Apostle's Corner - June 2022

June 2022

Greetings in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ,

We have been blessed this year to officially celebrate the Juneteenth Holiday. Juneteenth is the day in which we commemorate the emancipation of enslaved African American people in the United States. The Diaspora, or African descendants here in America, was set free after centuries of bondage.

In 1863, President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation declaring three million enslaved African American living in the Confederate states to be free. It was two years later, June 19, 1865, when Union soldiers finally reached Galveston, Texas. Major General Gordon Granger announced that slavery had been abolished and all enslaved people were made free. Former slaves celebrated with prayer, feasting, song and dance. Originally celebrated in Texas, it has become a cultural tradition among the Diaspora throughout America.

The first celebration was in 1866 in Texas commemorating the first anniversary of the emancipation and Texans have continued it for 150 years. Celebration of the holiday gained authentic impetus in 1968 during the Poor People’s Campaign, led by Martin Luther King, when they held a Juneteenth Solidarity Day. Interest continued to increase when in 1980 Texas held the first state sponsored Juneteenth Celebration.

Texas Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee introduced the bill to Congress in 2020. The Senate unanimously passed the resolution in 2021 and so did the House, to give “Juneteenth National Independence Day” legal holiday status.

June 2022 is a powerful month for another reason as well. In the spirit of this celebration of freedom, we celebrate the fulfillment of the promise of freedom that the Sons and Daughters of God received in Christ. June 5 was celebrated as Pentecost Sunday. It was the day in Christian history that we commemorate the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples in the upper room. It is considered the birth of the church, an occasion of marked freedom because the word of God says, “…where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” The Holy Spirit imbued power, intentionality, and focus unto God’s people from that day forward.

The descending of the Holy Spirit furthered Jesus’ work, setting us free from the bondage of this world, but what’s more He liberated us to become His “sent ones” at Pentecost, because it was point of activation for the “Great Commission,” the work that Jesus appointed to his followers in Mark 28:19…

“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.”

As we move through this month, let us reflect on the riches the month of June is bringing us. We celebrate the historical importance of Juneteenth, celebrating the emancipation of our ancestors from the bondage of slavery. But let us also reflect on the spiritual importance of Pentecost, the formation of the church, the empowerment of the Sons and Daughters of God. Their courage was forged through that event, and the 120 went forth as a mighty force in the earth to bring souls to the Kingdom.

Walk forward in your freedom!

Amazed by Your Grace,

Apostle Danita H. Jones

In His Great Name Worship Center