Call to Worship Breathe upon us, Holy Spirit, and inspire our thoughts and actions. Stir in our hearts, Holy Spirit, and fill us with energy to spread joy in the world. Breathe upon us, Holy Spirit, and refresh our commitment to serve. Stir in our hearts, Holy Spirit, as we worship and witness to God’s coming reign. Hymn 582 - O Day of joy and wonder Prayers of Approach and Confession Spirit of God, your energy moves in us and through us to face each new day. You are as close to us as our breath, giving us life. You refresh us like the breeze on a warm afternoon. You challenge us like a strong wind, rousing our attention. Holy Spirit, open our eyes to the wonder of God’s mystery, and open our hearts to the warmth of Christ’s mercy. To you, we offer our prayers and praise in love and loyalty. Make us one in worship and witness by your grace and power. God of wind and flame, at Pentecost your Spirit inspired Jesus’ followers to dare great things in his name. But we confess that we lack daring and Ignore the flame of your Spirit among us. Forgive our closed minds, that barricade themselves against new ideas, preferring the past to what you might do through us in the future. Forgive our closed eyes, failing to see the needs of your world and blind to opportunities of service and love. Forgive our closed hearts, which limit our affections to ourselves and our own. Forgive us, break down the walls of our selfishness, that we might be open to your love and for the service of your world, through Jesus Christ our Lord Lord’s Prayer Readings – Acts 2:1-11 (Pg 1093) John 7:37-39(Pg 1072) Hymn 583 -Spirit divine, attend our prayers Weekly Prayer Almighty and Everlasting God, on this Day of Pentecost, we rejoice in the wonderful gift of your Spirit. Send your Holy Spirit again into our hearts and into our lives, so that the streams of living water will continue to flow into our world. Amen Sermon The unexpected can happen. I managed to sit on a camel in Morocco and stayed on as we rode up and down sand dunes. That was pretty unexpected! Worshippers in cathedrals in the Middle ages gathered for Pentecost, and doves were released through trapdoors in the ceiling, swooping down on the congregation, as symbols of the Holy Spirit. Or rose petals were dropped from on high, as a symbol of the tongues of fire that enveloped the apostles, though I would certainly prefer rose petals! It is said that some choristers would also climb to the rafters and throw pails of water on the congregants to drench them with God’s spirit’ the one who was wettest was called the Pentecost bird! I decided not to re-enact such old customs. But the unexpected can happen. The disciples were still together in a room, waiting. Jesus had ascended to heaven, so now they were on their own, maybe puzzling over the way forward. How could they carry on without Jesus? They were too used to having him around, for him to take the lead and show them the way. But he had told them to wait in Jerusalem for the Spirit, for the Helper. They were back indoors, listening to hubbub of pilgrims, come to Jerusalem for the Festival of Pentecost or Shavuot. This was the barley harvest, when everyone celebrated the bounty of the land, but also the giving of the Law at Mt Sinai. Pilgrims had come from so many different countries around the Mediterranean basin and beyond, from the Jewish Diaspora, all happy to have fulfilled a dream of coming to worship in Jerusalem. The disciples would listen to their various languages, and the unexpected happened, which is an understatement. For there was the sound of the wind gusting around them, so that they were driven from indoors to outside. Tongues of flame appeared. It must have been terrifying, and suddenly these fishermen, these ordinary uneducated people began to speak in different languages, so that the pilgrims from Mesopotamia and Cappadocia were able to hear and understand. They were amazed that they could hear their own tongues being spoken. Though some were less charitable and said that the disciples were drunk. There are always those who will detract and see the negative, who will seek to pull down rather than build up. Who will criticise rather than praise, ridicule because they don’t understand. But here at Pentecost the disciples were driven from their room outside to engage with the people around and speak the Good News in their own languages. It is a metaphor for meeting people where they were. Peter preached, and many were added to their number that day. When I was in Morocco, I was intrigued to see the Berber language on all the town halls and stations, along with the Arabic and French, because the alphabet was so different. Yet the language some would argue was as old as Latin and Greek. But for many Moroccans it was important that their language was recognised and not treated as somehow inferior to the Arabic or French, the language of invaders and colonisers. So, right from the start of the church, we have a clear message that all were included. There was such a diversity of people gathered there, from so many different cultures and countries, different outlooks, some richer, some poorer, but the Spirit made no distinction and came upon all of them, allowing each to have their voice and transforming them into the Body of Christ, made them into the Church – and so we celebrate Pentecost as the Church’s birthday. But not a birthday to look backwards, but one which very much looked to the future with anticipation and energy. This week the general Assembly has been meeting in Edinburgh. Congregations are tired, we are told, but the emphasis has been on moving forward with hope and anticipation, and Pentecost gives us a model for that. The unexpected happened, and the disciples were transformed from uncertain, paralysed followers into bold believers who would be the Church and turn the world upside down. And they did this by engaging with people where they were. Not waiting for them to come to church, but to be the Church wherever we find ourselves and meet people in their need. R.S Thomas, the Welsh poet, said of Pentecost: ‘Such a fast God. Always before us and leaving as we arrive’. Pentecost marked the end to days of fear for the disciples and the beginning of the adventure to build the church. Boats may be safer in harbour, but that’s not what boats were made for. So as the Church we are encouraged to go out and meet people where they are with the Good News of Jesus Christ and dream the dream that the Kingdom come and be built on earth. Let us be open to the movement of the Spirit and have the courage to face the future in love and hope. Hymn 600 – Spirit of God, unseen as the wind Prayers of Dedication and Intercession At Pentecost, the gifts of the Spirit poured out on the Church, preparing Christ’s followers to serve him in the world. We offer our gifts to God so the service of the Church will continue to flourish wherever the Spirit leads. Spirit of grace and power, bless these gifts today so that they accomplish surprising things in Jesus’ name. We offer ourselves, too, so that our lives may proclaim the Good News with your grace and power. Amen. Wind of the Spirit, blow through us on this day of Pentecost and renew our faith. Re-awaken our love for God. Let your flames warm our hearts with trust in Jesus Christ and dare us to do great things in his name. Spirit of Power and Promise, Blow through us and renew our faith. Wind of the Spirit, blow through us and give us energy to serve you in Christ’s Church. We thank you for the General Assembly in Edinburgh this week and for decisions taken. Open our eyes to recognize needs for ministry and mission, and to equip us to meet new challenges in ways we haven’t dared before. Open our hearts to lives caught up in stressful situations. Open our hands to share in the tasks that need doing, and open our lips in prayer and praise. Spirit of Power and Promise, Blow through us and renew our faith. Wind of the Spirit, blow through us and give us understanding for those whose lives seem so different from ours; for those with whom we’ve disagreed; and for the challenges facing our community and your creation in these complex times. Spirit of Power and Promise, Blow through us and renew our faith. Wind of the Spirit, blow through us and bring healing for all who face pain or illness, discouragement or disappointment, for all who know sorrow, sadness or grief, and for those who face pressures coping with the cost of living. Bring healing to the earth, to places of upheaval and to ecosystems at risk. Spirit of Power and Promise, Blow through us and renew our faith. Silence Wind of the Spirit, Blow through us and bring us the compassion we see in Christ Jesus. Blow through us and refresh us as your faithful followers, equipped to serve the world you love in his name,Amen Hymn 622 – We sing a love Benediction Father God, amaze and astonish us with Your presence in the world. Jesus Christ, lead us to be Your hands and feet in the world. Holy Spirit, send us filled with Your resurrection power into the world. And the blessing of God, Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer, be within and without you always and forever. Amen
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