ISLAND CITY An Island City church Sunday will look back on the day the Holy Spirit came to believers in Jerusalem 2,000 years ago.

Pastors at The Lighthouse Pentecostal Church are hoping that those attending will experience some of the power of the Holy Spirit that was displayed to the early believers.

The Lighthouse, 10501 Island Ave., will observe the day of Pentecost with services at 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.

Pentecost is the Greek word for the Feast of Weeks, a traditional Jewish celebration dating back to the time of Moses.

Angelo Meaderds, assistant pastor of The Lighthouse, said many churches ignore Pentecost, but it is important for Christians to remember the daythe Holy Spirit’s power was shown to believers and the church was established.

If people celebrate Christmas as the day of Christ’s birth and Easter as the day of His resurrection, they also should observe Pentecost as a significant day, Meaderds said.

"What guides us in truth and in our lives is the Spirit of God," Meaderds said. "In Him, we live, we move and have our being."

He said the Holy Spirit also reveals to the believer sin in his or her life.

"If we have the Spirit in us, we’ll know if we’re going down the right or the wrong road," the assistant pastor said.

Meaderds explained the historical events leading up to the day of Pentecost and the coming of the Spirit.

Jesus was crucified and rose from the dead during the Jewish Passover. During the 50 days between Passover and Pentecost, Jesus appeared to his disciples and told them to wait for the coming of the Holy Spirit.

Before Jesus ascended into heaven, He told his disciples to "not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. … In a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit." (Acts 1:4-5).

Sound like blowing of violent wind

Then, when the day of Pentecost arrived, the believers were gathered in one place. "Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. … All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them." (Acts 2:1-2,4).

Meaderds explained how The Lighthouse will celebrate Pentecost.

The morning service will include singing and various musical numbers, including selections from a Micronesian choir, followed by preaching.

During singing, "we will lift up our voices and our hands, and offer praise (to God)," he said.

Meaderds and the church’s senior pastor, Jesse Parker, will preach about the things that the Apostle Peter said on Pentecost.

Meaderds noted that it is during the preaching of the word that the Holy Spirit falls upon those who are hearing the word.

"If you preach the gospel and you believe it and worship Him," Meaderds said, "then God will pour out His spirit."

The minister said several things could happen.

Those attending, sometimes feeling tense in how they are approaching their worship of God, will have a "freedom of worship," he said.

"The Spirit of God also brings life changes," the minister said. A person having a problem with alcohol, for example, or struggling with caring for his family, may experience deliverance, he said.

A bitter, hateful person can be changed into a more loving person with the Spirit’s help.

Meaderds said it is also possible people Sunday will speak in tongues that are foreign to them, just like what occurred on Pentecost. And physical healing might occur.

He said the pastors try to encourage an atmosphere in which "the Spirit can flow," but they "do not orchestrate any of this."

"When we obey the Gospel and obey the Lord, who tells us to worship Him with everything in us, He (God) pours out His spirit."

The 6 p.m. service will include more celebration in the Holy Spirit.

Meaderds, who has been assistant pastor at The Lighthouse for 11 years and served as youth pastor before then, said everyone is invited to the services and welcome to observe what is going on.

"If you are hungry for an experience with God and not just religion, we invite you to come," he said.

Story by Dave Stave