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The day of Pentecost is May 24th this year and it is rapidly approaching. Each year I like to post a new list of resources for special days in the lectionary like this. Enjoy and share it with your friends
This is the day when we celebrate:.
- The coming of the Holy Spirit and the infilling of Jesus’ disciples with the power to go out and change the world
- The great multi cultural gathering that we catch a glimpse of as we watch the spirit fall and suddenly everyone is able to understand each other – not all speaking the same language but able to understand each other in their own languages. Acts 2:11.
- Pentecost is traditionally the time that many churches pray for the peace of our world in which at times there seems to be so little cross cultural understanding.
So what kinds of resources do we need? First I think we need to provide our congregations with resources that help them see Jesus from other cultural perspectives. In a visual society like ours art is one very powerful way to do this. Liturgy is another powerful tool because as we read the words aloud they resonate deep within our souls and take root.
So to get yourself in the mood watch this wonderful video from Africa – it immediately took me back to some of the wonderful worship services I attended in Ghana, Togo and Cote d’Ivore when I worked on the Mercy Ship Anastasis
I have written several pentecost prayers in the past but the following litany is probably my favourite:
God, the light of your Spirit has fallen upon us,
The seal of your ownership is on us,
You have placed the Holy Spirit in our hearts.
Like tongues of fire it has renewed and restored.
In our rising and our sleeping,
In our working and our playing,
In our joys and in our sorrows,
Your Spirit’s brightness has dispelled the darkness,
In our loving and caring,
In our touching and our listening,
In our thoughts and in our actions,
God’s Spirit has brought life out of death.
Read the entire prayer here: A Prayer for Pentecost:
Living In Between Ascension and Pentecost
I have also been uploading Pentecost images on Facebook and Pinterest.
Paul Neeley at Global Christian Worship has an excellent array of articles, liturgies and songs for pentecost.
Pentecost: True Spiritual Unity and Fellowship in The Holy Spirit
10 Global Pictures & Prayers for Pentecost
Pictures & Prayers of Pentecost
‘Pentecost’ by Shadow Play Puppets
African Pentekoste by Frombach & Lantz
Gina Tuck – ‘Hymn to the Holy Spirit
Pentecost Songs: An Entire Album! from Cardiphonia
Another of his links was to this beautiful song by Keith and Kristyn Getty but I loved it so much I wanted to incorporate it in the list.
From Australia & New Zealand
The Billabong has a great list of ideas for Pentecost.
Laughing Bird Liturgical Resources
From Bosco Peters in New Zealand
Matt Stone at Glocal Christianity still has the best collection of art from different cultural contexts.
A great pentecost liturgy/reflection from Steve Taylor – a kiwi who now lives in Australia.
From South Africa
Sacredise.com always produces wonderful resources
From U.K
Jonny Baker always provides great resources in his worship tricks. You check out the general list for pentecost here.
I particularly like this link to a great Pentecost meditation by Mark Berry.
And I love these pentecost prayers and this liturgy with a Celtic flavour by John Birch
Proost is a great U.K site for worship resources. Here is the link to Pentecost resources
And if you are looking for some fun food ideas for the day check these out.
From Canada
Re-worship always provides excellent resources and this Pentecost list is no exception
From U.S.
The Text This Week has some of the most comprehensive resource lists around. Their pentecost list is well worth visiting.
Proost resources are now also available in the U.S. Here is the link to Pentecost resources
From Lent and Beyond is an Episcopal site with more great resources. I was particularly appreciative of their link to this site for celebrating Pentecost with kids.
Christine Longhurst at re:Worship also lists hymns, readings, prayers and liturgies for the season.
And a great Pentecost liturgy from Work of the People
Another good list is Resources from the Calvin Institute
A beautiful Pentecost poem from Outside the Box
And for a short meditation I enjoyed this video by Franklyn Shaefer
Or if you are looking for an introduction to the season for kids this is hard to beat
Or this from Busted Halo