Pentecost Reflection: A Good Day To Be Anglican
May 31, 2009
A few of us theophiliacs attend Messiah Episcopal in St. Paul, MN where a number of Anglican Karen attend.
Part of our Pentecost celebration today involved baptisms. There aren’t many Anglican Karen Priests in the USA, so when Father Samuel came to visit Messiah this morning, it was no surprise that our Karen parishioners showed up in force (they made up more than a third of our 9 o’clock service.)
The Baptism service was conducted in both English and Karen. It was a beautiful experience and one of my favorite mornings at Messiah in recent memory. I got goosebumps when I renewed my Baptismal vows in my language and then the Karen echoed the creed in theirs. It was moving to celebrate the birth of the Church at Pentecost by welcoming so many more into this Body through the Sacrament. I was once again flush with the notion of commonality in Christian faith around world. God lovingly reminded me that my Karen brothers and sisters are no mere “mission field” but equal participants in this Kingdom of God (how easy that harmful distinction can creep into my mind).
It was a good day to be Anglican. Christian.
Tony Hunt
jstambaugh
Shawn Wamsley
May 31, 2009 at 21:00
Ooh, I like this sentence: “God lovingly reminded me that my Karen brothers and sisters are no mere “mission field” but equal participants in this Kingdom of God.”
June 1, 2009 at 22:53
Interesting that you had different languages proclaiming the creed on Pentecost. How apt can you get;>)
June 2, 2009 at 18:18
We visited an Anglican church last Sunday.
Among other things, they had people who knew different languages read some scripture, all at the same time, in order to give a sense of what that might have been like. It was interesting.
I have other thoughts on the overall experience, but I’m not sure ho to frame them. (As in, are they post-worthy…?)