A Pentecost Vigil which will be posted on the Parish YouTube Channel at 7pm this evening. The service was recorded in Nun’s Cross church and includes hymns, readings and prayers related to the coming of the Holy Spirit.
Please see the service details here and below : Pentecost Vigil 22 May 2021
Killiskey Parish
Pentecost Liturgy
Saturday 22nd May 2021 via YouTube
The Service of Light
GREETING
Christ is risen.
The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia!
The Easter Candle and other Church Candles are lit
A SONG OF THE LIGHT sung by Robin Heather
1 Hail, gladdening light, of his pure glory poured,
Who is the immortal Father, heavenly, blest,
Holiest of holies, Jesus Christ our Lord.
2 Now we are come to the sun’s hour of rest.
The lights of evening round us shine:
We hymn the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit divine.
3 Worthiest art thou at all times to be sung
With undefiled tongue.
Son of our God, giver of life, alone:
Therefore in all the world thy glories, Lord, they own.
The Vigil
INTRODUCTION
Our English word Pentecost comes from the Greek Pentekoste meaning the fiftieth of fifty days of celebration. It has its roots in the Jewish Feast of Weeks, which was completed on the fiftieth day after Passover. On the fiftieth day of Easter, God sends his Holy Spirit to empower his people to perform the mission which the risen Christ has entrusted to it and he inaugurates the Christian Church.
As we await the coming of the Holy Spirit, let us hear of how God plans to send his Spirit and how the Spirit works in the life of the believer; and let us pray that through this Pentecost celebration God may empower us by the Spirit to follow in Christ’s way and proclaim him to the world.
OPENING PRAYER
Let us pray:
Father in heaven,
for fifty days we have celebrated the risen and ascended Lord
and listened as he taught us along the way.
Now your people gather in prayer,
open to receive the Spirit.
May he come to rest in our hearts
and disperse the divisions of word and tongue.
With one voice and one song
may we praise your name in joy and thanksgiving.
Grant this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Hymn: CH296 “Come, Holy Ghost, our souls inspire” sung by Robin Heather
Come, Holy Ghost, our souls inspire
and lighten with celestial fire;
thou the anointing Spirit art,
who dost thy seven-fold gifts impart.
Thy blessèd unction from above
is comfort, life, and fire of love;
enable with perpetual light
the dullness of our blinded sight.
Anoint and cheer our soilèd face
with the abundance of thy grace:
keep far our foes, give peace at home;
where thou art guide no ill can come.
Teach us to know the Father, Son,
and thee, of both, to be but One;
that through the ages all along
this may be our endless song:
Praise to thine eternal merit,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.
John Cosin (1594-1672)
based on Veni, creator Spiritus
attrib.
The First Reading read by Tony Dunne
The Tower of Babel
Genesis 11: 1-9
Now the whole earth had one language and the same words. And as they migrated from the east, they came upon a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. And they said to one another, ‘Come, let us make bricks, and burn them thoroughly.’ And they had brick for stone, and bitumen for mortar. Then they said, ‘Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves; otherwise we shall be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.’ The Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which mortals had built. And the Lord said, ‘Look, they are one people, and they have all one language; and this is only the beginning of what they will do; nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them. Come, let us go down, and confuse their language there, so that they will not understand one another’s speech.’ So the Lord scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth, and they left off building the city. Therefore it was called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of all the earth; and from there the Lord scattered them abroad over the face of all the earth.
Hymn: CH294 “Come down, O Love divine” sung by Scott Golden
Come down, O Love divine,
seek thou this soul of mine,
and visit it with thine own ardour glowing;
O Comforter, draw near,
within my heart appear,
and kindle it, thy holy flame bestowing.
O let it freely burn,
till earthly passions turn
to dust and ashes in its heat consuming;
and let thy glorious light
shine ever on my sight,
and clothe me round, the while my path illuming.
Let holy charity
mine outward vesture be,
and lowliness become mine inner clothing:
true lowliness of heart,
which takes the humbler part,
and o’er its own shortcomings weeps with loathing.
And so the yearning strong,
with which the soul will long,
shall far outpass the power of human telling;
for none can guess its grace,
till we become the place
wherein the Holy Spirit makes his dwelling.
Bianco da Siena (d. 1434)
- Richard F Littledale (1833-90)
based on John 14: 16, 26
The Second Reading read by Jane Hammond
The Valley of Dry Bones
Ezekiel 37: 1-14
The hand of the Lord came upon me, and he brought me out by the spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. He led me all round them; there were very many lying in the valley, and they were very dry. He said to me, ‘Mortal, can these bones live?’ I answered, ‘O Lord God, you know.’ Then he said to me, ‘Prophesy to these bones, and say to them: O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord God to these bones: I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. I will lay sinews on you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live; and you shall know that I am the Lord.’
So I prophesied as I had been commanded; and as I prophesied, suddenly there was a noise, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. I looked, and there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them; but there was no breath in them. Then he said to me, ‘Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, mortal, and say to the breath: Thus says the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.’ I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood on their feet, a vast multitude.
Then he said to me, ‘Mortal, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, “Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are cut off completely.” Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: I am going to open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people; and I will bring you back to the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people. I will put my spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you on your own soil; then you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken and will act, says the Lord.
The Psalm sung by Robin Heather
Psalm 104: 1-4, 24-30
1 Praise the Lord, O my soul : O Lord my God, thou art become exceeding glorious; thou art clothed with majesty and honour.
2 Thou deckest thyself with light as it were with a garment : and spreadest out the heavens like a curtain.
3 Who layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters : and maketh the clouds his chariot, and walketh upon the wings of the wind.
4 He maketh his angels spirits : and his ministers a flaming fire.
24 O Lord, how manifold are thy works : in wisdom hast thou made them all; the earth is full of thy riches.
25 So is the great and wide sea also : wherein are things creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts.
26 There go the ships, and there is that leviathan : whom thou hast made to take his pastime therein.
27 These wait all upon thee : that thou mayest give them meat in due season.
28 When thou givest it them they gather it : and when thou openest thy hand they are filled with good.
29 When thou hidest thy face they are troubled : when thou takest away their breath they die, and are turned again to their dust.
30 When thou lettest thy breath go forth they shall be made : and thou shalt renew the face of the earth.
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son,: and to the Holy Ghost;
As it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
The Third Reading read by Michael Norman
God’s Spirit Poured Out
Joel 2: 28-32
Then afterwards I will pour out my spirit on all flesh;
your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
your old men shall dream dreams,
and your young men shall see visions.
Even on the male and female slaves,
in those days, I will pour out my spirit.
I will show portents in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and columns of smoke. The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes. Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved; for in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be those who escape, as the Lord has said, and among the survivors shall be those whom the Lord calls.
Hymn: CH293 “Breathe on me, Breath of God” sung by Patricia Butler
Breathe on me, Breath of God,
fill me with life anew,
that I may love what thou dost love,
and do what you wouldst do.
Breathe on me, Breath of God,
until my heart is pure,
until with thee I will one will
to do and to endure.
Breathe on me, Breath of God,
till I am wholly thine;
until this earthly part of me
glows with thy fire divine.
Breathe on me, Breath of God,
so shall I never die,
but live with thee the perfect life
of thine eternity.
Edwin Hatch (1835-89)
based on Job 33: 4
The Fourth Reading read by Hannah O’Connor
Life in the Spirit
Romans 8: 22-27
We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labour pains until now; and 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. For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.
Likewise 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. And 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.
Hymn: CH639 “O thou who camest from above” sung by Scott Golden
O thou who camest from above
the pure celestial fire to impart,
kindle a flame of sacred love
on the mean altar of my heart.
There let it for thy glory burn
with inextinguishable blaze,
and trembling to its source return
in humble prayer and fervent praise.
Jesus, confirm my heart’s desire
to work, and speak, and think for thee;
still let me guard the holy fire,
and still stir up thy gift in me.
Still let me prove thy perfect will,
my acts of faith and love repeat;
till death thy endless mercies seal,
and make the sacrifice complete.
Charles Wesley (1707-88)
Gospel Acclamation
The Sending of the Holy Spirit
Alleluia. Alleluia
Come, Holy Spirit,
fill the hearts of the faithful
and kindle in them the fire of your love.
Alleluia. Alleluia.
The Fifth Reading read by Revd Ken Rue
Rivers of Living Water
John 7: 37-39
On the last day of the festival, the great day, while Jesus was standing there, he cried out, ‘Let anyone who is thirsty come to me, and 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.”’ Now 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.
PRAYERS
We remember in prayer the church, the world and those in need:
Come, Holy Spirit, bestowed on the church at Pentecost.
Inspire your church today to be prophetic,
to witness to the gospel,
and to serve the world.
Give it new visions and power to achieve them.
That the world may believe.
For this we pray:
Hear us, living God.
Come, Holy Spirit, to all the nations of the world.
Bring your peace to our conflicts.
Inspire leaders and people to find peace
and let justice take its place in all human affairs.
That all God’s children may live.
For this we pray:
Hear us, living God.
Come, Holy Spirit, bring healing to those in need,
comfort to those who grieve
and courage to those without hope.
That all may be renewed.
For this we pray:
Hear us, living God.
Come Holy Spirit, and at the last bring us
With all who have loved the Lord Jesus in life and are now at rest
To the fulfilment of the kingdom.
For this we pray:
Hear us, living God.
Heavenly Father,
with alleluias in our hearts and on our lips,
we commend to your care all for whom we pray,
trusting in your mercy, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
COLLECT
Almighty God,
who on the day of Pentecost
sent your Holy Spirit to the apostles
with the wind from heaven and in tongues of flame,
filling them with joy and boldness to preach the gospel:
By the power of the same Spirit
strengthen us to witness to your truth
and to draw everyone to the fire of your love;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Hymn: CH634“Love divine, all love excelling” sung by Patricia Butler
Love divine, all loves excelling,
joy of heaven, to earth come down,
fix in us thy humble dwelling,
all thy faithful mercies crown;
Jesu, thou art all compassion,
pure, unbounded love thou art,
visit us with thy salvation;
enter every trembling heart.
Come, almighty to deliver,
let us all thy life receive;
suddenly return, and never,
never more thy temples leave.
Thee we would be always blessing,
serve thee as thy hosts above,
pray, and praise thee without ceasing,
glory in thy perfect love.
Finish, then thy new creation;
pure and spotless let us be.
let us see thy great salvation
perfectly restored in thee;
changed from glory into glory,
till in heaven we take our place,
till we cast our crowns before thee,
lost in wonder, love and praise.
Charles Wesley (1707-88)
based on Malachi 3: 1-2;
2 Corinthians 3: 18; 5: 17
PEACE
The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace.
If we live in the Spirit, let us walk in the Spirit.
Galatians 5: 22
BLESSING
The Spirit of truth lead you into all truth,
give you grace to confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
and to proclaim the words and works of God:
and the blessing of God Almighty,
the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit,
be with you and remain with you always. Amen.
DISMISSAL
Filled with the Spirit’s power
Go in the light and peace of Christ. Alleluia, alleluia.
Thanks be to God. Alleluia, alleluia.