This Sunday we wrap up our sermon series on the Holy Spirit.  We have heard the Promise of Jesus, experienced the Presence of the Spirit on Pentecost and this week we look at the Power of the Trinity!  (The Trinity is the three persons that make up the Godhead - one God, three Persons – Father, Son and Holy Spirit.) 

Lately, I have been watching reruns of Home Improvement, the TV show from the 90’s staring Tim Allen.  I love the antics of Tim “the Toolman” Taylor and how he is always tinkering and tweaking things to get more power (har-har-har).  But in his need to make things have more power - faster, louder, better - he inevitably makes things more dangerous!

As I thought about the Trinity - Father, Son and Holy Spirit - I thought about the perfect power of God.  Sometimes life can seem dangerous or unpredictable, fast paced or out of control, right?  Sometimes these things happen by our own doing and our need for “more Power,” while at other times whatever happens is beyond our control.  But to know that God Almighty is in control, with all the power, brings me comfort.

I love how Paul writes in his letter to the church in Rome, about the power of the Trinity and how all three persons work beautifully together. 

By entering through faith into what God has always wanted to do for us—set us right with him, make us fit for him—we have it all together with God because of our Master Jesus. And that’s not all: We throw open our doors to God and discover at the same moment that he has already thrown open his door to us. We find ourselves standing where we always hoped we might stand—out in the wide-open spaces of God’s grace and glory, standing tall and shouting our praise.

There’s more to come: We continue to shout our praise even when we’re hemmed in with troubles, because we know how troubles can develop passionate patience in us, and how that patience in turn forges the tempered steel of virtue, keeping us alert for whatever God will do next. In alert expectancy such as this, we’re never left feeling shortchanged. Quite the contrary—we can’t round up enough containers to hold everything God generously pours into our lives through the Holy Spirit!    Romans 5:1-5 (The Message)

The reality is we don’t need more power or to make things faster, louder, or better.  All the Power we need is wrapped up in the Trinity, God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit! 

Friends, let us stop relying on our own power and truly lean into the Power of God.  Let us stop trying to fix things on our own and let God do the work.  We only need to trust in the infinite power of God!

Blessings,
Pastor Jenni

In alert expectancy such as this, we’re never left feeling shortchanged.
Quite the contrary—we can’t round up enough containers to hold everything
God generously pours into our lives through the Holy Spirit!
 

Romans 5:5 (MSG)

This Sunday we celebrate Pentecost!  50 days after Easter.  It is the birthday of the church.  The day we commemorate the coming Presence of the Holy Spirit!

I love the Pentecost story found in Acts 2.  I like to read it and put myself in the story, somewhere in the crowd that experienced the phenomenal events on that day.  To hear Peter speaking in a language that each of us understood all at the same time.  To feel the fierce wind blow through the gathering place and experience the calm that filled the space.  Then to suddenly see the flames that looked like tongues of fire landing on the heads of the Apostles.  What a spectacle! 

I love Pentecost!  I love the imagery, and the pageantry associated with this holy day.  I also love that we talk about the Holy Spirit…the indwelling God, a vital part of the Trinity.  The Holy Spirit is described as our helper, comforter, counselor, and advocate. The Spirit is God in us, equipping us and empowering us in our daily lives as we seek to follow Jesus. But, I think what I love most about the Spirit…the Spirit is unpredictable! The Spirit comes upon the crowd gathered that day as a violent wind and as tongues of fire! Yet the Spirit also comes in the quiet and stillness of the moment after the chaos.

This Sunday we will also be receiving New Members! I think it is the perfect Sunday for such a joyous occasion as we celebrate the beginning of the church and welcome brothers and sisters into the life of our church.

I am looking forward to Sunday as we celebrate Pentecost. Don’t forget to wear red, which is the color of the day!

Blessings,
Pastor Jenni

When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting.  Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them.  All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.

(Acts 2:1-4)

This Sunday we begin a new series about the Holy Spirit – The Promise. The Presence. The Power.  I am looking forward to this series which encompasses Pentecost and Trinity Sunday.

I love the Promise Jesus made to his disciples before he ascended into heaven. 

And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age. (Matt 28:20)

He promised that he would not leave them, or us, alone.  In John’s Gospel we see that promise made as Jesus tells them he will send an Advocate to be with them and remind them of all he has taught them.  Friends, we are also recipients of his promise…

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you.

And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere— (Acts 1:8)

This past Sunday I shared with the children (and grown-ups) Jesus’ promise, “I will be with you wherever you go.”  We talked about summer and vacation plans and the fact that Jesus never takes a vacation…but he does go with us on vacation!  We talked about all the places we might be going this summer and all the fun adventures we might have.  Then we handed out a stuffed “Jesus” to take with us everywhere we go this summer!  Along with that came an invitation to share our “adventures with Jesus” on our Facebook and Instagram pages (or share with the office and we can post those pictures!)

I have already been told that Jesus will be traveling to Japan, Ireland, Germany and Wisconsin!  So, knowing that Jesus doesn’t take vacations but always goes with us…where will you go with Jesus this summer?

Blessings,
Pastor Jenni

P.S. Be sure to add the hashtag - #summerwithjesus or #epcchurchaz – so we can follow along on Jesus’ summer adventures!

Instagram - @epcchurch_az

Facebook – Emmanuel Presbyterian Church – Phoenix, AZ

This Sunday we conclude our journey with the Apostles Creed.  As I shared earlier, I love the Creeds, Confessions, and Statements of Faith found within our Book of Confessions.  I love the history of their writing, knowing what was happening in the world when they were written, and how each statement of faith holds within it such deep meaning and conviction.

The final section of the Apostles Creed is perhaps the hardest to understand.  I feel sometimes we recite the words without the deeper understanding of what they truly mean.  Those statements aren’t as straightforward as the other three I Believe statements about the Trinity.  But each of those five statements holds with it a powerful confession.

I BELIEVE in the holy catholic Church; the communion of saints;

the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting.

In a nutshell each of these concluding statements share a common connection: they concern us as individual followers of Jesus. As Christians, we are included and impacted by each of these declarations. The church represents the assembly of individuals called by Jesus to be his people. Each of us as Christians are regarded as a saint, and due to our communion with Christ, we share communion with all saints across different times and places. Every one of us is offered the forgiveness of sins because of Christ’s death on the cross. Because of our forgiveness we anticipate experiencing the fullness of God’s “New Creation” through the resurrection of our bodies. God's ultimate plan is for our redemption and renewal, culminating in life everlasting. 

The Apostles Creed is such an amazing statement of faith!  Every time I recite this creed I am always amazed to think about the generations of Christians who have recited these words, the circumstances they lived through and the hardships they endured because of their faith.  Friends I hope that the next time you say these words it is with a deeper understanding and a passion to truly say…I BELIEVE!

Blessings,
Pastor Jenni

I BELIEVE in the holy catholic Church; the communion of saints;

the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. Amen.