- May 25, 2023
- 6 min read
Veradale United Church of Christ
An Open & Affirming Congregation
Worshiping God in Christ – Welcoming All – Working for Justice & Peace
“No matter who you are, or where you are on life’s journey, you are welcome here!”
Pentecost Sunday, May 28, 2023 • 10:30 a.m.
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As you arrive you are invited them to light candles for those who have left this life to be born into the next.
Also, please, add your prayers of gratitude and concern to the community prayer clipboard (you may wish to add the names of your departed loved ones to the gratitudes).
10:20 Prelude
Wayne Shull, Music Director
Charlie Salt, AV
Joe McSwain, AV, Usher
Jerry Brines, Usher
Naomi Hanvey, Scripture Reader
Scotty Patton, Zoom Monitor
Naomi Hanvey, Preacher and Worship Leader
10:30am Worship begins:
God works through us. . . all the time!
All the time . . . God works through us!
Welcoming the Light of Christ
*Hymn: “Spirit, Spirit of Gentleness”
286 (NCH!) CCLI license #11038266
[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.
[Verse 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]
[Verse 2]
You swept through the desert, you stung with the sand, and you goaded your people with a law and a land; When they were confounded with idols and lies, then you spoke through your prophets to open their eyes.
[Refrain]
[Verse 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]
[Verse 4]
You call from tomorrow, you break ancient schemes. From the bondage of sorrow the captives dream dreams; our women see visions, our men clear their eyes. With bold new decisions your people arise.
[Refrain]
Community Prayer lead by Charlie Salt
ALL: I cast all my cares upon you. I lay all my burdens down at your feet; and anytime that I don’t know what to do, I will cast my cares upon you.
Prayers of Gratitude
ALL: I cast all my cares upon you. I lay all my burdens down at your feet; and anytime that I don’t know what to do, I will cast my cares upon you.
Prayers of Concern
ALL: I cast all my cares upon you. I lay all my burdens down at your feet; and anytime that I don’t know what to do, I will cast my cares upon you.
Silent Prayer
ALL: I cast all my cares upon you. I lay all my burdens down at your feet; and anytime that I don’t know what to do, I will cast my cares upon you.
The Lord’s Prayer use the translation which is meaningful to you or
Our Father (Creator) 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. Amen.
Response 812 (NCH)
Amen, amen, amen.
A Time of Offering lead by Cherall Anne St. James
An Invitation to Share
*Dedication Hymn: “A Doxology”
CCLI license #11038266
Praise God who gives us life to live. Praise God who calls us all to give. Praise God whose image we all bear. Praise God whose love we now can share. Amen.
Dedication Prayer
Spirit of Truth, fill us with your light and life. Give to us clarity of speech, thought, and action that we may be the body of Christ in the world today. Bless all our gifts and offerings. May all that we are and all that we have be a reflect of our practice of compassion and justice. We pray in the name and love of Jesus. Amen
Listening for God
Time With Young Hearts: Language study
Reading of Scripture
Acts 2:1-21 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
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.’
1 Corinthians 12:3b-13 NRSV
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 powerful deeds, 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.
Message from Naomi Hanvey
Silence
Announcements lead by Wayne Shull
Our Light moves into the World God Loves
*Hymn: “Be God’s”
[Verse 1] Where the world is merciless, be God's mercy. Where the world is hopeless, be God's hope. Where there is injustice, be God's justice. Where there is sadness, be God's joy. Where the world is doubting, be God's faith. Where there is ingratitude, be God's grace. Where there is confusion, be God's truth. Where there is weakness, be God's strength. [Refrain] Let your life change the world one person at a time. Let your life be the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ. As the bread becomes his body, we can be the living sign. With God's love, change the world with your life. [Verse 2] Where the world is wounded, be God's healing. Where the world is weeping, be God's song. Where there is despairing, be God's beauty. Where the world is crumbling, be God's rock. Where there is no tenderness, be God's child. Where there is loneliness, be God's smile. Where the world is dying, be God's life. Where there is darkness, be God's light. [Refrain] Let your life change the world one person at a time. Let your life be the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ. As the bread becomes his body, we can be the living sign. With God's love, change the world with your life.
Benediction and Silent Reflection with Postlude
Be yourself.
Grow in Christ.
Live with Compassion
