Welcome to worship! As we celebrate Pentecost you are invited to light a candle to remind yourself of the presence of the Holy Spirit. Pentecost is the Christian festival celebrating the arrival of the Holy Spirit on the disciples after Jesus’ ascension held on the 7th Sunday after Easter.
This year, our Pentecost celebration is with churches and people from all over the Greater Milwaukee Synod. St. Peter Lutheran Church is the northern most congregation in our synod (geographical region). You will see the Sunday School children from St. Peter begin our worship service with a call to worship, and then you will join in a synod-wide Pentecost worship. Some parts of worship are videos that you can watch, some are songs you can sing along with, and some are words you can read on your own. Do what you need to do to worship God wherever you are.
Announcements
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Call to Worship
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Prelude
Spirit of Gentleness
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Spirit, Spirit of gentleness, blow through the wilderness calling and free; Spirit, Spirit of restlessness, stir me from placidness, wind, wind on the sea.
You moved on the waters, you called to the deep, then you coaxed up the mountains from the valleys of sleep; and over the eons you called to each thing: “Awake from your slumbers and rise on your wings.”
Spirit, Spirit of gentleness, blow through the wilderness calling and free; Spirit, Spirit of restlessness, stir me from placidness, wind, wind on the sea.
You swept through the desert, you stung with the sand, and you goaded your people with a law and a land; and when they were blinded with idols and lies, then you spoke through your prophets to open their eyes.
Spirit, Spirit of gentleness, blow through the wilderness calling and free; Spirit, Spirit of restlessness, stir me from placidness, wind, wind on the sea.
You sang in a stable, you cried from a hill, then you whispered in silence when the whole world was still; and down in the city you called once again, when you blew through your people on the rush of the wind.
Spirit, Spirit of gentleness, blow through the wilderness calling and free; Spirit, Spirit of restlessness, stir me from placidness, wind, wind on the sea.
You call from tomorrow, you break ancient schemes. From the bondage of sorrow all the captives dream dreams; our women see visions, our men clear their eyes. With bold new decisions your people arise.
Spirit, Spirit of gentleness, blow through the wilderness calling and free; Spirit, Spirit of restlessness, stir me from placidness, wind, wind on the sea.
Welcome
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Thanksgiving for Baptism
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Blessed be the holy Trinity, + one God, the fountain of living water, the rock who gave us birth, our life and our salvation. Amen.
Joined to the risen Christ in the waters of baptism, we are clothed with God’s mercy and forgiveness. Let us give thanks for the gift of baptism.
We give you thanks, O God of solstice and equinox. When you called light into being, you set the world on an axis, giving us the gift of seasons, times of dying and rising, budding and harvest. We praise you for the beauty and wonder of springtime; for the way you sing your promise into our isolation, splashing color and light into every corner; for luring us to stretch ourselves into grace, as plants reach toward the sun.
We give you thanks for Jesus, whose rising is foreshadowed in the lengthening of these days; whose love surges from the roots of heaven into these trees of life. We give you thanks for the gift of water; for washing us into this spring life; for April showers, even May snow; for the waters of the Milwaukee River and Lake Michigan; for this ‘gathering place by the waters’ we call home, a good earth and sacred land once home to the Potawatomi, Ojibwe, Odawa, Fox, Ho-Chunk, Menominee, Sauk, and Oneida peoples, beloved in your sight.
We give you thanks for the gift of baptism, washing us in every season with mercy, grace, and life, making resurrection our eternal home.
You, O God – Creator, Redeemer, and Giver of Life – are the great source: river of creation, pool of healing, thundering falls. We give you our praise in every season, on this brilliant day, now and forever. Amen.
Opening Hymn
God of Tempest, God of Whirlwind
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God of tempest, God of whirlwind, as on Pentecost descend! Drive us out from sheltered comfort; past these walls your people send! Sweep us into costly service, there with Christ to bear the cross, there with Christ to bear the cross!
God of blazing, God of burning, all that blocks your purpose, purge! Through your church, Christ’s living Body, let your flaming Spirit surge! Where deceit conceals injustice, kindle us to speak your truth, kindle us to speak your truth!
God of earthquake, God of thunder, shake us loose from lethargy! Break the chains of sin asunder, for earth’s healing set us free! Crumble walls that still divide us; make us one in Christ our Lord, make us one in Christ our Lord!
God of passion, God unsleeping, stir in us love’s restlessness! Where the people cry in anguish, may we share your heart’s distress. Rouse us from content with evil; claim us for your kingdom’s work, claim us for your kingdom’s work!
Prayer of the Day
O God, on this day you open the hearts of your faithful people by sending into us your Holy Spirit. Direct us by the light of that Spirit, that we may have a right judgment in all things and rejoice at all times in your peace, through Jesus Christ, your Son and our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Reading
Acts 2:1-21
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1When the day of Pentecost had come, [the apostles] 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.’ ”
Reading and Message
John 7: 37-39
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37On the last day of the festival [of Booths], the great day, while Jesus was standing [in the temple], he cried out, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me, 38and let the one who believes in me drink. As the scripture has said, ‘Out of the believer’s heart shall flow rivers of living water.’ ” 39Now he said this about the Spirit, which believers in him were to receive; for as yet there was no Spirit, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
Hymn of the Day
Will You Come and Follow Me?
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“Will you come and follow me if I but call your name? Will you go where you don’t know and never be the same? Will you let my love be shown, will you let my name be known, will you let my life be grown in you and you in me?
“Will you leave yourself behind if I but call your name? Will you care for cruel and kind and never be the same? Will you risk the hostile stare, should your life attract or scare? Will you let me answer pray’r in you and you in me?
“Will you let the blinded see if I but call your name? Will you set the pris’ners free and never be the same? Will you kiss the leper clean, and do such as this unseen, and admit to what I mean in you and you in me?
“Will you love the you you hide if I but call your name? Will you quell the fear inside and never be the same? Will you use the faith you’ve found to reshape the world around, and through my sight and touch and sound in you and you in me?
Lord, your summons echoes true when you but call my name. Let me turn and follow you and never be the same. In your company I’ll go where your love and footsteps show. Thus I’ll move and live and grow in you and you in me.
Apostles’ Creed
With the whole church, let us confess our faith.
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
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The Lord’s Prayer
Gathered into one by the Holy Spirit, let us pray as Jesus taught us.
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. Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and forever. Amen.
Sending Song
O Day Full of Grace
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O day full of grace that now we see appearing on earth’s horizon, bring light from our God that we may be abundant in joy this season. God, shine for us now in this dark place; your name on our hearts emblazon.
O day full of grace, O blessed time, our Lord on the earth arriving; then came to the world that light sublime, great joy for us all retrieving; for Jesus all mortals did embrace, all shame and despair removing.
For Christ bore our sins, and not his own, when he on the cross was hanging; and then he arose and moved the stone, that we, unto him belonging, might join with angelic hosts to raise our voices in endless singing.
God came to us then at Pentecost, the Spirit new life revealing, that we might no more in death be lost, its pow’r over us dispelling. This flame will the mark of sin efface and bring to us all true healing.
When we on that final journey go that Christ is for us preparing, we’ll gather in song, our hearts aglow, all joy of the heavens sharing, and there we will join God’s endless praise, with angels and saints adoring.
Blessing
May the One who brought forth Jesus from the dead raise you to new life, fill you with hope, and turn your mourning into dancing. Almighty God, Father, ☩ Son, and Holy Spirit, bless you now and forever. Amen.
Dismissal
Christ is risen, just as he said. Go in peace. Share the good news. Alleluia! Thanks be to God. Alleluia!
Worship Assistants:
Call to Worship: St. Peter Sunday School Kids
Music: Ian, Michael Schaner, Fox Point Lutheran Church, Association of Luthern Church Musicians
Message: Bishop Paul Erickson
Readers: Pr. Josh Evans and members of the Greater Milwaukee Synod
From Sundays and Seasons.com. Copyright 2005 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved. Reprinted by permission under Augsburg Fortress Liturgies Annual License #22432. New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission.
All rights reserved. Hymns reprinted with permission. CCLI#116214