May 31, 2020 - Pentecost: Surprise! Celebration! Joy!

Prelude: Kurt Hessenberg: Nun bitten wir den Heiligen Geist played by Stephen Mann

Creator God, send forth Your Spirit once more to Your people during this time of worship so the doors of our hearts burst forth with surprise, celebration, and joy! Show us once more Your willingness to enliven our souls so we are able to see Your amazing power within our lives that give us faith in Your unfailing love for us. Open our minds to all the possibilities before us to proclaim Your kingdom and Your victory over all things that bind us to doubting Your presence with us. Help us open ourselves to Your Powerful Holy Spirit so we know we have been changed by Your faithfulness to us.

We come to pray for: our loved ones - keep them: keep them in health, in safety, in comfort, in Your care. Keep us, also and send forth Your Holy Spirit of truth, of comfort, and of power for any among us who feel constrained, or emotionally distressed by our time and era, for any who need to know Your love for them in this hurting world. We also lift to You those who need comfort as they mourn their loved ones. Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit, The comforter, who would remind us of Your promises that Nothing in life, or in Death, things present, nor things to come, nor angel or demons within our lives, nor anything in all of creation will ever be able to separate us from Your love in Jesus the Christ, our Lord.

The Lord's Prayer

Opening Hymn: No. 400 Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing

Call to Worship: Psalm 104: 33, 35 [adapted]

Pastor: I will sing to the Lord as long as I live;
People: We will sing praise to our God while we have being.
Pastor: Bless the Lord, O my soul!
People: Praise the Lord!

Choral Anthem: John Purifoy: Fanfare For Pentecost

Unison Prayer:

Spirit of Pentecost, blow open the doors of our hearts. Set our tongues free to proclaim Your praise. Bless our youth with visions, and our elders with dreams. Bestow our children with gifts of prophecy, and renew the faith of your people throughout the world. Blow into our lives, once more, Holy One, and help us find the strength and courage to become the people You call us to be in the name of Jesus.

Hymn: No. 2212 (FWS) My Life Flows On (How Can I Keep from Singing)

Gospel Reading and message John7: 37-39, Acts 2:1-21 , Pentecost a day of Surprise, Celebration, and Joy

Closing Hymn: No. 384 Love Divine, All Loves Excelling

Benediction: [adapted from Psalm 68 & 23]

Pastor: This is the day that the Lord has made;
People: Let us rejoice and be glad in it (psalm 118: 24)
Pastor: Go knowing that God has surprises for us.
People: Let us live this day in celebration and joy!
Pastor: Live your lives knowing that God is faithful to God's promises.
People: We will be refreshed by God's Spirit flowing within our lives.
Pastor: God's Spirit renews our spirit.
People: May we live lives that are renewed by the Spirit of God!
Pastor: Praise God from your Spirit and your souls.
People: May the meditations of our hearts be pleasing to the Lord!
Pastor: Bless the Lord, O my soul!
People: Praise the Lord!

Postlude: Postlude For Pentecost, 2020 played by Stephen van der Hoek