Acts 2:1-21 The day of Pentecost
or Numbers 11:24-30 The Spirit shared with the elders of Israel
Psalm 104:24-34,35b O Lord, how manifold are your works
1 Corinthians 12:3b-13 There are varieties of gifts but the same Spirit
or Acts 2:1-21 The day of Pentecost
John 20:19-23 "Receive the Holy Spirit"
or John 7:37-39 Believers to receive the Spirit when Jesus glorified

Possible hymns
(Numbers refer to The Australian Hymn Book)
Our blest Redeemer, ere he breathed [Presbyterian book 1929 No.180]
67 O worship the king all-glorious above
92 God has spoken by his prophets [.. is speaking by his Spirit]
286 Ye gates, lift up your heads on high
308 Come Holy Ghost our souls inspire
310 Come down, O love divine
317 Lord God, the Holy Ghost! [tune 481ii]
318 O Spirit of the living God
320 Breathe on me breath of God
322 O breath of God come sweeping through us
323 Holy Spirit, ever dwelling
324 God sends us his Spirit [Spirit friend]
377 Spirit divine, attend our prayers
429 Come, thou everlasting Spirit
486 O thou who camest from above
520 Take my life, and let it be / consecrated Lord to thee

Sermon summary - Pentecost Year A [Click here for complete sermon]

The gift of the Spirit came to them both individually and collectively, both as personal followers of Jesus and as his body the church. The outpouring of the Holy Spirit came when they were gathered together as a body and yet the fire rested on each one separately [Act 2:1-4]. Much in our lives as disciples of Christ and members of the church is affected by how much we pay attention to these two different emphases. Do we listen primarily to the voice of the Spirit within or the voice of the corporate body? It applies in society at large also. Many consequences follow from a preference for the individual over society or for social interest rather the private person. With their associated ideologies, people have tended to speak of the Holy Spirit, as if the presence of God were either a private possession within oneself or properly possessed only in the gathered community and its structure as a body. In fact both are important.

Being together had something to do with their being ready for the coming of the Spirit (Acts 1:13-14;2:1). The gifts belonged to the whole body, varieties of gifts but the same Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:4-12; Ephesians 4:7,11-12) although there were occasions [e.g. Acts 9:17] when only two or three might be there. All acts of the church in worship, including the setting apart of members for specific ministries, depend upon the Holy Spirit being present in the corporate life of the church.

The different emphasis on the Spirit dwelling within each person is seen in prayer and personal devotion. For example, Paul wrote to the Romans about how the Spirit is a personal witness with each one that we are children of God (Romans 8:14-16). Jesus, indeed prayed for this indwelling of his presence when he prayed for the unity of those whose would believe in him (John 17:20-23). That fellowship is the communion of the Holy Spirit, and today we praise him and pray that he will lead us into all truth (John 14:26).

We extend this understanding of the Spirit at work both within and amongst us to creation as a whole, from the beginning (Genesis 1:2), beyond the church, through family, to social, political and economic affairs. Serious distortions of human life occur when the balance between the individual and the group is disturbed, whether it be in the church or family or society at large. We need both the social sense of the Spirit of God acting amongst us and the personal sense of the Spirit dwelling within each person.

WITHOUT THE HOLY SPIRIT, God is far away,
Christ stays in the past,
the Gospel is a dead letter,
the Church is simply an organisation,
authority a matter of domination,
mission a matter of propaganda,
the liturgical services no more than a reminder of the past,
Christian living a slave morality.

BUT WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT, God is with us,
the universe is resurrected
and groans with the birth pangs of the kingdom,
the risen Christ is here,
the Gospel is the power of life,
the Church is the organism, the Body of the living Christ,
authority is service,
mission is Pentecost,
the liturgy is both memorial and anticipation,
human action is God at work in this world.

[Ignatious of Latakia (adapted by Hugh Eadie)]

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Order of Service - Pentecost Year A

CALL TO WORSHIP
When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. {2} 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. {3} Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. {4} All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit -- Acts 2:1-4a
Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful people; and kindle in us the fire of your love.

HYMN 317 Lord God, the Holy Ghost!

PRAYER OF ADORATION
Glory to you, Spirit of God,
Gift of the Son from the Father.
Distant God brought close to us,
Praise and glory, for your presence.
The best of all is God is with us.

CONFESSION
If we have followed other spirits, rather than the spirit of Jesus,
Lord have mercy.
Lord have mercy.
If we have refused to give full reign to the Spirit in our deeds and words,
Christ have mercy.
Christ have mercy.
So that we may be filled with the loving fruits of the Spirit,
Lord have mercy.
Lord have mercy.
[Silent meditation]

The Spirit you have received in not a spirit of fear, leading you back into slavery, but the Spirit of adoption, through which you call God "Father, my very own Father."
[From Romans 8:14 and Bruce Prewer Australian Prayers]

If you repent and believe you are reconciled to God in Christ and renewed in the power of the Spirit.
Thanks be to God.

DOXOLOGY: Choir: Te Deum

WELCOME AND GREETING EACH OTHER

INTRODUCTION OF THEME: The coming of the Holy Spirit
CHILDREN'S PRESENTATION The wind and the birthday of the church

OLD TESTAMENT Numbers 11:24-30 The Spirit shared with the elders of Israel
PSALM 104:24-34,35b O Lord, how manifold are your works
FOR THE EPISTLE Acts 2:1-21 The day of Pentecost
GOSPEL John 7:37-39 Believers to receive the Spirit when Jesus glorified

HYMN 308 Come Holy Ghost our souls inspire

SERMON
THE NICENE CREED

OFFERING AND DEDICATION
SHARING TIME [Notices, celebrations, requests for intercessions]
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE

A Litany to the Holy Spirit
Holy Spirit, you are the Lord, the giver of life;
with the Father and the Son we worship and glorify you:
Come to us now, Spirit of God.
Holy Spirit, you were there at creation before time began;
your presence fills the whole universe:
Come to us now, Spirit of life.
Holy Spirit, you have spoken through the prophets of old;
by their witness the Word of God has never been silent:
Come to us now, Spirit of wisdom.
Holy Spirit, you surround the waiting church with the wind of Pentecost;
you gave life and breath to announce Christ's gospel:
Come to us now, Spirit of power.
Holy Spirit, you came upon the first Christians as a holy fire;
you set their hearts ablaze with devotion to their risen Lord:
Come to us now, Spirit of love.
Holy Spirit, you pour out your rich and varied gifts;
you call us to bring forth your fruits in our lives:
Come to us now, Spirit of grace.
Holy Spirit, you are the Spirit of truth, the Counsellor;
you lead us to the truth that sets us free:
Come to us now, Spirit of God, and renew Christ's holy church.
From Uniting in Worship, People's Book]

COLLECT FOR THE DAY
Let us pray (for the power of the Holy Spirit):
Almighty God, who on the day of Pentecost sent your Holy Spirit to the disciples with the wind from heaven and with tongues of flame, filling them with joy and boldness to preach the gospel: send us out in the power of the same Spirit to witness to your truth and to draw everyone to the fire of your love; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

THE PEACE

HYMN 486 O thou who camest from above

GREAT PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
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.
Thanks and praise .....
[For Pentecost] By the gift of the Spirit you bring to completion the work of your son. You lead us into all truth and give us power to proclaim the gospel to the whole world.
And so we praise you ....
in the eternal hymn: [SA 100c and 100d]
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.
We thank you ....
[The great prayer of thanksgiving, recalling God's goodness in caring for his people, the life and saving work of our Lord Jesus Christ, how he commanded his disciples to remember him with the bread and the wine, and we pray for the gift of the Holy Spirit on us and what we do.]

THE LORD'S PRAYER [Front of hymn book]

BREAKING THE BREAD
THE LAMB OF GOD [Sing Alleluia 100e]
Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world,
have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world,
have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world,
grant us peace.

COMMUNION
PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION

HYMN 324 God sends us his Spirit [Spirit friend]
WORD OF MISSION
BLESSING
DISMISSAL Go in peace to love and serve the Lord:
In the name of Christ. Amen.

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