WHOLE SERVICE
INDIVIDUAL SECTIONS
Greeting
Welcome in the name of Christ.
Alleluia. Christ is risen
He is risen indeed Alleluia!
Today is Pentecost, let us say together:
The wind of God is blowing!
The fire of God is blazing!
The joy of God is flowing in this place!
Song 1: The Spirit lives to set us free
Let us pray together
Almighty God, help us today to be open to your Spirit;
to hear your word, to proclaim your glory
and to celebrate the Good News of Jesus Christ.
Amen.
Setting the scene – “Be filled with the Holy Spirit”
Before we come to know Jesus our lives are a bit like this balloon (show a flat balloon), they are empty of God, empty of real life.
However, when we come to Jesus and turn away from living in our own selfish way, Jesus does something wonderful:
He breathes His Holy Spirit into our spirits and fills us with the life of God. (blow up balloon)
This life of God completely changes us as you can see.
But this life is not meant to be just kept inside us for our own benefit. Jesus wants to send us out into the world with the power to change the world.
Watch this balloon move as the power of the breath inside it moves it (release balloon so it flies off).
In the same way as the breath in the balloon sent it out, the Holy Spirit within us will send us out into the world to do the things that Jesus wants us to do.
He may send us out to share Jesus’ love with our friends at school and our family at home.
He may send us out to bring hope to a neighbour who is depressed or to support a work colleague.
He may send us out to pray for someone who is sick or to fight for justice for the poor.
You see God wants everyone to know that they are loved, and that through Jesus they can become a part of His great family.
He chooses each one of us to go and share this great news in all sorts of wonderful ways and He gives us His power through the Holy Spirit to be able to do it.
Confession
Lord, we admit that we neglect your creation and ignore the needs of the world.
Fill us with your Spirit. Lord have mercy.
Lord have mercy.
Lord, we admit that we do nothing when we should take action.
Fill us with your Spirit. Christ have mercy.
Christ have mercy.
Lord, we admit that we forget to listen for your Word.
Fill us with your Spirit. Lord have mercy.
Lord have mercy.
Absolution
May the Father of all mercies cleanse us from our sins and restore us in his image;
to the praise and glory of his name, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen
Collect for Pentecost
Holy Spirit, sent by the Father,
ignite in us your holy fire;
strengthen your children with the gift of faith,
revive your Church with the breath of love,
and renew the face of the earth,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
Talk – “The Helper arrives”
Jesus told his friends to wait in Jerusalem – to wait for the Helper he’d promised to send them.
So they waited. They waited and they prayed for forty days. And while they waited the streets of Jerusalem filled up with people from every land. People from the north and from the south. From the east and from the west. People from all around the world, who came together to celebrate the Feast of Pentecost.
Jesus’ friends were in an upstairs room when suddenly some surprising things began to happen.
They heard a wind blow, harder than the fiercest storm. But nothing was blown about!
They heard the flickering of flames and they watched tongues of fire lick and lap and land on their heads – but nobody smelled any smoke!
And then the Helper came – the Holy Spirit – and he filled them all with the presence and power of God!
And what they heard next was talking – strange words pouring out of each and every mouth.
So they rushed outside, eager to tell the crowd what had happened. And now, suddenly, everyone could understand. People from the north and from the south. People from the east and from the west. People from all around the world. For now Jesus’ friends were able to speak in foreign languages – languages they had never learned – all because of God’s Holy Spirit! What better way to tell the world about Jesus?
“So that’s what it’s all about,” said a man from Spain. “That’s amazing!” said a woman from Africa. “Tell me again?” asked a man from France. But there were others who thought Jesus’ friends were just talking nonsense.
“These people are drunk!” one man shouted. “It’s nothing but a load of gibberish!”
And that’s when Peter stood up. Peter – who had been with Jesus from the start. Peter – the fisherman. Peter – who had never made a speech in his life!
“Listen everybody!” he shouted. “We are not filled with wine. We are filled with something else – God’s own Holy Spirit! Many years ago a prophet said that this would happen – that God would send his Spirit to help not just special people like prophets and kings, but everyone! That has happened to us today. And it has happened because Jesus, who died on a cross, was brought back to life by God himself and now sits beside God in heaven! It was Jesus who sent this wonderful gift to us. Jesus, the Special One we have been waiting for all these years. Jesus, who was put to death by you.”
The people were sorry for what they had done to Jesus. “What can we do?” they cried.
“Tell God you’re sorry,” said Peter. “Let him wash away all the bad things you have done. And you will receive his Holy Spirit too”.
So that’s what the people did. Three thousand of them! They told God they were sorry. They were baptised. And they were filled with God’s Holy Spirit.
People from the north and from the south. People from the east and from the west. People from all over the world!
So Jesus did send a Helper for his friends – the Holy Spirit.
And the Holy Spirit helped them to share the message of Jesus with all the visitors who were in the city at the time.
When those visitors went back home, many of them took the message of Jesus with them – and that’s how the good news of Jesus began to spread all over the world!
Song 2: Come Down O Love Divine
Affirmation of faith
God’s spirit is building us into God’s people so let us declare together what we believe:
We believe in God the Father,
from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named.
We believe in God the Son,
who lives in our hearts through faith and fills us with his love.
We believe in God the Holy Spirit,
who strengthens us with power from on high.
We believe one God;
Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.
We come now to our time of prayer and we begin with our Offertory Prayer:
Generous God, we thank you for all that you have given us.
We thank you for the ways in which we can give to you in return.
We ask that through our gifts, be they of time, talents or money, we will see your Kingdom grow, in our hearts and in our homes, in our neighbourhood and in our nations.
To the glory of your Name. Amen
Let us pray:
Holy Spirit of God, set our hearts on fire with your love.
Give us the courage and faith to say “yes” to You; to be Your people in this place;
to spread your Word and to build up your Church.
Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
Breathe on us God with your Spirit.
Open our hearts and our minds, we pray, to the nudges from your Spirit.
May we not be afraid to go with You on adventures as God’s people; but always to have faith that you will be with us, by our side.
Breathe on us God with your Spirit
Give us wisdom God by your Spirit.
Guide us, we pray, so that in all we do and all we say, your love will shine through. Show us the best ways, through the guidance of your Spirit, to reach the people we meet in our daily lives so that their hearts too may be set ablaze with Your love.
Give us wisdom God by your Spirit
Empower us God by your Spirit, to speak out confidently for justice and for peace in your Name. Open our eyes, we pray, to see what needs to be seen in the world around us. Remind us that even when problems seem huge and we feel helpless, that we can always find your help in prayer.
Empower us God by your Spirit
Heal us God by your Spirit.
We pray for all the areas of our world that need your healing. There are so many places and people in our broken world which are torn apart by war, by famine, by fear. We offer them up into your all-embracing arms.
We remember quietly in our hearts anyone we know in need of your healing, and we pray that they may know your comfort and love.
Heal us God by your Spirit.
Encourage us God by your Spirit.
Give us confidence, we pray, to share the Good News of Your love with others and to do your will in this world, knowing you are there with us always.
Encourage us God by your Spirit.
Come Holy Spirit and fill our hearts today, that we may grow in the knowledge of your love. Amen
We say together the Lord’s Prayer:
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today 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 the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours
now and for ever. Amen.
Song 3: Breath on me breath of God
Sending Out
May God’s Holy Spirit be in our life.
(place hand on heart)
May God’s Holy Spirit be in our world.
(sweep hand out in front)
May God’s Holy Spirit be love between us.
(hold out hands)
And may God bless us all. Amen
Dismissal
We go into the world, filled with the Spirit;
to walk in God’s light, to rejoice in God’s love and to reflect God’s glory. Amen
Go in the peace of Christ. Alleluia! Alleluia!
Thanks be to God. Alleluia! Alleluia!
Song 4: All over the world, the Spirit is moving
Copyright Notices
Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Common Worship material from which is included in this service, is copyright © The Archbishops’ Council.