Sunday Worship Service, May 19, 2024
Christ Church Gabriola's Sunday Hybrid Worship Service starts at 10:00 am.
Minister: Rev Suzanna Bates
Musician: Dorothy Dittrich
Attached you will find the Order of Service for May 19
Please contact either of the following if you would like to join the Zoom Service.
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!
Words for Worship
Words in bold italics, please say together
Prelude: Chorale JS Bach
Gathering
Call to Worship
The Gentle Spirit of God, the breath of life touches each face with love,
God is with us and within us.
The melody of joy in all creation, poured out in notes of hope and healing around us all,
God is with us and within us.
Passionate Spirit, warms our hearts with the bright flame of her caring,
God is with us and within us.
Divine Dreamer, who casts a glimpse of beauty in the imaginations of all their children,
God is with us and within us.
Host of the table, who sets a feast of grace and welcome all to her bounty,
God is with us and within us.
On this day we name Spirit’s coming, the Holy One who never leaves us, nor forsakes us.
God is with us and within us.
Hymn: Fresh As The Morning MV #28
Acknowledgement of the Land
Lighting the Candles
May fire of God’s love and bring joy to us this day as we worship together. May the refreshing wind of God’s Spirit blow though our lives.
May the music of God’s Spirit mingle with our voices as we draw near and open our hearts to God’s great love!
We light this candle as we draw near to God and to one another.
We are here. God is here
This place is sacred ground.
Psalm 104 VU p. 826 Part 2
Bless, O my soul, the Almighty who rules all creation
Opening Prayer
Come, Creator Spirit and visit us again on this day of Pentecost.
Come, Holy Spirit.
Like a rushing wind that sweeps away all barriers,
Come, Holy Spirit.
Like tongues of fire that set our hearts aflame,
Come, Holy Spirit.
With speech that unites the Babel of our tongues,
Come, Holy Spirit.
With love that overlaps the boundaries of race and nation,
Come, Holy Spirit.
With power from above to make our weakness strong,
Come, Holy Spirit. Amen.
Hymn: Spirit God Be Our Breath MV #150
Scripture
Gospel Reading Reader: Angela Nutter
As is your custom, please stand or sit for the reading of the gospel.
God be with you.
And also with you
The Good News of Jesus the Christ according to John.
Glory to you, Christ Jesus.
John 15:26-16:15 (selected verses)
The work of the Spirit (inclusive language)
“When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from God, the Spirit of truth who comes from God, they will testify on my behalf. You also are to testify, because you have been with me from the beginning.
But I have said these things to you so that when their hour comes you may remember that I told you about them. “I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you. But now I am going to him who sent me, yet none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your hearts. Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you, but if I go, I will send them to you.
“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, they will guide you into all the truth, for they will not speak on their own but will speak whatever they hear, and they will declare to you the things that are to come. They will glorify me because they will take what is mine and declare it to you.”
This is the Gospel of Christ.
We give thanks for Good News today!
Acts 2:1-21 (Dramatic Reading) Reader: Paddy Waymark
The Day of Pentecost
P: When the day of Pentecost had come, the believers were meeting together in one place. Suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the house where they were meeting. Then what looked like flames, or tongues of fire, appeared and settled on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.
Now there were devout Jews from every nation living in Jerusalem at this time. When they heard this sound they came running to see what it was all about and they were bewildered to hear their own languages being spoken by the believers.
All: How it that we can hear our own native language?
We are from:
A: Parthia,
B: Media,
A: Elam,
B: Mesopotamia,
A: Judea,
B: Cappadocia
A: Pontus
B: Asia
A: Phrygia
B: Pamphylia
A: Egypt
B: Libya
A: Cyrene
B: Rome
A: from Crete
B: and Arabia
All: We all hear them speaking in our own languages about the wonderful things God has done!P: All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another,
A: "What does this mean?"
P: But others sneered and said,
B: "They are drunk that’s all!"
P: But Peter, standing with the eleven, shouted to the crowd, ‘People of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, make no mistake about this, listen to what I say. These people 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 people -
A: Your sons and your daughters will prophesy,
and your young people will see visions,
B: And your old folk shall dream dreams.
P: In those days I will pour out my Spirit upon all my servants,
men and women alike, and they will prophesy. And I will show signs in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and clouds of smoke.
The sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon will turn
blood-red, before the coming of God’s great and glorious day.
All: Then everyone who calls on the name of our God
shall be saved.
P: This is the Word of God.
All: We give thanks for God’s Word today!
Word: Be our breath, be our song
Hymn: The Lone Wild Bird (vs 1 & 3 solo) VU #384
Life & Work of the Church
Offering
Prayer of Dedication
God of wind, word, and fire, we bless your name this day for sending the light and strength of your Holy Spirit.
We give you thanks for all the gifts, great and small,
that have been poured out upon your children.
Accept us with our gifts to be living praise and witness to your love throughout all the earth.
We pray that you will multiply these humble gifts
toward a future of greater justice, flourishing, and joy. Amen.
Prayers of the People Susan Brockley
Spirit of Truth,
Hear our Prayer.
Poem: A Blessing For The Seekers Rev. Sarah (Are) Speed
Blessed are you who turn your face up to the sky,
who open your arms to feel the wind,
who notice all the things that we should notice.
Blessed are you who are fluent in wonder
and familiar with awe.
Blessed are you who, even now, dream dreams,
who have not lost hope,
who swear the glass is still half-full.
Blessed are you who plant trees
and sing the harmony,
who tell the children how this world can be magic.
Blessed are you who walk and seek
and turn over every stone,
pointing out all the corners and colours that God lives in.
Blessed are you. Amen.
Hymn: Spirit, Spirit of Gentleness VU #375
Closing Prayer
Blessing
May the Holy Spirit fall upon you,
encompass you and support you.
May the Holy Spirit transform you,
lead you and equip you.
May the Holy Spirit give you encouragement, strength
and comfort to serve and worship God now and forever.
Amen.
Postlude: O Breath of Life Elizabeth Head / Mary Jane Hammond
Contact Info
Christ Church Gabriola
- 2600 South Road
- Gabriola Island, BC
- V0R 1X7 Canada