ORDER OF WORSHIP
Day of Pentecost
May 19, 2024

Fifty days after Easter, we celebrate the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost. Crossing all boundaries that would separate us, the Spirit brings the wideness of God’s mercy to places we least expect it—to a crowd of strangers of different lands and tongues, to dry bones, to our weak hearts. Jesus promises his disciples that they will be accompanied by the Holy Spirit, and that this Spirit reveals the truth. We celebrate that we too have been visited with this same Spirit. Guided by the truth, we join together in worship, and then disperse to share the fullness of Christ’s love with the world.    

+ GATHERING +

WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

PRELUDE 

Spirit of God, Descend Upon My Heart
arr. Lani Smith

THANKSGIVING FOR BAPTISM  

Blessed be the holy Trinity,  one God,
the wellspring of grace, our Easter and our joy.
Amen.

Look, here is water!
Here is our water of life! Alleluia!

Immersed in the promises of baptism,
let us give thanks for what God has done for us.
We give you thanks, O God, for in the beginning
your voice thundered over the deep
and water became the essence of life.
Adam and Eve beheld Eden’s verdant rivers.
The ark carried your creation through the flood into a new day.
Miriam led the dancing as your people passed through the sea
into freedom’s land.
In a desert pool the Ethiopian official
entered your boundless baptismal life.

Look, here is water!
Here is our water of life! Alleluia!

At the river your beloved Son was baptized by John
and anointed with the Holy Spirit.
By the baptism of Jesus’ death and resurrection
you opened the floodgates of your reconciling love,
freeing us to live as Easter people.
We rejoice with glad hearts,
giving all honor and praise to you,
through the risen Christ, our source of living water,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit, now and forever.
Amen.

Look, here is water!
Here is our water of life! Alleluia!

GATHERING HYMN

God Is Here
ELW 526

God is here! As we your people
meet to offer praise and prayer,
may we find in fuller measure
what it is in Christ we share.
Here, as in the world around us,
all our varied skills and arts
wait the coming of the Spirit
into open minds and hearts.

Here are symbols to remind us
of our lifelong need of grace;
here are table, font, and pulpit;
here the cross has central place.
Here in honesty of preaching,
here in silence, as in speech,
here, in newness and renewal,
God the Spirit comes to each.

Here our children find a welcome
in the Shepherd's flock and fold;
here as bread and wine are taken,
Christ sustains us as of old.
Here the servants of the Servant
seek in worship to explore
what it means in daily living
to believe and to adore.

Lord of all, of church and kingdom,
in an age of change and doubt,
keep us faithful to the gospel;
help us work your purpose out.
Here, in this day's dedication,
all we have to give, receive;
we, who cannot live without you,
we adore you! We believe!

GREETING 

The beauty of the Creator inspire us,
the grace of the Good Shepherd be with us,
and the unity of the Breath of Life enfold us all.
May it be so!

KYRIE   (page 138)

In peace, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.

For the peace from above, and for our salvation, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.

For the peace of the whole world, for the well-being of the church of God, and for the unity of all, let us pray to the Lord. 
Lord, have mercy

For this holy house, and for all who offer their worship and praise, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.

Help, save, comfort, and defend us, gracious Lord. 
Amen.

HYMN OF PRAISE    (page 140)

Refrain
    This is the feast of victory for our God.
    Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

Worthy is Christ, the Lamb who was slain,
whose blood set us free to be people of God.   Refrain

Power, riches, wisdom, and strength,
and honor, blessing, and glory are his.    Refrain

Sing with all the people fo God,
and join in the hymn of all creation: 
Blessing, honor, glory, and might
be to God and the Lamb forever. Amen.    Refrain

For the Lamb who was slain 
has begun his reign.  Alleluia.   Refrain

PRAYER OF THE DAY
Let us pray.
O God, you have prepared for those who love you joys beyond understanding. Pour into our hearts such love for you that, loving you above all things, we may obtain your promises, which exceed all we can desire; through Jesus Christ, your Son and our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Amen.

+ WORD +  

FIRST READING:    Acts 2:1-21
Originally Pentecost was a Jewish thanksgiving-type festival celebrated seven weeks after Passover. On this particular Pentecost, however, the Holy Spirit is poured out upon the entire community of believers just as Jesus had promised and the scriptures had prophesied. Empowered by the Spirit, the entire community bears witness to God’s activity in multiple languages.

¹When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. ²And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. ³Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. ⁴All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.
⁵Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. ⁶And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. ⁷Amazed and astonished, they asked, "Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? ⁸And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? ⁹Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, ¹⁰Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, ¹¹Cretans and Arabs — in our own languages we hear them speaking about God's deeds of power." ¹²All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, "What does this mean?" ¹³But others sneered and said, "They are filled with new wine."
¹⁴But 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. ¹⁵Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o'clock in the morning. ¹⁶No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel:
 ¹⁷'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.
 ¹⁸Even upon my slaves, both men and women,
 in those days I will pour out my Spirit; and they shall prophesy.
 ¹⁹And I will show portents in the heaven above
 and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and smoky mist.
 ²⁰The sun shall be turned to darkness
 and the moon to blood, before the coming of the Lord's great and glorious day.
 ²¹Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.'

The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

PSALM  104:24-34, 35b   (read responsively by full verse)

²⁴How manifold are your works, O Lord!
  In wisdom you have made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.
 ²⁵Yonder is the sea, great and wide, with its swarms too many to number,
  living things both small and great.
 ²⁶There go the ships to and fro,
  and Leviathan, which you made for the sport of it.
 ²⁷All of them look to you
  to give them their food in due season.
 ²⁸You give it to them; they gather it;
  you open your hand, and they are filled with good things.
 ²⁹When you hide your face, they are terrified;
  when you take away their breath, they die and return to their dust.
 ³⁰You send forth your Spirit, and they are created;
  and so you renew the face of the earth.
 ³¹May the glory of the Lord endure forever;
  O Lord, rejoice in all your works.
 ³²You look at the earth and it trembles;
  you touch the mountains and they smoke.
 ³³I will sing to the Lord as long as I live;
  I will praise my God while I have my being.
 ³⁴May these words of mine please God.
  I will rejoice in the Lord.
 ^35bBless the Lord, O my soul.
  Hallelujah!

SECOND READING:   Romans 8:22-27
By pouring the Holy Spirit into our hearts, God gives us the promised first fruit of eternal life so that we await God’s future in hope. In the meantime, the Spirit also intercedes for us by carrying the prayers of our weak human hearts to God.

²²We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now; ²³and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. ²⁴For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen? ²⁵But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.
²⁶Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. ²⁷And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION     (page 142)

Alleluia, Lord, to whom shall we go?
You have the word of eternal life, alleluia.

GOSPEL:   John 15:26-27; 16:4b-15
While speaking to his disciples before his death, Jesus refers to the Holy Spirit as “the Helper” and describes the difference the Spirit will make in their lives and in the world.

The holy gospel according to John.
Glory to you, O Lord.

[Jesus said:] ^15:26When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who comes from the Father, he will testify on my behalf. ²⁷You also are to testify because you have been with me from the beginning.
^16:4But 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. ⁵But now I am going to him who sent me; yet none of you asks me, 'Where are you going?' ⁶But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your hearts. ⁷Nevertheless I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. ⁸And when he comes, he will prove the world wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: ⁹about sin, because they do not believe in me; ¹⁰about righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will see me no longer; ¹¹about judgment, because the ruler of this world has been condemned.
¹²I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. ¹³When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. ¹⁴He will glorify me, because he will take what is mine and declare it to you. ¹⁵All that the Father has is mine. For this reason I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.

The gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.

SERMON

HYMN OF THE DAY    

O Holy Spirit, Enter In
ELW 786

O Holy Spirit, enter in,
and in our hearts your work begin,
and make our hearts your dwelling.
Sun of the soul, O Light divine,
around and in us brightly shine,
your strength in us upwelling.
In your radiance
life from heaven
now is given
overflowing,
gift of gifts beyond all knowing.

Left to ourselves, we surely stray;
oh, lead us on the narrow way,
with wisest counsel guide us;
and give us steadfastness, that we
may follow you forever free,
no matter who derides us.
Gently heal those
hearts now broken;
give some token
you are near us,
whom we trust to light and cheer us.

O mighty Rock, O Source of life,
let your good Word in doubt and strife
be in us strongly burning,
that we be faithful unto death
and live in love and holy faith,
from you true wisdom learning.
Lord, your mercy
on us shower;
by your power
Christ confessing,
we will cherish all your blessing.

APOSTLES’ CREED

I believe in God, the Father almighty,
   creator of heaven and earth.  

I believe in Jesus Christ,
   God’s only Son, our Lord,
   who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, 
   born of the virgin Mary,
   suffered under Pontius Pilate,
   was crucified, died, and was buried;
   he descended to the dead.
   On the third day he rose again;
   he ascended into heaven,
   he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
   and he will come to judge the living and the dead.  

I believe in the Holy Spirit,
   the holy catholic church,
   the communion of saints,
   the forgiveness of sins,
   the resurrection of the body,
   and the life everlasting.
   Amen. 

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE

Rejoicing that Jesus is risen and love has triumphed over fear, let us pray for the church, the world, and all those in need of good news.

Hear Our Prayer
ELW 178

Hear our prayer,
hear our prayer,
Lord, make us whole:
peace to all people,
hope for each soul. 
God of grace, in this place,
hear now our prayer.

Into your hands, most merciful God, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in your abiding love; through Jesus Christ, our resurrected and living Lord.
Amen.

GREETING OF PEACE

The peace of Christ be with you all.
And also with you.

We prepare now to receive our offerings as we return to God a portion of what God has entrusted to us.

  + MEAL +  

OFFERING
You may place your offerings in the offering plate as it is passed during the service.  Alternatively, some are using Tithe.ly for online giving or are using their bank’s online banking option.  Whichever way you choose to give, we are grateful for your stewardship and generosity.

MUSICAL OFFERING

Spirit of God
arr. Carl Strommen

OFFERING SONG  

Let the Vineyards Be Fruitful
ELW 184

Let the vineyards be fruitful, Lord,
and fill to the brim our cup of blessing.
Gather a harvest from the seeds that were sown, 
that we may be fed with the bread of life.
Gather the hopes and dreams of all;
unite them with the prayers we offer.
Grace our table with your presence,
and give us a foretaste of the feast to come.

OFFERING PRAYER
Let us pray.
Risen One, you call us to believe and bear fruit.
May the gifts that we offer here be signs of your abiding love.
Form us to be your witnesses in the world, through Jesus Christ, 
our true vine.
Amen.

    HOLY COMMUNION

THE GREAT THANKSGIVING

DIALOGUE
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.

THE WORDS OF INSTITUTION 

Blessed are you, O God of the universe. Your mercy is everlasting and your faithfulness endures from age to age.

Praise to you for creating the heavens and the earth. 
Praise to you for saving the earth from the waters of the flood.
Praise to you for bringing the Israelites safely through the sea.
Praise to you for leading your people through the wilderness to the land of milk and honey.
Praise to you for the words and deeds of Jesus, your anointed one.
Praise to you for the death and resurrection of Christ.
Praise to you for your Spirit poured out on all nations.

In the night in which he was betrayed, Our Lord Jesus took bread, and gave thanks; broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying: Take and eat; this is my body, given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me.

Again, after supper, he took the cup, gave thanks and gave it for all to drink, saying:  This cup is the new covenant in my blood, shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness of sin.       

Do this for the remembrance of me. With this bread and cup we remember our Lord’s Passover from death to life as we proclaim the mystery of faith:

Christ has died.
Christ is risen.
Christ will come again.

O God of resurrection and new life: Pour out your Holy Spirit on us and on these gifts of bread and wine. Bless this feast. Grace our table with your presence.
Come, Holy Spirit.

Reveal yourself to us in the breaking of the bread. Raise us up as the body of Christ for the world. Breathe new life into us.  Send us forth, burning with justice, peace, and love.
Come, Holy Spirit.

With your holy ones of all times and places, with the earth and all its creatures, with sun and moon and stars, we praise you, O God, blessed and holy Trinity, now and forever.
Amen.

LORD'S PRAYER

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 and ever.  Amen.

DISTRIBUTION 
The baptized children of God are invited by the Lord to the Lord’s Table where we receive Jesus’ very body and blood in, with, and under the bread and wine. We commune at the head of the aisle where we receive the host. Then to either side of the pastor is first, a chalice for intinction and second, a common cup for drinking. Please indicate to Pastor if you prefer grape juice as a chalice for intinction is available as well. Gluten free bread is available. If you wish to commune, but cannot come forward, let an usher know and Pastor will come to you. If you do not wish to commune, you are welcome to come forward to receive a blessing. You may wish to remain at the rail for a time of personal prayer following which you may return to your pew down the side aisle.

SANCTUS    (page 146)

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.

HYMNS DURING COMMUNION

One Bread, One Body
ELW 496

Refrain
   One bread, one body, one Lord of all;
   one cup of blessing which we bless,
   and we, though many throughout the earth,
   we are one body in this one Lord.

Gentile or Jew, servant or free,
woman or man, no more.    Refrain

Many the gifts, many the works,
one in the Lord of all.    Refrain

Grain for the fields, scattered and grown,
gathered to one for all.    Refrain

Here Is Bread
ELW 483

Here is grace here is peace
Christ is with us He is with us
Know His grace find His peace
Feast on Jesus here    Refrain

BLESSING AFTER COMMUNION

PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION

Shepherding God, you have prepared a table before us and nourished us with your love. Send us forth from this banquet to proclaim your goodness and share the abundant mercy of Jesus, our redeemer and friend.
Amen.

+ SENDING +  

SENDING HYMN      

Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing
ELW 807

Come, thou Fount of ev'ry blessing,
tune my heart to sing thy grace;
streams of mercy, never ceasing,
call for songs of loudest praise.
While the hope of endless glory
fills my heart with joy and love,
teach me ever to adore thee;
may I still thy goodness prove.

Here I raise my Ebenezer:
"Hither by thy help I've come";
and I hope, by thy good pleasure,
safely to arrive at home.
Jesus sought me when a stranger,
wand'ring from the fold of God;
he, to rescue me from danger,
interposed his precious blood.

Oh, to grace how great a debtor
daily I'm constrained to be;
let that grace now like a fetter
bind my wand'ring heart to thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it;
prone to leave the God I love.
Here's my heart, oh, take and seal it;
seal it for thy courts above.

BENEDICTION

Alleluia! Christ is risen! Christ is risen indeed! Alleluia!
The God of resurrection power, the Christ of unending joy,
and the Spirit of Easter hope
bless you now and always.
.Amen.

DISMISSAL
Go in peace. Rejoice and be glad.
Thanks be to God.

POSTLUDE

God of Tempest, God of Whirlwind
arr. Hal H. Hopson

---

Liturgical Text and Music from Evangelical Lutheran Worship, © 2006, 2020, 2022 Augsburg Fortress.  Reprinted and/or streamed with permission under Augsburg Fortress Liturgies License #SAS016761.  All rights reserved.

God Is Here!, Text: Fred Pratt Green, 1903-2000, Text © 1979 Hope Publishing Company, Music: Cyril V. Taylor, 1907-1991.  Music © 1942, ren 1970 Hope Publishing Company. Reprinted and/or streamed with permission under OneLicense #A-722274.  All rights reserved.

O Holy Spirit, Enter In, Text: Michael Schirmer, 1606-1673; tr. Catherine Winkworth, 1827-1878, adapt. Music: Philipp Nocolai, 1556-1608.  Public domain.

Hear Our Prayer, Text and music: Paul Andress, b. 1956. Text and music © 2006 Augsburg Fortress.  Reprinted and/or streamed with permission under OneLicense #A-722274.  All rights reserved.

Let the Vineyards Be Fruitful, Music: Ronald A. Nelson, b. 1927.  Text and music © 1978 Lutheran Book of Worship, admin. Augsburg Fortress.  Text reprinted and/or streamed with permission under OneLicense #A-722274.  All rights reserved.

One Bread, One Body. Text: John Foley, Sl, b. 1939. Music: John Foley, Sl.  Text and music ©  1978 John B. Foley, S1, and OCP Publications.  Reprinted and/or streamed with permission under OneLicense #A-722274.  All rights reserved.

Here Is Bread, Text and Music: Graham Kendrick, b. 1950.  Text and music © 1991 Make Way Music, admin. Music Services. Reprinted and/or streamed with permission under OneLicense #A-722274.  All rights reserved.

Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing, Text: Robert Robinson, 1735-1790, alt. Music: J. Wyeth, Repository of Sacred Music, Part II, 1813. Public domain.