Holy Spirit Happenings

What do you believe about the Holy Spirit?

In any day, the Holy Spirit is working and alive through the faithful witnesses at Fort Hill Church!  Today, as I write this, I can count five instances and thank God. A member walks into the church and shares what God is doing and what is going on in his life.  There is discernment of what the Holy Spirit may be up to.  And we agree to trust the Spirit and trust the process.   An encounter with multiple staff members who share with me an idea, a resource, and opportunity that presents itself, is a way the Spirit is moving. A meeting at Clemson Community Care connects us to others in our community who have needs and gifts to offer each other.  One woman told me she was praying for Healing Bridges Counseling Center.  That was a nice Holy Spirit surprise. The Holy Spirit is happening…all the time.

As we enjoy the great 50 days of Easter season, and move to celebrate at Pentecost (May 24), the Holy Spirit is active.  Jesus promises to send an Advocate, the Spirit, to be with the disciples in his farewell speech of John 14.  And the Spirit shows up in Jerusalem at Pentecost, to people of different ethnicities and languages, yet they understand each other.  And the Church is born.

According to the Bible, the Holy Spirit is the presence and work of the living God here and now in our individual lives, in the church, and in the world.  In Confirmation classes I always tell the students the Spirit is God in verb form: moving, igniting, changing, and inspiring us to good works, love, and faith.

For me the best part is that the Spirit leads the Church and her people.  Your leaders and those serving our church seek the Holy Spirit.  We are using the gifts of the Spirit all the time.  And as our Children have learned this year, the Spirit bears fruit.  The fruits of the Spirit are love, joy, peace, forbearance (patience), kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 3:22-23).

I hope you will keep your eyes and ears tuned to what God is doing, and God’s Spirit. Praise God for the gift of sustaining grace and community through the power of the Holy Spirit.

In God’s Grace,
Laura Conrad, Pastor