Pentecost at New Oregon
The Scene
Jesus has gathered his disciples and doing what any leader would like the opportunity to do and that is to discuss parting with their followers. I think mothers and fathers would like to have the opportunity to sit down and talk about their death with their sons and daughters and even their friends.
God Has Prepared Everything You Need – The Spirit is With You
Jesus tells those original disciples just a few key things that we should all listen to in our day:
All of these teachings are important for us today. This is the very substance of the church. When Bill read the Acts passage describing Pentecost it is this very thing that was coming to life for the disciples and all who had come to the feast.
Greater Things Than These
I’m not convinced that we will raise people from the dead. I even have to struggle with healing in the understanding of curing even though I’ve practiced it and been with others when it has happened. So, I believe and then vacillate to questioning – O Lord help thou my unbelief.
On Pentecost the disciple did greater things than Jesus. They supported more people to respond to God’s summoning in one day than Jesus had in his entire ministry. Plus, these disciples, by following the Spirit, reached out to people far beyond the territory that Jesus traveled during his ministry. You realize that he didn’t go much further than about Desoto State Park and around the Fischer Crossroads area.
Pentecost Continues Through the Ages
Even the Old Testament is the story of Pentecost – Moses, Abraham, Sarah, Daniel and others following the Spirit of God.
Paul is a great example of the Spirit being involved in one’s life as he ganged up with the Spirit of God to start Christianity pretty much as we know it today.
If you look over the centuries at the reformers you get to see God’s Spirit jumping into the Body of Christ when we humans attempt to take it over for ourselves.
American Christianity has been a response of the Spirit even though I believe we have once again attempted to make it what we think it ought to be, what is convenient for us, rather than the servant-hood Christ lived.
Methodism, though it got its start in England, didn’t become a church until the movement came to America and then led the revival westward. This is that Advocate Jesus talked about at work once again.
I’m telling you that the Spirit of God is just as involved this very day as that night when Jesus was teaching his disciples.
Oregon Methodist Episcopal Church
Around 1877 a group of people headed for Oregon crossed this mountain and some of them stayed right here. Our church history states they learned there was land that could be homesteaded but I suspect it was actually the work of the Spirit.
Certainly, the Spirit touched the hearts of William and Mary Costillo who donated a combination school and church. It was known as a “free preaching place” for any orthodox minister but preference was given to those of the Methodist Episcopal Church South persuasion.
New Oregon
The church needed more room due to its growth in members. The Spirit provided land through Andrew T. and Eliza J. Baker and the New Oregon Church was built in 1888.
More growth and classrooms were provided under the old sanctuary in the 1950s and then in the 70s an education wing was proposed and completed. Bishop Carl Sanders came to dedicate the new classrooms, fellowship hall and restrooms.
In 1979 Woodrow Biddle and Max Young built and erected the steeple that was on the church.
Then came the need for even more room and ultimately this wonderfully beautiful sanctuary. Folks, I go through this very brief history to tell you that the Spirit followed Jesus in the work of God and has continued to walk with all who will respond over the centuries. That very same Spirit is at work right here at New Oregon United Methodist Church.
Hard Times
No doubt I’ve not gone through the hard and difficult times of this church. There has been any number of times when folks were frustrated and eventually angry with one another. Carol and I heard the Spirits nudging to come here at the every end of one of those times. And we came here with our hearts wide open to respond to whatever we found.
Attendance the First Sunday
The first sign of the Spirit at work was attendance the very first Sunday we were here. We had in the nineties that Sunday. The singing was loud and lively that Sunday and for many Sundays to follow. One could just sense the Spirit of the Lord at work.
Hugging and Shaking Hands
Another sign of the Spirit at work I was told about, “Ben, people are hugging one another, shaking hands, laughing together and speaking that haven’t done that in a long time.” Wow!
Staying With a Pastor Being Transformed
It seems that about the third week here I shared with this congregation that a transformation was taking place in me and even though I had no idea where it would come out it was happening and I thought it had something to do with being on this mountain serving this church. I’ve been careful, perhaps to a fault, to wait as the transformation has evolved – and it has though not complete.
Part of the Emmaus Experience
One of the aspects of the Emmaus Walk that I was completely uncomfortable with was their arrangement of chairs for worship. They touched one another. Do you know what that means? I would be rubbing shoulders with other men. I would probably have to squirm my way into a seat unless it was at the end of the row – no such luck because I was too slow. Or, it may have had nothing to do with my slowness because as I sat between some guys about my size I began to see our sanctuary – like watching a motion picture.
People were sitting shoulder to shoulder, standing shoulder to shoulder, singing shoulder to shoulder. You have never heard anything like it. Well, maybe you have but I haven’t. It was joyous and glorious and even the most crass observer would know the Spirit was once again at work on the mountaintop.
If this vision is of God then I warn you the Spirit is moving at New Oregon and we all need to live into the vision. Pray, Pray, and listen and respond to the vision if it is of God. Help me interpret the message of the Spirit because it has to do with all of us. This may be a new Pentecost at New Oregon.
Conclusion
Recently we began a conversation about a Family Life Center. There has been a broad range of excitement as well as there should be. There are questions of affordability and I think these are appropriate and needed. There are questions of time, talent and ability resources and no doubt these are in order.
But, let me tell you that God has a plan for this church and people even coming close to the building can feel it. What we need to do right now, before anything else, is pray about whether this wonderful idea is ours or if it is the Lord’s. If ours it may or may not work. If it is the Lord’s it will work! This is a decision that should be made by God for New Oregon United Methodist Church and the area – it is not ours to make.
God’s Spirit is here and we have a new opportunity to participate with God’s Spirit to serve others. How are we doing to do that? We’re going to pray, pray and then pray some more. Then we are going to share with one another what we hear the Lord saying. And we will work together toward an end that will glorify God and not a single one of us. You see, the Spirit of God is just as near today as on Pentecost. This is our Pentecost season!
It will take all of us to test out this vision rather than a few. Was I just dreaming or was God speaking through me for us? Was the Trustee Work Area just dreaming or was God speaking through them to us? Two separate visions and a deep need to call upon God for direction. Pray and Pray and Pray some more. Talk and share with one another and me. Let’s worship as one, sing as one, and let the Spirit guide us as we gather for worship and fellowship. Even if a vision from God, I, the Trustees or the church won’t be able to do it alone. It will take all of us plus God’s Spirit! God’s Spirit is here so let’s listen and follow!
The beauty of this present situation for this church is that Praying, Listening, Sharing, and Following the Spirit regardless of direction led will be a continuing Pentecost experience.