May 23, 2021 Online WWWW

 Worship, Witness, Word and Welcome
Online Worship with First Christian Church  (Disciples of Christ) Berea, KY
May 23, 2021 (Pentecost Sunday)

Before we begin, gather a candle or small light, your Bible, a cross, a piece of bread and a cup of juice or water. Place them at the center of a calm area in your home and gather comfortable seating for all who will join you. Place your phone, tablet  or computer where you can see and hear it. It's Pentecost when we celegrate the "birthday of the church" and the fulfilment of Jesus' promise to send the Holy Spirit to empower and inspire the disciples! Place something red to your worship center to symbolize the Holy Spirit. Or youcan add a picture of a dove or some extra candles!

Worship 

Invocation We begin with prayer.

Spirit God, blow into our lives, move us to action.
Where our language divides, offer us translation.
Where our fear overcomes, fill us with the fire of courage.
Where our lives are becalmed, fill our sails with wind,
moving us forward into the unknown future.
Fill us with the hope and promise of Pentecost! Amen.
~ written by Rev. Gord Waldie and posted on Worship Offerings. http://worshipofferings.blogspot.ca/

Lighting the Candles  We light our candles or lights.

Call to Worship

Voice One: We light these candles today,
Voice Two: Because God is with us in this time and in all these places!
Voice One: Like the flames on the candles, Holy Spirit, come!
Voice Two: Hover over us. Inspire our hearts and minds in worship!

Witness
Today's guest disciple is Alysa Weaver. Alysa is winding up her third year as a Nursing Student at Berea College. She is a member of our Tuesday Evening Bible Study and affiliated with our College Fellowship. During the past two summers, Alysa has worked at residential care homes for the elderly.

Word
Scripture: Acts  2:1-21
    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.”
    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.’
*the prophetic book, Joel 2:28-32 (Old Testament)
-New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Meditation

Challenge for Discipleship

Welcome- The Lord's Supper

Invitation to the Table
All are welcome to partake in the bread and cup at the table of God's love. It is Christ who is our host. When you hear the Words of Institution, partake of the elements.

Prayer of Communion Elders this month are Gwynne Griffith and Kathy Sharp.

Words of Institution  

Prayer of Response

Holy One,
ignite within us a fiery passion
for your mission in the world today.
Come, Holy Spirit, we welcome you!
Warm us by the Spirit’s dancing tongues of flame,
that we may feel your kindling blaze within,
urging us to do your greater good.
Come, Holy Spirit, we welcome you!
Make us wholly present to experience a new birth,
and awaken possibilities within us
to share your love in the world.
Come, Holy Spirit, we welcome you!
In this love and abundance,
we celebrate your harvest—
a harvest bearing the first fruits of the Spirit
within us.
Come, Holy Spirit, we welcome you!
Show us how to use these gifts,
as we listen for your truth
in the gentle breeze of your Spirit.
Come, Holy Spirit, we welcome you!
Open our hearts as we pray together as Jesus Christ has taught us,
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.  Amen.
— written by Sara Dunning Lambert, from Abingdon Worship Annual 2009.  Posted on the website of the Long Green Valley Church of the Brethren.

Blessing     We speak in unison.


The Light that was in one place and at one time, is now in all places and all times, for God has placed the light in us.   And we abide in peace!