Greetings to all!
Sunday, May 31, is the Day of Pentecost, the traditional observance of the outpouring of the Spirit upon the Church. Madeleine L'Engle reflects on the person of the Holy Spirit from her perspective as an artist, particularly a writer.
The Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, is the easiest of this not-at-all-easy concept for me to understand. Any artist, great or small, knows moments when something more than he takes over, and he moves into a kind of 'overdrive,' where he works as ordinarily he cannot work. When he is through, there is a sense of exhilaration, exhaustion, and joy. All our best work comes in this fashion, and it is humbling and exciting.
I am convinced that each work of art, be it a great work of genius or something very small, has its own life, and it will come to the artist, the composer or the writer or the painter, and say, "Here I am; compose me; or write me; or paint me"; and the job of the artist is to serve the work. I have never served a work as I would like to, but I do try, with each book, to serve to the best of my ability, and this attempt at serving is the greatest privilege and the greatest joy that I know.
As I understand the gift of the spirit in art, so I understand prayer, and there is very little difference for me between praying and writing. At their best, both become completely unselfconscious activities; the self-conscious, fragmented person is totally thrown away and integrated in work, and for the moments of such work, be it prayer or writing, I know wholeness, and sunside and nightside are no longer divided.
(from The Irrational Season)
The Scripture lessons for Sunday, May 31, the Day of Pentecost
Acts 2:1-21
Romans 8:22-27
John 15:26-27; 16:4-15
Sunday Conversations continue this Sunday, May 31, 10am, in Trinity Hall. We will view and discuss a final segment of the video series, "Eclipsing Empire." Feel free to join the conversation, enjoy a cup of coffee, or just listen in.
A Refreshment Host(s) is needed for our after-worship refreshments this Sunday, May 31. Please use reply email or call the church office (263-5304) to volunteer.
The Fruitful Life is the theme of the Weekend Together 2009 scheduled for June 5 -7. The weekend will begin with a dinner and activities for all ages on Friday evening, June 5, 6:00pm. Leading the activities for children will be Lauren Fouts. Leading the activities for adults will be JoAnne Hilliard. Activities around the theme will continue for children on Saturday morning, beginning at 9:30am, and for all ages on Sunday morning, beginning at 10am. Please rsvo for Friday evening via reply email or by calling the church office (263-5304).
Women's Dinner - The next Walnut Hill Women's Dinner is scheduled for Wednesday, June 10, 6:30pm. All Walnut Hill women are invited to gather for this fellowship opportunity. Use the sign up sheet in the sanctuary foyer to rsvp.
Thanks to...David Sharrard for leading our Sunday Conversation last Sunday; John Cavendish for supplying the pulpit in Mike Ward's absence; Vestry members for providing refreshments; Lisa Smith for editing the June edition of the Walnut Hill Newsletter.
Peace to all.
Mike Ward
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