This year’s Friday evening vespers program during the North American Division Year-End Meeting delivered a unique and spirit-filled experience. It began with an agape feast of biblical proportions: Fruits, nuts, breads, dips, cheeses, and crackers, all served on wooden dishes. Attendees filled their plates, moved to their tables, and feasted in the company of others, fellowshipping and rejuvenating. 

Bringing the group back together, Anika Anderson, assistant director of NAD Events Management, and Desiree Bryant, a Ministerial Association associate director, led everyone in singing a hymn and then the year’s theme song, “Come, Holy Spirit.” 

Then, a special performance began.

Two figures, dressed in biblical style attire, began walking between the tables from the back of the room, chatting about a meeting they were headed to. As they talked, another voice joined, as a third costumed figure ran from the back of the room to meet them.

“What are you doing?” the first figure asked the third. “He said to travel in pairs! You can’t come with us!”

As they progressed to the front of the room, more figures filed onto the stage, some of them discussing how late certain people were to the meeting. When the three original figures made it to the stage, they were warmly and teasingly greeted by the rest of the group, and they all stood around talking in the upper room, waiting.

This original dramatization of the events in Acts 2, now known as Pentecost, portrayed the faith-filled impatience of Christ’s followers as they met as instructed to wait for their Lord. There was laughing and arguing, prayer and quoting of Scripture. And as the energy built in the upper room, the disciples prayed aloud together, suddenly speaking in myriad languages.

At the end of the skit, attendees were invited to participate in a time of focused prayer, meeting in groups within their unions. Their prayer was to be separated into seven sections:

• Silent, individual prayer, asking God to prepare their hearts to receive the Holy Spirit;
• Group “popcorn” prayer asking for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, and that Christ would add his intercession;
• Prayer led by union presidents or a designee asking God to rid them of differences and to unite them in Christian fellowship;
• Prayer in pairs, sharing requests and praying for each other;
• Praying scripture in pairs, asking the Lord to fit them for soul-saving, focused on John 21:17;
• Prayer in groups of four, asking God to help them meet people in their daily walk and speak words that will lead others to Christ;
• Silent, individual prayer of repentance and confession.

After nearly an hour, group facilitators closed with prayer, and attendees filtered to two separate locations for the foot-washing. 

“We want to consecrate ourselves, as Christ called us to do in that upper room,” explained Rick Remmer, assistant to the president. “We pray that God’s will be done, and that we will be willing to receive His blessing.”

Following the foot-washing, special music was provided at the piano with songs “Holy Ground” and “Let Us Break Bread Together.” Some attendees raised their hands and sang along in worship.

“As I look around this room, I see God’s leaders,” said G. Alexander Bryant, NAD president. “But first, I just see God’s people. God doesn’t look at us like leaders; he looks at us like sons and daughters. Regardless of our titles or positions, or what we do or don’t do, He loves us with an everlasting love, and this service is a reminder of that.

For the communion service, small wafers of bread were passed around the tables in wooden bowls, while Kyoshin Ahn, secretary for the NAD, read the segment of Scripture where Jesus invites His disciples to partake of the emblem of His body. Then he prayed.

“Lord, we give thanks that in Your great love, You sent your Son to be our Savior,” Ahn prayed. “We were dead in our transgressions, and your Son gave His life for many. Hallelujah, what a savior! May our hearts be filled with infinite thanksgiving for Your grace and mercy. Amen.”

As grape juice was poured into tiny wooden cups at each table setting, Bryant shared additional thoughts. 

“There is something overwhelming about God’s love,” he said. “When the spirit of God takes control of our hearts and lives, we can say to our betrayers, ‘I desire to eat this last meal with you.’ There’s something contagious about God’s love. It starts in our hearts and spreads to all.”

Judy Glass, treasurer for the NAD, read the Scripture where Jesus invites His disciples to partake of the emblem of His blood. Then she prayed.

“We thank you for Your love and care, and for Your willingness to send Your Son to earth so we can be with You forever,” she prayed. “That hope keeps us going. Please bless us, Lord, and guide us, and bring us closer to You. Thank You for the most amazing gift. Amen.”

When the communion service was concluded, Bryant reminded the group that Jesus said He would not partake of the bread or wine again until doing it with us in heaven.

“He believed in us,” stated Bryant. “He believed we’d get the task done, and He’s saying it again tonight: ‘North American leaders, I believe in you!’ Even in my stumblings and weaknesses and messing up, Jesus believes in me, and He’s waiting for me.”

Bryant encouraged, “If you want to say to Jesus, ‘Keep the cup in Your hand; I’m coming,’ stand with me!”

As chairs scooted back from tables and everyone in the room stood to their feet, Bryant closed the evening with prayer.

“Father, thank You for the hope we have in Jesus, despite ourselves,” he prayed. “Thank you for Your great love for us, and Your great sacrifice. Give us every day a fresh glimpse of You that will help us, motivate us, encourage us, and strengthen us for the journey.” 

He finished, “And all the people said …” and the entire room resounded with, “AMEN!”