Introduction
This day celebrates the sending of the Holy Spirit in a particularly spectacular way on a group of Jesus’ followers in Jerusalem. It is often acknowledged as the day of the ‘birth of the church’, because of the witness of the biblical text that after receiving the Spirit, the disciples began to worship, preach and testify in a way that caused many to join their number, and they began to participate in a remarkable community life. Pentecost, while not being a feast of the Holy Spirit as such, does tend to focus on images used to describe the presence and role of the Spirit in the life of individual, church, and world.
Symbols, Colours, Music, Images, Ritual Actions, Miscellaneous Ideas
Colour: Red
Focus points:
God as the energiser and sustainer of the church through his Spirit
The birthday of the church
The unity of the church
The gifts of the Spirit
The call to follow Christ in the Spirit
The fruit of the Spirit
The Elemental Spirit – wind, fire, breath
Renewal, enthusiasm
The power of the Spirit
Potential of the Spirit in us – popping corn (popped and unpopped) – Bill Gaither song ‘I Am a Promise’ (source unkown).
Spirit as Fire:
Video loop of a bonfire, rugs and cushions around it. Communion elements on top of the TVs. Campfire discussion “At what times have you experienced God as a warming fire?”
“44 gallon” drums made out of cardboard, with a light inside. Punch out words, symbols on the cardboard (Steve Taylor).
Magicians Flashpaper.
Burning pumice soaked in Methylated Spirits.
Incense.
Fire that warms but doesn’t consume.
Purifying/Cleansing
Spirit as Wind:
Desert Wind sound effects CD.
Video of birds flying at the beach.
James K Baxter poem ‘Song to the Holy Spirit.’
Kites: wind makes it fulfil its purpose. U2 Song – ‘Kite’. Make small symbol kites – write on them what you want the wind of the Holy Spirit to enable you to do or be. (Could make small origami yachts, write hopes etc on the sails, and float or blow across the pond).
Benediction – blow bubbles or dandelions at each other.
Some useful related images are – John 3 and Nicodemus, balloons, soap bubbles, story Gilberto and the Wind’ by Marie Ets, song ‘Blowin’ in the Wind’.
Spirit as Water:
‘Spirit wash me clean’ (hymn).
John 4.
In dryness, aridity, the Spirit brings life/moisture.
Fountain, pond, water cooler, waterfall.
CD O Brother Where Art Thou? ‘I went down to the river to pray’ (Alison Krauss) or ‘Take me to the river’. Portable spa pool.
Video of Bible readings from a spa pool. (Steve Taylor)
Share ways we find the Spirit helps us to grow.
Children’s toys that expand in water.
Other songs:
U2 : ‘She Moves In Mysterious Ways’ , ex Zooropa
Bruce Cockburn: Lily of the Midnight sky, ex World of Wonders. ‘Live on my Mind’ ex The Charity of Night, ‘After the rain’ and Incandescent Blue’ ex Dancing in the Dragon’s Jaws .
Michelle Shocked: ‘Holy Spirit’ ex Mercury Poise.
Phil Collins: ‘I can feel it coming in the air tonight’
Dave Dobbyn ‘Language’ and ‘Beside you’
Johnny Cash: ‘I fell into a burning ring of fire’
Prodigy: ‘Firestarter’ (single).
Miscellaneous Ideas…
Hand round paper and pens/crayons etc. Get people to write, draw their images of God or the Holy Spirit. Where do these images come from?
Read some passages that portray different images/aspects of the Holy Spirit – eg. Genesis 1:2 (brooding mother), Luke 3:21-22 (a dove), Acts 2: 1-3 (wind and fire), John 7: 37-39 (river of life giving water), Isaiah 11:2-3, Romans 8, 1 Corinthians 12:1-11…etc.
Focus in on image of fire. What does fire do? (purify, refine, burn, spread…) How do these images relate to your experience of the church in the world, and Christianity? How can the image of God as firestarter inspire or challenge us?
A possible Pentecost service:
In several parts – different equipment set up in different rooms or parts of the church. eg: musical instruments, song sheets, etc in one area, paints and paper (etc) in another area, Contemplative tools in another area (eg candle, images, texts), another area set up for discussion or group prayer. Give the congregation the choice where they want to spend a portion of the service reflecting on the themes of pentecost using the different media.
Texts, Prayers, Readings
For Lectionary texts consult your lectionary or www.textweek.com
Poem: ‘Song to the Holy Spirit’ by James K Baxter (also, has been put to music by Roger White)
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