Ekama Eni: "What You Sayin'?" (Sermon for June 8, 2025)

Friends,

Have you ever been in the same room and as someone you knew deeply and didn’t understand a word they were saying? How did you react? Panic and yelling? Or are you calm under pressure and able to use your know-how to work towards a place of understanding?

I’ve spent the last 2 weeks on the bonnie shores of Scotland ushering a group of our campus students on a pilgrimage to the sacred isle of Iona. Being back in the UK is always thing of comfort, it’s one of the many places that I get to call home. But not unlike traversing the numerous accents and languages of New York City, the sounds of Scots requires some tuning of my ears to be able to fully comprehend and get into the swing of paying attention.

There’s something about falling out of practice or some time away that requires an adjustment period. Paying attention is hard when there’s so many distractions. Paying attention is hard when you come with preconceived notions of what’s going to happen. 

This Sunday we usher in the day and season of Pentecost. Last week we, with the Ascension, we marked Jesus leaving this earthly plane, whisked away on a cloud. But in typical God fashion, the people are NOT alone.

Being in community and trying to communicate with one another, doesn’t come without its chaos. We live that out every day, some days better than others. So much can happen when we allow for the Spirit to enter the room and perhaps even our relationships! 

To help us get into the Pentecost spirit you are encouraged to wear red and other fiery shades to help us embody the Holy Spirit-infused tongues of fire that overtake the people and give them the ability to understand one another. 

Looking forward to it,
Pastor Ekama