You’ve heard of “Christmas in July,” well how about “Christian Witness in June?” In June of 2025, the Revised Common Lectionary (RCL) provides preachers a dynamic series of Sundays to celebrate and witness to core theological events and principles. Tying these Sundays together into a series could be a compelling way to invite people to reflect on foundational aspects of our faith that are often overlooked, minimized, or forgotten in many Protestant churches in the United States.

In May, I sat down with Dr. Dan Deffenbaugh, a retired religion professor from Hastings College and the Scholar-in-Residence at First Presbyterian Church of Hastings, Neb., where I serve, to discuss these three Sundays. We recorded our conversation as part of our “First Thoughts” podcast, a weekly lectionary-based study. You can watch our conversation on YouTube at this link: https://youtu.be/4Sck8lLJ6ug

Ascension Sunday

According to the Revised Common Lectionary, June 1 can be celebrated as “Ascension Sunday,” when Jesus disappears into the clouds, but not before commissioning his disciples. In the Gospel of Luke, that commission looks a little bit different than the famous “Great Commission” from Matthew, but it still provides a lot of material for the preacher to work with: Luke 24:45-48 (Common English Bible)

45 Then Jesus opened their minds to understand the scriptures.

46 He said to them, “This is what is written: the Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day,

47 and a change of heart and life for the forgiveness of sins must be preached in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.

48 You are witnesses of these things.

I’m fond of the Common English Bible translation of this passage, particularly verse 47 that translates repentance as “change of heart and life.” The preacher can talk about how those first disciples were “witnesses of these things” and that lineage of being witnesses is passed down to us. As witnesses, we are to preach a “change of heart and life” in Jesus’ name to all nations. The best way to preach that change of heart and life is with our own example, as we seek to witness to the saving love and grace of Jesus Christ. “Preach the gospel at all times, use words when necessary,” is a quote often attributed to St. Francis of Assisi, and it dovetails nicely with this passage.

Pentecost Sunday

June 8 is Pentecost Sunday. This is our one chance in the year to use those beautiful red paraments, and invite our congregations to wear red (which is particularly popular here in Nebraska!). But beyond the red, the flames, the doves, and a children’s moment where we sing “Happy Birthday” to the church, what can we do to connect our congregations with this story that introduces us to the presence of the Holy Spirit?

It is so important to us in the church that we are invited to read and celebrate Pentecost every year. Outside of Christmas and Easter, the Pentecost story is one of the most familiar passages of scripture in the church around the world, but not so much here in North America. The disorienting story of the mighty wind, tongues of fire, the cacophony of languages, and Peter’s humorous declaration that they aren’t drunk because it is only 9 am is chaotic, but maybe that’s the point. The Holy Spirit is present and active, particularly in the midst of the chaos going on around us. Our job is to be aware of where that spirit is at work in the world and in our lives. Presbyterians sometimes have a hard time grappling with the Holy Spirit, particularly when we are living into our moniker of the “frozen chosen.” My favorite description of the work of the Holy Spirit for Presbyterians is found in the Brief Statement of Faith (1991), and presents another call for us to be witnesses:

We trust in God the Holy Spirit, everywhere the giver and renewer of life. The Spirit justifies us by grace through faith, sets us free to accept ourselves and to love God and neighbor, and binds us together with all believers in the one body of Christ, the Church.

In a broken and fearful world the Spirit gives us courage:

• to pray without ceasing,
• to witness among all peoples to Christ as Lord and Savior,
• to unmask idolatries in Church and culture,
• to hear the voices of peoples long silenced,
• and to work with others for justice, freedom, and peace.

Trinity Sunday

June 15 is Trinity Sunday, a unique moment in the liturgical calendar when we don’t just remember a particular event in salvation history, but instead celebrate the nature of God as revealed to us through scripture: one God in three persons—Creator, Christ, and Spirit. After the drama of Ascension and Pentecost, Trinity Sunday invites us to pause and contemplate the divine mystery that holds our faith together.

The lectionary text from John 16:12–15 reminds us that the Spirit of truth continues to guide us, taking what belongs to Christ and declaring it to us, so that we may glorify the Father. The Trinity is not a theological puzzle to be solved but a relationship to be entered into—a holy communion of love that models for us how we are to live in relationship with God and one another.

Romans 5:1–5 offers a rich companion text, reminding us that “we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” and that “God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit.” In just five verses, Paul names all three persons of the Trinity and ties them to the life of faith: justified by the Son, granted access to grace, and sustained by the hope that does not disappoint because the Spirit dwells within us. Celebrating Trinity Sunday is an act of witness in itself: affirming that the God we worship is not distant or abstract, but dynamic, relational, and ever-revealing. In a fragmented world, bearing witness to the unity, diversity, and mutual indwelling of the Triune God is both a theological affirmation and a prophetic calling.

So, yes—Ascension, Pentecost, and Trinity Sunday, all together in one spirited month! June gives us a rare liturgical trifecta, a movement from Christ’s commissioning, to the Spirit’s arrival, to the deep mystery of God’s own nature. This series of Sundays is not just a lectionary quirk but an invitation to remember who we are, who God is, and what it means to be witnesses in this time and place. It’s easy to let these moments slip by unnoticed in the busy-ness of summer.

But what if we treated them as opportunities to preach and practice the fullness of the gospel? What if, instead of coasting into Ordinary Time, we allowed these high holy days to energize and shape our faith communities for the season ahead? After all, we are witnesses of these things—so let us bear witness with joy, creativity, and courage.