Pentecost & Spirit-Filled Work

MAY 2026

Beloved Brothers and Sisters at Providence,

Grace and peace to you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ!

As we approach the celebration of Pentecost, Sunday May 24th, I write to you with a full heart, because by the time you read this we will have started my sabbatical and a shalom filled time in Brussels.

I am mindful of the profound significance Pentecost holds for the Church—not only as a remembrance of a past event, but as a present reality that continues to shape who we are and how we live. God's Spirit is with us!

As recorded in Acts chapter 2, Pentecost marks the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples. What had been promised by our Lord Jesus—“You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you”—was gloriously fulfilled. The fearful became bold, the uncertain became confident, and the gathered believers became the Church sent into the world.

This moment is not merely the birth of the New Testament Church in an historical sense; it is the ongoing source of our life and vitality. The same Spirit who descended like a rushing wind and rested as tongues of fire now dwells within every believer. This means that Pentecost is not locked in the past—but Pentecost, as the ongoing story of Christ in us, continues each and every day.

Pentecost reminds us that the Church is a Spirit-empowered people. We are not sustained by human strength, cleverness, or organization alone. Our witness, our worship, and our mission depend entirely upon the Holy Spirit. It is the Spirit who convicts hearts, who opens minds to the truth of the gospel, and who transforms lives.

Therefore, we are called to be a people of prayer, continually seeking the Spirit’s guidance and power in all that we do. Pentecost additionally reveals that the gospel is for all people. On that day, men and women from many nations heard the mighty works of God in their own languages. This was no accident—it was a declaration that the good news of Jesus Christ crosses every boundary of language, culture, and nation.

As a congregation, we are reminded that our mission extends beyond our immediate community--in fact even as we as a church have supported Julian and Rachel in planting Hope Church in Brussels, we are, through our prayers and finances, being faithful witnesses “to the ends of the earth,” participating in God’s great work of gathering a people for Himself from every tribe and tongue.

As I like to say often from the pulpit, this message of the gospel is to our near neighbor and to the nations; around the corner and around the world. Also, Pentecost calls us into a life of bold and joyful witness in all the places he calls us. Peter, once hesitant and fearful, stood and proclaimed Christ with clarity and conviction. The Spirit emboldened him to declare that Jesus is Lord and Messiah. That same boldness is given to us—not necessarily in dramatic speeches, but in faithful, everyday testimony. In our homes, our workplaces, and our neighborhoods, we are invited to speak of Christ with humility, courage, and love.

The message of Pentecost is not simply that God once acted, but that He continues to act. The Spirit is still at work—comforting, convicting, empowering, and sending. Let us not settle for a form of faith that lacks the vibrancy of the Spirit’s presence. Instead, let us open our hearts anew, asking God to fill us, lead us, and use us for His glory. May this Pentecost season be a time of renewal for our congregation--even as I am away, I am fervently praying for that. And I can't wait to come back and hear of God's goodness as we swap stories of His grace. May we grow, more and more, in our dependence on the Spirit, deepen in our love for one another, and increase in our passion for the mission of Christ.

My continued prayer for each and everyone of you is this: “Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful, and kindle in them the fire of your love.”

Your pastor and friend Edward Brouwer