St. James Episcopal Church

Welcome to St. James' Episcopal Church

The Rev. Michael Armstrong, Rector
2423 SW Bascom Norris Drive, Lake City, Florida 32025
(corner of McFarlane, 47 & Bascom Norris)
Click here for map
(386) 752-2218 (386) 752-0562 fax
stjamesepis330@bellsouth.net

With Tongues of Fire…..
Pentecost, a.k.a. Whitsunday, is from the Greek word pentakoste meaning “the fiftieth day.” To be more exact, Pentecost is the culmination of Easter. Pentecost is NOT a season of the Church.The Pentecost event was the fulfillment of a promise which Jesus gave concerning the return of the Holy Spirit. Pentecost emphasizes that the Church is understood as the body of Christ which is drawn together and given life by the Holy Spirit. Many see Pentecost as the sending of the Church out into the world.When I think of the first Pentecost event (Acts 2:1) I picture the apostles together, tongues of flames coming down from heaven as they receive the Holy Spirit, and a cacophony of voices babbling in different languages sharing the wonder of it all.When I picture the apostles gathered together, I can’t help thinking about how they were all chosen by Jesus; how different each one was in background and personality; how their walk with Jesus formed who they were and how the Holy Spirit enabled them to go out into the world and do the work Jesus had called them to do. Look at the apostles: one was impatient; one was cranky; one was uncertain; one was unfocused; one was self-centered; one was thoughtless; one was . . . .Like those original apostles, our personalities are formed by significant people in our lives. They may have been parents, teachers or a favorite aunt or uncle. Some of the inherited traits of our personalities are good, some not so good. But they are part of the whole, they make up who we are. Obviously Jesus used the apostles as they were...and God will use us as we are.

Pentecost isn’t about SPEAKING incomprehensible languages. Pentecost is about HEARING incomprehensible languages. We can hear and understand new and amazing things if we know where and when to listen. Now, we might first think to look in Church to find Spirit-filled people. Sure, we will find some Spirit-filled people in Church. But let us not write off Spirit-filled people who are not in Church. After all, they are the majority of the human race and they, also, are a very mixed group of personality traits with which God can work. God makes Pentecost happen every day… we may be amazed if we open our ears and our hearts, how we, like the apostles, will be inspired by the Holy Spirit to lead us to continue God’s work in the world.

Faithfully -
Mthr. Michael+

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Verse of the Day

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The LifeSouth Bloodmobile will be at St. James on the following dates, from 9am to 1pm:
July 8, October 21

For information about the online Church directory, click here.

Spring House Cleaning Time!!

ECW Yard Sale will be held June 1 and 2

Begin finding those things that clutter your home and garage that someone else would like to support St. James by purchasing them.

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