Pentecost is often called the birthday of the Church, and that’s true enough. But birthdays are about beginnings, not endings—and Pentecost was never meant to stay trapped in the first century like a candle on an old cake. Pentecost is not a memory. It’s the season we live in now. The Season of the Spirit. The long stretch of ordinary days made extraordinary because God refuses to leave us to our own devices. So what does it mean to live in the Season of the Spirit? In the Gospel of John, Jesus gives his friends a promise that is both tender and disruptive: “I will send the Holy Spirit to you.” Not a ghostly idea, not a theological footnote, but a presence. A Comforter. An Advocate. Someone who has your back when the world leans hard against you. Jesus tells them the Spirit will open their eyes and ears, not by giving them a whole new set of teachings, but by deepening the ones they already have. The Spirit doesn’t replace Jesus—he reveals him. Jesus is essentially saying: You’re not ready yet, but you will be. You don’t understand yet, but you will. And you won’t get there alone. The Spirit will walk with you. The Spirit will open your mind. The Spirit will make the words of Jesus come alive—not as information, but as transformation. And then John adds the part we often skip over: this way of life won’t be easy. Following Jesus into a world that resists justice, mercy, and truth never is. You will meet resistance when you stand against injustice. You will feel pressure when you speak up for the vulnerable. You will be stretched, pressed, and sometimes misunderstood. But you will not be alone. Pentecost is the reminder—and the ongoing reality—that God’s presence is not behind us in a story, but beside us in the struggle. The Spirit is not a one-day miracle. The Spirit is the daily breath of a God who refuses to give up on us. So yes, the Spirit is in the churches, right? We all know that. But is the Holy Spirit limited to churches? Let me address that in a larger context. Is the Holy Spirit limited to four walls? God is in the church, not the four walls. That is important, and where we have Sunday services, we do funerals, weddings and special events, and so much more, so I do not want to downplay the message of the buildings and grounds of our churches. You all know my message here. The Spirit is in the world. The Spirit is waiting for us in the halls of justice. The Spirit is waiting for us in the public places, food distribution, hospitals and prisons. And wherever God’s children are hurting, and we want to bring healing love to all God’s people. The world is in tatters. All you have to do is read the papers, listen to the news in the mornings, and realize God has work for us to do. But do not tell me it’s not exciting. However the challenge, God’s work is never dull. The Spirit shares this message from John. Jesus said: You have heard my words, you have observed my teaching, and now I am sending a Comforter and mentor to prepare you for this anointing that has been called Pentecost. Open your heart. Open your mind. Open your ears. There’s something happening here, right here where you live and work and minister. Listen to the voice. Listen for directions. As Buffalo Springfield observed the need to stand up for justice: “Something’s happening here. What it is ain’t exactly clear… Stop, children, what’s that sound? Everybody look what’s goin’ ’round.” And in the evening, we can take out Psalm 127 and send a prayer, with this Psalmist’s promise at the end of our day: Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain to build it. Unless the Lord keeps the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of sorrow; for He gives His beloved sleep. And here is where it all comes together: If Pentecost is now— if the Spirit is loose in the world— if God is already ahead of us in the places where justice is needed and mercy is scarce— then our work is simply to follow the Spirit into the world by day and entrust the world back to God by night. So may our prayer contain words like: Spirit, lead me. And now let me sleep, for the work is in your hands. For so You give Your beloved sleep.
A global moment of reflection, prayer, and peace St. Barnabas Episcopal Church observed World Labyrinth Day by opening the outdoor labyrinth for visitors throughout the day, including the shared “Walk as One” moment at 1:00 PM. Located just south of the church, the labyrinth offers a quiet place to walk, pause, reflect, and pray. Some visitors came for a few minutes, while others spent more time in the center, allowing the stillness of the desert setting to guide their experience. “You do not have to know the right words or follow a certain tradition,” Fr. David Madsen said. “The labyrinth welcomes anyone seeking peace, clarity, or a moment to breathe.” Unlike a maze, the labyrinth has one path to the center and one path back out. Its 11-circuit design is modeled after the labyrinth at Chartres Cathedral in France. “The labyrinth offers a quiet way to pause, pray, and listen for the presence of God in the stillness,” Madsen said. World Labyrinth Day is observed around the world each year as people walk with a shared intention for peace. At St. Barnabas, the day offered a simple and meaningful opportunity to slow down, release burdens, and return to daily life with a centered spirit.
The Timeless Path The labyrinth is ancient, but it never grows old. Its winding path, carried across centuries, awaits each new set of footsteps to bring it to life again. This journey connects the present to the past, inviting walkers to participate in a tradition that has endured through countless generations. Labyrinths Through History Labyrinths have appeared on cave walls and cathedral floors, in stories and in stones. They survive in the quiet memory of pilgrims who walked when they could not travel, trusting that God can be found not only in faraway places but in the turning of an ordinary path. Each labyrinth, whether carved in rock or laid in tile, represents a spiritual journey shared by many throughout history. The Nature of the Labyrinth A labyrinth is not a puzzle to be solved. There are no tricks or dead ends—just a way inward and a way out. Its design reflects the spiritual journey: circling, returning, opening, and never quite the same twice. Walking the labyrinth mirrors the unfolding of inner life, gently guiding the walker toward deeper understanding. Reasons for Walking People walk labyrinths for many reasons: to grieve, to listen, to breathe, to lay something down, or to pick something up again. Some carry a question, others a burden, and some walk with empty hands, discovering that emptiness itself can be enough. The motivations are as varied as the individuals who walk, each finding their own meaning in the journey. The Experience of Walking Step by step, the body slows, the mind softens, and the heart begins to speak. The center holds the walker for a moment before the path leads them home. The act of walking the labyrinth creates space for reflection and renewal, allowing the journey to shape both the traveler and the destination. A Personal Encounter Though the labyrinth is old, each encounter is new. The path remains ancient, yet every prayer and intention brought to it is unique to the individual. The labyrinth offers a timeless space for spiritual practice, welcoming all who seek its quiet wisdom.
Pentecost is often called the birthday of the Church, and that’s true enough. But birthdays are about beginnings, not endings—and Pentecost was never meant to stay trapped in the first century like a candle on an old cake. Pentecost is not a memory. It’s the season we live in now. The Season of the Spirit. The long stretch of ordinary days made extraordinary because God refuses to leave us to our own devices. So what does it mean to live in the Season of the Spirit? In the Gospel of John, Jesus gives his friends a promise that is both tender and disruptive: “I will send the Holy Spirit to you.” Not a ghostly idea, not a theological footnote, but a presence. A Comforter. An Advocate. Someone who has your back when the world leans hard against you. Jesus tells them the Spirit will open their eyes and ears, not by giving them a whole new set of teachings, but by deepening the ones they already have. The Spirit doesn’t replace Jesus—he reveals him. Jesus is essentially saying: You’re not ready yet, but you will be. You don’t understand yet, but you will. And you won’t get there alone. The Spirit will walk with you. The Spirit will open your mind. The Spirit will make the words of Jesus come alive—not as information, but as transformation. And then John adds the part we often skip over: this way of life won’t be easy. Following Jesus into a world that resists justice, mercy, and truth never is. You will meet resistance when you stand against injustice. You will feel pressure when you speak up for the vulnerable. You will be stretched, pressed, and sometimes misunderstood. But you will not be alone. Pentecost is the reminder—and the ongoing reality—that God’s presence is not behind us in a story, but beside us in the struggle. The Spirit is not a one-day miracle. The Spirit is the daily breath of a God who refuses to give up on us. So yes, the Spirit is in the churches, right? We all know that. But is the Holy Spirit limited to churches? Let me address that in a larger context. Is the Holy Spirit limited to four walls? God is in the church, not the four walls. That is important, and where we have Sunday services, we do funerals, weddings and special events, and so much more, so I do not want to downplay the message of the buildings and grounds of our churches. You all know my message here. The Spirit is in the world. The Spirit is waiting for us in the halls of justice. The Spirit is waiting for us in the public places, food distribution, hospitals and prisons. And wherever God’s children are hurting, and we want to bring healing love to all God’s people. The world is in tatters. All you have to do is read the papers, listen to the news in the mornings, and realize God has work for us to do. But do not tell me it’s not exciting. However the challenge, God’s work is never dull. The Spirit shares this message from John. Jesus said: You have heard my words, you have observed my teaching, and now I am sending a Comforter and mentor to prepare you for this anointing that has been called Pentecost. Open your heart. Open your mind. Open your ears. There’s something happening here, right here where you live and work and minister. Listen to the voice. Listen for directions. As Buffalo Springfield observed the need to stand up for justice: “Something’s happening here. What it is ain’t exactly clear… Stop, children, what’s that sound? Everybody look what’s goin’ ’round.” And in the evening, we can take out Psalm 127 and send a prayer, with this Psalmist’s promise at the end of our day: Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain to build it. Unless the Lord keeps the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of sorrow; for He gives His beloved sleep. And here is where it all comes together: If Pentecost is now— if the Spirit is loose in the world— if God is already ahead of us in the places where justice is needed and mercy is scarce— then our work is simply to follow the Spirit into the world by day and entrust the world back to God by night. So may our prayer contain words like: Spirit, lead me. And now let me sleep, for the work is in your hands. For so You give Your beloved sleep.
A global moment of reflection, prayer, and peace St. Barnabas Episcopal Church observed World Labyrinth Day by opening the outdoor labyrinth for visitors throughout the day, including the shared “Walk as One” moment at 1:00 PM. Located just south of the church, the labyrinth offers a quiet place to walk, pause, reflect, and pray. Some visitors came for a few minutes, while others spent more time in the center, allowing the stillness of the desert setting to guide their experience. “You do not have to know the right words or follow a certain tradition,” Fr. David Madsen said. “The labyrinth welcomes anyone seeking peace, clarity, or a moment to breathe.” Unlike a maze, the labyrinth has one path to the center and one path back out. Its 11-circuit design is modeled after the labyrinth at Chartres Cathedral in France. “The labyrinth offers a quiet way to pause, pray, and listen for the presence of God in the stillness,” Madsen said. World Labyrinth Day is observed around the world each year as people walk with a shared intention for peace. At St. Barnabas, the day offered a simple and meaningful opportunity to slow down, release burdens, and return to daily life with a centered spirit.
The Timeless Path The labyrinth is ancient, but it never grows old. Its winding path, carried across centuries, awaits each new set of footsteps to bring it to life again. This journey connects the present to the past, inviting walkers to participate in a tradition that has endured through countless generations. Labyrinths Through History Labyrinths have appeared on cave walls and cathedral floors, in stories and in stones. They survive in the quiet memory of pilgrims who walked when they could not travel, trusting that God can be found not only in faraway places but in the turning of an ordinary path. Each labyrinth, whether carved in rock or laid in tile, represents a spiritual journey shared by many throughout history. The Nature of the Labyrinth A labyrinth is not a puzzle to be solved. There are no tricks or dead ends—just a way inward and a way out. Its design reflects the spiritual journey: circling, returning, opening, and never quite the same twice. Walking the labyrinth mirrors the unfolding of inner life, gently guiding the walker toward deeper understanding. Reasons for Walking People walk labyrinths for many reasons: to grieve, to listen, to breathe, to lay something down, or to pick something up again. Some carry a question, others a burden, and some walk with empty hands, discovering that emptiness itself can be enough. The motivations are as varied as the individuals who walk, each finding their own meaning in the journey. The Experience of Walking Step by step, the body slows, the mind softens, and the heart begins to speak. The center holds the walker for a moment before the path leads them home. The act of walking the labyrinth creates space for reflection and renewal, allowing the journey to shape both the traveler and the destination. A Personal Encounter Though the labyrinth is old, each encounter is new. The path remains ancient, yet every prayer and intention brought to it is unique to the individual. The labyrinth offers a timeless space for spiritual practice, welcoming all who seek its quiet wisdom.
