Holy Communion - 15th May 2016 (Pentecost) - MS Balmoral

God declares, "I will pour out my spirit on all flesh.
Then everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."

We have come to celebrate Pentecost, the birthday of the church.

We have come to open ourselves to God's Spirit that we might be filled.

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful people,
and kindle in us the fire of your love.
Amen.

HYMN - Let every Christian pray

The Spirit of God moves among us, binding us in covenant with faithful people
of every time and place.

The Spirit stirs within us, moving us to proclaim the gospel to all people.

The Spirit moves through us, making us channels of God's love.

As we gather to worship, we open ourselves to the spirit of the living God
made known to us in Jesus.

Generous God, you give us the gift of your Spirit,
but we confess that we have not known how to use it.

You send us the Spirit of courage,
but we have been afraid.

You send us the Spirit of truth,
but we cling to our illusions.

You send us the Spirit of healing,
but we cannot let go of our hurts.

You send us the Spirit of unity,
but within the faith we are divided.

You send us the Spirit of transformation,
but we cherish our traditions.

Forgive our closed minds
which so easily barricade themselves against new ideas.

Forgive our closed eyes,
which so easily fail to see the needs of your world.

Forgive our closed hands,
which hang on to what is "ours".

Forgive our closed hearts,
which so easily limit our compassion and our mission.

Holy Spirit of forgiveness, come to us again:
shake our hearts, set our souls on fire with your love:
send us out into the world rejoicing in your power,
to live the way of your justice and love.
Amen.

HYMN - Come down, O Love divine

Prayer before the Reading:

God, the words you speak have power:
power to create,
power to disturb,
power to heal.
Help us to hear your word for us today.
Amen.

Reading: John 14: 8-17, 25-27

Reflection

Let us affirm our faith and trust in God:

We are not alone,
we live in God's world.

We believe in God:
who has created and is creating,
who has come in Jesus,
the Word made flesh,
to reconcile and make new,
who works in us and others
by the Spirit.

We trust in God.

We are called to be the Church:
to celebrate God's presence,
to live with respect in Creation,
to love and serve others,
to seek justice and resist evil,
to proclaim Jesus, crucified and risen,
our judge and our hope.

In life, in death, in life beyond death,
God is with us.

We are not alone.
Thanks be to God.
(From the United Church of Canada)

HYMN - O Breath of God, come sweeping through us

Creative Spirit, we pray for your world,
a world which longs for the breath of your renewal.
The poor gasp under the burdens of oppression;
thousands flee from devastation to find safety.

Blow away hatred and injustice, disease and hunger,
until the whole creation dances with your grace.

God, in your love,
hear our prayer.

Spirit of Truth, we pray for your church.
Forgive our self-absorption;
set us ablaze again with passion for the Good News,
and help us to show your love for all people and all of creation
in ways they can understand.

God, in your love,
hear our prayer.

Spirit of comfort and challenge, our guide and companion in life,
we pray for ourselves.
You know where we need stirring up and where we need soothing:
direct us in the ways of holiness and help us be Spirit-filled people.

God, in your love,
hear our prayer.

May the God of Pentecost be with you.
And also with you.

Open your hearts to God's Spirit.
We open them to the Breath of God.

Offer your joy to our God.
We sing the song of Pentecost -
praise and thanksgiving to our God!

In the shadows of chaos you breathed, Creator God,
your Spirit moving over the waters of life.
You opened your hands, filling all creation with goodness and beauty.
You gathered up earth's dust, shaping us in your image,
filling our lungs with the Spirit's life.

But full of human arrogance and desire,
we listened to the competing voices of all that is ungodly,
believing they spoke the truth.

With sighs too deep for words, you continued to call us home,
speaking through teachers and prophets.
When we hid our faces from you, you looked upon us in compassion.

And so, with your people here on earth, and with all the company of heaven,
in every language, and in every heart, we glorify your name, saying:

Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of spirit and truth.
All creation is made new by your grace.
Hosanna in the highest!

Blessed is the One who comes,
in hope, to save us.
Hosanna in the highest!

Holy are you, God of beginnings and endings.
At the baptism of Jesus, the Spirit named him your Beloved;
in the wilderness the Spirit strengthened him to withstand the seductions of the world;
Spirit-anointed for ministry, Jesus brought good news to the poor,
and set free those imprisoned by despair.

He gave sight to the blind and fed the hungry,
blessed little children, and ate with sinners.
His life of love took him to the cross, but his life did not end with his death.

As he promised, you have poured out your Holy Spirit upon your people
and upon the gifts of the bread and the cup.
As we offer our thanks to you for the gift of the Spirit,
in our lives and in the world,
may the flames of Pentecost kindle compassion in our hearts;

may the tongues of fire ignite our calls for justice for all people;
may the good news spoken in every tongue and every place,
unite us in service to others and in faith in you.

Now we remember that night.
At supper, Jesus took bread and gave thanks.
He broke the bread, and gave it to his friends

"Take this and eat it," he said. "This is my body, given for you.
Whenever you do this, remember me."

Later, he took wine, gave thanks, and passed it round his friends.

"Drink this," he said. "This is my blood in a new covenant.
Whenever you do this, remember me."

Gracious God, pour out your blessing on these gifts of bread and wine,
that as we eat and drink together, we may meet with Christ
and be strengthened by your Spirit.
Amen.

Blessed are those who make peace:
they shall be called sons and daughters of God.

We meet in the name of Christ and share his peace.

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

So now, as Jesus taught us, let us pray together, saying:

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name;
your kingdom come, your will be done
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation, and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours,
now and for ever.
Amen

We break this bread.
Though we are many, we are yet one -
one with each other and one in Christ.

Come, gracious God,
come and fill this moment.

Come now to share God's gift, in celebration and joy. All is prepared.

The Sharing of Bread & Wine

With bread and wine for the journey,
feed us.
In the hurts we absorb from one another,
forgive us.
In times of temptation and test,
strengthen us.
From trials too great to endure,
spare us.
From the grip of all that is evil,
free us.

HYMN - There's a spirit in the air

God of power,
may the boldness of your Spirit transform us,
may the gentleness of your Spirit lead us,
and may the gifts of your Spirit equip us
to serve and worship you.

And may God's blessing be ours,
a blessing to cherish
and a blessing to share,
now and always,
Amen.