Pentecost
is a Christian festival, celebrated 49 days after Easter. It
commemorates the coming of the Holy Spirit among Jesus' followers,
gathered in Jerusalem for Shavuot
(the Jewish Feast of Weeks) - the anniversary of the wheat harvest,
and of the receiving of the Torah - instructions from God which offer
a Way of Life for those who follow it.
The
short responsive liturgy, below, is appropriate for use by any
individual or group of people.
All the
liturgies, celebrations, ceremonies, prayers, and reflections offered
on this blog are the result of my thoughts, reflections, and
experiences, woven together using my own words and sometimes adapting
the words others have used: in this instance, a 2010 liturgy from
Wellsprings (http://www.wellsprings.org.uk).
Please
use the liturgy below freely, adapting it as suits your own context.
Feedback is always gladly received.
If you use it as it is, you will
need a large central candle, surrounded by a circle of ten small
candles, and matches/tapers to light them. Please stay safe and do
not leave the candles burning alone.
Opening
words:
In
the beginning, earth was a formless void,
and
the Spirit of God moved across the chaos of the waters,
and
brooded under her wings the emerging Creation.
Come,
Holy Spirit,
move
across the chaos that we have created of your world;
take
us again to be under your wing.
A
central large candle is lit
Litany
of the Spirit:
God
of all beginnings, God of all endings,
eternal
light of God, warm breath of God,
melting
touch of God, healing hand of God,
creative
love of God: come upon us.
A
small candle is lit from the central candle
Life-loving
Spirit, breath of the universe,
crafter
of the heavens, star-kindling Spirit,
sun-warming
Spirit, moon-burnishing Spirit,
bud-bursting
Spirit, sap-surging Spirit: come upon us.
A
small candle is lit from the central candle
Painter
of rainbows, architect of trees, artist of flowers,
midwife
of all creatures, source of all life: come upon us.
A
small candle is lit from the central candle
Spirit
of justice, righteousness, power, integrity, mercy,
Spirit
of compassion, perfection, generosity, invitation,
Spirit
of solitude, gladness, exuberance,
and
hope without horizon:
come upon us.
A
small candle is lit from the central candle
Light
of our lives, supporter in our trials, strength in our weakness,
consolation
in our grief, healer of wounds, quencher of thirst,
shelter
in storms, tenderness in distress: come upon
us.
A
small candle is lit from the central candle
Safe
sheltering of God, strong guarding of God,
soft
enfolding of God, liberating challenge of God,
joyous
song of God, promise of God,
graciousness of God, laughter of God,
sweet sorrow of God, deep wisdom of God,
still centre of God,
strong arm of God, guidance of God:
come
upon us.
A
small candle is lit from the central candle
Giver
of joy, giver of comfort, giver of peace, giver of wisdom,
giver
of right judgement, giver of good counsel, giver of strength,
giver of awe and wonder, giver of love: come upon us.
giver of awe and wonder, giver of love: come upon us.
A
small candle is lit from the central candle
Spirit
of peace-making, breaker-down of walls of division,
builder
of bridges, loosener of chains,
opener
of new pathways, inspirer of creators,
of
seekers after truth, of workers for humanity,
of
children, of mystics: come upon us.
A
small candle is lit from the central candle
Wellspring
of life, fresh spring of renewal,
clear stream of refreshment, wide ocean of love: come upon us.
clear stream of refreshment, wide ocean of love: come upon us.
A
small candle is lit from the central candle
Breath
of God, as a whisper on the breeze,
as
a wind dancing in the tree-tops
and
blowing on the cliff tops,
so
we sense you:
come upon us.
The
final small candle is lit from the central candle
and
a time of quiet is kept...
Closing
words:
Come,
Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful,
and
kindle in us the fire of your love.
Send
forth your Spirit,
and
the face of the Earth shall be renewed.
May
your blessing be upon all who have suffered,
all
in need of repentance, of turning their lives around,
all
who seek to redress wrongs,
and
ensure there are places of grace and sanctuary for everyone.
May
your blessing, your fire, your challenges, your comforts,
be
upon us: Amen.
Each
person present may wish to take away one of the small candles
or,
if safe to do so, they can be left to burn down.
Extinguish
the central candle once the small ones have been taken
or
have gone out.
