Ellington

The end of the spring season signals a special celebration for many local churches, but one in particular is making it a party.

The Church of the Nativity will recognize the Day of Pentecost and celebrate the birthday of the church Sunday, May 23.

“It’s one of the most fun days in the church year,” the Rev. Betty Latham. “It’s a day we give thanks for our worship community, and it’s so fun and joyful; just a really good way to see unity.”

She explained that the Day of Pentecost means 50 days after Easter.

“In the Bible, this is the day when Jesus sent the Holy Spirit on the people in the Book of Acts,” said Latham.

The day’s festivities will begin during the morning services at 8:30 and 10:30 a.m. with the reading of the Gospel in 20 different languages. The church’s deacon will read it first in English and then 20 members of the congregation will join him reading in other languages including Russian, Greek and more.

“I think the people really enjoy this part of the service the most,” Latham said. “It’s all at once with great joy and something you really have to experience.”

Everyone in attendance that day will also wear red to symbolize the Holy Spirit. The main service will conclude with the flight of a 10-foot dove above the church congregation.

“It’s a beautiful kite with 15 feet of rainbow colored ribbon tails,” Latham said. “It looks like the dove of peace and we fly it once at the beginning of the service and once at the end. It also helps remind us of the wind of the Holy Spirit.”

Latham said the underlying importance of the day is that it is recognized as the day when the church received the Holy Spirit from God.

“We celebrate our ministries that we have now and the fact that we are all ministers empowered by the Holy Spirit,” she said.

End of the year Sunday school awards will also be handed out during the 10:30 a.m. service, and members will share a picnic lunch together afterward complete with birthday cake and ice cream.