The Day of Pentecost : 28th May 2023
What follows is a worship service which, I pray, you can participate in at a time(s) that are convenient to you. This 'service' will take about forty five (45) minutes.
I pray that you will feel called to ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE in this service.
The text that is in regular typeface (that is what you are reading at the moment) is to be read quietly, while the text that is in bold face (like you are reading right now) is meant to be read aloud.
Opening Hymn:
Let us continue by watching, and please do feel free to sing or read aloud the lyrics, as we commence our praise and thanksgiving.
When you are ready - click the "play" button on the video window, below:
Use your mouse to scroll through the contents of each window.
Clicking on the buttons across the tops of the windows below will allow you to zoom in\out,
search, switch to full screen, print, and download the contents to your computer.
The Pewsheet:
Call to Worship:
We meet in the name of God,
Creator of the universe,
source of true humanity,
mother and father of all. Amen.
We meet in the name of Jesus,
Word made flesh,
saviour of fallen humanity, lover of all. Amen.
We meet in the name of the Holy Spirit,
Lord and giver of life,
midwife of new humanity,
inspirer of all. Amen.
An Assurance of Forgiveness
(click the "play" button, below:)
The Sentence for the Day
The love of God has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
The Prayer for the Day (Collect)
Let us pray together.
Father, you have filled your people with the Spirit who rested first on your Son and united us in Your Church; open the channels for Your Spirit that we may freely work together, and Your kingdom and Your rule increase; for the glory of Your holy name. Amen.
A reading from The Old Testament
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A reading from The New Testament
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Pause for a moment of silent reflection.
The Gradual Hymn
Let us continue by watching, and please do feel free to join in singing another wonderful hymn.
When you are ready - click the "play" button on the video window, below:
A reading from the Gospel according to Saint John
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Listen to the sermon:
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or, if you prefer, you can read to the sermon, below:
Sermon Pentecost, 28th May 2023
Take my lips O God and speak through them, take our minds O God and think through them, take our hearts O God and love through them this day. <Amen>
A blessed Pentecost Sunday to you all on this great celebration of the Holy Spirit.
The celebration of the Church’s birthday, the day that the Christian Church was actually brought into existence – and what does a preacher have to say on this day? I COULD tell you the story of Pentecost and how a ragtag group who had, more or less faithfully followed Jesus during His earthly ministry, gathered together and were imbued with the Holy Spirit and empowered for their ministry – but that would merely repeat what Saint John in his gospel and Saint Luke Luke just told us in the Acts of the Apostles. So what do I have to add? Hmmmmmm ….
Well, how about a quick question “What is the Holy Spirit?”. <PAUSE>
Great question and there have been countless discourses, books, sermons, commentaries, theses on this over the years … and, no doubt, there will continue to be so!
However, how about this for my answer today? The Holy Spirit is the unending love that connects the Father and the Son.
God in three persons, blessed Trinity - - - lover, beloved, and shared love. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It is the Spirit that is the expression of this three in one-ness.
I know that I’ve started with something that is a wee bit abstract so I'll try to make it really clearer, really fast!
From our reading today, Acts chapter 2 - The tongues of fire descend, the great wind comes, and the disciples receive the Holy Spirit. At this sound, the crowd gathered, and each one heard them strangely speaking in his own language.
Did you notice how Luke goes to great lengths to describe all these different people and different places? (Parthians, Medes, Elamites, folks from Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, Libya, Rome, Cretans, Arabs)
All these different people are from different backgrounds, different cultures, different countries, different languages. Here's the interesting point … all of these different people come together as one through the power of the Holy Spirit that has come down.
Mind you, the Spirit doesn't take away their “many-ness”. The Spirit doesn't say, "Oh, you know you Mesopotamians, Judeans, the Parthians, Medes, Elamites - all of you have to give up your national identities."
No, No, NO! They're confirmed as different but yet, they form this harmonious pattern around The Father, through The Son. That's the pouring out of the uniting love from The Holy Spirit actually at work.
It's the love that brings the one (the individual) and the many together to unite.
In the Latin this uniting of the ones into the many is termed “in communio” or, if you prefer the English, it’s the coming together of us individual “in the communion”. Perhaps we now get an insight into why we call our church service today “Holy Communion”.
One of the great blessings of coming to a church in the Wakatipu is that members of the extended family meet from all over the world, they bring their different languages, their different customs, their different looks. Yet no one's imposing a monolithic unity on them.
The many are coming together around Christ to serve Him and His purposes.
We find “communio”. We become one with “Unity in diversity” thanks to the love that pours out from The Holy Spirit that joins us together with The Father and The Son and each other.
That's the mark of The Spirit.
It’s that Spirit that came to the disciples on the first Pentecost Sunday. It’s the fire, the wind, the breath of God, the love from The Holy Spirit that descends upon each and every one of us today … and everyday.
It’s that love from The Holy Spirit that really allows us to celebrate our UNITY IN DIVERSITY and so:
Ma te Atua koutou katoa e manaaki
Dios los bendiga a todos
Que Dieu vous bénisse tous
Shàng dì bǎo yòu nǐ men
God bless you all.
I runga e te Ingoa o te Atua, te Matua, te Tama me te Wairua Tapu.
In the name of God, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit <AMEN>
Pause and Reflect
Just take a moment now to pause. Bow your head, close your eyes.
Allow these words of Holy Scripture and this interpretation of them today speak to you.
An Affirmation of Our Faith
Let us affirm our faith by listening as "The Apostles Creed" is read to us.
(click the "play" button below when you are ready to listen)
... and now ... let us pray for the Church and for the World, giving thanks for God's goodness.
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The Lord's Prayer
Remembering that we are confident to pray this day, and every day, because Jesus Christ has taught us:
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.
Save us from the time of trial
and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours
now and for ever. Amen.
Let us conclude our prayers by praying together and aloud:
God of mercy,
you have given us grace to pray with one heart and one voice,
and have promised to hear the prayers
of two or three who agree in your name,
fulfil now, we pray,
the prayers and longings of your people
as may be best for us and for your kingdom.
Grant us in this world to know your truth,
and in the world to come to see your glory. Amen.
The Blessing
The blessing of Almighty God who is Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
be with you and all of those whom you love,
on this day and forever more.
A Closing Hymn
Let us continue with our closing hymn and please do feel free to sing along with another great hymn of wonder, hope and joy.
When you are ready - click the "play" button on the video window, below:
Dismissal
Go now to love and serve The Lord,
Go in peace.
Amen, we go in the name of Christ.
