05/23/2026
Pentecost, an important day in the life of the church, can be a wonderful opportunity for family worship, discussions about church and the Holy Spirit, and a celebration of our faith. Pentecost is celebrated the seventh Sunday after Easter.
On Pentecost Sunday, we remember the day the disciples received the Holy Spirit in a special way. There was a powerful wind and tongues of fire (see Acts 2:1-41).
With the gift of the Spirit, the disciples were able to tell people from all over the world about Jesus in ways each could understand. The Bible reports that about 3,000 people were baptized that day, creating the first church.
Creatively celebrating Pentecost in the home can be a wonderful addition to your family's devotional life, as you give thanks to God for the gifts of the Holy Spirit and the church.
Here are some ideas to help get you started.
Wear red: Red is the color of Pentecost, symbolizing the Holy Spirit's arrival with tongues of fire. Go through your closets and find red clothes to wear to church on Pentecost Sunday to join in the celebration!
Tell the story: Read together the story of Pentecost in Acts 2. Imagine the scene. Ask each family member what they will try to remember from the story.
Pretend to be Peter: Peter was concerned that some people misunderstood the disciples' faith and the work of the Holy Spirit. If you were Peter today, what would you want to say to help others understand what it means to follow Jesus?
Bake together: Make a cake to celebrate the birth of the church. Red icing and candles serve as great reminders of the Spirit coming as individual flames and resting on each of the disciples.
Enjoy the wind: Make and fly a kite. Blow bubbles and watch the wind carry them away. Play with pinwheels. Talk about all the wind does, even though you cannot see it.
Balloons: Use balloons to celebrate. Some balloons rise, while others do not. The difference is the air inside. Helium is invisible, but we can see its effects on the balloon.
Learn the story of your church: Talk to an older member of your church or research the history of your congregation. Ask members what the church was like when they began attending. Share your own memories of Sunday School, church, and people who have been important in helping you grow in faith.
Make decorations: Make a banner, draw some pictures, or find another way to express the day artistically. Post your creations around your home as reminders of the gift of the Holy Spirit and the church.
Pentecost in a box: Greeting cards, red streamers and birthday candles, gathered in a box, make for a simple way to sit down and experience Pentecost with one another. Learn more.
-- Rev. MaryJane Pierce Norton, retired staff, Discipleship Ministries
We're praying today for Rhonda Wulf (Atlanta-Ragan), Philip Sloat (Broken Bow-Anselmo), Karla Sheffy (Callaway-Arnold) and Michael Turner (Chadron).
