Pentecost Sunday
Organ Prelude: “Victory Through Christ” Lani Smith
Welcome and Announcements
Call to Worship
Leader: The peace of God be with you today.
Receive with joy the gift of the Holy Spirit.
People: We feel the winds of God blowing among us.
We sense the tongues of fire empowering us.
Leader: How amazing is the power God gives us.
How manifold are the works of our Creator.
People: The breath of our Creator fills us with confidence.
The Spirit creates new life within and among us.
Leader: God calls us to be dreamers and prophets.
The Holy One gives us a vision for a world of peace.
People: May the glory of God endure forever.
We will sing praise to God as long as we live.
Hymn: “Spirit of God, Descend Upon my Heart”
1 Spirit of God, descend upon my heart;
wean it from earth, through all its pulses move;
stoop to my weakness, strength to me impart,
and make me love you as I ought to love.
2 I ask no dream, no prophet ecstasies,
no sudden rending of the veil of clay,
no angel visitant, no op'ning skies;
but take the dimness of my soul away.
3 Teach me to love you as your angels love,
one holy passion filling all my frame:
the baptism of the heav'n-descended dove,
my heart an altar, and your love the flame.
Text: George Croly, 1780-1860
Call to Confession
Pastor: If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and
the truth is not in us.
People: But if we confess our sins, God who is faithful
and just, will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Prayer of Confession
Pastor: Let us confess our sins before God and one another.
People: Most merciful God, we confess that we are in captured by sin
and cannot free ourselves. We have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart. We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. For the sake of Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in your will and follow in your ways, to the glory of your name. Amen.
Silent Confession
Assurance of Pardon
Pastor: God hears the confession of our hearts and lips. Through Jesus
Christ we are forgiven all our sins, and by the Holy Spirit we are
empowered for new life.
People: We believe the good news of Jesus Christ. Amen
Prayer of the Day
Pastor: O God, on this day you open the hearts of your faithful people by
sending into us your Holy Spirit. Direct us by the light of that Spirit, that we may have a right judgment in all things and rejoice at all times in your peace, through Jesus Christ, your Son and our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
People: Amen.
Scripture Readings
Leader: The Holy Gospel according to John, chapter 7, verses 37-39
People: Glory to you, O Lord.
37On the last day of the festival [of Booths], the great day, while Jesus was standing [in the temple], he cried out, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me, 38and let the one who believes in me drink. As the scripture has said, ‘Out of the believer’s heart shall flow rivers of living water.’ ” 39Now he said this about the Spirit, which believers in him were to receive; for as yet there was no Spirit, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
Leader: The Gospel of the Lord.
People: Praise to you, O Christ
The Second Reading: Acts 2: 1-21
1When the day of Pentecost had come, [the apostles] were all together in one place. 2And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. 4All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability. 5Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. 6And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. 7Amazed and astonished, they asked, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? 9Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, 11Cretans and Arabs—in our own languages we hear them speaking about God’s deeds of power.” 12All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” 13But others sneered and said, “They are filled with new wine.” 14But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them, “Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say. 15Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o’clock in the morning. 16No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel: 17‘In the last days it will be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. 18Even upon my slaves, both men and women, in those days I will pour out my Spirit; and they shall prophesy. 19And I will show portents in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and smoky mist.
20The sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood,
before the coming of the Lord’s great and glorious day. 21Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’ ”
Leader: Word of God, word of Life.
People: Thanks be to God!
A Reading: Ezekiel 37:1-14 The Message (MSG)
1-2 God grabbed me. God’s Spirit took me up and set me down in the middle of an open plain strewn with bones. He led me around and among them—a lot of bones! There were bones all over the plain—dry bones, bleached by the sun.
3 He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?”
I said, “Master God, only you know that.”
4 He said to me, “Prophesy over these bones: ‘Dry bones, listen to the Message of God!’”
5-6 God, the Master, told the dry bones, “Watch this: I’m bringing the breath of life to you and you’ll come to life. I’ll attach sinews to you, put meat on your bones, cover you with skin, and breathe life into you. You’ll come alive and you’ll realize that I am God!”
7-8 I prophesied just as I’d been commanded. As I prophesied, there was a sound and, oh, rustling! The bones moved and came together, bone to bone. I kept watching. Sinews formed, then muscles on the bones, then skin stretched over them. But they had no breath in them.
9 He said to me, “Prophesy to the breath. Prophesy, son of man. Tell the breath, ‘God, the Master, says, Come from the four winds. Come, breath. Breathe on these slain bodies. Breathe life!’”
10 So I prophesied, just as he commanded me. The breath entered them and they came alive! They stood up on their feet, a huge army.
11 Then God said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Listen to what they’re saying: ‘Our bones are dried up, our hope is gone, there’s nothing left of us.’
12-14 “Therefore, prophesy. Tell them, ‘God, the Master, says: I’ll dig up your graves and bring you out alive—O my people! Then I’ll take you straight to the land of Israel. When I dig up graves and bring you out as my people, you’ll realize that I am God. I’ll breathe my life into you and you’ll live. Then I’ll lead you straight back to your land and you’ll realize that I am God. I’ve said it and I’ll do it. God’s Decree.’”
Sermon Rev. Donald Brown
Affirmation of Faith: The Apostles’ Creed
I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate;
was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell.
On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
Service of Holy Communion
Pastor: God be with you.
People: And also with you.
Pastor: Lift up your hearts.
People: We lift them to God.
Pastor: Let us give thanks to God.
People: It is good to give God thanks and praise.
Pastor: It is indeed right and our joy that we should at all times and in all
places offer thanks and praise to you, O Lord, holy Father, through Christ our Lord; who rose beyond the bounds of death and, as he had promised, poured out your Spirit of life and power upon the chosen disciples.
Words of Institution
Response
Pastor: Remembering, therefore, his death, resurrection, and ascension, we
await his coming in glory. Pour out your Holy Spirit, that by this Holy Communion we may know the unity we share with all your people in the body of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Through him, with him, in him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor is yours, almighty Father, now and forever.
People: Amen.
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. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.
Call to the Supper
Pastor: Come to the banquet. Behold the risen Christ.
Table Blessing
Pastor: The body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ strengthen you
and keep you in his grace.
People: Amen.
Prayer of Thanksgiving
Pastor: Life-giving God, in the mystery of Christ’s death and resurrection
you send light to conquer darkness, water to give new life,
and the bread of heaven to nourish your people. Send us forth as witnesses to Jesus’ resurrection that we may show your glory to all the world; through the same Jesus Christ, our risen Lord.
People: Amen.
Hymn: “O Spirit of the Living God”
O Spirit of the living God, pure Light and Fire divine:
Burn brightly in your church once more, its life and faith refine.
Fill it with love and joy and power, with righteousness and peace,
Till Christ shall dwell in human hearts, and sin and sorrow cease.
Teach us to utter living words of truth which all may hear,
The language all can understand when love speaks loud and clear;
Till every nation age, and race shall blend their creeds in one,
And all together use their gifts to see your will is done.
So shall we know the power of Christ, the strength of love to save,
So shall we rise with Christ to life which soars beyond the grave;
And earth shall win true holiness, which makes your children whole,
And draws us on by grace to reach creation’s glorious goal!
Benediction
Postlude: “Jesus Shall Reign” H. A. Matthews
Copyright: One License #A-71406 08/16/2019 to 08/15/2020
From Sundays and Seasons.com. Copyright 2019 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved.
Reprinted by permission under Augsburg Fortress Liturgies Annual License #43866
