Day of Pentecost Service | 5-19-24
05-19-2024 10:00AM “Hybrid” Worship
+ We Rejoice in the Spirit +
OPENING RITE:
L We tell the birthday story again. He was their leader and teacher for three years…
C but then he was suddenly arrested, condemned, and crucified.
L He was buried behind a boulder…
C but then on the third day he suddenly rose from the dead.
L He appeared to them for forty days…
C but then he was suddenly taken up into heaven.
L Right before he left them for the last time, he showed them his wounds…
C and he proved that he was again alive.
L Right before he left them for the last time, he opened their minds to the scriptures…
C and he reminded them that the Christ would suffer, die, and RISE.
L Right before he left them for the last time, he gave them a command to give witness to others…
C and he promised them power from on high to share his love.
L Right before he left them for the last time, he told them to wait…
C and he commanded them to stay in the city.
L and right after he left them…
C they were looking up,
they were so surprised,
they were searching the clouds,
they were not quite ready to witness,
or even to move.
L Right after he left them, they had to be pushed and prodded, encouraged and assured by angels…
C and – thank God! – they stayed together,
they waited together,
they prayed together,
they hoped and expected that something would happen.
L Suddenly, fifty days after Jesus was resurrected, ten days after he ascended into heaven…
C SOMETHING HAPPENED!
THE SPIRIT CAME AS WIND,
THE SPIRIT CAME AS FIRE,
THE SPIRIT CAME AS JOY,
THE SPIRIT CAME AS POWER,
THE SPIRIT CAME AS COURAGE,
AND THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST WAS NEWLY ALIVE IN HIS PEOPLE!
L The Church was given birth.
Praise God for the presence, the peace, the power, and the promises of Jesus within and among us!
C Once we were no people, but now we are God’s people!
COME, LORD JESUS! COME, HOLY SPIRIT!
OPENING SONG: (1) Come by here, my Lord, come by here.
Come by here, my Lord, come by here.
Come by here, my Lord, come by here.
O Lord, come by here!
(2) Someone needs you, Lord, come by here…
(3) Someone’s prayin’, Lord, come by here…
(4) Kum Ba Yah, my Lord, Kum Ba Yah…
(5) Send a blessing, Lord, come by here…
THE PRAYER OF THE DAY (together):
Holy God,
as we meet together and celebrate once again the memory of that first Pentecost –
come into our hearts, come into our lives, come into your churches, and come into this world.
Dear God,
give us new breath, awaken our spirits, lend fire to our words, and add strength to our witness!
HALLELUJAH, AMEN!
+ We Rejoice in God’s Saving Word +
FIRST READING: ACTS 2:1-21
[Introduction: FLAMES IN OUR HAIR AND FIRE IN OUR BLOOD! Pentecost was a Jewish harvest festival that marked the fiftieth day after Passover. With images of wind, fire and “drunkenness”, Luke portrays the Holy Spirit being poured out upon a hidden community of 120 of the followers of Jesus ten days after the ascension of Jesus. Filled with the Spirit, the disciples were inspired and empowered to give witness to the power of Christ’s resurrection before the gathered and astonished people who had assembled in Jerusalem for the festival. About 3,000 people joined up with Jesus that day!]
1 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his or her own language. 7 Utterly amazed, they asked, “Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in his or her own native language? 9 Parthians, Medes, and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea, and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt, and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs — we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!”
12 Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?”
13 Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.”
14 Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I now say. 15 These people are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o’clock in the morning. 16 No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
17 ‘ In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see vision, your old men will dream dreams. 18 Even on my servants,
both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. 19 I will show wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke.
20 The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. 21 And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ ”
[NIV, New International Version]
LITURGICAL DANCE SELECTION: ST. PETER’S PRAISE DANCERS
SECOND READING: ROMANS 8:22-27
[Introduction: GROANING FOR CHANGE, PRAYED UP BY THE SPIRIT! Paul suggests that the whole creation is like a pregnant woman groaning in labor pains, about to give birth. Something is about to happen; but for now there is waiting. In God’s own time the entire creation will share what Christians have now – adoption by God and transformation into a new status of redemption. Christians already have the “first fruits” of the Holy Spirit through the experience of patient hope for the future and the knowledge that the Spirit presently intercedes for us even when we are unable to pray.]
21 We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now; 23 and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have been the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen?
25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it in patience.
26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. 27 And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
[NRSV, New Revised Standard Version]
GOSPEL VERSE:
“Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me.
Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me.
Break me, melt me, mold me, fill me.
Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me.”
HOLY GOSPEL: JOHN 15:26-27; 16:4b-15 [Introduction: INSPIRED, GUIDED, EMPOWERED BY THE SPIRIT! We remember back to the upper room on the last night that Jesus was alive, when he tried to prepare his disciples for his death. Jesus referred to the Holy Spirit as “the Advocate” and described the difference the Spirit would make in their lives and in the world. Pentecost calls us to recognize that the Spirit is alive and active not just on a spectacular day in the first century but constantly and always – even now!]
15:26 [Jesus said:] “When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth Who comes from the Father, he will testify on my behalf. 27 You also are to testify because you have been with me from the beginning.
16:4b “I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you. 5 But now I am going to him who sent me; yet none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ 6 But because I say these things to you, sorrow has filled your hearts. 7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.
8 And when he comes, he will prove the world wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 about sin, because they do not believe in me; 10 about righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will see me no longer; 11 about judgment, because the ruler of this world has been condemned.
12 “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. 14 He will glorify me, because he will take what is mine and declare it to you. 15 All that the Father has is mine. For this reason I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.” [NRSV, New Revised Standard Version]
SONG SELECTION: ALL SAINTS CHOIR
THE SERMON: Pastor Robert Holum, a member of St. Peter’s
SONG RESPONSE: “SWEET, SWEET SPIRIT”
- There’s a sweet, sweet Spirit in this place, and I know that it’s the Spirit of the Lord.
There are sweet expressions on each face, and I know they feel the presence of the Lord.
SWEET HOLY SPIRIT, SWEET HEAVENLY DOVE,
STAY RIGHT HERE WITH US, FILLING US WITH YOUR LOVE.
AND FOR THESE BLESSINGS WE LIFT OUR HEARTS IN PRAISE;
WITHOUT A DOUBT WE’LL KNOW THAT WE HAVE BEEN REVIVED
WHEN WE SHALL LEAVE THIS PLACE!”
- There are blessings you cannot receive till you know God in his fullness and believe.
You’re the one to profit when you say, “I am going to walk with Jesus all the way!”
THE PRAYERS… We pray for NEW LIFE in the Spirit and for the MISSION of the Church to the world!
+ We Rejoice in God’s Nourishing Meal +
OFFERING [Energized by the Holy Spirit, we eagerly seek to spread the JOY OF JESUS here, there, and all over!]
Those in the Sanctuary can put their offering in the offering plate to share their gratitude and their generosity in response to Christ’s love. Those who are farther away might: mail a check or money order to St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, 2169 74th Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19138… contribute online through bit.ly/stpetersgiving and set up a one-time donation or a recurring weekly gift to selected categories… or text Give+ at 833-914-0896 and follow the instructions to register and record your contribution. God has blessed us to be a blessing!
SONG SELECTION: ALL SAINTS CHOIR
OFFERING SONG:
“Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine! O what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God, born of his Spirit, washed in his blood.
THIS IS MY STORY, THIS IS MY SONG,
PRAISING MY SAVIOR ALL THE DAY LONG! [sing the chorus 2 times]
We are God’s people, we are Christ’s Church, called by God’s Spirit into the world.
We have God’s power from heaven above, we’ll share God’s justice, mercy and love!”
OFFERING PRAYER led by the Communion Assistant:
O Lord our God, if your Spirit is alive within us, then stretch our time and abilities, our money and our mouths, all that we are and all that we have, to testify to your amazing grace in Jesus Christ. Someone somewhere is in need of your Good News. Amen.
THE PREFACE AND THE EUCHARISTIC WORDS:
L The Lord be with you. C And also with you.
L Lift up your hearts! C We lift them up in love for God!
L Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. C It is right to give God our thanks and praise.
L Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful… C … and set us on fire with your love! Alleluia!
L Gracious God,
We thank you for the movement of your Spirit over the waters in the very beginning of creation, bringing order.
We thank you for the breath of your Spirit when we were formed from the dust of the earth, giving us life.
We thank you for the blessing of your Spirit, guiding and sustaining us through many generations.
We thank you for the voice of your Spirit in the prophets and the teachers when we resisted and turned from you.
We thank you for the grace of your Spirit which has kept us from completely destroying ourselves and this earth.
And we thank you – O how we thank you! – for the supreme, precious gift of your Son, Jesus Christ,
who lived among us, sharing joy and sorrow…
who told your story, healed the sick, and was a friend of sinners…
who took up his cross in obedience and accepted murder by those he loved…
who rose up beyond the boundaries of death and above the power of the devil…
and – on this day, as he had promised –
poured out your Spirit of new life on his chosen disciples,
until they were drunk with joy and crazy with love and courageous with showing and telling the story.
Therefore, with our own hearts lifted high, humbled to bear your Son’s name, Spirit, and mission, we join earth and sky and sea… all creatures and all of your creation… the angels and archangels that are above and around us…and all the saints before us and beside us – here, there, and everywhere – in singing your praises…
C [singing…] “Holy, holy, holy, holy,
holy, holy, Lord God Almighty!
and we lift our hearts before you as a token of our love,
holy, holy, holy, holy.
Precious Jesus, precious Jesus,
We’re so glad that you redeemed us, precious Jesus…
Holy Spirit, Holy Spirit,
come and fill our hearts anew, O Holy Spirit…”
THE EUCHARISTIC WORDS by the Celebrant, who recalls and re-enacts Jesus’ Holy Meal.
THE LORD’S PRAYER
COMMUNION AND BLESSINGS… All believers in Jesus Christ are welcome at the Lord’s Table! The wine may be received from the pouring chalice; we also have grape juice on the tray. Praise the Lord for this community meal that renews our spirits, powers our faith, and reminds us of the future heavenly banquet that awaits us!
COMMUNION SONG: “LET US BREAK BREAD TOGETHER”
- Let us break bread together on our knees. Let us break bread together on our knees.
When I fall on my knees with my face to the rising sun, O Lord, have mercy on me.
- Let us drink wine together on our knees…
- Let us praise God together on our knees…
COMMUNION SONG: “IN THE NAME OF JESUS”
In the name of Jesus, in the name of Jesus, we have the victory!
In the name of Jesus, in the name of Jesus, Satan will have to flee.
Oh-h-h, tell me: who can stand before us when we call on that great name?
JE-SUS! JE-SUS! Precious JE-SUS! We have the victory!
COMMUNION SONG: “THIS LITTLE LIGHT OF MINE”
- This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine!
This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine!
This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine!
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine!
- Ev’rywhere I go, I’m gonna let it shine… (4) In my neighborhood, I’m gonna let it shine…
- All through my life, I’m gonna let it shine… (5) Jesus gave it to me, I’m gonna let it shine…
THE COMMUNION BLESSING by the Celebrant after all have communed.
.POST-COMMUNION PRAYER by the Communion Assistant.
+ We Rejoice in God’s Mission +
THE BENEDICTION:
L Go out, sisters and brothers, into the world with courage and conviction, bearing the love of God, the good news of Jesus Christ, and the power of the Holy Spirit in every word you speak, and in everything you do.
C (singing) “A-MEN! A-MEN! A- – – MEN!”
CLOSING SONG: I’ll say “YES, LORD, YES!” to your will and to your way.
I’ll say “YES, LORD, YES!”, I will trust you and obey.
When the Spirit speaks with me, with my whole heart I’ll agree,
And the answer will be “YES, LORD, YES!”