Baptism. What a service that will be! Then stay for lunch in the Fellowship Hall where we plan to have one heaven of a birthday party as we envision what God is calling us to do as a church in the future. It will take every one of us working together to make our capital improvements become a reality.
Lunch will be catered from Taco Mama. A church member has generously covered the cost of this meal, so there’s no cost to you. Please RSVP to me (malinda@avonumc.net) so we know how many people to plan for.
I invite you to wear red, orange, or yellow this Sunday to commemorate the day when the fire of the Holy Spirit came down. I can’t wait to celebrate with all of you … Come, Holy Spirit, come!
All fired up,
Rev. Malinda Weaver
P.S. I invite you to wear red, orange, or yellow this Sunday to commemorate the day when the fire of the Holy Spirit came down.
P.P.S. If you’re unable to join us Sunday morning in person, you can always connect with for worship us via our livestream on our Facebook page.