Oceanview UMC | May 23 2021

Home Worship for Pentecost Sunday, May 23 2021

On Pentecost Sunday, we remember the day the disciples received the Holy Spirit in a special way. The story in Acts 2 describes a powerful wind and tongues of fire as the Holy Spirit was poured out on people from all over the world who came to Jerusalem to celebrate a Jewish feast. At the first Pentecost over 3000 people were baptized, creating the first church. This is why Pentecost is known as the birthday of the Christian church.

The word Pentecost comes from a Greek word meaning fiftieth. The Jewish Festival of Pentecost (called Shavuot, meaning "weeks" in Hebrew) falls on the fiftieth day after the original Passover. On that day, God gave the Torah to Moses on Mount Sinai. The Christian festival of Pentecost falls on the 50th day after the resurrection of Jesus.

Organ Prelude: Bach Chorale #41a

Call to Worship: It Feels Like Fire!

(Based on Acts 2:1-21)

One: I feel something in this place!

Many: It feels like fire burning within!

One: It feels fresh and exciting!

Many: It feels like fire burning within!

One: It feels like uncontainable joy!

Many: It feels like fire burning within!

ALL: It is fire burning within! We are on fire, and the world can’t put it out!

B. Kevin Smalls, The Africana Worship Book, For Year B, Valerie Bridgeman Davis, PhD and Safiyah Fosua, eds., (Discipleship Resources, 2007), 62.

Hymn: Breathe on Me, Breath of God UMH #420

1. Breathe on me, Breath of God, fill me with life anew,

that I may love what thou dost love, and do what thou wouldst do.

2. Breathe on me, Breath of God, until my heart is pure,

until with thee I will one will, to do and to endure.

3. Breathe on me, Breath of God, till I am wholly thine,

till all this earthly part of me glows with thy fire divine.

4. Breathe on me, Breath of God, so shall I never die,

but live with thee the perfect life of thine eternity.

Prayer Collect for Pentecost

Gracious God, Living, Eternal Spirit, we thank you that you seek us in tender loving care, lest any be lost. Help us, in the same way, to reach out toward those who may feel alienated or excluded from the Christian community. Send your Spirit upon us that when we speak the word of your love, people may hear and understand in their own language as on that Pentecost day so long ago; for we pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Ruth C. Duck, Flames of the Spirit, Ruth Duck ed., The Pilgrim Press, 1985, p. 46.

Pentecost Sunday - Acts 2

Scripture: Acts 2: 1-21 (NIV)

The Holy Spirit Comes at Pentecost

1 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. 7 Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? 9 Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” 12 Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?”

13 Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.”

Peter Addresses the Crowd

14 Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. 15 These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! 16 No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:

17 “‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. 18 Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. 19 I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. 20 The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. 21 And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’

Message: "Instant Church"

Pastor Emily Denmark McGee

Lectionary Series

Oceanview Worship: This Is a Move

Verse 1

Mountains are still being moved, Strongholds are still being loosed

God we believe yes we can see it, That wonders are still what You do

Verse 2

Bodies are still being raised, Giants are still being slain

God we believe yes we can see it, That wonders are still what You do

Chorus

We are here for You. Come and do what You do.

Set our hearts on You. Come and do what you do

'Cause we need a move, We need a move

We need a move, We need a move

Bridge

Miracles happen when you move, Healing is coming in this room

Miracles happen when you move, Heaven is coming

This is a move, This is a move

CCLI Song # 7123068. Brandon Lake | Nate Moore | Tasha Cobbs Leonard | Tony Brown © Bethel Worship Publishing, Brandon Lake Music, Mouth Of The River Music, Tony Brown Music Designee, Meadowgreen Music Company, Tasha Cobbs Music Group. All rights reserved. CCLI License # 625707.