THE FESTIVAL OF PENTECOST

NOTE: This liturgy offers the opportunity for the Eucharist. If you wish to partoicipate, you will need a bread-like portion and a wine or juice of fruit like beverage.
May the Gifts of the Holy Spirit bring fire to the earth so that the presence of God may be seen in a new light, in new places, in new ways. May our own hearts burst into flame so that no obstacle, no matter how great, ever obstructs the message of the God within each of us. May we come to trust the Word of God in our heart, to speak it with courage, to follow it faithfully and to fan it to flame in others. May the Jesus who filled women with his Holy Spirit fill the world and the church with new respect for women’s power and presence. Give me, Great God, a sense of the Breath of Spirit within me as I . . . (State the intention in your own life at this time for which you are praying.) Amen. —Sister Joan Chittister	Veni Sancti Spiritus Date: ca. 1965 Artist: Kossowski, Adam PENTECOST SUNDAY June 5, 2022 A Liturgy For Worship and Meditation	Effortlessly, Love flows from God into humanity, Like a bird Who rivers the air Without moving her wings. Thus we move in God’s world, One in body and soul, Though outwardly separate in form. As the Source strikes the note, Humanity sings– The Holy Spirit is our harpist, And all strings Which are touched in Love Must sound. —Mechtild of Magdeburg 1207-1297 I want to embody and enact—with you, if you’re willing—the cosmic love that breathes in our breath, that animates our own consciousness, that fires the stars. I imagine a new kind of Christianity—a new kind of humanity—that instills and strengthens this nested integration of holy, transcendent desires for the beloved world and all it contains. —Brian McLaren

		CENTERING IN PREPARATION I am breathing. Breathing out anxiety, breathing in an awareness every breath is a gift. Breathing out despair, breathing in a new resolve to love harder. Breathing out worry, breathing in wonder. Breathing out blame, breathing in a sense of my own power and agency. Breathing out fear, breathing in a belief there’s still some good in this world, a goodness stronger than evil, and it’s worth fighting for. Breathing out judgment, breathing in understanding. Breathing out cynicism, breathing in gratitude. I am breathing. Breathing in and breathing out. —Ralph Waldo Emerson SONG OF PRAISE There's A Sweet, Sweet Spirit In This Place (Click Here For Music)) Doris Akers, Lyrics and Tune (1962) 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. Refrain: 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. (Sing Twice) GATHERING WORDS The Day of Pentecost has come and we are together. Let us face bravely into the winds of God Surely God is in this place! The works of God surround us . . . listen . . . look! The Spirit of God fills us with amazement. God sets us afire with wonder and awe. We will sing to God as long as we live; we will celebrate the gifts of God. FESTIVE CANTCILE This Is the Feast of Victory (Click Here For Music) John W. Arthur (1970) [Refrain] This is the feast of victory for our God, for the Lamb who was slain has begun his reign. Alleluia. 1. Worthy is Christ, the Lamb who was slain, whose blood set us free to be people of God. Power, riches, wisdom, and strength, and honor, blessing, and glory are his. [Refrain] 2. Sing with all the people of God, and join in the hymn of all creation. Blessing, honor, glory, and might be to God and the Lamb forever. Amen. [Refrain] PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION Holy God, Mystery Unfolding, as your Spifrit moved over the face of creation giving shape, form, and life to your making: So, move in this place,that we may hear anew the Word you share this day. Cause your Holy Wisdom to enter within us,>br /> that we would be transformed by your abiding presence, to be more faithful to your justice and peace. Amen. FIRST READING—Romans 8:14-17 8:14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. 8:15 For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry out to God, 8:16 it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 8:17 and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Beloved and Anointed One—if, in fact, we suffer with the Christ so that we may also be glorified with the Christ. Pentecost El Greco, ca 1596 Museo del Prado, Madrid HYMN (CLICK HERE FOR MUSIC) Like the Murmur of the Dove’s Song Carl P. Daw (1981) BRIDEGROOM Peter Cutts (1968) 1. Like the murmur of the dove’s song, like the challenge of her flight, like the vigor of the wind’s rush, like the new flame’s eager might: come, Holy Spirit, come. 2. To the members of Christ’s body, to the branches of the Vine, to the church in faith assembled, to her midst as gift and sign: come, Holy Spirit, come. 3. With the healing of division, with the ceaseless voice of prayer, with the pow’r to love and witness, with the peace beyond compare: come, Holy Spirit, come. Pentecost Date: 1545 Artist: Titian, approximately 1488-1576 SECOND READING—Acts 2:1-21 2:1 When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. 2:2 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. 2:3 Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. 2:4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability. 2:5 Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. 2:6 And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. 2:7 Amazed and astonished, they asked, "Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 2:8 And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? 2:9 Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 2:10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, 2:11 Cretans and Arabs—in our own languages we hear them speaking about God's deeds of power." 2:12 All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, "What does this mean?" 2:13 But others sneered and said, "They are filled with new wine." 2:14 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. 2:15 Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o'clock in the morning. 2:16 No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel: 2:17 '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. 2:18 Even upon my slaves, both men and women, in those days I will pour out my Spirit; and they shall prophesy. 2:19 And I will show portents in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and smoky mist. 2:20 The sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the coming of God's great and glorious day. 2:21 Then everyone who calls on the name of God shall be saved.' SONG OF FAITH (CLICK HERE FOR MUSIC) Spirit Of the Living God Daniel Iverson (1926) IVERSON Daniel Iverson (1926) Spirit of the Living God, Fall afresh on me, Spirit of the Living God, Fall afresh on me. Melt me, mold me, fill me, use me. Spirit of the Living God, Fall afresh on me. (Sing Twice) PRAYER God whose breath gently warms the hearts and souls Of children at play; Of adults in despair, Of all discovering who they are in a world needing to be blown away By a love Able to lift everyone up to new heights Where all ages can soar and glide Into newness of life Finding the inspiration to care for others As well as for the planet And enabling the whole world to be a flight path Into Kin-Dom living— Breath-giving God, Set your people free to dance with you To the rhythm of the wind of your Spirit. Now and always. SONG OF FAITH (CLICK HERE FOR MUSIC) Spirit, Spirit Of Gentleness James K. Manley (1975) SPIRIT James K. Manley (1975) Spirit, Spirit of gentleness, blow through the wilderness calling and free, Spirit, Spirit of restlessness, stir me from placidness, wind, wind on the sea. You moved on the waters, you called to the deep, then you coaxed up the mountains from the valleys of sleep; and over the eons you called to each thing: “Awake from your slumbers and rise on your wings.” Spirit, Spirit of gentleness, blow through the wilderness calling and free, Spirit, Spirit of restlessness, stir me from placidness, wind, wind on the sea. You swept through the desert, you stung with the sand, and you goaded your people with a law and a land; and when they were blinded with idols and lies, then you spoke through your prophets to open their eyes. Spirit, Spirit of gentleness, blow through the wilderness calling and free, Spirit, Spirit of restlessness, stir me from placidness, wind, wind on the sea. You sang in a stable, you cried from a hill, then you whispered in silence when the whole world was still; and down in the city you called once again, when you blew through your people on the rush of the wind. Spirit, Spirit of gentleness, blow through the wilderness calling and free, Spirit, Spirit of restlessness, stir me from placidness, wind, wind on the sea. You call from tomorrow, you break ancient schemes. From the bondage of sorrow all the captives dream dreams; our women see visions, our men clear their eyes. With bold new decisions your people arise. Spirit, Spirit of gentleness, blow through the wilderness calling and free, Spirit, Spirit of restlessness, stir me from placidness, wind, wind on the sea. PRAYER OF INTERCESSION Spirit God, Life-Giver: you gave the church the abiding presence of your Holy Spirit. Spirit God, Love-Maker We praise you for your loving presence with us. Spirit God, Perfector-Of-All: We seek the fulfilling of your Creating, Redeeming, and Sustaining Kin-Dom. Look upon your church today and hear our petitions. Come, Holy Spirit, take and transform our societies— that broken people find healing; that lonely people find love; that bitter people find peace; that fearful people find hope. Come, Holy Spirit, take our world’s leaders and governments and bring renewal— that communication can be open; that relationships between hostile people and hostile nations will evaporate; that a hunger for justice addresses the hunger for food felt by so many. Come, Holy Spirit, fill your church— that our worship will be ever more pleasing to you; that prayers will change our minds instead of trying to get you to change yours; that our lives will make a real difference to real people in the real world. Come, Holy Spirit, fill our lives with your presence— so that more and more every day, all that we do and say and hope will be an act of worship to you and an expression of love to others, to the glory of your name. Amen. —adapted from the Baptist Union of Great Britain THE EUCHARIST Place the bread and cup before you. God is with us. In Spirit, God is here. Lift your hearts, We light them to God. Let us praise God in thanksgiving. God alone is worthy of our thanks and praise. It is good and right, a joyful sharing, always and everywhere to give you thanks, Almighty and everlasting God. This day we give you thanks especially for in fulfilment of your promise you pour your Spirit upon us, filling us with your gifts, leading us into all truth, and uniting peoples of many tongues in the confession of one faith. Your Spirit gives us grace to call upon You, to proclaim your gospel to all nations and to serve you as a royal priesthood. Therefore we join our voices with angels and archangels, and with all those in whom the Spirit dwells, to proclaim the glory of your Name, forever praising you and saying: Holy, holy, holy God, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is the one who comes in your precious Name. Hosanna in the highest. O God, you are holy indeed, the source of all holiness; grant that by the power of your Holy Spirit, and according to your holy will, these gifts of bread and wine may be to us the body and blood of your Christ; who, in the same night that he was betrayed, took bread and gave you thanks; Place hand over the bread. he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying: "Take, eat; this is my body, which is given for you; do this in remembrance of me." In the same way, after supper he took the cup and gave you thanks; he gave it to them, saying: Place hand over the cup. "Drink this, all of you; this is my blood of the new covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me." Great is the mystery of faith: Your Christ has died, Your Christ is risen, Your Christ will come again. And so, God of all grace, calling to mind all that you have done, from creation, to this very day, for the life, ministry, and ongoing life of Jesus, your Beloved and Anointed One, we celebrate this memorial of our redemption. Send the Holy Spirit on your people and gather into one in your Kin-Dom all who share this bread and cup, so that we may praise and glorify you for ever, with Jesus the Christ, by whom, and with whom, and in whom, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all honor and glory are yours, almighty God, for ever and ever. Amen. PRAYER OF JESUS Our Loving God in heaven, hallowed be your Name, Your Realm 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. Save us from the time of trial, and deliver us from evil. For the dominion, the power, and the glory are yours, now and forever. Amen. TAKING AND EATING BREAD Eat the bread. Amen. TAKING AND DRINKING THE CUP Drink the cup. Amen. SONG OF PRAISE IN GOING FORTH (CLICK HERE FOR MUSIC) Spirit Song John Wimber (1979) SPIRIT SONG John Wimber (1979) Oh, let the Son of God enfold you with his Spirit and his love; Let him fill your heart and satisfy your soul Oh, let him have the things that hold you, and his Spirit, like a dove, Will descend upon your life and make you whole Jesus, O Jesus, come and fill your lambs Jesus, O Jesus, come and fill your lambs Oh, come and sing the song with gladness as your hearts are filled with joy Lift your hands in sweet surrender to his name Oh, give him all your tears and sadness, give him all your years of pain, And you'll enter into life in Jesus' name Jesus, O Jesus, come and fill your lambs Jesus, O Jesus, come and fill your lambs Oh, let the Son of God enfold you with his Spirit and his love; Let him fill your heart and satisfy your soul Oh, let him have the things that hold you, and his Spirit, like a dove, Will descend upon your life and make you whole Jesus, O Jesus, come and fill your lambs Jesus, O Jesus, come and fill your lambs DISMISSAL WITH BLESSING On the day when you are wearing your certainty like a cloak and your sureness goes before you like a shield or like a sword, may the sound of God’s name spill from your lips as you have never heard it before. May your knowing be undone. May mystery confound your understanding. May the Divine rain down in strange syllables yet with an ancient familiarity, a knowing borne in the blood, the ear, the tongue, bringing the clarity that comes not in stone or in steel but in fire, in flame. May there come one searing word: enough to bare you to the bone, enough to set your heart ablaze, enough to make you whole again. —by Jan L. Richardson (http://paintedprayerbook.com)
Please note: As to my original and current aim, what I provide here is both "contemporary" and "inclusive" in language. This aim is to meet the need for worship that frees God and us from male gender bias and the long tradition wherein that has been central. Likewise, during Easter's 50 Days, there are so many beloved songs that witness to the theme of this blog—resurrection and life as being known and experienced in doing justice, loving kindness, and walk humbly with our God. Now, when it comes to hymns and music, I find myself in a quandary. My usual practice has been to simply not include the songs of the church if they were outside the aim of inclusion, knowing full well that most hymns are not contemporary being written earlier when traditional theological terms and expressions were employed. I find, however, that music adds so much beauty and sacred sound to worship. Thus, in some weeks I have included hymns and songs that unfortunately use gender exclusive langauge. I am sorry if this offends anyone. I often take offense with such things myself. Might I suggest that is the music selections do not bring blessing and express the faith of your heart of hearts, simply read past them and avoid the CLICK HERE links.