(Clicking on the text underlined in blue will take you to Youtube videos. Most are songs, except for the Sermon, “Suffering, Joy, and Hope”)
All Prayers are from the Book of Common Worship (Westminster John Knox Press, 2018) and The Worship Sourcebook, Second Edition (Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, Faith Alive Christian Resources and Baker Books, 2013)
Call to Worship: Celebrating Pentecost around the UCC
Pray: Almighty and Holy Spirit, our Comforter, pure, living, true—illumine, govern, sanctify us, and confirm our hearts and minds in the faith and in all genuine consolation; preserve and rule over us so that, dwelling in the house of the Lord all the days of our lives, we may behold the Lord and praise him with joyful spirit, in union with all the heavenly church. Amen.
Sing or Listen: Traditional: There’s a Sweet, Sweet Spirit in this Place
Contemporary: Spirit of the Living God
Confess: Generous God, you send us the Spirit of courage, but we have been afraid. You send us the Spirit of truth, but we cling to our illusions. You send us the Spirit of healing, but we cannot let go of our hurts. Holy Spirit of forgiveness, come to us again: shake our hearts, set our souls on fire with your love: send us out into the world rejoicing in your power. We hold out to you all our particular burdens of guilt and sin, and we ask for your help to live the way of your justice and love. Amen.
Be: Sit (or stand) in silence for one minute.
Be Assured: Hear the good news: all the promises of God find their “Yes” in Christ. That is why we utter the “Amen” through him, to the glory of God. It is God who has put his seal upon us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee. In Christ, by the power of the Spirit, we are redeemed. Praise God, from whom all blessings flow! In the name of Jesus Christ, we are forgiven.
Read God’s Word: Psalm 104:24-34 (New Revised Standard Version)
O Lord, how manifold are your works!
In wisdom you have made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.
Yonder is the sea, great and wide, creeping things innumerable are there, living things both small and great.
There go the ships, and Leviathan that you formed to sport in it.
These all look to you to give them their food in due season; when you give to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are filled with good things.
When you hide your face, they are dismayed; when you take away their breath, they die and return to their dust.
When you send forth your spirit, they are created; and you renew the face of the ground.
May the glory of the Lord endure forever; may the Lord rejoice in his works—who looks on the earth and it trembles, who touches the mountains and they smoke.
I will sing to the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have being.
May my meditation be pleasing to him, for I rejoice in the Lord!
Watch God’s Word: A Video Reading from Park Avenue Christian Church
Acts 2:1-21 (New Revised Standard Edition)
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. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.
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. 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 Mesopotamia, 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—in our own languages we hear them speaking about God’s deeds of power.” All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” But others sneered and said, “They are filled with new wine.”
But 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. 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:
‘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.
Even upon my slaves, both men and women, in those days I will pour out my Spirit; and they shall prophesy.
And I will show portents in the heaven 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.
Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’
Watch the Sermon: To Dream
Think or Discuss: What are your dreams, your hopes? Have they been put on hold lately? How are you moving forward?
Do: Have a serious conversation with yourself and your family and loved ones about your hopes and dreams, and how they have been affected and changed by the past few months. For those dreams that have been burned up, what might arise from the ashes?
Pray: Use this time to pray, silently, at first, and then for others who need your prayers.
Finally, pray the Lord’s Prayer. (Our Father…)
Sing or Listen: Traditional: Here I Am Lord
Contemporary: Amazing Grace (My Chains are Gone)
Bless and Be Blessed: May the God of Peace and the Peace of God be with you always.
After Worship, Our Service begins…
Serve: (Safely) Help someone else accomplish their dreams. Ask what they need, and then do it, as you are able.