Rev. Joel Benson

What a blessing it has been to learn a new language!

Luke tells us in Acts chapter two about the birth of the church, which we call Pentecost.

The main part of the story tells of the Holy Spirit being poured upon the apostles gathered in Jerusalem, and they began to speak to people from every nation gathered so that they understood the proclamation each in their own language.

This story has taken on new relevance for the church this year as we have had to learn the native language of people whose language is Zoom, Facebook and YouTube, who communicate through screens.

I am not good at languages, but the Holy Spirit has helped me learn through Nathan and Jessica and others. They are native speakers.

The church was pushed into the virtual world of broadcasting worship services in the middle of March.

None of us enjoyed the jump from in-person worship to virtual, but the jump has been blessed by the Holy Spirit.

It only took a couple weeks for the first person to contact me. One of our older members reached out and said what a blessing the YouTube worship was.

He can’t always get to worship on a regular Sunday, but now he can virtually and he was thrilled!

He asked that we continue it and we will. I know the stories of other people who would not normally come to in-person worship have been watching and worshipping.

Kids who grew out of church, people who don’t seem to ever have the time for worship, people who have gotten disgruntled with the church, are now worshiping again.

All these folks have been gathered together through the power of the internet, where the Holy Spirit has been at work.

I can’t wait to gather again for in-person worship, but when that happens I will still gather with my sisters and brothers virtually.

The Holy Spirit has taught me a new language and it has been a blessing!

The Rev. Joel Benson is pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Butler.