Today is Pentecost Sunday.
Sentence of the Day: `Let anyone who is thirsty come to me,’ says the Lord; `and let the one who believes in me drink. For out of your heart shall flow rivers of living water.’ John 7:38
Collect of the Day: Father, you have filled your people with the Spirit who rested first on your Son and united us in your Church; open the channels for your Spirit that we may freely work together, and your kingdom and your rule increase; for the glory of your holy name. Amen
Readings: Acts 2:1-21 Psalm 104:24-35 1 Corinthians 12:3b-13 John 20:19-23, John 7:37-39
Tenei te mihi atu kia Koutou irunga i te ingoa o Ihu Karaiti.
Another timely reminder that June the 1st is renowned as the first day of winter in New Zealand, marking the beginning of the meteorological season of colder mornings, longer nights, and a time when we draw closer to the warmth of home, friendship, and faith. As the air turns crisp and the land settles into a quieter rhythm, winter also invites us to pause, reflect, and give thanks for the enduring presence of God through every season of life. It’s a good time to reflect on the Ascension of Christ and the Day of Pentecost and what they might offer to us on our daily walk with God.
Food for thought for this Sunday. The Gift of Pentecost.
Today the Church celebrates Pentecost: the gift of the Holy Spirit, the birth of bold witness, and the promise that God is still breathing new life into the world. In Acts we hear of wind and fire. In the Gospel we hear Jesus speak peace into a frightened room, breathe on his disciples, and promise living water to all who come to him. These are not separate gifts. They are one great gift: the life of God shared with ordinary people like us.
From Fear to Peace.
In John’s Gospel, the disciples are behind locked doors. They are grieving, anxious, and unsure what comes next. Into that fear, Jesus brings not blame but peace: “Peace be with you.” Then he breathes on them and says, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” Pentecost begins here: not with human confidence, but with divine mercy. The Spirit is God’s answer to our fear, meeting us in closed rooms, tired hearts, and uncertain futures, and saying: you are not abandoned.
nity Across Difference.
In Acts, that same gift bursts into public view. There is the sound of a mighty wind, tongues as of fire, and speech that reaches across divisions of language and nation. People from many places hear the mighty works of God in words they can understand.
This is one of Pentecost’s great signs: ‘the Spirit does not erase difference but makes communion possible within it. The crowd is not turned into bland sameness. Each people remains itself, yet all hear one Gospel. God’s Spirit creates unity without demanding uniformity. That remains the Church’s calling in every generation.’
Varieties of Gifts, One Spirit.
Saint Paul makes this practical: “There are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit.” The miracle of Pentecost is not only dramatic sound and flame; it is also the quiet, daily work of grace within a community. One teaches, another serves, another encourages, another prays, another leads, Another shows compassion. We do not all speak in the same way or serve in the same way, but each life offered to Christ becomes part of his Body. No gift is given for private glory; every gift is given for the common good.
The Spirit Renews Creation.
Psalm 104 widens our vision even further. The Spirit is not only the power of the Church; the Spirit is the breath of creation itself: “When you send forth your Spirit, they are created; and you renew the face of the earth.” Pentecost is not merely about what happens inside a church building. It is about God’s renewing work in homes, workplaces, neighbourhoods, and nations. Wherever life is restored, truth is spoken, mercy is shown, and hope is rekindled, the breath of God is at work.
Come and drink.
Jesus says, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me.” That invitation is as gentle and urgent as ever. Many are thirsty today: thirsty for meaning, forgiveness, courage, belonging, and peace. We sometimes imagine that what the world needs most from the Church is greater strength or sharper arguments. But the Gospel says the world needs living water: communities so filled with the Spirit of Christ that grace overflows into the lives of others. So, on this Pentecost, let us ask not only for a memory of the Spirit, but for a fresh filling of the Spirit.
Prayer for Renewal.
May the Spirit unlock what fear has shut. May the Spirit reconcile what sin has divided. May the Spirit strengthen the gifts God has planted among us. May the Spirit make this parish a place where the thirsty may come and drink. For when Christ breathes his peace into his people, rivers of living water begin to flow—not only in us, but through us—for the life of the world. Amen.
May your God be with you on the journey at all times, in 2026, may the wind be forever at your backs, and may the warmth of the sun by day, and the soft glow of the moon by night, brighten the path before you. Ma te Atua Koe, e manaaki, e tiaki i nga wa katoa. Amen.
Rev. Maku Potae Chaplain
Ph: 027 4548197
**NEXT SERVICE 5th SUNDAY 31st of MAY 9.30am.**
The Reverend Ann Batterns will be Officiating. As is the tradition, St Hilda’s Beachlands will join us on this day.
I would like to extend a very warm welcome to them as I am away in Taranaki.