Holy Spirit Among Us
Pam Phillips-Burk
Call to Worship
The Holy Spirit calls people from around the world together into one community—
People will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places
at the feast in the kingdom of God.
The Spirit calls us together this day to worship the Triune God of love and grace.
We come from our homes, schools, jobs, and places of leisure
to worship in one voice.
Let us worship God who is present with us on this Pentecost Day!
Prayer for the Day
God our creator, earth has many languages, but your gospel proclaims your love to all nations in one heavenly tongue. Make us messengers of the good news that, through the power of your Spirit, all the world may be united in one song of praise; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Call to Confession
God gives us tongues and languages to speak the good news to all people, yet we remain silent. Our Creator breathed into us the breath of life and commanded us to care for one another with love and compassion, yet we remain insulated and protected in our own little world. We have much to confess.
Prayer of Confession
Almighty God, you poured your Spirit upon gathered disciples creating bold tongues, open ears, and a new community of faith. We confess that we hold back the force of your Spirit among us. We do not listen for your word of grace, speak the good news of your love, or live as a people made one in Christ. Have mercy on us, O God. Transform our timid lives by the power of your Spirit, and fill us with a flaming desire to be your faithful people, doing your will for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Assurance of Pardon
With the coming of the Holy Spirit, God breathed new life into each one of us. Today we are given the opportunity to begin again and again and again. Each new day is a chance to speak and live as the disciples that God envisioned when forming us in the womb. Let us be glad and rejoice in this good news. Amen!
Prayer for Illumination
Open not only our eyes, Spirit of Love, but open our hearts as well to receive your holy word. May your word dwell within us in such a way as to transform us into more faithful disciples who are ready to speak of your great love to all we meet whether they are a friend or stranger. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
Scripture Possibilities for the Sermon
- Psalm 104:24-34, 35b
- Ezekiel 37:1-14
- John 14:8-17,25-27
- John 15:26-27; 16:4b-15
- John 20:19-23
- Acts 2:1-21
- Romans 8:22-27
- Romans 8:14-17
- 1 Corinthians 12:3b-13
Affirmation of Faith (responsive)
Holy Spirit, Creator, in the beginning you moved over the waters. From your breath all creation drew life. Without you, life turns to dust.
Renew us, Holy Spirit!
Holy Spirit, Counselor, by your inspiration, the prophets spoke and acted in faith. You clothed them in power to be bearers of your word.
Refresh us, Holy Spirit!
Holy Spirit, Power, you came as fire to Jesus’ disciples; you gave them voice before the rulers of the world.
Ignite us, Holy Spirit!
Holy Spirit, Sanctifier, you created us children of God; you make us the living temple of your presence; you intercede within us with sighs too deep for words.
Speak to us, Holy Spirit!
Holy Spirit, Giver of life, you guide and make holy the church you create; you give gifts—the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and fortitude, the spirit of knowledge and piety, the spirit of the fear of the Lord—that the whole creation may become what you want it to be.
Renew us, Holy Spirit!
True and only Light, from whom comes every good gift: move within us and among us Holy Spirit with the power of a mighty wind. Open the horizons of our minds by the flame of your wisdom. Loosen our tongues to show your praise, for only in your Spirit can we voice your words of peace and acclaim Jesus as Lord. Amen.
Invitation to the Offering
The Cumberland Presbyterian Church, being led by God’s Holy Spirit, is proclaiming the good news story of Jesus Christ in many languages around the world. We do this through the ministry and leadership of missionaries. Today, we have the opportunity to join them in this ministry by contributing to the Stott-Wallace Missionary Offering. This offering does more than just pay the salary and benefits for our missionaries. It fulfills our call as followers of Jesus to “go and make disciples of all nations.”
Offertory Prayer
We give you thanks and praise Holy One, for blessing our lives with abundance and for calling us to respond to needs near and far. We offer this gift of money and our lives to your service in the world. May this offering be used to proclaim the good news of Jesus’ love and grace and to bring hope and peace in hurting places. Amen.
Benediction
The Holy Spirit has come into our lives and now we must GO!
We go from this place renewed and refreshed
by the life-giving presence of God’s Spirit.
The Holy Spirit has come into our lives and now we must GO!
We go from this place equipped to proclaim the good news story of Jesus Christ.
The Holy Spirit has come into our lives and now we must GO!
We go from this place ready to live lives of faithful discipleship.
The Holy Spirit has come into our lives and now we must GO!
GO in peace to love and serve the Lord.
Worship Resource reprinted by permission from Book of Common Worship, © 1993 Westminster/John Knox Press.
Prayer for the Day, page 339
Prayer of Confession, page 343
Affirmation of Faith, adapted, page 342
Pentecost Reading in Many Languages
This is an effective method of reading the passage from the book of Acts at Pentecost. Involve as many people as possible from the congregation in presenting this. Feel free to use any other languages spoken by members of your community or congregation. It is helpful to have the entire reading printed in English in the bulletin for the congregation to follow along. Speakers of each language do not read the English translation that appears in italics below each verse below. That is just provided as a guide here.
First Reader:
When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. 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.
(German) Und es erschienen ihnen zerteilte Zungen wie von Feuer, und sie setzten sich auf jeden einzelnen von ihnen.
(Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them and a tongue rested on each of them.)
First Reader:
All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.
(French) A Jerusalem vivaient des Juifs, les gens pieux venus de tous les pays du monde. Quand ce bruit se fit entendre, ils s’assemblerent en foule. Ils étaient tous profondément surpris, car chacun d’eux entendait les croyants parler dans sa propre langue.
(Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each.)
First Reader:
Amazed and astonished, they asked, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language?” Parthians, Medes, Elamites and residents of Mesapotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs –
(Polish) – słyszymy ich głoszących w naszych językach wielkie dzieła Boże
(In our own languages we hear them speaking about God’s deeds of power.)
(Swahili) – sisi sótay tuna-wa-si kia wakisema kwa lugha zétu wen-yewe mamb
o makuu ya Mungu.
(In our own languages we hear them speaking about God’s deeds of power.)
First Reader:
All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” But others sneered and said, “They are filled with new wine.”
(Spanish) Entonces Pedro se puso de pie junto con los otros once apóstoles, y con voz fuerte dijo: “Judíos y todos los que viven en Jerusalén, sepan ustedes esto y oigan bien lo que les voy a decir. Estos no están borrachos como ustedes creen, ya que apenas son las nueve de la mañana. Al contrario, aquí está sucediendo lo que anunció el profeta Joel, cuando dijo:
(But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them, “People of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say, Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o’clock in the morning. No this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel:)
First Reader:
In the last days it will be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all people,
(a Youth) and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions
(an Older man) and your old men shall dream dreams. Even upon my slaves, both men and women, in those days I will pour out my Spirit;
(Youth and Older man together) and they shall prophesy,
(Latin) et dabo prodigia in caelo sursum et signa in terra deorsum sanguinem et ignem et vaporem fumi sol convertetur in tenebras et luna in sanguinem antequam veniat dies Domini magnus et manifestus
(And I will show portents in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and smoky mist. The sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the Lord’s great and glorious day.)
First Reader:
Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
(Instruct the congregation to wait until each reader has spoken in this next part, before they respond with “Thanks be to God” in English.)
Each reader in turn says “The Word of the Lord” in their language:
German: das wort vom Herrn (Thanks be to God)
French: le parole de Dieu (Thanks be to God)
Polish: słowo Boga (Thanks be to God)
Swahili: neno wa Bwana (Thanks be to God)
Spanish: la palabra del Señor (Thanks be to God)
Latin: vox Deus (Thanks be to God)
First Reader: The Word of the Lord
Congregation: Thanks be to God
Reference located at https://thecommunity.anglican.ca/generation/youth-resources/7848/pentecost-reading/
Judy Steers is the Coordinator for Youth Initiatives for the Anglican Church of Canada. Since 1999, she has also been the program director of the “Ask & Imagine” youth theology and leadership program at Huron University College. Her ministry has included camping ministries, consulting and teaching, parish ministry and she is a trainer with Godly Play Canada. Whenever possible she engages her passions for singing, drumming, outdoor adventure, off-the-wall ideas and whimsical creativity into her life and ministry working with teens and young adults, including two of her own.
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