The Liturgy of the Feast of Pentecost

May 27, 2012

The Gathering of the Community

The presider says,

In the name of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.

Grace, mercy and peace from God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
And also with you.

Alleluia! Christ is risen.
The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia!

Hymn 656: She Comes Sailing

Introduction

Jesus Christ, whom we worship, is our crucified, risen and ascended Lord and we have walked with him through his journey of love. We have faced the agony of his suffering and death on a cross. We have rejoiced at his bursting free from the bonds of death. We have enjoyed his risen presence with us and his revelation of himself through the breaking of bread. We have seen his return to the throne before which every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that this Jesus is Lord. And now, with the followers of his own time, we await the coming of the promised Holy Spirit, his gift to his people, through whom we make Christ known to the world.

Responsory

As we wait in silence	fill us with your Spirit.
As we listen to your word	fill us with your Spirit.
As we worship you in majesty	fill us with your Spirit.
As we long for your refreshing	fill us with your Spirit.
As we long for your renewing	fill us with your Spirit.
As we long for your equipping	fill us with your Spirit.
As we long for your empowering	fill us with your Spirit.

Silence is kept.

The Pentecost Reading: Acts 2.1-13

At the end the reader says,
The Lord is here.
God’s Spirit is with us.

Prayer for Personal Renewal

Holy oil is brought forward, the bearer saying,
Oil for the renewal of God’s people.

The presider says,

Be with us, Spirit of God;
nothing can separate us from your love.
Breathe on us, breath of God;
fill us with your saving power.
Speak in us, wisdom of God;
bring strength, healing, and peace.

The presider says the following prayer,

Blessed are you, sovereign God and eternal Father. Daily your Spirit renews the face of the earth, bringing strength out of weakness, hope out of despair and life out of death. By the power of your Spirit, may your blessing rest upon those anointed with this oil in your name. Let it be for them a sign of your acceptance and adoption, your equipping and empowering. Form in them the likeness of Christ, that they may be witnesses of your astonishing love, and fill them afresh with life in all its fullness. Blessed be God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Blessed be God for ever.

Those who wish to receive this ministry of prayer may come forward.

-      Hymn 647: Spirit of the Living God.

This prayer is said for each one,

O God of the high heavens, O Christ of the deep earth, O Spirit of the flowing waters; give strength and breathe into your disciple the passion of your love; in the name of Jesus, to whom we commit ourselves. Amen.

At the end the presider says,

Let us bless the Father,
and the Son,
and the Holy Spirit.
Let us praise and bless God for ever.

Hymn 341: God of Mercy, God of Grace

The Collect
Let us pray that the Spirit will work through our lives
to bring Christ to the world.
May God’s Holy Spirit ignite in us a holy fire; strengthen us with the gift of faith, revive the Church with the breath of love, and renew the face of the earth, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Proclamation of the Word

Canticle: Ezekiel 36.24-26,28b
¹    I will take you from the nations,
     and gather you from all the countries.
²    I will sprinkle clean water upon you,
     and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses.
          The Spirit of God fills the whole world. Alleluia!
³    A new heart I will give you,
     and put a new spirit within you,
⁴    And I will remove from your body the heart of stone
     and give you a heart of flesh.
⁵    You shall be my people,
     and I will be your God.
          The Spirit of God fills the whole world. Alleluia!

Gospel Reading: John 15:26-27, 16:4B-15

Alleluia, alleluia! Come, Holy Spirit,
fill the hearts of your faithful people
and kindle in them the fire of your love.
     Alleluia!

Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John.
     Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

At the end

This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Sermon: Ignite a Holy Fire: Faith, Love, Renewal

- Archdeacon John Clarke

The Prayers

The Prayers of the People

The prayers begin with the cycles of prayer and for our specific concerns.
We pray for God to fill us with his Spirit. Generous God, we thank you for the power of your Holy Spirit. We ask that we may be strengthened to serve you better. Lord, come to bless us
and fill us with your Spirit.
We thank you for the wisdom of your Holy Spirit. We ask you to make us wise to understand your will. Lord, come to bless us
and fill us with your Spirit.
We thank you for the peace of your Holy Spirit. We ask you to keep us confident of your love wherever you call us. Lord, come to bless us
and fill us with your Spirit.
We thank you for the healing of your Holy Spirit. We ask you to bring reconciliation and wholeness where there is division, sickness and sorrow. Lord, come to bless us
and fill us with your Spirit.
We thank you for the gifts of your Holy Spirit. We ask you to equip us for the work which you have given us. Lord, come to bless us
and fill us with your Spirit.
We thank you for the fruit of your Holy Spirit. We ask you to reveal in our lives the love of Jesus. Lord, come to bless us
and fill us with your Spirit.
We thank you for the breath of your Holy Spirit, given us by the risen Lord. We ask you to keep the whole Church, living and departed, in the joy of eternal life. Lord, come to bless us
and fill us with your Spirit.
Generous God, you sent your Holy Spirit upon your Messiah at the river Jordan, and upon the disciples in the upper room: in your mercy fill us with your Spirit,
hear our prayer, and make us one in heart and mind
to serve you with joy for ever. Amen.

The Peace:

God has made us one in Christ. He has set his seal upon us and, as a pledge of what is to come, has given the Spirit to dwell in our hearts. Alleluia!                                                                         cf 2 Corinthians 1.22
The peace of the Lord be always with you
and also with you.

The Celebration of the Eucharist

Preparation of the Table

The gifts of the Bread and Wine are presented.
Blessed be God, who feeds the hungry,
who raises the poor, who fills our praise.
Blessed be God for ever.

Hymn-at-the-offertory 460: Shine Jesus Shine

Prayer over the Gifts

Let us pray,
Giver of life, receive all we offer you this day. Let the Spirit you bestow on your Church continue to work in the world through the hearts of all who believe. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ the Lord. Amen.

Eucharistic Prayer 2

The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.

We give you thanks and praise, almighty God, through your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Redeemer. He is your living Word, through whom you have created all things.

By the power of the Holy Spirit he took flesh of the Virgin Mary and shared our human nature. He lived and died as one of us, to reconcile us to you, the God and Father of all.

In fulfilment of your will he stretched out his hands in suffering, to bring release to those who place their hope in you; and so he won for you a holy people.

He chose to bear our griefs and sorrows, and to give up his life on the cross, that he might shatter the chains of evil and death, and banish the darkness of sin and despair. By his resurrection he brings us into the light of your presence.

Now with all creation we raise our voices to proclaim the glory of your name.

Holy, holy, holy Lord,
God of power and might,
heaven 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.

Holy and gracious God, accept our praise, through your Son our Saviour Jesus Christ; who on the night he was handed over to suffering and death, took bread and gave you thanks, saying, “Take, and eat: this is my body which is broken for you.” In the same way he took the cup, saying, “This is my blood which is shed for you. When you do this, you do it in memory of me.”

Remembering, therefore, his death and resurrection, we offer you this bread and this cup, giving thanks that you have made us worthy to stand in your presence and serve you.

We ask you to send your Holy Spirit upon the offering of your holy Church. Gather into one all who share in these sacred mysteries, filling them with the Holy Spirit and confirming their faith in the truth, that together we may praise you and give you glory through your Servant, Jesus Christ.

All glory and honour are yours, Father and Son, with the Holy Spirit in the holy Church, now and for ever. Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer

As our Saviour taught us, let us pray,
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial, and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and for ever. Amen.

Breaking of the Bread

Behold what you are!
May we become what we receive!
Alleluia! Christ our passover is sacrificed for us.
Therefore let us keep the feast. Alleluia!

Anthem: Lamb of God

Hymns-during-communion: - Spirit of Gentleness - Holy Spirit We Welcome You
- Refiner’s Fire          - 408: Wind Upon the Water
Youth Choir: Lightshine

Prayer after Communion

Let us pray,
Faithful God, who fulfilled the promises of Easter by sending us your Holy Spirit and opening to every race and nation the way of life eternal: open our lips by your Spirit, that every tongue may tell of your glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Blessing of Light

At the Easter Candle a minister says,
Blessed are you, sovereign God, overflowing in love. With Pentecost dawns the age of the Spirit. Now the flame of heaven rests on every believer. Strong and weak, women and men tell out your word; the young receive visions, the old receive dreams. With the new wine of the Spirit they proclaim your reign of love. Amid the birth pangs of the new creation the way of light is made known. Source of freedom, giver of life, blessed are you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Blessed be God for ever.

As each candle is lit a hymn is sung, 559: Awake! Awake! Fling Off the Night

Commission

When all the candles are lit the presider says,
For fifty days we have celebrated the victory of our Lord Jesus Christ over the powers of sin and death. We have proclaimed God’s mighty acts and we have prayed that the power that was at work when God raised Jesus from the dead might be at work in us. As part of God’s Church here in Charlottetown, I call upon you to live out what you proclaim. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, will you dare to walk into God’s future, trusting him to be your guide?
By the Spirit’s power, we will.
Will you dare to embrace each other
and grow together in love?
We will.
Will you dare to share your riches in common
and minister to each other in need?
We will.
Will you dare to pray for each other
until your hearts beat with the longings of God?
We will.
Will you dare to carry the light of Christ
into the world’s dark places?
We will.

The Easter Candle is extinguished

The Scattering (Mark 4:20)

The Lord is here.
His Spirit is with us.
Today we have remembered the coming of God’s power on the disciples and we invite that same Spirit to drive us out into the wild places of the world.

Hymn 502: You Are Salt for the Earth

The Blessing

May the Spirit, who hovered over the waters when the world was created, breathe into you the life he gives.
Amen.
May the Spirit, who overshadowed Mary when the eternal Son came among us, make you joyful in the service of the Lord.
Amen.
May the Spirit, who set the Church on fire upon the Day of Pentecost, bring the world alive with the love of the risen Christ.
Amen.
And may the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always.
Amen.

The deacon says,

Filled with the Spirit’s power,
go in the light and peace of Christ. Alleluia, alleluia!
Thanks be to God. Alleluia, alleluia!


A link to a pdf of this service.