“The Holy Spirit in Your Life”

Acts 2:1-13

Rev. Jerry Shepard, Interim Minister
Frances Cadle, Ministerial Intern
Josh Hamilton, Choir Director
Joyce McGee, Accompanist
John Downs, Audio Technician
Ron Cadle, Liturgist

We are a nation in need of prayer.

This week has been dominated by deaths, intimidation, racism, and violence.  100,000 deaths in our country caused by the Covid-19 virus is impossible to wrap our minds around.  What a tragic loss of God’s children and of all that they had to give to the world.  Sorrow is breaking the hearts of the loss of those mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, friends and coworkers who have lost their precious loved ones.  Let us pray for their consolation.

You would think that in the midst of a pandemic that has taken 100,000 lives in our nation, that everyone would rally together to stop the spread of the virus.  Unfortunately, that is not the case.  Last Sunday the governor was hung in effigy at the capital.  Considering our shameful past of lynchings of African Americans (4,743 lynchings between 1882-1968), to hang the governor in effigy is repulsive.  I have been encouraged to see the repudiation of this ugly and intimidating act by members of both political parties.  Our governor and his staff have been dedicated to saving the lives of Kentuckians and as a result, our state is one of the few that has reached the point of declining cases of the virus which was the marker designated by the White House to allow the reopening of businesses.  As our governor has emphasized, “We Are In This Together.”  Let us pray for our unity against the virus.

As if all that was not enough to depress us, we see a video of George Floyd lying on the street under the weight of a police officer whose knee was on Mr. Floyd’s neck, until he died.  The city of Minneapolis has burst into flames over the tragic death of Mr. Floyd and over the persistent pattern of killings of African Americans by law enforcement throughout our country.  Last night in Louisville, protests over the police shooting of Breonna Taylor in her own bed, sparked protests and rioting that led to seven people being shot.  Let us pray for the end of racism and for justice for all.In the midst of all these serious problems, this Sunday we celebrate Pentecost.  If ever there was a need for the Holy Spirit to come upon human hearts and bring wisdom, healing and peace, it is now.  Our commonwealth, our nation and our world desperately need God’s Spirit to help us recognize that we are all children of God, (black, white, brown, yellow, young, old, Republican, Democrat) and that we need to learn to cherish every human being and live together in love and peace.  Let us pray for the Holy Spirit to come upon us all.