The Holy Spirit works in many ways at Advent, but one
Pentecost stands out in the memory of many members who were there to experience
it. Pastor Dick Little used to love to
talk about how the Holy Spirit which came to the disciples as a rushing wind,
was actually part of our life giving breath.
In talking about it one time he even eluded to balloons and how they
could represent the breath of the Holy Spirit in church. To illustrate his
point, at one Church Council Leadership Retreat he had our “distinguished
church elders” blow up balloons and bat them around in a joyful game to
illustrate the joy of the Holy Spirit.
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| Joey the clown (AKA Joe?) on Pentecost |
That got Joe Palumbo and Keith Wassum thinking… and then
plotting! Pentecost was approaching and
they thought it would be a great surprise to have a red balloon arch in the
sanctuary to represent the Holy Spirit and to have balloons of every color in
the Narthex for folks to take to represent the many tongues of the Holy
Spirit. The Holy Spirit “inspired” them
to take this initiative on completely by themselves and in secrecy, even to the
pastor! Knowing that they did not quite
have enough “life-giving breath” on their own, they decided to let a helium
tank help out the Holy Spirit, and they arrived on the morning of Pentecost (to
quote Keith) at “dark thirty.” They had
just finished the red balloon arch that would span the entire Sanctuary and
were blowing up balloons for the Narthex, when Pastor
Little arrived to get ready for morning services. The look on his face was priceless and worth
all of their efforts. Then as Joe and
Keith were almost rolling on the floor laughing, Dick quickly sobered up and
thought, “What will people think? How will
I incorporate this into my sermon and worship?”
But the joy of the Holy Spirit overcame any fears he may have had and
spread throughout the congregation that day!
Here is the poem that inspired Pastor Little, Joe and Keith.
BALLOONS BELONG IN CHURCH
by Ann Weems
I
took to church one morning a happy four-year-old boy
Holding
a bright blue string to which was attached
his
much loved orange balloon with pink stripes...
Certainly
a thing of beauty
And
if not forever, at least a joy for a very important now.
When
later he met me at the door
Clutching
blue string, orange and pink bobbing behind him,
He
didn't have to tell me something had gone wrong.
"What's
the matter?"
He
wouldn't tell me.
"I
bet they loved your balloon..."
Out
it came, then -- mocking the teacher's voice, "We don't bring balloons to
church."
Then
that little four-year old, his lip a little trembly, asked:
"Why
aren't balloons allowed in church? I thought God would like balloons."
I
celebrate balloons, parades and chocolate chip cookies.
I
celebrate seashells and elephants and lions that roar.
I
celebrate roasted marshmallows and chocolate cake and fresh fish.
I
celebrate aromas: bread baking, mincemeat, lemons...
I
celebrate seeing: bright colors, wheat in a field, tiny wild flowers...
I
celebrate hearing: waves pounding, the rain's rhythm, soft voices...
I
celebrate touching: toes in the sand, a kitten's soft fur, another person...
I
celebrate the sun that shines slab dab in our faces...
I
celebrate the crashing thunder and the brazen lightning...
And
I celebrate the green of the world...the life-giving green...the hope-giving
green...
I
celebrate birth: the wonder...the miracle...of that tiny life already
asserting its selfhood.
I
celebrate children
who
laugh out loud
who
walk in the mud and dawdle in the puddles
who
put chocolate fingers anywhere
who
like to be tickled
who
scribble in church
who
whisperin loud voices
who
sing in louder voices
who
run...and laugh when they fall
who
cry at the top of their lungs
who
cover themselves with bandaids
who
squeeze the toothpaste all over the bathroom
who
slurp their soup
who
chew coughdrops
who
ask questions
who
give us sticky, paste-covered creations
who
want their picture taken
who
won't use their napkins
who
bury goldfish, sleep with the dog, scream at their best friend
who
hug us in a hurry and rush outside without their hats.
I
celebrate children
who
are so busy living they don't have time for our hangups
And
I celebrate adults who are as little children.
I
celebrate the man who breaks up the meaningless routines of his life.
The
man who stops to reflect, to question, to doubt.
--
The man who isn't afraid to feel....
The
man who refuses to play the game.
I
celebrate anger at injustice
I
celebrate tears for the mistreated, the hurt, the lonely...
I
celebrate the community that cares... the church...
I
celebrate the church.
I
celebrate the times when we in the church made it...
When
we answered a cry
When
we held to our warm and well-fed bodies a lonely world.
I
celebrate the times when we let God get through to our hiding places
Through
our maze of meetings
Our
pleasant facade...deep down to our selfhood
Deep
down to where we really are.
Call
it heart, soul, naked self
It's
where we hide
Deep
down away from God
And
away from each other.
I
celebrate the times when the church is the Church
When
we are Christians
When
we are living, loving, contributing God's children...
I
celebrate that He calls us His children even when we are in hiding.
I
celebrate love...the moments when the You is more important than the I
I
celebrate the perfect love...the cross...the Christ
loving
in spite of...
giving
without reward
I
celebrate the music within a man that must be heard
I
celebrate life...that we may live more abundantly...
Where
did we get the idea that balloons don't belong in the church?
Where
did we get the idea that God loves gray and Sh-h-h-h-h
And
drab and anything will do?
I
think it's blasphemy not to appreciate the joy in God's world.
I
think it's blasphemy not to bring our joy into His church.
For
God so loved the world
That
He hung there
Loving
the unlovable
What
beautiful gift cannot be offered unto the Lord?
Whether
it's a balloon or a song or some joy that sits within you waiting to
have
the lid taken off.
The
Scriptures say there's a time to laugh and a time to weep.
It's
not hard to see the reasons for crying in a world where man's hatred for
man
is so manifest.
So
celebrate!
Bring
your balloons and your butterflies, your bouquets of flowers...
Bring
the torches and hold them high!
Dance
your dances, paint your feelings, sing your songs, whistle, laugh.
Life
is a celebration, an affirmation of God's love.
Life
is distributing more balloons.
For
God so loved the world...
Surely
that's a cause for Joy.
Surely
we should celebrate!
Good
News! That He should love us that much.
Where did we ever get the idea that
balloons don't belong in the church?
