Uplook June 7, 2025
Dear Seattle Saints,
Early Christians and the churches they became found it easy to create official holidays on which to celebrate the great things the Lord had done for them. These holidays often found their origin or roots in the already established Jewish festivals. It is not coincidental that Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection happened during the time of the Jewish Passover celebration nor is it accidental that the Jewish festival of Shavuot (or Weeks) celebrating harvest is also the general time Christians celebrate Pentecost. The feast of weeks (Shavuot) was celebrated following a 7-week period following Passover. Christians celebrate the giving of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost, which is the 7th Sunday following Easter. Through the centuries the time between these two great events has become known in some Christian traditions as Eastertide. While our church tradition does not observe every global church holiday , I do like the idea of keeping the resurrection in clear focus for more than one Sunday per year. And it does seem fitting to keep it in mind as we approach Pentecost Sunday. After the first Easter, the early church had only 40 days with the risen Christ before His ascension back to His intercessory throne in Heaven. He left instructions for those early believers to go wait in Jerusalem until the promised Holy Spirit descended to empower them for the harvest ahead which became the New Testament Church.
Tomorrow marks Pentecost Sunday and hopefully we have all been living as "Easter people" in the days since then...rejoicing in the knowledge of the power of the resurrection which has now been made available to each of us in Christ. But beyond that, may we each take a new and fresh look at Jesus' call for us to tarry together in prayer, consecration, unity, and surrender as the promised Holy Spirit is still available and at work in the world today; drawing sinners to salvation, saints to a holy sanctified walk of faith, and consecrated believers to a life of empowered service. While these three things embody the three basic spiritual experiences which we believe the Bible teaches, the work of the Holy Spirit is "deep and wide" across the church bringing comfort, direction, chastening, unity, and ultimately ...bodily resurrection. May we rejoice in the "promise of the Father." Consider the words of the Apostle Paul to the church in Rome.
But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. 10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. Romans 8:9–11
Housekeeping Notes
Campmeeting - Please complete your registration no later than June 15. Remember those under 18 will need signed guardian agreements before leaving for camp. We will recess services in Seattle for three Sundays (June 29, July 6 & 13). Wednesday Bible studies will recess beginning June 25 through at least August 6.
Youth Camp - Applications for Youth camp must be given to the pastor with payment by Sunday June 22. There will be another Youth Camp car wash on June 21. We will tabulate received funds per camper and let you know the amount remaining to submit with each application.
Graduation - We are thrilled to report we have two graduates this year. Kristiana L. Graduated from NYU with a baccalaureate/bachelor's degree in psychology earlier in the year and has returned to the Puget Sound for Graduate school. David A. Will graduate next weekend from UW with a Master's degree in Architecture. We rejoice in these successes and give God all the glory for His help. We will celebrate their accomplishments after evening service on Sunday, June 22 in the activity room.
God bless you all,
BB
Rev. William E. McKibben
Senior Pastor
Early Christians and the churches they became found it easy to create official holidays on which to celebrate the great things the Lord had done for them. These holidays often found their origin or roots in the already established Jewish festivals. It is not coincidental that Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection happened during the time of the Jewish Passover celebration nor is it accidental that the Jewish festival of Shavuot (or Weeks) celebrating harvest is also the general time Christians celebrate Pentecost. The feast of weeks (Shavuot) was celebrated following a 7-week period following Passover. Christians celebrate the giving of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost, which is the 7th Sunday following Easter. Through the centuries the time between these two great events has become known in some Christian traditions as Eastertide. While our church tradition does not observe every global church holiday , I do like the idea of keeping the resurrection in clear focus for more than one Sunday per year. And it does seem fitting to keep it in mind as we approach Pentecost Sunday. After the first Easter, the early church had only 40 days with the risen Christ before His ascension back to His intercessory throne in Heaven. He left instructions for those early believers to go wait in Jerusalem until the promised Holy Spirit descended to empower them for the harvest ahead which became the New Testament Church.
Tomorrow marks Pentecost Sunday and hopefully we have all been living as "Easter people" in the days since then...rejoicing in the knowledge of the power of the resurrection which has now been made available to each of us in Christ. But beyond that, may we each take a new and fresh look at Jesus' call for us to tarry together in prayer, consecration, unity, and surrender as the promised Holy Spirit is still available and at work in the world today; drawing sinners to salvation, saints to a holy sanctified walk of faith, and consecrated believers to a life of empowered service. While these three things embody the three basic spiritual experiences which we believe the Bible teaches, the work of the Holy Spirit is "deep and wide" across the church bringing comfort, direction, chastening, unity, and ultimately ...bodily resurrection. May we rejoice in the "promise of the Father." Consider the words of the Apostle Paul to the church in Rome.
But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. 10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. Romans 8:9–11
Housekeeping Notes
Campmeeting - Please complete your registration no later than June 15. Remember those under 18 will need signed guardian agreements before leaving for camp. We will recess services in Seattle for three Sundays (June 29, July 6 & 13). Wednesday Bible studies will recess beginning June 25 through at least August 6.
Youth Camp - Applications for Youth camp must be given to the pastor with payment by Sunday June 22. There will be another Youth Camp car wash on June 21. We will tabulate received funds per camper and let you know the amount remaining to submit with each application.
Graduation - We are thrilled to report we have two graduates this year. Kristiana L. Graduated from NYU with a baccalaureate/bachelor's degree in psychology earlier in the year and has returned to the Puget Sound for Graduate school. David A. Will graduate next weekend from UW with a Master's degree in Architecture. We rejoice in these successes and give God all the glory for His help. We will celebrate their accomplishments after evening service on Sunday, June 22 in the activity room.
God bless you all,
BB
Rev. William E. McKibben
Senior Pastor
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