South Church in Andover
United Church of Christ

THE WORSHIP OF GOD
ORDER FOR THE SERVICE

Pentecost Sunday
June 4, 2006

We remember that your church was born in the wind and fire, not to sweep us heavenward like a presumptuous tower, but to guide us down the dusty roads of this world so that we may lift up the downcast, heal the broken, reconcile what is lost, and bring peace amidst unrest. Garth House

PRELUDE     Come, Holy Spirit     Buxtehude

WELCOME

Announcements      Call to Meeting     Fran Fink, Clerk

            Summer Growth Opportunity Janet Clarke
Introduction of Visitors and Guests
Exchange of Peace

The peace of Jesus Christ be with you.

And also with you.

INTROIT     O Holy Spirit, Lord of Grace     Tye

CALL TO WORSHIP           

Come, believers and faithful ones, sing your alleluias to God!

Praise God, who invades, who invades us with the rush of a mighty wind and fills us with fire.

Praise God, who out of love for us sent Jesus Christ to live among us.

Praise God, whose spirit is poured out upon all flesh so our sons and daughters might prophesy.

God reaches into our lives and claims us, calling us honored and loved.

We are God’s people: We are redeemed; for God has called us by name.

Come, Holy Spirit, and find us in our wilderness. Lead us forth into the wonders of your love.

* HYMN          Come O Spirit Dwell Among Us     #129 red

PRAYER OF CONFESSION               (unison)

Most Merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against Thee in thought, word and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved Thee with our whole heart. We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of thy Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us. That we may delight in thy will and walk in thy ways. To the glory of thy holy name. Amen

Assurance of Forgiveness

* HYMN    Spirit of God, Descend Upon My Heart  versus 1,2,3   #232 blue

THE SACRAMENT OF HOLY COMMUNION

Invitation

Communion Prayer

God be with you.

And also with you.

Lift up your hearts.

We lift them up to God most high.

Prayer of Consecration

Breaking the Bread and Pouring the Cup

Pastor: Alleluia! Christ our Passover is offered for us.

People: Therefore let us keep the feast. Alleluia!

Sharing the Elements by the Deacons

Prayer of Confession        (unison)

O God our creator, we who are powerless come to you in repentance, seeking the renewing power of your Spirit. Create in us new thoughts, for we are often silent, or when we speak, we build walls of misunderstanding. Create in us new visions, for we are often content with yesterday’s dreams. Create in us new hearts, for we are often cold and lifeless. Spirit of God, breathe upon us, until we become the new creation you intend us to be, in Jesus Christ. Amen.

* HYMN    Spirit of God, Descend Upon My Heart  versus 4,5   #232 blue

Children in grades K-High School may move to their church school classrooms. Parents of children up to age 7, please go to Fellowship Hall after annual meeting.

SCRIPTURE       Act 2:1-21     (see insert)

SERMON       Energy and Spirit      Dr. Mutti

* HYMN    Breathe on Me, Breath of God #234 blue

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE         

OFFERING OF OUR GIFTS IN THANKSGIVING
     Invitation
     Offertory Anthem        O Holy Spirit, by whose breath     Plainsong

Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous!
Praise befits the upright.
Praise the Lord with the lyre
make melody to Him with the ten-stringed harp.
Sing to the Lord a new song,
Play skillfully and sing with strength.

* Doxology       

* Dedication Prayer   

* BENEDICTION

* RESPONSE     Go Now In Peace      Besig

Go now in peace.  Never be afraid.
God will go with you each hour of every day.
   Go now in faith, steadfast, strong and true.
   Know God will guide you in all you do.
Go now in love, and show you believe.
Reach out to others so all the world can see.
God will be there watching from above.
   Go now in peace, in faith, and in love.

POSTLUDE     Concerto in G Major: Allegro     Bach/Ernst

*   Those who are able may stand.

Please remain seated during the postlude, the Annual Meeting will begin promptly at the end of the service. The Sunday School teachers will bring the children to Fellowship Hall where our youth will supervise and entertain them during the meeting. Nursery care will also be provided. After the meeting, parents may pick up their children in Fellowship Hall or the nursery.  There will punch and cookies for the children, but NO coffee/tea for adults.

Participating in Today’s Service
Greeters: Jon, Bridget, Juliet & Jack Fletcher
Acolytes: Melissa Cronin & Emma Bently
Deacon: Linda Zimmerman
Offertory Anthem: Adult & Handbell Choirs

The Call to Worship is from Jann C. Weaver in Flames of the Spirit, edited by Ruth C. Duck (New York: Pilgrim Press, 1985)

.
Today we mark the final Sunday for Dr. Paulette Grundeen as our interim Organist and Director of Music. She has served us faithfully and well. We wish her God’s blessing in the coming chapter of her music ministry.

Scriptures For This Day        New Revised Standard Version

 Acts 2: 1-21

When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.

Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. Amazed and astonished, they asked, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs—in our own languages we hear them speaking about God’s deeds of power.” All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” But others sneered and said, “They are filled with new wine.”

But 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. Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o”clock in the morning. No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel: ‘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. Even upon my slaves, both men and women, in those days I will pour out my Spirit; and they shall prophesy. And I will show portents in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and smoky mist. The sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the coming of the Lord’s great and glorious day. Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’