Greetings!
“Crafts for Pentecost” has become a regular event for our Church Family. Even though we cannot
physically gather together at this time, we have learned that we can still come together spiritually as
one Church Family. With that, we are happy to present to you a trio of virtual Pentecost crafts. We
hope that you can utilize these craft ideas and instructions to supplement your own spiritual journey as
well as the journeys of children, grandchildren, neighbors, and friends.
Pentecost is the Christian celebration of the coming of the Holy Spirit to Jesus’ disciples. Forty days after
Jesus’ resurrection, Acts 1:6-8 tells us: “So when they had come together, they asked him, ‘Lord, is this
the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?’ He replied, ‘It is not for you to know the times or
periods that the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has
come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of
the earth.’ ” The disciples gathered together in Jerusalem, and ten days later, on the Jewish harvest
feast of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit of God descended upon the disciples and at once they were filled with
the spirit and almost immediately began preaching and baptizing new members. This is why we call
Pentecost the birthday of The Church.
Pentecost is the joyous celebration of the Holy Spirit. As the third person of the trinity, the Holy Spirit
can be characterized as the wind or as fire or, as we see in the scripture many times, as a dove. A dove
is the perfect symbol of God’s peace and calming love, but there are other ways to symbolize the Holy
Spirit. We, here at FPC, have used the butterfly a number of times, as we decorated the sanctuary with
handcrafted butterflies.
An interesting and thought-provoking way the Holy Spirit has been represented is as a wild goose. Philip
Koslowski, from Aleteia, says: “The ancient Celtic people saw the Holy Spirit not as a hovering white
dove but as a ‘wild goose.’ The meaning behind this peculiar choice is because they saw how the Holy
Spirit has a tendency to disrupt and surprise. The Holy Spirit moves in our lives in an unexpected fashion,
similar to the actions of a wild goose.” It is this image that we explore with two of our three virtual
crafts.
CRAFT 1: The Wild Goose paper plate craft
You will need white paper plates, a pencil, scissors, and markers or crayons in red or orange and black.
You will find a video available here that will walk you through the craft. This is an easy craft to start.
Remember when you are done, put a wild goose on your front door or window and post a picture on the
First Presbyterian Facebook page to show everyone.
CRAFT 2: The Flying Goose origami craft
For this, you will only need white paper and scissors. In the video posted here, Amy Burd walks us
through the steps of making this beautiful origami. You can also use this link to see written instructions:
CRAFT 3: Painted rock craft
We are asking everyone to join in and make a painted rock – this time we will be using butterflies as a
nod to our past representations of the Holy Spirit. For this craft you will need stones, white paint for
the base coat and paint in other colors or markers to decorate your stone. Susan Nadenichek has
created a video to show us how to make the best painted rocks ever. Susan has base coated some
stones and will leave them at the Church, so you can pick up some for you and your family to decorate.
We will celebrate Pentecost on Sunday, May 31, during our worship at 10 am.
Let us celebrate the presence of the Holy Spirit and the birthday of the Church with worship, crafts,
food, and fellowship, as Presbyterians do!
Joyfully,
Russell Zampino
Chair, Advent/Lent Committee
Prayer to the Holy Spirit
Holy Spirit of God, sent to us to
comfort,
care,
protect,
counsel,
inspire,
cajole,
amuse,
disrupt
and bless us.
Like a butterfly You come to us.
Alighting here and alighting there, touching us like memories from the past, teaching and educating and healing.
Like a dove You descend upon us.
Blessing us with peace and calming our hearts, filling us with God’s love in the here and now present.
Like a wild goose, You lead us or chase us on a merry chase, moving us into the future, to the destiny
that God has intended us for.
We thank You for working Your way into our lives,
for bringing us in closer communion with You, our Triune God.
Fill our hearts with Your Spirit.
Fill our homes with Your Spirit.
Fill our church with Your Spirit.
Stir in us a desire to move, to act and to create.
Help us constantly build up and re-invent Your Church.
Amen.