Word as Spirit, Spirit as Word

Day of Pentecost   May 29, 2024
Acts 2:1-21  Psalm 104: 25-35,37
Romans 8:22-27  John 15:26-27; 16:4b-15

Lectionary Link

Would it be too far fetched on this Day of Pentecost to consider Word as Spirit, and Spirit as Word?

Word as the linguistic penetration of all human life in anything being known at all, is the hidden essence of living.  Word as hidden has many evidential products so as to be hiddenly known.

The word Spirit, and Holy Spirit, come to language and "spirit" is a personification of invisible phenomena which have external and visible effects.  Spirit is personified "wind" or "breath."  The wisdom of wind being a macro-equivalent of breath in a person is a fitting metaphor.  Wind is unseen but it manifests itself in visible effects, storms, and blowing branches on trees.  Wind's eroding effects could be seen as creation or alterations in process, and the ancients could proclaim, God's life is breathing in this world, and God's life at large in the world might be called God's Spirit.  We can appreciate wind as a fitting metaphor for God's creative omnipresence whose effects are continuous but only intermittently registered by human beings at various times in their contexts.  The Spirit of God might be called the Divine effect that is and can be known in the lives of people who often confess the coincidences called providence.

In the Gospel of John, Jesus is referred to as the Word made flesh.  And Jesus is presented as saying, "my words are spirit and life."  Jesus breathed his Spirit-Words upon his disciples and told them that Spirit would relay his words to them in their futures when they could not seen him.  And the Spirit would speak in and through them.

The event of Pentecost couples Word and Spirit.  What is a supreme issue of difference among humanity?  In the ancient curse of Babel, the curse on the world was regarded to be a poly-glottic humanity.  One humanity but divided into many different linguistic communities.

The curse of Babel came because the previous one language people used their unity to commit the act of pridefully replacing themselves as and for the divine.  So, God cursed them with many languages and the resulting confusion sent them in exile from the land of Shinar throughout the world to be settled in their various linguistic communities.

The event of Pentecost is seen as God's healing of the ancient curse.  In the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  Unique Word became flesh in Jesus Christ, and the Christ-Word could be translated into every language and so bring the harmony and the humility of diverse peoples having diverse languages being able to overcome the pride of God-replacement tendencies in our ethnocentric practices.

Pentecost is an event when we accept Christ as the Word of God within all language use and language users, as the way to translate the universal accessibility of God to everyone.  Pentecost is when we proclaim that God speaks every language and that God can be translated into every language and cultural situation.

And when God is translated into each life situation, we know it in the manifestations of the Holy Spirit of God: In love, joy, peace, gentleness, goodness, faith, hope, self control, justice, active care for one another.

Sometimes we limit the Pentecost event to different languages; but no matter what language we speak, the more important language that we speak is our body language.  What is our body code language?  What are our morals and ethics?  How do we act out our good language use with the practice of justice in our world?

Let us regard this day of Pentecost as a language event.  As an event when as Christians we can regard Christ as the image of God upon us being the Word of God within us even as the Holy Spirit making the Word of God communicate through us the good words in speech, writing, and body language, the love of God for our world.  

May God's Spirit today tame our differences into the harmony of respecting diversity while coaxing each person to realize one's importance within the entire symphony of humanity.

Jesus said, "my words are Spirit and they are life."  And today the Holy Spirit says within us, "I am Spirit, and I am the life of Christ the Word of God in you today.  Amen.

Sunday School, May 19, 2024 The Day of Pentecost B

 Sunday School, May 19, 2024   The Day of Pentecost B

Theme:

Meanings of Pentecost

Pentecost is fifty days after Easter

Anglicans call it Whitsunday or “White” Sunday, called that perhaps because of the white robes worn by the candidates for baptism.

The English Church, retains the color white for Pentecost while the Episcopal Church and other churches use the color Red for Pentecost, symbolizing the red flames of the tongues of fire that is reported in the Pentecost event.

The tongues of fire seem to appear on the disciple in Jerusalem and the disciple began to speak about Christ in other languages.

This means that the message about Christ can be translated into all languages and all people can be united by the One Spirit of God even though all people are different in many ways.

Pentecost is a celebrate of our unity, perhaps, better called a “harmony.”  It is how God’s love is lived and expressed among people who have many differences.

When Jesus left this world, he reminded us that God’s Holy Spirit was with us to let God’s presence be known to us.

Sermon:

Many churches have a musical instrument with big pipes.  This instrument is called a pipe organ.  A pipe organ is made up of lots of pipes.  A pipe is just like a whistle.  You blow air through the pipe and it makes a sound.  But each pipe makes a different sound.  And when they play together, it like having an entire band all within the cabinets.  Some of the pipes can been seen and many are hidden and cannot be seen.

  To make the pipe organ work there has to be a powerful fan which can blow air through tubes and into chests so that when the holes under each pipe are opened the air blows the pipe and makes the sounds.

  Today, is the Day of Pentecost.  It is a day when we celebrate that God is known as the Holy Spirit.  We say God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

The word Spirit means Wind or breath.  Take a deep breath and blow.  Can you see your breath?  No.  But how do you know it is there?  You can feel it blow against your hand.  Can you see the wind?  No.  But can you see the wind blow the branches of a tree?  Yes.

  The Holy Spirit is like the wind and breath.  We cannot see God but we can see the effects of God in our world.  When we see love and kindness and beauty we know that God’s Spirit is present. 

  When a pipe organ is played there is one wind that plays all of the different sounds of the pipes.

  This is how we can understand God’s Spirit.  There is one Spirit of God who lives in each of us, but each of us are different and each of us have different things that we can do to make this world a better place.

  Today, we are baptizing Bishop.  It is like we are adding a new pipe to the wonderful pipe organ of God.

  Today, we know that the life of God’s Spirit is in Bishop and he is going to make some wonderful sounds with all of the good things which God will do with his life.  And he joins all of us as pipes in the great pipe organ of God with the Wind of God Spirit blowing through us.

  And so each of is like a different pipe in this great pipe organ of God.  Let us be thankful today that each of us is special and different.  But let us also be thankful that God’s Spirit is in us to help us make beautiful music together as we live together to love and care for one another.  Amen.

Intergenerational Family Service with Holy Eucharist

May 19, 2024: The Day of Pentecost

Gathering Songs: Glory be to God on High, Creating Spirit, Every Time I Feel the Spirit

Liturgist: Alleluia, Christ is Risen.

People: The Lord is Risen Indeed.  Alleluia.

Liturgist:  Oh God, Our hearts are open to you.

And you know us and we can hide nothing from you.

Prepare our hearts and our minds to love you and worship you.

Through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Song:  Glory be to God on High,     (Christian Children’s Songbook, # 70)

Glory be to God on high, alleluia.  Glory be to God on high, alleluia.

Praise the Father, Spirit, Son, alleluia.  Praise the Godhead, three in one, alleluia.

Sing we praises unto thee, alleluia, for the truth that sets us free, alleluia.

Liturgist:         The Lord be with you.

People:            And also with you.

Liturgist:  Let us pray

O God, who on this day taught the hearts of your faithful people by sending to them the light of your Holy Spirit: Grant us by the same Spirit to have a right judgment in all things, and evermore to rejoice in his holy comfort; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

First Litany of Praise: Chant: Alleluia

O God, you are Great!  Alleluia

O God, you have made us! Alleluia

O God, you have made yourself known to us!  Alleluia

O God, you have provided us with us a Savior!  Alleluia

O God, you have given us a Christian family!  Alleluia

O God, you have forgiven our sins!  Alleluia

O God, you brought your Son Jesus back from the dead!  Alleluia

A reading from the   Letter to the Romans

We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now; and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

Liturgist: The Word of the Lord

People: Thanks be to God

Let us read together from Psalm 104

You send forth your Spirit, and they are created; * and so you renew the face of the earth.

May the glory of the LORD endure for ever; * may the LORD rejoice in all his works.

Litany Phrase: Thanks be to God! (chanted)

Litanist:

For the good earth, for our food and clothing. Thanks be to God!

For our families and friends. Thanks be to God!

For the talents and gifts that you have given to us. Thanks be to God!

For this day of worship. Thanks be to God!

For health and for a good night’s sleep. Thanks be to God!

For work and for play. Thanks be to God!

For teaching and for learning. Thanks be to God!

For the happy events of our lives. Thanks be to God!

For the celebration of the birthdays and anniversaries of our friends and parish family.

   Thanks be to God!

Liturgist:         The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John

People:            Glory to you, Lord Christ.

Jesus said to his disciples, "When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who comes from the Father, he will testify on my behalf. You also are to testify because you have been with me from the beginning.  "I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you. But, now I am going to him who sent me; yet none of you asks me, `Where are you going?' But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your hearts. Nevertheless I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will prove the world wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: about sin, because they do not believe in me; about righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will see me no longer; about judgment, because the ruler of this world has been condemned.  "I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, because he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine. For this reason I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you."

Liturgist:         The Gospel of the Lord.

People:            Praise to you, Lord Christ.

Sermon – Father Phil

Children’s Creed

We did not make ourselves, so we believe that God the Father is the maker of the world.

Since God is so great and we are so small,

We believe God came into our world and was born as Jesus, son of the Virgin Mary.

We need God’s help and we believe that God saved us by the life, death and

     resurrection of Jesus Christ.

We believe that God is present with us now as the Holy Spirit.

We believe that we are baptized into God’s family the Church where everyone is

     welcome.

We believe that Christ is kind and fair.

We believe that we have a future in knowing Jesus Christ.

And since we all must die, we believe that God will preserve us forever.  Amen.

Litany Phrase: Christ, have mercy.

For fighting and war to cease in our world. Christ, have mercy.

For peace on earth and good will towards all. Christ, have mercy.

For the safety of all who travel. Christ, have mercy.

For jobs for all who need them. Christ, have mercy.

For care of those who are growing old. Christ, have mercy.

For the safety, health and nutrition of all the children in our world. Christ, have mercy.

For the well-being of our families and friends. Christ, have mercy.

For the good health of those we know to be ill. Christ, have mercy.

For the remembrance of those who have died. Christ, have mercy.

For the forgiveness of all of our sins. Christ, have mercy.

Youth Liturgist:          The Peace of the Lord be always with you.

People:                        And also with you.

Song during the preparation of the Altar and the receiving of an offering

Offertory Song Spirit of the Living God, (Renew # 90)

Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me.  Spirit of the living God fall afresh on me. Break me, melt me, mold me, fill me.  Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me.

Spirit of the living God, move among us all; Spirit of the living God, make us one in love: humble, caring, selfless, sharing— Spirit of the living God, fill our lives with love.

Doxology

Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Praise Him, all creatures here below.

Praise Him above, ye heavenly host. Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

Prologue to the Eucharist

Jesus said, “Let the children come to me, for to them belong the kingdom of heaven.”

All become members of a family by birth or adoption.

Baptism is a celebration of birth into the family of God.

A family meal gathers and sustains each human family.

The Holy Eucharist is the special meal that Jesus gave to his friends to keep us together as the family of Christ.

The Lord be with you

And also with you.

Lift up your hearts

We lift them to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to God.

It is right to give God thanks and praise.

It is very good and right to give thanks, because God made us, Jesus redeemed us and the Holy Spirit dwells in our hearts.  Therefore with Angels and Archangels and all of the world that we see and don’t see, we forever sing this hymn of praise:

Holy, Holy, Holy (Intoned)

Holy, Holy, Holy Lord, God of Power and Might.  Heav’n and earth are full of your glory.

Hosanna in the highest.  Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. 

Hosanna in the highest. Hosanna in the Highest.

All may gather around the altar

Our grateful praise we offer to you God, our Creator;

You have made us in your image

And you gave us many men and women of faith to help us to live by faith:

Adam and Eve, Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah, Jacob and Rachael.

And then you gave us your Son, Jesus, born of Mary, nurtured by Joseph

And he called us to be sons and daughters of God.

Your Son called us to live better lives and he gave us this Holy Meal so that when we eat

  the bread and drink the wine, we can  know that the Presence of Christ is as near to us as  

  this food and drink  that becomes a part of us.

And so, Father, we bring you these gifts of bread and wine. Bless and sanctify them by your Holy Spirit to be for your people the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ our Lord. Sanctify us so that we may love God and our neighbors.

On the night when Jesus was betrayed he took bread, said the blessing, broke the bread, and gave it to his friends, and said, "Take, eat: This is my Body, which is given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me."

After supper, Jesus took the cup of wine, gave thanks, and said, "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. Whenever you drink it, do this for the remembrance of me."

Father, we now celebrate the memorial of your Son. When we eat this holy Meal of Bread and Wine, we are telling the entire world about the life, death and resurrection of Christ and that his presence will be with us in our future.

Let this holy meal keep us together as friends who share a special relationship because of your Son Jesus Christ.  May we forever live with praise to God to whom we belong as sons and daughters.

By Christ, and with Christ, and in Christ, in the unity of the Holy Spirit all honor and glory

 is yours, Almighty Father, now and for ever. AMEN.

And now as our Savior Christ has taught us, we now sing,

Our Father: (Renew # 180, West Indian Lord’s Prayer)

Our Father who art in heaven:  Hallowed be thy name.

Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done: Hallowed be thy name.

Done on earth as it is in heaven: Hallowed be thy name.

Give us this day our daily bread: Hallowed be thy name.

And forgive us all our debts: Hallowed be thy name.

As we forgive our debtors: Hallowed be thy name.

Lead us not into temptation: Hallowed be thy name.

But deliver us from evil: Hallowed be thy name.

Thine is the kingdom, power, and glory: Hallowed be thy name.

Forever and ever: Hallowed be thy name.

Amen, amen, amen: Hallowed be thy name.

Amen, amen, amen, amen: Hallowed be thy name.

Breaking of the Bread

Celebrant:       Alleluia! Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us.

People:            Therefore let us keep the feast.  Alleluia!

Words of Administration

Communion Song: Creating Spirit, Holy Lord  (Renew! # 283

Creating Spirit, holy Lord, the gentle breeze, the mighty wind, with warmth and pow’r and graciousness in grace refashion heart and mind.

O comforter of all who toil, gift from the fountain head of light, O Spirit of all love and fire, anointing chrism of all might.

 

Post-Communion Prayer

Everlasting God, we have gathered for the meal that Jesus asked us to keep;

We have remembered his words of blessing on the bread and the wine.

And His Presence has been known to us.

We have remembered that we are sons and daughters of God and brothers

    and sisters in Christ.

Send us forth now into our everyday lives remembering that the blessing in the

     bread and wine spreads into each time, place and person in our lives,

As we are ever blessed by you, O Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  Amen.

Closing Song: Every Time I Feel the Spirit, (Christian Children’s Songbook, # 48)

Refrain: Every time I feel the spirit moving in my heart, I will pray.  O every time I feel the spirit moving in my heart I will pray.

1-On Pentecost day, the Spirit came.  The people praised with joyous tongues.  The Spirit came to everyone.  Jews and Gentiles, all the same. Refrain

2-God’s Spirit lives, within the church.  He gives us gifts to build us up.  God’s Spirit fills us with his love.  O blessed Spirit, heavenly dove.  Refrain

Dismissal:   

Liturgist: Let us go forth in the Name of Christ.  Alleluia!  Alleluia!

People: Thanks be to God!  Alleluia!  Alleluia!

Pentecost: Let Us Consider the Holy Spirit

Day of Pentecost   May 23, 2021
Acts 2:1-21  Psalm 104: 25-35,37
Romans 8:22-27  John 15:26-27; 16:4b-15

Lectionary Link

Today is the feast of Pentecost, fifty days after the day of the resurrection and it is a day which is associated with the "coming out" event of the Holy Spirit of God.

There are many insights which we can ponder on the feast of Pentecost, but I would like to highlight several from the appointed Bible readings for today.

I like the reading from the Psalm on Pentecost.  The poet refers to God like someone who really enjoys a creative hobby.  God creates all of the variety of beings in the world and God creates the great Leviathan for the sports of it, for the frolic in delight.  And the Spirit is the renewing creative force of the play of God.  You and I can appreciate the play, the sport, the frolic of the vast diversity in the world of the creatures.  We are bird watchers, whale watchers and we love National Geographic Nature shows.  We are thoroughly entertained by the beautiful diversity of nature, and the fact that we are entertained in wonderment at our world must be evidence that God created in delight, in playfulness and in wonder.  Today is a day of pondering the personal force everywhere in the manifold diversity of creation, the personal force of the Holy Spirit.  I do hope that each of us know the Holy Spirit in our lives, through wonder, delight, sport, and playfulness.  In playfulness we need to awaken the eternal child within us, being ever born again, even as we face all of the not-so-playful clashes and competition in life of conflicting systems of nature and human selfishness.  In church we often have a "prelude," which literally means before the "play or playfulness" begins.  Our liturgy is to be a holy playfulness inspired by the Holy Spirit who inspires us to wonder at God because we can be in wonder with all that is created.

Another insight that we have this day is the fact that the Holy Spirit is the aging power of the universe.  We are not finished yet; we've not yet grown up.  As Paul writes, "creation is in labor pains."  Labor pains are very ambiguous since no pain is pleasant, but the payoff of labor pains is a new child coming into one's life.  The Spirit is the power of continuous new births of new moments in time.  The Spirit is known through hope and hope is always focused on what is not yet.  Hope is focused upon growing up.  And St. Paul says that our bodies are the location in which the Holy Spirit can pray.  The prayers of the Spirit are often wordless, they are deep sighs and groans, they are the birth pangs for being renewed into the next occasions of our lives.  Let us accept that we are not yet finished and the Spirit within us is proof of the birth process.

Next, the feast of Pentecost is about unity in diversity called harmony.  The Good News about God and Christ can be spoken in all languages.  Harmony is the diversity of separatist egos submitted to the order of being together.  Does individual identity change over time?  Are we the same person we were at the age of two or sixteen?  Yes and no.  Change has brought many differences in the phases of our lives, but we are in some essential way still one and same person.  The Spirit is the sustaining guarantor of Unity across distance and time.  In the Spirit we are One with the soaring bird and the blooming flowers; in the Spirit we can be One with people all over the world and with people of different ethnic backgrounds, and with people who lived before us and who will live after us.  On Pentecost, we celebrate the Spirit as the essence of e pluribus unum.  When we want our own personal style and language and race to replace Spirit as what unifies us, we can fall into fascism.  The Holy Spirit is the great unifier and orchestrator of harmony.  And the Holy Spirit is saying to us today, "Yes you can be yourself in your unique individual gifts, as long as you are checking your egos to blend to the common good."  May we let the Holy Spirit as Profound Unity, melt our egos so that we see the beauty of making room for everyone.

Finally, according to the Gospel of John, the Holy Spirit is the best lawyer that anyone can have.  "When the Holy Spirit, the Advocates comes...."  you know that your case in this life is being made.  Great you say, "now that I have the best lawyer, I should be winning all of my cases.  Then why do I often seem to be losing?"  The Holy Spirit isn't about individual winning issues in ego disputes.  The great Advocate the Holy Spirit is like the advocate that the suffering Job cried out about:  "I know that my redeemer, my advocate lives and this advocate will my case in this life and in the world to come."

You and I and can know the Holy Spirit as our Advocate for the foundation of our esteem, which is the graceful sense of personal worth in this life and the life to come.  Let us give the Holy Spirit, our lawyer, a dollar today, so that we have this holy Attorney on retainer, to help us make the case for the personal and special meaning of our lives in the middle of some very personal histories and circumstances.

Come Holy Spirit, let us know the unity of harmony in diversity.  Let us know the wonder of delightful play.  Let us accept that we are not yet finished but our growth pangs are labor pains for the birth of hope's children.  Holy Spirit, come and be our advocate today to make our case before God, to make the case of our esteem and integrity to ourselves and to the communities within which we live.

Come Holy Spirit, Come.  Amen.

Sunday School, May 23,2021 The Day of Pentecost B

Sunday School, May 23, 2021   The Day of Pentecost B

Theme:

Meanings of Pentecost

Pentecost is fifty days after Easter

Anglicans call it Whitsunday or “White” Sunday, called that perhaps because of the white robes worn by the candidates for baptism.

The English Church, retains the color white for Pentecost while the Episcopal Church and other churches use the color Red for Pentecost, symbolizing the red flames of the tongues of fire that is reported in the Pentecost event.

The tongues of fire seem to appear on the disciple in Jerusalem and the disciple began to speak about Christ in other languages.

This means that the message about Christ can be translated into all languages and all people can be united by the One Spirit of God even though all people are different in many ways.

Pentecost is a celebrate of our unity, perhaps, better called a “harmony.”  It is how God’s love is lived and expressed among people who have many differences.

When Jesus left this world, he reminded us that God’s Holy Spirit was with us to let God’s presence be known to us.

Sermon:

Many churches have a musical instrument with big pipes.  This instrument is called a pipe organ.  A pipe organ is made up of lots of pipes.  A pipe is just like a whistle.  You blow air through the pipe and it makes a sound.  But each pipe makes a different sound.  And when they play together, it like having an entire band all within the cabinets.  Some of the pipes can been seen and many are hidden and cannot be seen.

  To make the pipe organ work there has to be a powerful fan which can blow air through tubes and into chests so that when the holes under each pipe are opened the air blows the pipe and makes the sounds.

  Today, is the Day of Pentecost.  It is a day when we celebrate that God is known as the Holy Spirit.  We say God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

The word Spirit means Wind or breath.  Take a deep breath and blow.  Can you see your breath?  No.  But how do you know it is there?  You can feel it blow against your hand.  Can you see the wind?  No.  But can you see the wind blow the branches of a tree?  Yes.

  The Holy Spirit is like the wind and breath.  We cannot see God but we can see the effects of God in our world.  When we see love and kindness and beauty we know that God’s Spirit is present. 

  When a pipe organ is played there is one wind that plays all of the different sounds of the pipes.

  This is how we can understand God’s Spirit.  There is one Spirit of God who lives in each of us, but each of us are different and each of us have different things that we can do to make this world a better place.

  Today, we are baptizing Bishop.  It is like we are adding a new pipe to the wonderful pipe organ of God.

  Today, we know that the life of God’s Spirit is in Bishop and he is going to make some wonderful sounds with all of the good things which God will do with his life.  And he joins all of us as pipes in the great pipe organ of God with the Wind of God Spirit blowing through us.

  And so each of is like a different pipe in this great pipe organ of God.  Let us be thankful today that each of us is special and different.  But let us also be thankful that God’s Spirit is in us to help us make beautiful music together as we live together to love and care for one another.  Amen.

Intergenerational Family Service with Holy Eucharist

May 23, 2021: The Day of Pentecost

Gathering Songs: Glory be to God on High, Creating Spirit, Every Time I Feel the Spirit

Liturgist: Alleluia, Christ is Risen.

People: The Lord is Risen Indeed.  Alleluia.

Liturgist:  Oh God, Our hearts are open to you.

And you know us and we can hide nothing from you.

Prepare our hearts and our minds to love you and worship you.

Through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Song:  Glory be to God on High,     (Christian Children’s Songbook, # 70)

Glory be to God on high, alleluia.  Glory be to God on high, alleluia.

Praise the Father, Spirit, Son, alleluia.  Praise the Godhead, three in one, alleluia.

Sing we praises unto thee, alleluia, for the truth that sets us free, alleluia.

Liturgist:         The Lord be with you.

People:            And also with you.

Liturgist:  Let us pray

O God, who on this day taught the hearts of your faithful people by sending to them the light of your Holy Spirit: Grant us by the same Spirit to have a right judgment in all things, and evermore to rejoice in his holy comfort; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

First Litany of Praise: Chant: Alleluia

O God, you are Great!  Alleluia

O God, you have made us! Alleluia

O God, you have made yourself known to us!  Alleluia

O God, you have provided us with us a Savior!  Alleluia

O God, you have given us a Christian family!  Alleluia

O God, you have forgiven our sins!  Alleluia

O God, you brought your Son Jesus back from the dead!  Alleluia

A reading from the   Letter to the Romans

We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now; and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

Liturgist: The Word of the Lord

People: Thanks be to God

Let us read together from Psalm 104

You send forth your Spirit, and they are created; * and so you renew the face of the earth.

May the glory of the LORD endure for ever; * may the LORD rejoice in all his works.

Litany Phrase: Thanks be to God! (chanted)

Litanist:

For the good earth, for our food and clothing. Thanks be to God!

For our families and friends. Thanks be to God!

For the talents and gifts that you have given to us. Thanks be to God!

For this day of worship. Thanks be to God!

For health and for a good night’s sleep. Thanks be to God!

For work and for play. Thanks be to God!

For teaching and for learning. Thanks be to God!

For the happy events of our lives. Thanks be to God!

For the celebration of the birthdays and anniversaries of our friends and parish family.

   Thanks be to God!

Liturgist:         The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John

People:            Glory to you, Lord Christ.

Jesus said to his disciples, "When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who comes from the Father, he will testify on my behalf. You also are to testify because you have been with me from the beginning.  "I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you. But, now I am going to him who sent me; yet none of you asks me, `Where are you going?' But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your hearts. Nevertheless I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will prove the world wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: about sin, because they do not believe in me; about righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will see me no longer; about judgment, because the ruler of this world has been condemned.  "I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, because he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine. For this reason I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you."

Liturgist:         The Gospel of the Lord.

People:            Praise to you, Lord Christ.

Sermon – Father Phil

Children’s Creed

We did not make ourselves, so we believe that God the Father is the maker of the world.

Since God is so great and we are so small,

We believe God came into our world and was born as Jesus, son of the Virgin Mary.

We need God’s help and we believe that God saved us by the life, death and

     resurrection of Jesus Christ.

We believe that God is present with us now as the Holy Spirit.

We believe that we are baptized into God’s family the Church where everyone is

     welcome.

We believe that Christ is kind and fair.

We believe that we have a future in knowing Jesus Christ.

And since we all must die, we believe that God will preserve us forever.  Amen.

Litany Phrase: Christ, have mercy.

For fighting and war to cease in our world. Christ, have mercy.

For peace on earth and good will towards all. Christ, have mercy.

For the safety of all who travel. Christ, have mercy.

For jobs for all who need them. Christ, have mercy.

For care of those who are growing old. Christ, have mercy.

For the safety, health and nutrition of all the children in our world. Christ, have mercy.

For the well-being of our families and friends. Christ, have mercy.

For the good health of those we know to be ill. Christ, have mercy.

For the remembrance of those who have died. Christ, have mercy.

For the forgiveness of all of our sins. Christ, have mercy.

Youth Liturgist:          The Peace of the Lord be always with you.

People:                        And also with you.

Song during the preparation of the Altar and the receiving of an offering

Offertory Song Spirit of the Living God, (Renew # 90)

Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me.  Spirit of the living God fall afresh on me. Break me, melt me, mold me, fill me.  Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me.

Spirit of the living God, move among us all; Spirit of the living God, make us one in love: humble, caring, selfless, sharing— Spirit of the living God, fill our lives with love.

Doxology

Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Praise Him, all creatures here below.

Praise Him above, ye heavenly host. Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

Prologue to the Eucharist

Jesus said, “Let the children come to me, for to them belong the kingdom of heaven.”

All become members of a family by birth or adoption.

Baptism is a celebration of birth into the family of God.

A family meal gathers and sustains each human family.

The Holy Eucharist is the special meal that Jesus gave to his friends to keep us together as the family of Christ.

The Lord be with you

And also with you.

Lift up your hearts

We lift them to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to God.

It is right to give God thanks and praise.

It is very good and right to give thanks, because God made us, Jesus redeemed us and the Holy Spirit dwells in our hearts.  Therefore with Angels and Archangels and all of the world that we see and don’t see, we forever sing this hymn of praise:

Holy, Holy, Holy (Intoned)

Holy, Holy, Holy Lord, God of Power and Might.  Heav’n and earth are full of your glory.

Hosanna in the highest.  Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. 

Hosanna in the highest. Hosanna in the Highest.

All may gather around the altar

Our grateful praise we offer to you God, our Creator;

You have made us in your image

And you gave us many men and women of faith to help us to live by faith:

Adam and Eve, Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah, Jacob and Rachael.

And then you gave us your Son, Jesus, born of Mary, nurtured by Joseph

And he called us to be sons and daughters of God.

Your Son called us to live better lives and he gave us this Holy Meal so that when we eat

  the bread and drink the wine, we can  know that the Presence of Christ is as near to us as  

  this food and drink  that becomes a part of us.

And so, Father, we bring you these gifts of bread and wine. Bless and sanctify them by your Holy Spirit to be for your people the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ our Lord. Sanctify us so that we may love God and our neighbors.

On the night when Jesus was betrayed he took bread, said the blessing, broke the bread, and gave it to his friends, and said, "Take, eat: This is my Body, which is given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me."

After supper, Jesus took the cup of wine, gave thanks, and said, "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. Whenever you drink it, do this for the remembrance of me."

Father, we now celebrate the memorial of your Son. When we eat this holy Meal of Bread and Wine, we are telling the entire world about the life, death and resurrection of Christ and that his presence will be with us in our future.

Let this holy meal keep us together as friends who share a special relationship because of your Son Jesus Christ.  May we forever live with praise to God to whom we belong as sons and daughters.

By Christ, and with Christ, and in Christ, in the unity of the Holy Spirit all honor and glory

 is yours, Almighty Father, now and for ever. AMEN.

And now as our Savior Christ has taught us, we now sing,

Our Father: (Renew # 180, West Indian Lord’s Prayer)

Our Father who art in heaven:  Hallowed be thy name.

Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done: Hallowed be thy name.

Done on earth as it is in heaven: Hallowed be thy name.

Give us this day our daily bread: Hallowed be thy name.

And forgive us all our debts: Hallowed be thy name.

As we forgive our debtors: Hallowed be thy name.

Lead us not into temptation: Hallowed be thy name.

But deliver us from evil: Hallowed be thy name.

Thine is the kingdom, power, and glory: Hallowed be thy name.

Forever and ever: Hallowed be thy name.

Amen, amen, amen: Hallowed be thy name.

Amen, amen, amen, amen: Hallowed be thy name.

Breaking of the Bread

Celebrant:       Alleluia! Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us.

People:            Therefore let us keep the feast.  Alleluia!

Words of Administration

Communion Song: Creating Spirit, Holy Lord  (Renew! # 283

Creating Spirit, holy Lord, the gentle breeze, the mighty wind, with warmth and pow’r and graciousness in grace refashion heart and mind.

O comforter of all who toil, gift from the fountain head of light, O Spirit of all love and fire, anointing chrism of all might.

 

Post-Communion Prayer

Everlasting God, we have gathered for the meal that Jesus asked us to keep;

We have remembered his words of blessing on the bread and the wine.

And His Presence has been known to us.

We have remembered that we are sons and daughters of God and brothers

    and sisters in Christ.

Send us forth now into our everyday lives remembering that the blessing in the

     bread and wine spreads into each time, place and person in our lives,

As we are ever blessed by you, O Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  Amen.

Closing Song: Every Time I Feel the Spirit, (Christian Children’s Songbook, # 48)

Refrain: Every time I feel the spirit moving in my heart, I will pray.  O every time I feel the spirit moving in my heart I will pray.

1-On Pentecost day, the Spirit came.  The people praised with joyous tongues.  The Spirit came to everyone.  Jews and Gentiles, all the same. Refrain

2-God’s Spirit lives, within the church.  He gives us gifts to build us up.  God’s Spirit fills us with his love.  O blessed Spirit, heavenly dove.  Refrain

Dismissal:   

Liturgist: Let us go forth in the Name of Christ.  Alleluia!  Alleluia!

People: Thanks be to God!  Alleluia!  Alleluia!