Gifts of the Spirit

            I'm delightfully in the year of firsts where I serve - it's a busy parish, and I'm learning as I go what the traditions and practices are in this gorgeous community. (There's a lot of grace from parishioners and neighbours who are helping me in this process - a LOT of grace!)

            Part of the fun of firsts is that I am able to offer some of my gifts in ways that are new to the parish. For example, our summer fellowship time is about to start, and for our first Sunday (today) I offered to make a cake. It's Pentecost (also town's anniversary, parish's anniversary, restoration re-dedication anniversary... you get the idea: we have much to celebrate.) I was excited to share with the parish the (previously) unknown fact that I sometimes decorate cakes.

            Little did I know, when I offered to provide this cake (with grand visions in my mind!) that the week would get wildly away from me.  Instead of working with confections, phone calls were taken, visits were made, meals were shared. Conversations were enjoyed, prayers were offered, hugs were exchanged: these are a MUCH higher priority than cake decoration. Somewhere after 8pm Saturday night (while I was still not home) I altered my plans. The cake would still happen, just in a different way.

            And: that's okay. I hadn't shared my elaborate cake details with anyone, and even if I had, it doesn't matter. A Pentecost cake will still be at church, and I won't fall asleep mid-sermon from having stayed up all night to create it. The community- and relationship-building that had happened was WAY more important than artful sugar.

            The cake reminds me that we all have gifts to share, even if they might look a bit different than our original plans. I think the gift of Pentecost is to remind us to share those gifts, whenever we can - gifts of teaching, evangelism, healing, service... we are meant to use these gifts to help one another. We aren't meant to be perfect in our gifts, but to be generous in sharing our gifts.

            This Pentecost, I pray we are emboldened by the Spirit, and inspired to share the gifts; trusting that the recipients will appreciate our offering, and that God will be glorified through it. After all: a simple cake is just as tasty as an elaborate one.

            (Join us in Lunenburg area for worship - and cake! 8.30 & 10.30)