Day of Pentecost 2026 – May 24

On May 24, 2026, we will celebrate the Day of Pentecost 2026, honoring the vibrant gift of the Holy Spirit to the church. We come together to remember the moment when God’s promised Holy Spirit descended upon the gathered disciples like a rushing wind and with flames of fire. This event transformed their fear into bold proclamation and their uncertainty into confident witness.

During this celebration, we experience the power of God’s Spirit to break down barriers, empower the weak, unite all people in faith, and send the Church out into the world as witnesses to Christ’s resurrection.

Join us for worship in the way that suits you best! You can worship with us in person, via Live Stream, Video Replay, or Podcast.

If You Cannot Join Us In Person for the Day of Pentecost 2026!

We understand that you may not always be able to attend in person; that’s why we offer several virtual options.

Livestream/Playback

Join us live at 8:50 AM for the organ prelude, followed by the service at 9:00 AM. After the livestream ends, you can watch the video replay at any time.

Podcast

Did you know that we are available on all major platforms? Our podcast covers everything from the opening hymn to the sharing of the peace.

The Collect for the Day of Pentecost

Almighty God, on this day you opened the way of eternal life to every race and nation by the promised gift of your Holy Spirit: Shed abroad this gift throughout the world by the preaching of the Gospel, that it may reach to the ends of the earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

The Readings for the Day of Pentecost

First Lesson: Acts 2:1–21

When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.

Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. Amazed and astonished, they asked, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs—in our own languages we hear them speaking about God’s deeds of power.” All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” But others sneered and said, “They are filled with new wine.”

But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them, “Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say. Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o’clock in the morning. No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel: ‘In the last days it will be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. Even upon my slaves, both men and women, in those days I will pour out my Spirit; and they shall prophesy. And I will show portents in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and smoky mist. The sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the coming of the Lord’s great and glorious day. Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’

Psalm 104:25–35, 37

Second Lesson: 1 Corinthians 12:3b–13

No one speaking by the Spirit of God ever says “Let Jesus be cursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except by the Holy Spirit. Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the discernment of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. All these are activated by one and the same Spirit, who allots to each one individually just as the Spirit chooses.

For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.

Gospel: John 20:19–23

When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”

Reflection on the Readings for the Day of Pentecost 2026

The Gift of the Holy Spirit – Acts 2:1–21

The Day of Pentecost arrived as the disciples gathered in Jerusalem, awaiting the promised gift of the Father. Jesus had instructed them not to leave Jerusalem but to wait for the promise of the Father, which they had heard from him. They did not know what to expect, only that something great was coming.

Suddenly, the day erupted with signs and wonders. From heaven came a sound like a violent wind, filling the entire house where they were sitting. This was no gentle breeze; it was a rushing wind—the very breath of God, the ruach elohim, the pneuma of the divine. In biblical imagery, wind represents the presence and power of God, the force that moved over creation at the beginning of time.

Following the wind, visible fire appeared. Not destructive fire, but purifying fire—divided tongues as of fire that appeared among them, with a tongue resting on each person. In scripture, fire represents God’s presence, God’s holiness, and God’s refining and transforming power. And this gift was not reserved for the apostles alone; it rested on each of them.

All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages as the Spirit enabled them. The disciples had received the gift. Now they had the power—not to restore an earthly kingdom, but to proclaim the mighty deeds of God to all creation.

The phenomenon attracted a large crowd. Devout Jews from every nation under heaven—Parthians, Medes, Elamites, residents of Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia, Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, Libya, Crete, Arabia, and Rome—all gathered in confusion. Yet each person heard the disciples speaking in their own native language. The confusion stemmed not from the speaking itself, but from the miracle: the barrier of language, one of humanity’s deepest divisions, had been shattered by the Spirit. The Spirit does not speak the language of power and might, but rather in the language that resides in each human heart.

Some people were amazed and puzzled by what they saw. Others mocked, saying that the disciples were filled with new wine. However, Peter, standing with the eleven disciples, raised his voice and addressed the crowd with boldness. Where had this courage come from? Just days before, Peter had denied Jesus three times. Now, filled with the Holy Spirit, he testified fearlessly that this moment fulfilled the prophecy of Joel: “In the last days,” God declares, “I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh.” Not just upon a select few, but upon everyone: sons and daughters, young and old, slaves and free. The Spirit is a gift from God poured out in abundance, reaching across every human boundary.

The Work of the Holy Spirit – Psalm 104:25–35, 37

The psalmist praises the many works of the Lord, which are done in wisdom. The earth is filled with God’s creatures, and the sea is teeming with living things that are too numerous to count. Ships sail across the waters, and even Leviathan, the great sea monster, has been created for God’s enjoyment. All creatures turn to God for their food at the right time. When God opens His hand, they are satisfied with good things. However, when God hides His face, they become fearful. When God takes away their breath, they die and return to dust.

Verse 31 highlights a profound truth: “You send forth your Spirit, and they are created; and so you renew the face of the earth.” The same Spirit that brought everything into existence at the beginning continues to create and renew today. The Spirit of God is not just a force from the past; it is a living, present power that animates all of creation and brings forth new life.

The latter part of the psalm calls on all kingdoms of the earth to sing praises to the Lord. God rides in the heavens, sends forth his voice with might, and His majesty reigns over Israel. His strength is evident in the skies. In the heavens, God dwells—and at Pentecost, the Spirit descended from those heavens upon the disciples gathered in the upper room. The psalmist’s cosmic vision becomes concrete in the events of Pentecost: the God of creation has poured out his Spirit upon the Church.

The Unity of the Body – 1 Corinthians 12:3b–13

Paul teaches the Corinthians about the role of the Holy Spirit in the life of the Church. No one can sincerely confess that “Jesus is Lord” except through the Holy Spirit. This confession of Christ as Lord serves as a sign of the Spirit’s presence. The Holy Spirit does not glorify itself; instead, it glorifies Christ.

The Spirit bestows a variety of gifts, including wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, discernment of spirits, speaking in tongues, and interpreting tongues. These gifts are not meant for personal glory or recognition; rather, they are intended “for the common good.” The Spirit distributes these gifts according to its own design, giving each person what is best in accordance with its will.

Paul presents a powerful analogy: the body. Just as the human body is one but consists of many parts, and although those parts are many, they form one body, the same is true for Christ. We are the body of Christ. Through the one Spirit, we—whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—have all been baptized into one body. We have all been made to drink of one Spirit.

The essence of Pentecost is not about a group of isolated individuals who are each endowed with different gifts from the Spirit. Instead, it emphasizes a unified body: the Church, brought to life by one Spirit. Our diverse gifts and callings should not create division; rather, they should foster unity. Just as the human body needs various members to function together, the body of Christ also relies on many different gifts and ministries, all empowered by the same Holy Spirit, and all working together for the common good.

The Peace of the Risen Lord – John 20:19–23

The events of John 20 take place on the evening of the first day of the week, which is the day of the Resurrection. The disciples are gathered behind locked doors, filled with fear of the Jews. Despite having seen the empty tomb and heard the women’s testimony, they are still overcome by fear.

Jesus comes and stands among them, saying, “Peace be with you.” Unlike saying, “Do not be afraid,” he emphasizes peace instead. He shows them his hands and his side, displaying the marks of crucifixion that confirm his identity and the significance of his redemptive work. The disciples rejoice when they see the Lord.

Once more, Jesus says, “Peace be with you. Just as the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.” The peace brought by the Risen Christ offers not only comfort but also a mission. The disciples are commissioned just as Jesus was sent by the Father. They are now tasked with continuing the work of reconciliation and redemption in the world.

And then he breathes on them and says, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” In Genesis, God breathed the breath of life into the nostrils of the man he had formed. Here, the Risen Christ breathes the Holy Spirit upon his disciples. They receive life—not merely physical life, but the very life of God, the Spirit’s animating power.

The giving of the Spirit comes with the authority to forgive sins: “If you forgive the sins of anyone, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of anyone, they are retained.” The disciples are empowered to offer reconciliation, to bind and loose, and to pronounce God’s forgiveness to those who genuinely repent.

The Day of Pentecost Wrap-Up

The Day of Pentecost marks the fulfillment of God’s promise. On this day, the Holy Spirit, promised by the prophets and by Jesus Christ, descends upon the Church with great power and glory. In the Book of Acts, the Spirit arrives like a rushing wind and appears as divided flames of fire. In the Gospel of John, the Spirit comes through the breath of the Risen Christ and His commissioning words. The Apostle Paul describes how the Spirit works through the diverse gifts given to the body of Christ.

Pentecost marks the birth of the Church as a missionary community. It represents the gift of power—not for conquest or domination, but for witnessing. Pentecost embodies the breaking down of barriers—linguistic, cultural, and national—that divide humanity. It signifies the formation of a new community, the body of Christ, energized by one Spirit and united under one Lord.

The psalmist envisions all of creation praising God, and this vision is fulfilled at Pentecost. The renewed earth, invigorated by God’s gracious rain and populated with His creatures, now includes the Church—a new creation established by the Spirit, testifying to the God of all grace.

For us, Pentecost is not just a commemoration of a past event; it is a renewal of our encounter with the living Spirit of God. It invites us to receive the gifts of the Spirit—wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, and courage—anew so we can witness to Christ in our own time. It calls us to unity within the body of Christ, urging us to break down the barriers that divide us and to dedicate our lives to serving God’s kingdom.

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The Old Testament, New Testament, and Gospels readings are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

The Collect and Psalm are from the Book of Common Prayer, 1979.