Zoom Only Church - Pentecost Sunday May 28, 2023 Rev Sally Bullas

Christ Church Gabriola

A Collaborative Anglican – United Church

Open to All

 

                    

 

 

Zoom Only Church

Pentecost Sunday

May 28, 2023

 

Rev. Sally Bullas

Musician: Dorothy Dittrich

 

 

 

We acknowledge these lands upon which we worship are the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the Snuneymuxw First Nation.

 

Whoever you are and wherever you are on life’s journey,

you are welcome here!

Welcome & Announcements

Whether you are gathering in person, on zoom or worshipping at home with the bulletin, welcome! We are one community, one in the body of Christ. 

 

Centering & Stillness                                                                    (Acts 2:1-2)

“When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place.  And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting.”  

 

                                                (invitation to sit in silence)

 

Introit: You Are Holy                                                                                             MV #45 

          You are holy, you show us the way,

          you are holy, you show us the way.

          You are holy, you show us the way,

          you are holy, you show us the way. 

 

You show us, you show us, you show us the way,
you show us, you show us, you show us the way.

 

Lighting of the Christ Candle       (From “Gathering,” written by Laura Turnbull)

One:  Sparks fly, winds blow, sounds surround!  
          The Spirit is in the air!

All:    Amazing things are happening!  
          God’s Spirit has been let loose!

One:  Something astounding is about to change the church.  
          Are you ready?

 

(the Christ Candle is lit)

 

Greeting
One:   The grace of Christ Jesus, the love of God, 

           and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

All:    And also with you

 

Opening Prayer   (Fr. “Gathering,” adapted from a prayer written by Anna Atkinson)

One:  For the moments when, alone with the world, we feel                                     connection to all that is:

All:    We give thanks for the gifts of the Spirit.

One:  For the times when we come together and feel our hearts blend             as one family as we gather:

All:    We give thanks for the gifts of the Spirit.

One:  For the strength to reach out and touch those in need with                 actions that speak of Holy and Sacred love:                                   2

All:    We give thanks for the gifts of the Spirit.

One:  For the courage to proclaim and witness to Love in the world, 

          in deed and in word:

All:    We give thanks for the gifts of the Spirit.

One:  In thanksgiving and with assurance that she is with us in all places and at all times,

All:    we ask the Spirit to manifest through us in our thoughts,             words, and deeds.

One:  May we be a Pentecost church, at work in an eternally                                   renewing world! 

All:    Amen!

 

Hymn:  Wind Who Makes All Winds That Blow                         VU #196

 

Passing of the Peace

One:    The peace of Christ be with you! 

All:      And also with you!

You are invited to turn to those directly around you and share Christ’s peace. Those on zoom, please unmute and share with one another.      3

Reader: By the gift of your Spirit, calm and quiet our souls that we may hear your Word today and be lifted up to walk with you. In Christ’s        name we pray. Amen

 

Scripture Reading: Acts 2:1-21 (NRSV)                                 Reader: Pat Armstrong

When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the 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.

 

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.’

 

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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.”

 

 

Reflection:                      “Filled With the Holy Spirit!

 

Silent Reflection

 

Hymn: Come, O Holy Spirit                                                                        MV #23  

 

Affirmation of Faith:                                  (from The New Zealand Prayer Book)

You, O God, are supreme and holy.
You create our world and give us life.
Your purpose overarches everything we do.
You have always been with us. 

You are God. 

 

You, O God, are infinitely generous,
good beyond all measure.
You came to us before we came to you.
You have revealed and proved
your love for us in Jesus Christ,
who lived and died and rose again.
You are with us now. 

You are God.      

 

 

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You, O God, are Holy Spirit.
You empower us to be your gospel in the world.
You reconcile and heal; you overcome death.

You are our God. We worship you.

 

Offering

 

Doxology                                                                                                                             CP #669

Praise God the Source of life and birth,

Praise God the Word, who came to earth.

Praise God the Spirit, holy flame.

All Glory, honour to God’s name.

 

Offering Prayer                                                              (From “Gathering,” written by Richard Bott) One:        Come, Holy Spirit, set our hearts on fire!  
All:    Find the passion you have placed in our lives and let it           become the fire of transformation, that refreshes, that 

          refills, that renews, not just for us, O God, but so we might             join with others to live your love; a love that transforms the       world.

One:  As Christ’s Pentecost people, we offer these gifts with                                   generous spirits for the loving transformation of the world.

All:    Hallelujah!  Amen.                                                                         

 

Prayers of the People                                                           Betty Schultze                                                                                             

One:  Loving God,

All:    Hear Our Prayer

 

The Prayer of Jesus                                                                                                   VU #959

Our Father in heaven, 
            hallowed be your name,

            your Kin-dom 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 kin-dom, the power
            and the glory are yours,

            now and forever.

 

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Hymn: Spirit God, Be Our Breath                                                                   MV #150

 

Thank You

 

Blessing                     (From “Gathering,” adapted from a prayer written by David Sparks)

One:  Celebrate in the Spirit, and God’s joy becomes your joy…
All:    God’s purpose becomes our purpose, 
          God’s compassion becomes our compassion,
          and God’s love finds direction and fulfillment in our loving words and actions.  

One:  Don’t hold back!  Celebrate in the Spirit!