Richard Bromley 

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What goes up comes down… though not always when we expect.

It was Pentecost and it was my turn to lead all-age worship.  I had a great idea, fill red balloons with helium and make some great point about the Spirit filling us and taking us to new heights, of love, service, and mission.  Get the kids to write their names on tags and let them go in Church. 

It was good, engaging, and visual, and of course, we were left with 25 red balloons on the ceiling, which I found amusing.

Fast forward to the evening service, the quieter, more contemplative service and as the congregation took a time of silence and prayer, one by one the balloons started to come down.  Some more quickly than others, but by the end of the service, they were all down.  People found it very moving.  

I like to think of it as God playing a trick, to remind us that Jesus did not give us a huge task to do and left us to it.  This Pentecost let me remind you, we are ordinary people, but he is an extraordinary God, and this is an irresistible combination.  

‘And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you’.

Romans 8:11  (New International Version – UK)