As Christians we have wonderful traditions of celebrating holy days with pomp and creativity. We decorate with candles and lights for Advent and Christmas. We hang banners and paraments in the seasonal colors of the church throughout Lent and Easter. We pour water in the font on the Baptism of our Lord Sunday. We read the names of those departed on All Saints Day. However, there is one such day that sometimes gets overlooked: Pentecost. Perhaps it is because Pentecost falls in the middle of the busy end-of-the-school-year rush. Pentecost Sunday is celebrated 50 days after Easter, usually in May or early June. On Pentecost we celebrate the Holy Spirit rushing down in wind and fire to stir up the disciples to proclaim Christ’s resurrection to the gathered community and begin the church. In so many words, Pentecost is the birthday of the church.

There are some creative ways to engage all ages of the congregation in the excitement and mystery of Pentecost. Reading the scriptures in other languages can be striking as a literal reflection of the Pentecost story. The liturgical color for Pentecost is red, evoking the symbol of fire for the Holy Spirit. A simple idea is to encourage people to wear red on Pentecost. The sea of red attire is striking. Over the years we have also made or purchased red ribbons and ribbon wands to wave during the processional and hymns. The effect is joyful and gives a visual reminder of the Holy Spirit.

This year we are going to go a step further and have an intergenerational birthday party for the church on Pentecost Sunday. The plan is to set up twelve different tables, one for each month of the year. Each area will have its own birthday theme, decorations, and cake. Attendees will be invited to sit with their birthday month and celebrate with people of all ages. There will be conversation starters on the tables like “What were birthday parties like when you were a child?” or “What is the most memorable birthday gift you have ever received?” The hope is that in the celebration of birthday traditions that span from the youngest children through the elders of the church, a sense of joy and common experiences will reflect the how the disciples and the early church community were changed by the Holy Spirit.