Reflecting on Pentecost, retired pastor Sondra Willobee encourages us to affirm the gifts God has given as we bear witness to the risen Christ through deeds of love and power.
SONDRA WILLOBEE
Retired Pastor, Michigan Conference
“Now there are varieties of gifts but the same Spirit” (1 Corinthians 12:4, NRSVUE).
There was a year when Mother’s Day and Pentecost fell on the same Sunday. That was a conundrum for a pastor and worship planning team. We knew we could count on the florists, jewelers, and restaurateurs to remind us of the importance of Mother’s Day. But we would have to remind the congregation of the significance of Pentecost. Though less well-known than other holidays, Pentecost is the Church’s creation story.
Ten days after the risen Christ ascended to heaven, a group of disciples gathered in Jerusalem. Jesus had told them to wait there for “power from on high” (Luke 24:49). So they waited, hoping and praying, trying not to be afraid of the authorities outside the doors. What were they supposed to do now that Jesus was gone?
All of a sudden, a mighty wind swept through the room, and something like tongues of fire rested on each of them. They were filled with the power Jesus had promised — the Holy Spirit — and began to speak in foreign languages about what God had done for them.
The Spirit then drove the disciples out of the room and into the streets. Pilgrims from other countries who were in Jerusalem for the Jewish festival of Pentecost wondered how these Galileans could speak to them in their own languages. Peter stood and told the crowd about Jesus. Anyone who repented of their sins and was baptized could also receive the Holy Spirit.
By day’s end, three thousand people joined the disciples in fellowship and worship. They shared their possessions, cared for the needy, and broke bread “with glad and generous hearts” (Acts 2:46). They spoke freely about Jesus, unafraid. Some were able to heal the sick. Christians became known for their deeds of love and power.
From eleven disciples to three thousand. From fearful hiding to bold action. What a transformation!
To remind the congregation of the tongues of fire that had kindled the hearts of the disciples, the worship team decided to drape the sanctuary in airy red fabric and invite worshippers to wear red. How else might the congregation experience the Spirit that had sent Peter and the others into the streets?
Someone mentioned that every Christian receives the Holy Spirit at their baptism. The Spirit gives us power to do what Jesus needs done today.
But the working of the Spirit will look different for each person, another said, quoting the apostle Paul: “Now there are varieties of gifts but the same Spirit, and there are varieties of services but the same Lord, and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good” (1 Corinthians 12:4-7).
We thought about the members of our local church. Some had gifts for caring for property, tending the sick, visiting prisoners, knitting prayer shawls, repairing homes, or preparing food. Others had gifts for listening, leading meetings, welcoming newcomers, running the soundboard, organizing tasks, or lobbying for change. Still others had gifts for planning worship, teaching the Bible, encouraging the dispirited, or praying.
We decided to invite worshippers to name their own gifts.
What gifts do you have?
Some of us are reluctant to name our gifts because it can feel like boasting. Others don’t feel they have any gifts. But if we believe St. Paul and the story of Pentecost, we affirm that God does indeed give every person some kind of gift to build up the church for the common good.
Why is building up the church important?
Church is the place where we are shaped as disciples and from which we are sent to make a difference in the world. Church is where we practice loving the people who drive us crazy, so we can do the same in our families, workplaces, schools, and communities.
Church is where we learn to become more like Christ. Not that any of this is our own doing — it is the work of God. But we do have to show up.
I’m grateful to the people who showed up for me over the years. Rev. Ferris Woodruff, the pastor of tiny Hayes Methodist Church in Pigeon, Michigan, who baptized me. Forrest Skarritt, my sixth-grade Sunday school teacher. Bill and Jackie Beach, who led the youth group and helped plan the Easter sunrise service where I preached my first sermon.
I think of people in many congregations who stuck with their churches through contentious times. And I appreciate members who extended grace for my mistakes.
I think of Jennifer and Gretchen, two high schoolers who ran the microphones, soundboard, and worship slides at the 8:30 service. I called them my “A-Team.” They got us started on time, every time, even on the day Windows decided to run an update ten minutes before the service, despite our having told Windows not to run updates on Sunday mornings. Jennifer and Gretchen were unflappable.
I think of a woman named Julie who regularly visits detainees at the North Lake Processing Center in Baldwin, Michigan. At 1,800 beds, it is the Midwest’s largest immigrant detention center. Julie brings kindness and encouragement to the detainees, many of whom are hundreds of miles from family and friends. She has been there so often that the staff knows her, too. “How was your weekend?” she asks the staff. “And your family?”
When members of her church ask why she does this, Julie answers, “To welcome the stranger. To love my neighbor.”
Who has helped you learn to be like Christ? To whom might you be sent?
May each of us bear witness to the risen Christ through deeds of love and power. May the Holy Spirit dress us in red and set us on fire!
The Rev. Sondra Willobee is a retired elder, last serving as lead pastor at South Lyon: First UMC. She wrote articles for The Michigan Christian Advocate, FaithLink, and Linktionary, and is the author of The Write Stuff: Crafting Sermons That Capture and Convince (2009). You can also read her blog, sondrawillobee.com/blog.
The publication of this article was made possible thanks to generous financial gifts from local United Methodist churches in Michigan through Ministry Shares. Thank you! Learn about the impact of Ministry Shares on mission and ministry in Michigan and around the world.
Last Updated on May 21, 2026