WELCOME
PRELUDE How Firm A Foundation – Berry
*CALL TO WORSHIP
Leader: As we worship, may God open us to the gifts of the Spirit.
People: May God’s Spirit of wisdom help us to understand one another.
Leader: May God’s Spirit of grace inspire us to appreciate and support one another.
People: May God’s Spirit of unity equip us to establish a community that is creative and
visionary.
Leader: May God’s Spirit of power liberate us from all immobilizing fears.
People: May God’s Spirit of love bless us with life.
*HYMN OF PRAISE Let Every Christian Pray #130
Let every Christian pray, This day and every day, Come, Holy Spirit, come!
Was not the church we love Commissioned from above? Come Holy Spirit, come!
The Spirit brought to birth The church of Christ on earth To seek and save the lost:
God never has withdrawn, Since that tremendous dawn, The gifts at Pentecost.
Only the Spirit’s power Can fit us for this hour: Come, Holy Spirit, come!
Instruct, inspire, unite, And help us see Your light: Come, Holy Spirit, come!
PRAYERS OF CONFESSION
Leader: Merciful God, through the mighty wind of Your Holy Spirit, You sweep away the
barriers and boundaries that divide us, but we often find ways to reconstruct them again.
People (sing): Breathe on me, Breath of God, Fill me with life anew,
That I may love what Thou dost love, And do what Thou wouldst do.
Through the holy fire of Pentecost, You seek to ignite the flames of our faith, but our apathy
threatens to douse the devotion You desire from us.
People (sing): Breathe on me, Breath of God, Until my heart is pure,
Until with Thee I will one will, To do and to endure.
Through the miracle of inspired speech, You share Your word in every land and language, but our sin frequently prevents us from hearing Your message among us.
People (sing): Breathe on me, Breath of God, Till I am wholly Thine,
Until this earthly part of me, Glows with Thy fire divine.
Have mercy upon us, O God, and redeem us, renew us, and restore us, so that we may live in a right relationship with You and with one another.
Fill us with Your new dreams and visions, so that we may share Your gift of new life with all humanity, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
People (sing): Breathe on me, Breath of God, So shall I never die,
But live with Thee the perfect life Of Thine eternity.
ASSURANCE OF FORGIVENESS (adapted from Isaiah 44:22-23)
Leader: The LORD has swept away our transgressions like a cloud and our sins like a mist.
People: Let us sing to the LORD and live as God’s servants, for the LORD has redeemed us.
Leader: Friends, believe the good news of the gospel:
People: Through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we are forgiven!
MINUTE FOR MISSION Holy Cow Survey
SCRIPTURE Romans 8:14-17
14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. 15 For you did not receive a
spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry,
“Abba! Father!” 16 it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of
God, 17 and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ — if, in fact, we
suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.
SCRIPTURE Acts 2:1-13
1 When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly
from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house
where they were sitting. 3 Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue
rested on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak
in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.
5 Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. 6 And
at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking
in the native language of each. 7 Amazed and astonished, they asked, “Are not all these who
are speaking Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language?
9 Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, 11 Cretans and Arabs — in our own languages we hear them speaking about God’s deeds of power.” 12 All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” 13 But others sneered and said, “They are filled with new wine.”
MEDITATION “Are We Ready for Pentecost?”
ANTHEM Spirit of God, Descend Upon My Heart with O Breath of Life – Berry
*AFFIRMATION OF FAITH adapted from A Declaration of Faith, 4.2
The Spirit came with power to the followers of Jesus.
Led by the apostles, they began to proclaim with boldness the new thing God had done in
Christ.
They began to experience in their fellowship a new quality of common life.
We believe that by the power of the same Spirit
the church can be set on its way again,
even when it seems beyond hope of renewal.
The Spirit created readiness for the gospel where the first Christians least expected it.
The Spirit often thwarted their plans and led them in new directions.
They could not coerce or restrict the Spirit.
We affirm the Spirit’s freedom.
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE AND THE LORD’S PRAYER
. . . Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will
be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our
debts, as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever. Amen.
INVITATION TO GIVE
PRAYER OF DEDICATION (Unison)
Gracious God,
as You seek to ignite in us new possibilities of community and fellowship,
we pray that You would bless these gifts that are offered to serve You in different ways
and to praise You in many voices.
In presenting these tithes and offerings,
quicken within us the passion to serve and to share,
so that when we speak the word of Your love,
people may hear and understand as they did on that day of Pentecost so long ago,
for we ask these things in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
*HYMN Lord, When I Came Into This Life # 522
Lord, when I came into this life You called me by my name;
Today I come commit myself, Responding to Your claim.
Within the circle of the faith As member of Your cast
I take my place with all the saints Of future, present, past.
In all the tensions of my life, Between my faith and doubt,
Let Your great Spirit give me hope, Sustain me lead me out.
So, help me in my unbelief And let my life be true:
Feet firmly planted on the earth, My sights set high on You.
*BENEDICTION
Leader: As we are sent into the world, may the Holy Fire of God’s Spirit ignite the flames of
faith within us.
People: May the Holy Light of God’s Spirit lead us through the darkness.
Leader: May the Holy Truth of God’s Spirit enlighten us with God’s word.
People: May the Holy Power of God’s Spirit strengthen us for service.
Leader: May the Holy Life of God’s Spirit fill us with newness and creativity.
People: May the Holy Wind of God’s Spirit inspire us to sail to every horizon.
POSTLUDE I’m Gonna Sing When The Spirit Says Sing – Spiritual / Hayes