Pentecost

Spirit.  
The word comes from the Latin "spiritus" meaning breath.  It also has a secondary meaning of inspiration which implies those invisible qualities like love, courage, peace and truth.

Today we celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit.  
The breath of God in the world.
The giving of inspiration to our lives.

Psychologists, theologians and anthropologists are forever studying spirituality to see if they can pin it down. 
What does it mean?
How does it work?

I am fascinated by these studies and read their findings with interest.  But am usually left wondering why there is such a desire to academically define spirituality.  

That is until a few weeks ago when I read a book entitled "slugs, snails and puppy dog tails".  For the first time I found a useful categorisation of spiritual connection.  

The author provides five ways that we can experience connection with the spirit, each of us preferring sone ways more than others:
- relational - building relation with God
- aesthetic - art, music, acting, craft
- active - doing, being, giving
- intrapersonal - with/thru others 
- ritualistic - worship liturgy

As we go through our service this morning we welcome the Holy Spirit into our lives.  We connect through the liturgy ritualistically.  As we lift our voices in praise and look at the flags we connect aesthetically.  As we sit, stand and walk we connect actively.  In the peace and at coffee we connect with others personally.  And through prayer, the reading of the bible and taking of communion we connect relationally.  

We experience the Holy Spirit in church.  But how easy is the spiritual connection outside this place?  How easily do we feel the breath of life and inspiration of the spirit at home, at work, at play?  

This morning four of our young people have kindly agreed to share their experiences of the Spirit in their lives.    As you hear their experiences I hope that you may realise the myriad of ways that the breath and inspiration of the spirit are in your lives.

Guys please come and join me.

Today we celebrate the spirit.  We feel the breath in our World.  We know the inspiration in our lives.  As we go out today I hope that you take the holy spirit with you, into your home, work places and communities.  Amen