A Keynote Presentation on the meaning of the Day of Pentecost/WhitSunday by The Rev'd Canon Noel A. Burke, Rector of the St. David's Church, Christ Church, Barbados

1. Confirmation Class
The Day of Pentecost/WhitSunday
Prepared by Canon Noel A. Burke
Rector of
St. David’s Church

2. The Day of Pentecost
GOD, who as at this time didst teach the hearts
of thy faithful people, by the sending to them
the light of thy Holy Spirit; Grant us by the
same Spirit to have a right judgement in all
things, and evermore to rejoice in his holy
comfort; through the merits of Christ Jesus our
Saviour, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the
unity of the same Spirit, one God, world without
end. Amen.

3. The Day of Pentecost
The Feast of Pentecost is also known as
Whitsunday,
It recalls how The Holy Spirit came upon the
Apostles. (Acts of the Apostles 2:1-11)
Pentecost is celebrated 50 days after Easter.
It celebrates the birthday of the Church

4. The Outpouring of God’s Holy spirit
Then afterward I will pour out my spirit on all
flesh; your sons and your daughters shall
prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and
your young men shall see visions. Even on the
male and female slaves, in those days, I will pour
out my spirit.
Joel 2:28-29 New Revised Standard Version

5. The Coming of the Holy Spirit
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.”
Acts 2:1-11 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

7. The Day of Pentecost
The Feast of Pentecost is not as widely known
or celebrated as Christmas and Easter
It is one of the most significant Festivals
of the liturgical year.

8. Paschal Mystery
It is part of the Paschal Mystery
Crucifixion
Resurrection
Ascension
The Coming of the Holy Spirit

9. The Day of Pentecost
The festival this year falls on 31 May
It occurs 10 days after the 40th Day -
Ascension Day

10. The Day of Pentecost
Liturgical Color: Red
This colour is reserved for days celebrating
martyrs and Good Friday

11. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among
them, and a tongue rested on each of them
Acts 2: 3

12. The Day of Pentecost
Pentecost is the Greek name for Jewish Feast of
Weeks (Shavuot),
It falls on the 50th day after Passover.
It celebrates the giving of the Law at Mount Sinai
During the Feast of Weeks the first fruits of the
grain harvest were presented (Exodus 23, Exodus
24, Leviticus 16, Numbers 28, and Deuteronomy
16).

13. The Day of Pentecost
Pentecost is also known as Whitsunday.
It refers to the practice of baptizing converts
at Pentecost
They were clothed in white robes after the
Baptism
The Day became known as White or
Whitsunday

14. The Day of Pentecost
Saint Peter explained that the disciples were
filled with the Holy Spirit
He delivered the first Christian sermon
3,000 people were baptised by the Apostles.
(Acts 2:41)

15. Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit?
1.wisdom
2.understanding
3.counsel
4.knowledge
5.fortitude
6.piety
7.fear of the Lord
(Isaiah 11:1-2

16. Fruit of the Spirit
. . . the fruit of the Spirit is
1. love,
2. joy,
3. peace,
4. patience,
5. kindness,
6. goodness,
7. faithfulness,
8. gentleness,
9. self-control;
Galatians 5:22-23

17. Filled with the Holy Spirit
We are given the Holy
Spirit when we are
Baptised
This leads us to be
Confirmed
Make our Communion

18. One Spirit; many gifts
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.
1 Corinthians 12:4-11 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

19. The Great Commission
Therefore go and make
disciples of all nations,
baptising them in the name
of the Father and of the
Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Matthew 28: 19

20. Filled with the Holy Spirit
Give three ways that
will show that we are
led by the Holy Spirit