Pentecost

Preparation

Opening response

Favor us, Lord, and deliver us.
Lord, come quickly and help us.

Make your servant’s life happy again
because, my Lord, I offer my life to you.

Psalm 86:4

Praise

Blessed are you,
Lord God of our ancestors.
You are worthy of praise and raised high above all others forever.
Blessed is your glorious
and holy reputation,
worthy of praise and raised high above all others forever.
Blessed are you in your glorious,
holy temple,
worthy of hymns and honored
above all others forever.
Blessed are you,
sitting on the winged creatures,
looking down into the farthest depths,
worthy of praise and raised high above all others forever.
Blessed are you on your royal throne,
worthy of hymns and raised high
above all others forever.
Blessed are you in the dome of the sky,
worthy of hymns
and honored forever.

Hymn of the Three Young Men (Prayer of Azariah 29-33 CEB)

The Word of God

Psalm 104:24-32

Refrain:
I will sing to the Lord as long as I live.

Lord, you have done so many things!
You made them all so wisely!
The earth is full of your creations!
And then there’s the sea, wide and deep,
with its countless creatures—
living things both small and large.
There go the ships on it,
and Leviathan, which you made, plays in it!
All your creations wait for you
to give them their food on time.
When you give it to them, they gather it up;
when you open your hand, they are filled completely full!
But when you hide your face, they are terrified;
when you take away their breath,
they die and return to dust.
When you let loose your breath, they are created,
and you make the surface of the ground brand-new again.

Let the Lord’s glory last forever!
Let the Lord rejoice in all he has made!
He has only to look at the earth, and it shakes.
God just touches the mountains, and they erupt in smoke.

Glory to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning is now
and will be forever. Amen.

Refrain:
I will sing to the Lord as long as I live.

Psalm prayer

Creator God,
send your Holy Spirit to renew this living world,
that the whole creation,
in its groaning and striving,
may know your loving purpose
and come to reflect your glory;
in Jesus Christ our Lord.

Scripture reading
John 20:21-22

Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father sent me, so I am sending you.” 22 Then he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.

Silence may be kept.

Response

Happy are people who grieve,
because they will be made glad.

Matthew 5:4

Prayers

Intercession and thanksgiving

Prayers may include these concerns:

God’s royal priesthood, that it may be empowered by the Spirit
Those who wait on God, that they may find renewal
All people, that they may acknowledge the kingdom
of the ascended Christ
The earth, for productivity and for fruitful harvests
All who are struggling with broken relationships

Other intercessions and supplications may be offered as the Holy Spirit leads.

Prayer

O King enthroned on high,
Comforter and Spirit of truth,
you that are in all places and fill all things,
the treasury of blessings and the giver of life,
come and dwell with us,
cleanse us from every stain
and save our souls, O gracious one.
Amen.

An Orthodox prayer

The Lord’s Prayer

As our Savior taught us, so we pray

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
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours
now and forever.
Amen.

Conclusion

May the grace of the Holy Spirit enlighten our hearts and minds.
Alleluia. Amen.