Pentecost 2022 was uniquely meaningful for GCI Glendora in a few ways. First, it was very special to have our worship team play and sing together for the first time since March 2020! Because of this, Pentecost was another “historical moment” in the life of our congregation. Including a pianist, a bassist, a drummer, and two vocalists, our worship team had a blast practicing together again after over two years. It was a refreshing and uplifting experience for our congregation to have live music again as we worshiped together.
We were pleasantly surprised to have more people attend in person on Pentecost than even on Easter. During the service, a few members recited a litany called “A Prayer for Pentecost,” adapted from a couple passages in Acts 1-2. This litany helped illustrate Christ’s great promise of the Holy Spirit and to receive him with hope and thanksgiving. I gave the main message, emphasizing that each of us is more powerful than we dare to realize. What we believe about ourselves has very real and powerful ramifications in every aspect of our lives. As the Church of Christ, we must choose to believe the truth of who we are in Christ, believe what he says about us, and through the Holy Spirit represent the kingdom of God.
After the worship service we proceeded with our monthly potluck, with outdoor seating, on a warm and sunny Sunday afternoon. Last year, GCI Glendora celebrated Pentecost by also celebrating three high school graduations. This Pentecost, we celebrated two graduates: Gian from high school and Ava Rae from elementary school. The pastoral team prayed over the graduates during the potluck.
Finally, our Love Avenue Champion, Marianne Maninang, facilitated a raffle. She gave away five prizes relating to the themes of the last two sermons. We’ve found that since we started up our potlucks again last fall, having a raffle or games during the potluck is a fun way to get everyone involved, whether they’re a guest or a longtime member.
We praise God for seeing us through so much change and difficulty during this pandemic. We continually look to him as we seek to love God, love others, and serve the world—starting with our neighborhood.
Jillian Morrison
Associate Pastor, Glendora, CA, US
