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Pentecost, meaning "Fiftieth Day," has its roots in the ancient Jewish Feast of Weeks, a celebration of the first harvest, seven weeks after the spring sowing of the grain. Later, the Jews associated Pentecost with the giving of the Law to Moses on Mount Sinai. For Christians, Pentecost has two-fold significance independent of Jewish tradition. It commemorates the event in Acts 2 when two things occurred:
(1) the Holy Spirit came in the fulfillment of Christ's promise to his disciples;
(2) the Christian Church launched upon its world mission.

Pentecost, often called "Whitsunday," may refer, either to the wearing of white robes by candidates for baptism, or to the old Anglo-Saxon word, "wit", meaning "wisdom" - an allusion to the outpouring of the Spirit of wisdom (Ephesians 1:17).

The color for the Pentecost season, which lasts seven days, is red. Red signifies divine fire, in addition to the fervor of the Church's faith. The dove serves as the most common symbol of the Holy Spirit, and is found in the story of Jesus' baptism.

Consider this:
At this time of the church year,
you may want to change the order of worship headings, as follows:

THE GATHERING

TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR WHAT WE HEAR

The Ancient Word
The Traditional Word
The Contemporary Word

TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR OURSELVES

TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE WORD

Concerns of the Parish

THE SCATTERING

The Pentecost Season, longest of the church year, begins on the Sunday following Pentecost and continues until the eve of Advent. Depending on the date of Easter, this season can contain twenty-two to twenty-seven Sundays. This season serves as (1) the instructional half of the church year; and (2) an attempt to keep God's commandments. Spiritual nourishment received from the observance of the first half of the church year now brings forth Christ-like living.

Four cycles divide the Pentecost Season:

I. Apostolic Age: Pentecost to the end of June
(June 29, Feast of Peter and Paul)
Christians are taught how they are called to their new life in Christ.

II. Age of Persecution
(June 29 to August 10, Feast of St. Lawrence)
Christians are instructed about how to live their new life in Christ.

III. Church at Work Today
(August 10 to the end of September,
Feast of St. Michael, September 29)

IV. Church Triumphant
(September 29 to Advent)

Generally, Pentecost has included two patterns or traditions:

I. Pentecost Sunday, followed by twenty-seven Sundays designated "After Pentecost."

II. Pentecost Sunday, followed by Trinity Sunday, followed by twenty-six Sundays as "After Trinity." Some others labeled the whole sea-son after Trinity Sunday as "Kingdomtide." Those who omitted any observance of Trinity Sunday claimed that ' 'trinity' ' was a doctrine, whereas "Pentecost" was an event. The emphases, originally during the Season of Pentecost, were designated, generally, as the Church, the Word, the Sacrament, and the Christian Hope.

Thanks to Donald Macleod,
Francis Landey Patton Professor of Preaching and Worship, Emeritus, Princeton Theological Seminary, Princeton, N. J.