Blog

The Day of Pentecost

Prelude

“Holy Spirit, Living Breath of God”
Keith Getty, Stuart Townend

Gathering

Confession and Forgiveness

Please stand as you are able. The sign of the cross may be made by all in remembrance of their Baptism.

P:  In the name of the Father, and of the ☩ Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

C:  Amen.

P:  Almighty God, to whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid: cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you and worthily magnify your holy name, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

C:  Amen.

P:  If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. But if we confess our sins, God who is faithful and just will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Please kneel or stand as you are able. Silence is kept for reflection.

P:  Most merciful God,

C:  we confess that we are in bondage to sin and cannot free ourselves. We have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. For the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in your will and walk in your ways, to the glory of your holy name. Amen.

P:  In the mercy of almighty God, Jesus Christ was given to die for us, and for his sake God forgives us all our sins. As a called and ordained minister of the Church of Christ, and by his authority, I therefore declare to you the entire forgiveness of all your sins, in the name of the Father, and of the ☩ Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

C:  Amen.

Please stand as you are able.

Entrance Hymn #459 (green hymnal)

“O Holy Spirit, Enter In”

1  O Holy Spirit, enter in,
and in our hearts your work begin,
and make our hearts your dwelling.
Sun of the soul, O Light divine,
around and in us brightly shine,
your strength in us upwelling.
In your radiance
life from heaven
now is given
overflowing,
gift of gifts beyond all knowing.

2  Left to ourselves, we surely stray;
oh, lead us on the narrow way,
with wisest counsel guide us;
and give us steadfastness, that we
may follow you forever free,
no matter who derides us.
Gently heal those
hearts now broken;
give some token
you are near us,
whom we trust to light and cheer us.

3  O mighty Rock, O Source of life,
let your good Word in doubt and strife
be in us strongly burning,
that we be faithful unto death
and live in love and holy faith,
from you true wisdom learning.
Lord, your mercy
on us shower;
by your power
Christ confessing,
we will cherish all your blessing.

Greeting

P:  The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

C:  And also with you.

Kyrie

♫ WOV Setting 4
(blue hymnal, p. 12)

L:  In peace, let us pray to the Lord.

C:  Lord, have mercy.

L:  For the peace from above, and for our salvation, let us pray to the Lord.

C:  Lord, have mercy.

L:  For the peace of the whole world, for the well-being of the Church of God, and for the unity of all, let us pray to the Lord.

C:  Lord, have mercy.

L:  For this holy house, and for all who offer here their worship and praise, let us pray to the Lord.

C:  Lord, have mercy.

L:  Help, save, comfort, and defend us, gracious Lord.

C:  Amen.

Hymn of Praise

♫ WOV Setting 4
(blue hymnal, p. 15)

This is the feast of victory for our God. Alleluia, alleluia.

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 and blessing and glory are his.
This is the feast of victory for our God. Alleluia, alleluia.

Sing with all the people of God, and join in the hymn of all creation:
Blessing and honor, glory and might to God and the Lamb forever. Amen.
This is the feast of victory for our God. Alleluia, alleluia.

For the Lamb, the Lamb who was slain has begun his reign. Alleluia.

This is the feast of victory for our God. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. Amen.

Prayer of the Day

P:  The Lord be with you.

C:  And also with you.

P:  Let us pray.
O God, on this day you open the hearts of your faithful people by sending into us your Holy Spirit. Direct us by the light of that Spirit, that we may have a right judgment in all things and rejoice at all times in your peace, through Jesus Christ, your Son and our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

C:  Amen.

The Word

Blessing of the Lector

P:  Let us pray.
Spirit of the living God, fall fresh on us;
Spirit of the living God, fall fresh on us.
Holy God, send your Spirit to fall fresh upon us and upon Chet as he proclaims to us the scriptures. Mold our minds and melt our hearts to receive what the Spirit is saying to the churches; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

C:  Amen.

Please be seated.

First Lesson: Acts 2:1-21

¹ When the day of Pentecost had come, the apostles were all together in one place. 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. ³ Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. ⁴ All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.
 ⁵ Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. ⁶ And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. ⁷ Amazed and astonished, they asked, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? ⁸ And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? 9 Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, ¹⁰ Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, ¹¹ Cretans and Arabs—in our own languages we hear them speaking about God’s deeds of power.” ¹² All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” ¹³ But others sneered and said, “They are filled with new wine.”
 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. ¹⁵ Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o’clock in the morning. ¹⁶ No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel:
 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.
 ¹⁸ Even upon my slaves, both men and women,
  in those days I will pour out my Spirit;
   and they shall prophesy.
 ¹⁹ And I will show portents in the heaven above
  and signs on the earth below,
   blood, and fire, and smoky mist.
 ²⁰ The sun shall be turned to darkness
  and the moon to blood,
  before the coming of the Lord’s great and glorious day.
 ²¹ Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’ ”

  The word of the Lord.

C:  Thanks be to God.

Song for Pentecost: Hymn #684 (blue hymnal)

“Spirit of Gentleness”

Refrain
Spirit, Spirit of gentleness,
blow through the wilderness calling and free;
Spirit, Spirit of restlessness,
stir me from placidness, wind, wind on the sea.

1  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.” Refrain

2  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. Refrain

3  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. Refrain

4  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. Refrain

Second Lesson: 1 Corinthians 12:3b-13

^3b No one can say “Jesus is Lord” except by the Holy Spirit.
 ⁴ Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; ⁵ and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; ⁶ and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. ⁷ To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. ⁸ To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, ⁹ to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, ¹⁰ to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the discernment of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. ¹¹ All these are activated by one and the same Spirit, who allots to each one individually just as the Spirit chooses.
 ¹² For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. ¹³ For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.

  The word of the Lord.

C:  Thanks be to God.

Please stand as you are able.

Gospel Acclamation

♫ WOV Setting 4
(blue hymnal, p. 17)

Alleluia. Lord, to whom shall we go?
You have the words of eternal life. Alleluia.

Gospel: John 20:19-23

P:  The Holy Gospel according to St. John, the 20th chapter.

C:  Glory to you, O Lord.

¹⁹ When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” ²⁰ After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. ²¹ Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” ²² When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. ²³ If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”

P:  The Gospel of the Lord.

C:  Praise to you, O Christ.

Please be seated.

Children’s Sermon

Sermon

Silence for reflection and meditation.

Hymn of the Day #142 (green hymnal)

“Hail Thee, Festival Day!” vv. 1-2, 4-5

Refrain
Hail thee, festival day! Blest day to be hallowed forever;
day when the Holy Ghost shone in the world with his grace.

1  Bright and in likeness of fire, on those who await his appearing,
he whom the Lord had foretold suddenly, swiftly descends: Refrain

2  Daily the loveliness grows, adorned with the glory of blossom;
heaven her gates unbars, flinging her increase of light: Refrain

4  Jesus, the health of the world, enlighten our minds, great redeemer,
Son of the Father supreme, only begotten of God: Refrain

5  Spirit of life and of pow’r, now flow in us, fount of our being,
light that enlightens us all, life that in all may abide: Refrain

Please stand as you are able.

The Apostles’ Creed

P:  Let us confess our common faith with all Christians throughout time and place, using the words of the Apostles’ Creed.

I believe in God, the Father almighty,
 creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
 He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit
  and born of the virgin Mary.
 He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
  was crucified, died, and was buried.
 He descended into hell.
 On the third day he rose again.
 He ascended into heaven,
  and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
 He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
 the holy catholic Church,
 the communion of saints,
 the forgiveness of sins,
 the resurrection of the body,
 and the life everlasting. Amen.

Prayers of Intercession

P:  Let us pray for the whole people of God in Christ Jesus, and for all people according to their needs.

After each petition:

P:  Lord, in your mercy,

C:  Hear our prayer.

After the last petition:

P:  Into your hands, O Lord, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in your mercy; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

C:  Amen.

The Peace

P:  The peace of the Lord be with you always.

C:  And also with you.

The ministers and congregation may greet one another with a gesture of peace.

Please remain standing for the offertory.

Invitation to Offering

P:  As God graciously poured out the Spirit upon us, now let us pour out God’s generosity on the world by giving our offering.

Offertory

♫ WOV Setting 4
(blue hymnal, p. 21)

Let the vineyards be fruitful, Lord,
fill to the brim our cup of blessing.
Gather a harvest from the seeds that were sown,
that we may be fed, we may be fed with the bread of life.
Gather the hopes and the dreams of all;
unite them with the prayers we offer now.
Grace our table with your presence,
and give us a foretaste of the feast to come.

Offertory Prayer

A:  Let us pray.

C:  Blessed are you, O Lord our God, maker of all things. Through your goodness you have blessed us with these gifts. With them we offer ourselves to your service and dedicate our lives to the care and redemption of all that you have made, for the sake of him who gave himself for us, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Meal

The Great Thanksgiving

P:  The Lord be with you.

C:  And also with you.

P:  Lift up your hearts.

C:  We lift them to the Lord.

P:  Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

C:  It is right to give him thanks and praise.

P:  It is indeed right and salutary that we should at all times and in all places offer thanks and praise to you, O Lord, holy Father, through Christ our Lord; who rose beyond the bounds of death and, on this day, as he had promised, poured out your Spirit of life and power upon the chosen disciples. At this the whole earth exults in boundless joy. And so, with the Church on earth and the hosts of heaven, we praise your name and join their unending hymn:

Sanctus

♫ WOV Setting 4
(blue hymnal, p. 22)

Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of pow’r and might:
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.

P:  You are indeed holy, O God, the fountain of all holiness; you bring light from darkness, life from death, speech from silence. We worship you for our lives and for the world you give us. We thank you for the new world to come and for the love that will rule all in all. We praise you for the grace shown to Israel, your chosen, the people of your promise: the rescue from Egypt, the gift of the promised land, the memory of the ancestors, the homecoming from exile, and the prophets’ words that will not be in vain. In all this we bless you for your only-begotten Son, who fulfilled and will fulfill all your promises.

  In the night in which he was betrayed, our Lord Jesus took bread, and gave thanks; broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying: Take and eat; this is my body, given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me.

  Again, after supper, he took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it for all to drink, saying: This cup is the new covenant in my blood, shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness of sin. Do this for the remembrance of me.

  For as often as we eat of this bread and drink from this cup we proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

♫ WOV Setting 4
(blue hymnal, p. 24)

C:  Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.

P:  Therefore, O God, with this bread and cup we remember the incarnation of your Son: his human birth and the covenant he made with us. We remember the sacrifice of his life: his eating with outcasts and sinners, and his acceptance of death. But chiefly we remember his rising from the tomb, his ascension to the seat of power, and his sending of the holy and life-giving Spirit. We cry out for the resurrection of our lives, when Christ will come again in beauty and power to share with us the great and promised feast.

C:  Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

P:  Send now, we pray, your Holy Spirit, that we and all who share in this bread and cup may be united in the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, may enter the fullness of the kingdom of heaven, and may receive our inheritance with all your saints in light.

C:  Amen. Come, Holy Spirit.

P:  Join our prayers with those of your servants of every time and every place, and unite them with the ceaseless petitions of our great high priest until he comes as victorious Lord of all. Through him, with him, in him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all honor and glory is yours, almighty Father, now and forever.

C:  Amen, amen, amen.

The Lord’s Prayer

P:  Lord, remember us in your kingdom, and teach us to pray:

Our Father, who art in heaven,
 hallowed be thy name,
 thy kingdom come,
 thy will be done,
  on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses,
 as we forgive those
  who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
 but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
 and the power, and the glory,
 forever and ever. Amen.

Invitation to Communion

P:  Come and know Christ, broken and poured out for you.

Please be seated.

Agnus Dei

♫ WOV Setting 4
(blue hymnal, p. 25)

Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world;
have mercy on us, have mercy on us, have mercy.
Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world;
have mercy on us, have mercy on us, have mercy.
Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world;
grant us peace.

Communion

P:  The Body of Christ, broken for you.

  The Blood of Christ, shed for you.

Those who wish to commune at the altar rail may either bring forward their individual Communion kit, or receive the wafer and wine/grape juice by intinction (dipping) from the Communion Ministers, when they are directed forward by the usher. Those who wish to commune in their seat with their individual Communion kit may remain seated.

Communion Hymn #702 (blue hymnal)

“I Am the Bread of Life”

1  “I am the Bread of life.
You who come to me shall not hunger,
and who believe in me shall not thirst.
No one can come to me unless the Father beckons.”

Refrain
“And I will raise you up,
and I will raise you up,
and I will raise you up on the last day.”

2  “The bread that I will give
is my flesh for the life of the world,
and if you eat of this bread,
you shall live forever, you shall live forever.” Refrain

3  “Unless you eat
of the flesh of the Son of Man
and drink of his blood,
and drink of his blood,
you shall not have life within you.” Refrain

4  “I am the resurrection,
I am the life.
If you believe in me,
even though you die, you shall live forever.” Refrain

5  Yes, Lord, I believe
that you are the Christ,
the Son of God,
who have come into the world. Refrain

Table Blessing

P:  The body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ strengthen you and keep you in his grace.

C:  Amen.

Post-Communion Canticle

♫ WOV Setting 4
(blue hymnal, p. 27)

Thankful hearts and voices raise; tell everyone what God has done.
Let all who seek the Lord rejoice, rejoice and bear Christ’s holy name.
Send us, O God, with your promises, and lead us forth in joy
with shouts of thanksgiving. Alleluia, alleluia.

Post-Communion Prayer

A:  Let us pray.
Pour out upon us the spirit of your love, O Lord, and unite the wills of those whom you have fed with one heavenly food; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

C:  Amen.

Sending

Announcements for God’s Mission in the World

Please stand as you are able.

Blessing

P:  Almighty God, Father, ☩ Son, and Holy Spirit, bless you now and forever.

C:  Amen.

Closing Hymn #523 (green hymnal)

“Holy Spirit, Ever Dwelling”

1  Holy Spirit, ever dwelling
in the holiest realms of light;
Holy Spirit, ever brooding
o’er a world of gloom and night;
Holy Spirit, ever raising
those of earth to thrones on high;
living, life-imparting Spirit,
you we praise and magnify.

2  Holy Spirit, ever living
as the church’s very life;
Holy Spirit, ever striving
through us in a ceaseless strife;
Holy Spirit, ever forming
in the church the mind of Christ:
you we praise with endless worship
for your gifts and fruits unpriced.

3  Holy Spirit, ever working
through the church’s ministry;
quick’ning, strength’ning, and absolving,
setting captive sinners free;
Holy Spirit, ever binding
age to age and soul to soul
in communion never ending,
you we worship and extol.

Dismissal

P:  Go in peace. Serve the Lord.

C:  Thanks be to God.

Postlude

“O Spirit of Life”

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Worship Leaders

The Rev. Emily Beckering, Pastor
Kris Keith, Music Director
Kate Wollenburg, Organist
Chet Laine, Reader
Donny Cathcart, Acolyte
Liam Cathcart, Book Bearer

Upcoming Events

Copyright Notices

Holy Spirit, Living Breath of God: Text and music by Keith Getty and Stuart Townend © 2006 Thankyou Music (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing)

O Holy Spirit, Enter In: Setting © 1952 Orgelchoralbuch.

Spirit of Gentleness: Text and music © 1978 James K. Manley

Hail Thee, Festival Day!: Tr. © 1978 Lutheran Book of Worship, admin. Augsburg Fortress.

I Am the Bread of Life: Text and music by Suzanne Toolan © 1966 GIA Publications, Inc., 7404 S. Mason Ave., Chicago, IL 60638. www.giamusic.com. 800.442.3358. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

Hymns/anthems: Music reprinted and streamed by permission under ONE LICENSE #A‐726103 and CCLI Licenses #21045423 and #21045416. All rights reserved.

Liturgical texts and service music: From SundaysandSeasons.com. Copyright © 2023 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved. Reprinted by permission under Augsburg Fortress Liturgies Annual License #SAS010308.