A letter from May 22, 2026

Dear Friends,

As I drove to and from Baltimore this week, the effects of the drought that we’ve been under were evident in thirsty fields of struggling crops. Of course, many farmers have access to irrigation systems that keep their crops from total failure, but nothing can replace a good rain. It struck me that we modern humans have probably never experienced true thirst or the full effects of a devastating drought.

This Sunday, we will celebrate Pentecost, the day that the Holy Spirit was poured out on the disciples with tongues of fire and a rushing wind. Our Bible passage for the day will come from John’s account of an earlier day in Jesus’s ministry where Jesus declared, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me, and let the one who believes in me drink.” John goes on to explain that Jesus was talking about the Holy Spirit. While we may not know physical thirst firsthand, I believe we all know the effects of a spiritual drought. What does it mean that the Spirit of God is like a burning fire, a rushing wind, and living water? I hope you will join us as we worship this Sunday and celebrate the many ways God’s Spirit continues to satisfy our thirsty souls today.

In Christ, Rev. Cameron Smith