Dear friendsThis weekend we celebrate Pentecost, which is considered informally as the Church's birthday. This is the day that the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples, enabling them to spread the good news of Jesus beyond the Jewish people, out into the world. This is the day God fulfilled the promise to send a helper, an advocate, to enable Jesus' followers to continue the ministry he began during his time on earth.Our younger members of the church family have been celebrating this in their separate groups: Messy Church, Bears and Prayers and Sunday Spirit have all done exciting, colourful, lively activities over the last 2 weeks to learn more about this really important festival in the life of the church.I wonder how you feel about your own birthday? When we're young it's really exciting, with the promise of a party and cake. As we get older we may dread the next birthday coming along, with it's reminder of older age, or we may even forget how old we are, and a birthday just feels like another day.Birthdays, whatever age we are, are a cause to celebrate the life of an individual. Pentecost, for me, is a cause to celebrate the life of the church, the beginning of the church as we know it, a body of people gathering to worship, pray, and grow in our understanding of who we are as followers of Jesus Christ. It is also a cause to be open again to the mysterious work of the Holy Spirit, the gift of God that completed who he was for us, equipping and enabling us in our lives, ensuring we are never alone, even if there are times that we feel it.Our readings this week invite us even more into the story of our faith, and our gatherings this week, at 8.30 for a traditional Eucharist, and 10.30 for our more informal All Together Communion, invite us to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit again. I'm aware that it is a beautiful bank holiday weekend however, and many of you will be taking the opportunity to get away!It would be lovely to see you, equally I pray you will feel the presence of God in the work of the Holy Spirit, wherever you are.God blessBecky