Worship Resources for
the Center for Faith and Giving
Pentecost
Psalm 104:24-34, 35b
Romans 8:14-17
John 14:8-17, (25-27)
On this Pentecost day, consider providing red streamers for each worship participant, fans with crepe paper streamers, like flames, rising round the sanctuary, a birthday cake (to share at Children’s Moment or after worship), or Ann Weems’ story, “Happy Birthday, Church” from Reaching for Rainbows (1980).
Call to Worship
L: The Spirit descends like a dove,
bringing peace to unite the world.
P: The Spirit comes like a breath, bringing life
to renew the people of God.
L: The Spirit spreads like fire, bringing energy
for all to bear witness to the love of God.
P: May the Spirit of the living God come to us,
and transform us, in Pentecost power!
Opening Prayer (Inspired by a prayer by O.I. Cricket Harrison)
Kindling Spirit, build well the fire in our hearts this day.
Fan us to flame that all may see Holy Love blazing.
Pour out your gifts, that we might join millions who are Spirit-led
setting the church on fire with strength, boldness, and power.
Help us witness to the world and to one another
your fruit
of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. AMEN
Moment for Stewardship (Adapted from the 2025 Pentecost offering appeal of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ))
It’s all about layers.
God breathing life into dust.
Moses leading people out of slavery into freedom.
Hagar calling on God to remember God’s covenant.
Layer after layer.
Mary saying yes. Jesus breaking bread. Young people seeing visions.
Elders dreaming dreams.
Our ancestors building a movement for wholeness in a fragmented world. Going above and beyond church as it’s always been.
Beyond borders and barriers. Beyond us and them.
Building layers of community and color, spirituality and vision,
justice and joy.
Proclaiming the good news that Spirit is still breathing new life
and breaking new bread.
God’s people are still seeing visions and dreaming dreams.
You’re invited to add your layer today as we receive our offering,
for this congregation,
and our special Pentecost offering to aid in building new congregations.
With joy-filled hearts, let us bring our gifts, our tithes and our offerings.
Prayer of Thanksgiving
Giver of Life, receive all we offer you today.
May the Spirit you poured out at Pentecost continue to work in the world
through these gifts,
transforming them from check and coin into acts of life-enhancing service.
Breathe once more into each of us, inspiring us to offer not only our finances, but also our lives, in gratitude for the ways you fill us. AMEN
Invitation to Communion
Have you seen someone performing CPR (cardio-pulmonary-resuscitation)?
Perhaps you’ve been trained, or have performed CPR on someone.
In the old form, when someone collapsed and was not breathing, a by-stander who had ween trained could begin mouth-to-mouth breathing along with chest compressions in a rhythm to force the heart to pump blood.
It’s that image which comes to mind on this Pentecost day,
for God’s gift came as spirit/wind/breath. (RUACH)
When we come to this Table, God’s Spirit continues to provide the gift of life, inspiring us to follow Jesus on the Way of Love.
Bread, created by many kernels of wheat into one loaf,
broken into bites,
taken, eaten, and forming us into one body.
Juice, created by many grapes into one cup,
dipped by many believers,
who then are built up into one community.
Come, all who are eager to be filled!
Come, for the table is prepared, and you are invited to partake.
NOTE: You might consider CH #257 as an unusual communion hymn, including the verse
When believers break the bread,
when a hungry child is fed,
praise the love that Christ revealed,
living, working, in our world