Readings and Prayers for The Day of Pentecost, Year A 2020
Hail thee, festival day!
Opening Sentences (Like the Murmur of the Dove’s Song—Carl P. Daw, Jr. Hymn 513 in The Hymnal 1982)
Like the murmur of the dove’s song,
like the challenge of her flight,
like the vigor of the wind’s rush,
like the new flame’s eager light,
come, Holy Spirit, Come.
To the members of Christ’s body,
to the branches of the Vine,
to the Church in faith assembled,
to her midst as gift and sign:
come, Holy Spirit, come.
With the healing of division,
with the ceaseless voice of prayer,
with the power to love and witness,
with the peace beyond compare:
come, Holy Spirit, come.
Lord, open our lips. And our mouth shall proclaim your praise. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning is now, and will be forever. Amen.
ALLELUIA. The Spirit of the Lord renews the face of the earth: Come let us adore him. ALLELUIA.
“The Spirit of God in Psalm 104 is associated with ongoing creation and renewal, which is what this Day of Pentecost is all about….God is the source of all life—the physical life of the world, the eternal life offered in Christ, the life of the church and these spheres of life are inseparable. The church lives by the power of God’s renewing Spirit, not by its own ability, merit, or ingenuity. We exist, like all of God’s works, to praise the Lord.” J. Clinton McCann, in The New Interpreter’s Bible Commentary, Vol IV.
Psalm 104:25-35, 37 Benedic, anima mea
25 O Lord, how manifold are your works! *
in wisdom you have made them all;
the earth is full of your creatures.
26 Yonder is the great and wide sea
with its living things too many to number, *
creatures both small and great.
27 There move the ships,
and there is that Leviathan, *
which you have made for the sport of it.
28 All of them look to you *
to give them their food in due season.
29 You give it to them; they gather it; *
you open your hand, and they are filled with good things.
30 You hide your face, and they are terrified; *
you take away their breath,
and they die and return to their dust.
31 You send forth your Spirit, and they are created; *
and so you renew the face of the earth.
32 May the glory of the Lord endure for ever; *
may the Lord rejoice in all his works.
33 He looks at the earth and it trembles; *
he touches the mountains and they smoke.
34 I will sing to the Lord as long as I live; *
I will praise my God while I have my being.
35 May these words of mine please him; *
I will rejoice in the Lord.
37 Bless the Lord, O my soul. *
Hallelujah!
A Reading from The Acts of the Apostles
(Susan Linne von Berg reads the first part of the passage, followed by Helmut sharing the Good News in German, Elizabeth Heimbach in Latin, and Ramon Feliciano in Spanish)
When the day of Pentecost had come, the disciples were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like a 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.
(Helmut Linne von Berg)
32 Diesen Jesus hat Gott auferweckt; des sind wir alle Zeugen.
33 Nun er durch die Rechte Gottes erhöht ist und empfangen hat die Verheißung des Heiligen Geistes vom Vater, hat er ausgegossen dies, das ihr sehet und höret.
34 Denn David ist nicht gen Himmel gefahren. Er spricht aber: “Der HERR hat gesagt zu meinem HERRN: Setze dich zu meiner Rechten,
35 bis daß ich deine Feinde lege zum Schemel deiner Füße.”
36 So wisse nun das ganze Haus Israel gewiß, daß Gott diesen Jesus, den ihr gekreuzigt habt, zu einem HERRN und Christus gemacht hat.
(Elizabeth Heimbach)
32 Hunc Jesum resuscitavit Deus, cujus omnes nos testes sumus.
33 Dextera igitur Dei exaltatus, et promissione Spiritus Sancti accepta a Patre, effudit hunc, quem vos videtis et auditis.
34 Non enim David ascendit in caelum: dixit autem ipse: Dixit Dominus Domino meo: Sede a dextris meis,
35 donec ponam inimicos tuos scabellum pedum tuorum.
36 Certissime sciat ergo omnis domus Israel, quia et Dominum eum et Christum fecit Deus hunc Jesum, quem vos crucifixistis.
(Ramon Feliciano)
Pues bien, Dios ha resucitado a ese mismo Jesús, y de ello todos nosotros somos testigos. 33 Después de haber sido enaltecido y colocado por Dios a su derecha y de haber recibido del Padre el Espíritu Santo que nos había prometido, él a su vez lo derramó sobre nosotros. Eso es lo que ustedes han visto y oído. 34 Porque no fue David quien subió al cielo; pues él mismo dijo:
“El Señor dijo a mi Señor:
Siéntate a mi derecha,
35 hasta que yo haga de tus enemigos el estrado de tus pies.”
36 »Sepa todo el pueblo de Israel, con toda seguridad, que a este mismo Jesús a quien ustedes crucificaron, Dios lo ha hecho Señor y Mesías.»
(Susan Linne von Berg finishes reading the Acts passage)
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.’ “
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
(Helmut Linne von Berg reads the Gospel)
A Reading from the Gospel according to John
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.” After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Meditation – The Rev. Catherine D. Hicks
The Peace and Announcements
The Agape Feast (With thanks to Dr. James Farwell, Virginia Theological Seminary)
We gather today in the name of our Crucified and Risen Lord. We gather today, thankful that no trial or trouble can separate us from God’s love.
The Offering of Foods
The Presider now offers the following blessings.
Over Wine
Blessed are you, O Lord our God, Creator of the universe. You create the fruit of the vine; and you refresh us with the cup of salvation in the Blood of Jesus Christ, crucified yet risen. May the time come quickly when we can share that cup again, even as you are with us now in our very thirst for you. Glory to you for ever and ever. Amen.
Over Bread
Blessed are you, O Lord our God, Creator of the universe. You bring forth bread from the earth; you have fed us with the bread of life in the Body of your Son. Feed us now with your presence among us and your presence in your Word. As grain scattered upon the earth is gathered into one loaf, so gather your Church in every place into the kingdom of your Son. To you be glory and power for ever and ever. Amen.
Over the Other Foods
Blessed are you, O Lord our God, Creator of the universe. You have blessed the earth to bring forth food to satisfy our hunger. Let this food strengthen us, even as we long to gather around one table and one Lord, as we await our risen Lord’s return. For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory, now and for ever. Amen.
Almighty God, we have opened our hands to you, and our hands have been filled with good things. Receive the gifts we bring in gratitude for your care for us, and help us to bless you with dedication of our lives; through Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
+The Meal+
Reflections during the meal—When have you felt sad this week? When have you felt loved?
As we come to the close of our worship together, let us pray.
The Lord’s Prayer
Collect for the Day of Pentecost
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.
For the church throughout the world: Inspire us all to be prophetic witnesses to your truth. Give us a clear vision of your power and might, so that we may witness to your renewing and saving power at work in this world. May we show in our lives the certainty of your Spirit’s lifegiving love in this time of uncertainty and death.
For the nations of the world and the leaders: Open the hearts of leaders everywhere to your wisdom, so that they may make decisions which honor the lives of all people and promote the health of all. May they work together for the common good of this earth and all of its people. May people everywhere hear in their own languages and recognize in their own cultures your unifying message of love.
For planet Earth, our home: By your Spirit, renew the earth, make us good stewards of its resources, and teach us to enjoy its abundance rightly.
For those in need of healing: Among those known to us, God, we pray for John Whitlock, and for Laura Carey as she cares for John. Send your healing Spirit upon those who are sick in body or mind, restore them to health, and restore to them the joy of salvation. We pray for all who suffer from the coronavirus, and for courage for each one of us to sustain our own efforts to stop its spread.
We give thanks for all who care for those who are sick; for nurses, especially Chris Fisher and Carolyn Duke; for doctors, for surgeons, for those who work to keep hospitals and care facilities clean; for nursing assistants, for ambulance drivers and EMT’s, praying that you will give them continued strength and grace to do their work through the power of the Holy Spirit.
For neighbors and members of our civic community: Teach us to be good neighbors, to live in peace with one another, and in friendship to share the joys and burdens of daily life. We pray that in this time of racial tension over the deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd, we will remember that you have bound us together in a common life. Help us, in the midst of our struggles for justice and truth, to confront one another without hatred or bitterness, and to work together with mutual forbearance and respect.
For those serving in the armed forces of this land, especially those on our prayer list: We commend them all to your gracious care and keeping. Defend them day by day with your heavenly grace; strengthen them in their trials and temptations; give them courage to face the perils which beset them, and may they know the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit alongside them wherever they may be. Bring them safely home when their work is done, whole in mind, body and spirit.
We pray for all who have died. On this day of mourning, we pray for the over 100,000 people in this nation who have died of the coronavirus, and give thanks for their lives. We pray that they and all who have died around the world may rest now in your peace. May our emotional numbness be turned to compassion for all who suffer, that we may be your hands of healing on this earth. Bless the families who mourn and open their hearts to the consolation of your Holy Spirit alongside them, blessing them even in their grief.
A Prayer for the Power of the Spirit Among the People of God
God of all power and love,
we give thanks for your unfailing presence
and the hope you provide in times of uncertainty and loss.
Send your Holy Spirit to enkindle in us your holy fire.
Revive us to live as Christ’s body in the world:
a people who pray, worship, learn,
break bread, share life, heal neighbors,
bear good news, seek justice, rest and grow in the Spirit.
Wherever and however we gather,
unite us in common prayer and send us in common mission,
that we and the whole creation might be restored and renewed,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
May the light of God illumine the heart of our souls.
May the flame of Christ kindle us to love.
May the fire of the Spirit free us to live.
This day, and forever more. Amen.
Sweet Holy Spirit video (Pentecost 2019)
May the God of hope fill us with all joy and peace in believing through the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.