Pentecost at Home

In the life of the church our children come to discover the great feasts of the Church Year: Christmas, Easter and Pentecost. Each of these, and the whole year, help us live - in the rhythms of our lives, the fasting and feasting times - the life of Christ and the life of the story of the people of God through all places & times.

I've included a simple printable family devotional that has been taken from the Family midday prayer found in the Book of Common Prayer (page 69). Whether you decide to share the family devotional time or not, I encourage you to read the following verse from Isaiah 11:2-3a:

And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.
And his delight shall be in the fear of the LORD.

Some questions you might ask:

• The Holy Spirit transforms us with its gifts. At Pentecost, Jesus sent His Spirit to His people. When did you feel the presence of the Holy Spirit today?

• When were you aware of the presence of a particular gift of the Holy Spirit at work?

• Is there something you heard about the Spirit of God that surprised you?

• Is there a gift (Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Might, Knowledge, Fear of the Lord, delight in the Lord) that you want to ask God to make great in your life?

Maybe these questions seem like they are too deep or heavy for the children but Pentecost is one of my favorite celebrations in the atrium with them because I am reminded, every year, that the Holy Spirit works just as powerfully in the hearts of the young as in the hearts of adults. He is the one who is convicting your child, comforting them and guiding them. You can trust Him to work in their hearts and to be powerfully active transforming them into the image of Christ.

Leah Wall

You will know that the Lord is in the midst of His people,
that He is the Lord and there is none else.
Joel 2:27