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Woship Resources 2009-2010 — Year C: Live Generously, Love Courageously
Return to Year C: 2009-2010
Resource Index
Sunday, May 23, 2010
The Spirit Is in Us
Pentecost/Endowment Day
Scriptures: Acts 2:1–21; Psalm 104:24–34, 35b;
Romans 8:14–17;
John 14:8–17, 25–27; Alma 16:226–29, 238a; Doctrine and Covenants 153:9
Prelude
Use celebratory, upbeat music with available instrumentalists.
Invitation to Worship
See the Invitation to Worship suggestion following this order of worship.
Use the suggested reading by itself or include the movement suggestion.
Welcome, Announcements, and Concerns
*Hymns and Songs of Joy
Any or all of these may be sung. It may be helpful to use a song leader.
“Oh, for a Thousand Tongues to Sing” HS 19
“Let All the World in Every Corner Sing” HS 30
“As We Gather” NS 3
“I’m Gonna Shout and Sing” NS 20
“Rain Down” R-8
*Invocation
Focus Moment: Dramatization of Acts 2:1–21
Use all ages.
Pentecost Hymn: “The Spirit of God Like a Fire Is Burning” HS 33/R-18
OR “O Holy Dove of God Descending” HS 285
Scripture for Confessional Reflection: Doctrine and Covenants 153:9b
There have been times when we have not borne our testimony as often as we
could have. God, we will be affirmative and reach out and join with your
Spirit.
Disciples’ Generous Response
Each Sunday, as part of the Disciples’ Generous Response, we ask you to
integrate the message of “share equally” between Local and World Ministries
Mission Tithes. Generosity stories are provided to keep the church in touch
with how contributions to Mission Tithes spread the peace of Jesus Christ.
Please use the stories, testimonies, and up-to-date contribution information
as part of your offertory ministry. Visit
www.CofChrist.org/generositystories to print a copy, or contact your
pastor, congregational financial officer, or worship coordinator for a copy.
Offertory Statement: “A disciple shares generously through tithing so
that others may experience God’s generosity.” This is stewardship
principle #4 from Becoming a Generous Disciple (The Presiding
Bishopric, 2004), 3. For the expanded statement see
www.CofChrist.org/generosity/default.asp.
Stewardship Hymn: “As Saints of Old Their Firstfruits Brought” HS
405
OR “Thou Whose Purpose Is to Kindle” HS 111
OR “Lord, I Give You” NS 32
Sermon
Based on Romans 8:14–17 and/or Alma 16:226–29, 238a
We Open Ourselves to the Spirit see page 27
Hymn: “He Lives in Us! Immortal King!” HS 199
OR “We Are People of God’s Peace” SP 6
OR Ministry of Music
Prayer for Peace
OR See the suggested prayer following this worship outline.
*Hymn: “Canto de Esperanza” (“May the God of Hope”) SP 25
OR “Siyahamb' ekukhanyen' kwenkhos'” (“We Are Marching in the Light of God”)
NS 46
This may be sung in one language or all.
*Closing Prayer
*Congregational Response: “Shine, Jesus, Shine” NS 45
OR “Halle, Halle, Hallelujah” Worship & Rejoice 5
*Postlude
Using instrumentalists, as at the beginning, continue to play NS
45 (or the closing hymn that was just sung) as the congregation leaves the
sanctuary.
Invitation to Worship Suggestion
Use all ages. The spoken portion may be used as a reading by itself, or have
three to six dancers enter the sanctuary as the music plays. They may carry
bundles or baskets of multicolored ribbons, which they distribute to the
congregation as they move through the space. In the background, two readers—one
male and one female—speak the following scriptures:
Reader 1: O Lord, how manifold are your works! In wisdom you have made
them all; the earth is full of your creatures. When you send forth your
Spirit, they are created; and you renew the face of the ground. May the
glory of the Lord endure forever; may the Lord rejoice in his works. —Psalm
104:24, 30–31
Reader 2: Bless the Lord, O my soul. Praise the Lord!— Psalm
104:35b
Reader 1: Let my word be preached to the bruised and the brokenhearted as
well as those who are enmeshed in sin, longing to repent and follow me. —Doctrine
and Covenants 153:9a adapted
Reader 2: Bless the Lord, O my soul. Praise the Lord! —Psalm
104:35b
Reader 1: My Spirit is reaching out to numerous souls even now and there
are many who will respond if you, my people, will bear affirmative testimony
of my love and my desires for all to come unto me. —Doctrine
and Covenants 153:9b
Reader 2: Bless the Lord, O my soul. Praise the Lord! —Psalm
104:35b
Reader 1: Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do
the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because
I am going to the Father. I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the
Father may be glorified in the Son. If in my name you ask me for anything, I
will do it .—John 14:12–14
Reader 2: Bless the Lord, O my soul. Praise the Lord! —Psalm
104:35b
Reader 1: And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another
Advocate, to be with you forever. This is the Spirit of truth, whom the
world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know
him, because he abides with you, and he will be in you. I have said these
things to you while I am still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit,
whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind
you of all that I have said to you. —John 14:16–17,
25–26
Reader 2: Bless the Lord, O my soul. Praise the Lord! —Psalm
104:35b
—Crystal R. Hunter, 2008
When the reading and ribbon distribution are concluded, the presider welcomes
the congregation to the service.
Prayer for Peace by Crystal R. Hunter, Alexandria, Virginia, USA
Spirit of wisdom and reconciliation, we celebrate the miracle of your
working in our lives. We rejoice that your message is for all people, in all
times and places throughout the world. As you move among us with power and
enlightenment, may we move throughout our day-to-day worlds to share that
power and light with others. Go with us as we carry your message of shalom
to the unloved, the unclaimed, the misunderstood. Help us share the gospel
of worthiness and fellowship throughout our homes, schools, workplaces, and
streets. Fill us, Holy Spirit, with a true witness of zionic life and
ministry as a people of Christian community. Guide and direct us in all we
do this day and every day. Amen.
Sermon Helps
Scriptures: Acts 2:1–21; Psalm 104:24–34, 35b; Romans
8:14–17; John 14:8–17, 25–27
Exploring the Scriptures
Acts 2 begins on the day of Pentecost. Pentecost—which literally means
“fiftieth day”—was a major harvest festival that was celebrated each year on the
fiftieth day after Passover. The setting is Jerusalem. As an international city
often filled with spiritual pilgrims, the scene of Acts 2 is that of a
linguistically and culturally diverse crowd.
As Luke, the author of Acts, tells of the outpouring of God’s Spirit on the
gathered crowd, several things are especially notable. Luke describes God’s
presence as tongues “of fire.” Fire was a common image of inspiration used both
by Jews and the larger Greco-Roman world of that day. Typical of scripture, this
is an example of how God’s presence is expressed through symbols that
communicate well within a given cultural context. To contemporary ears, such
scriptural descriptions of God’s presence may sound strange. It is God’s nature
to be revealed in images and symbols that speak in a meaningful way to the
culture and setting at hand.
Luke is intentional in making sure the reader understands this is a
multilingual, multinational crowd. He states that “every nation under heaven”
was there and lists several of them. When God’s Spirit is poured out, it does
not come to one cultural group alone. To the contrary, the Spirit comes to every
person of every tongue. This is one reason the Pentecost experience was so
profound—people not only heard something, they experienced it in their
own language. Freeing people to genuinely experience the gospel in their own
language is a ministry of the Holy Spirit and the calling of the church.
At one point, the astonished crowd remarks that the speakers are Galileans,
who were known for their unrefined language skills and lack of speaking ability.
It is noteworthy that the crowd does not comment on the Galilean’s eloquence,
but only on the fact that they understand them. The Galileans had not put
themselves into language school. They did, however, make themselves available to
God. When people do this, remarkable things typically happen.
When Romans 8:14–17 is coupled with the above text from Acts, a significant
implication arises. The Pentecost account affirms that God’s Spirit falls on
people of multiple linguistic and cultural backgrounds. In this text from
Romans, we are told that “all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of
God.” It goes on to say that we have been embraced by the Spirit of “adoption.”
If this is so, then we are family with people from around the globe, wherever
God’s Spirit is leading people. Being a part of this family becomes especially
critical in light of the final verse in this passage. Romans 8:17 states that if
we are God’s children, then we are also joint heirs with Christ. This is a
relationship that, according to verse 17, leads to glory, but also leads through
times of suffering.
To be a part of this international, adopted family makes a person vulnerable
to suffering, especially as we see family members struggle through pain and
distress. At the same time, this adopted family is a source of great blessing,
comfort, and inspiration. This is especially true when the family is “together
in one place,” as in Acts 2. When the family gathers, it is impossible to
predict how the wind of the Spirit might blow.
Central Ideas
1. God’s presence is expressed in images and language that are meaningful
in the context of the person or group that God is reaching to.
2. God’s Spirit often comes to people who make themselves available to
God. We do not have the same gifts, but we can all be available.
3. Those who have received God’s Spirit have been adopted into a family—a
family that shares in both Christ’s glory and suffering.
Questions for the Speaker
1. How do you see God’s Spirit being expressed in your community in ways
that can be meaningful to the people where you live?
2. How is the gospel being experienced (or not being experienced) in the
languages in your community? This includes the language of children, youth,
the poor, etc.
3. What does it mean to be responsible members of an international
family, especially when members of that family have diverse economic and
spiritual needs?
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