Ante-Communion, Rite II --- The Feast of Pentecost
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The Feast of Pentecost
according to the Book of Common Prayer (p. 355)
31 May 2020
Click here to see just the lessons for this liturgy.
Preparing for the Liturgy
Choose an Officiant and a reader. Light a candle.
We Gather in God’s Name
Greeting
Officiant:
Alleluia! Christ is Risen!
People:
The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia!
The Collect for Purity
Officiant:
Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy Name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Gloria in excelsis
Officiant and People:
Glory to God in the highest,
and peace to God’s people on earth.
Lord God, heavenly King,
almighty God and Father,
we worship you,
we give you thanks,
we praise you for your glory.Lord Jesus Christ,
only Son of the Father,
Lord God, Lamb of God,
you take away the sin of the world:
have mercy on us;
you are seated at the right hand of the Father:
receive our prayer.For you alone are the Holy One,
you alone are the Lord,
you alone are the Most High,
Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit,
in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
Salutation and Collect
Officiant:
The Lord be with you.
People:
And also with you.
Officiant:
Let us pray.
Almighty God, on this day you opened the way of eternal life to every race and nation by the promised gift of your Holy Spirit: Shed abroad this gift throughout the world by the preaching of the Gospel, that it may reach to the ends of the earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
We Hear God’s Word
The First Lesson — Numbers 11:24-30
Lector:
A reading from the book of Numbers.
Moses went out and told the people the words of the Lord; and he gathered seventy elders of the people, and placed them all around the tent. Then the Lord came down in the cloud and spoke to him, and took some of the spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy elders; and when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied. But they did not do so again.
Two men remained in the camp, one named Eldad, and the other named Medad, and the spirit rested on them; they were among those registered, but they had not gone out to the tent, and so they prophesied in the camp. And a young man ran and told Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.” And Joshua son of Nun, the assistant of Moses, one of his chosen men, said, “My lord Moses, stop them!” But Moses said to him, “Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the Lord’s people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his spirit on them!” And Moses and the elders of Israel returned to the camp.
The word of the Lord.
People:
Thanks be to God.
Psalm 104:25-35, 37 — Benedic, anima mea — (BCP 736)
25 O Lord, how manifold are your works! *
in wisdom you have made them all;
the earth is full of your creatures.
26 Yonder is the great and wide sea
with its living things too many to number, *
creatures both small and great.27 There move the ships,
and there is that Leviathan, *
which you have made for the sport of it.
28 All of them look to you *
to give them their food in due season.29 You give it to them; they gather it; *
you open your hand, and they are filled with good things.
30 You hide your face, and they are terrified; *
you take away their breath,
and they die and return to their dust.31 You send forth your Spirit, and they are created; *
and so you renew the face of the earth.
32 May the glory of the Lord endure for ever; *
may the Lord rejoice in all his works.33 He looks at the earth and it trembles; *
he touches the mountains and they smoke.
34 I will sing to the Lord as long as I live; *
I will praise my God while I have my being.35 May these words of mine please him; *
I will rejoice in the Lord.
37 Bless the Lord, O my soul. *
Hallelujah!
The Second Lesson — Acts 2:1-21
Lector:
A reading from the Acts of the Apostles.
The introduction to this passage (Acts 2:1–4) is read in various languages.
When the day of Pentecost had come, the disciples 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.’The word of the Lord.
People:
Thanks be to God.
The Holy Gospel — John 7:37-39
Deacon:
The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John.
People:
Glory to you, Lord Christ.
Deacon:
When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”
Deacon:
The Gospel of the Lord.
People:
Praise to you, Lord Christ.
A brief homily, spiritual conversation, or moment of silence may be placed here.
Silence follows the homily.
We Respond in Faith
The Baptismal Covenant
Presider:
Do you believe in God the Father?
People:
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
Presider:
Do you believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God?
People:
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit
and born of the Virgin Mary.
He 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,
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
Presider:
Do you believe in God the Holy Spirit?
People:
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.
Presider:
Will you continue in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in the prayers?
People:
I will, with God’s help.
Presider:
Will you persevere in resisting evil, and, whenever you fall into sin, repent and return to the Lord?
People:
I will, with God’s help.
Presider:
Will you proclaim by word and example the Good News of God in Christ?
People:
I will, with God’s help.
Presider:
Will you seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving your neighbor as yourself?
People:
I will, with God’s help.
Presider:
Will you strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being?
People:
I will, with God’s help.
The Prayers of the People
Deacon:
God gives us gifts of the Spirit for the common good. In the power of the Spirit let us offer prayers to God for the needs, concerns, and hopes of the world, responding, Glory and praise to you, O living God.
Leader:
For peace from on high and for our salvation, let us pray.
People:
Glory and praise to you, O living God.
Leader:
For the peace of the whole world, for the welfare of the holy churches of God, and for the unity of all, let us pray.
People:
Glory and praise to you, O living God.
Leader:
For this holy gathering and for those who enter with faith, reverence, and fear of God, let us pray.
People:
Glory and praise to you, O living God.
Leader:
For Justin, Archbishop of Canterbury; Michael, Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church; William, our Diocesan Bishop;… and all who minister in Christ, let us pray.
People:
Glory and praise to you, O living God.
Leader:
For the newly baptized illumined by the light of Christ, let us pray.
People:
Glory and praise to you, O living God.
Leader:
For the world and its leaders, including Donald, our President, Phil, our Governor, and…. For legislatures and courts. For our nation and its people and for all nations, as together we face our common enemies of disease and deprivation, let us pray.
People:
Glory and praise to you, O living God.
Leader:
For our own communities… let us pray.
People:
Glory and praise to you, O living God.
Leader:
For all who are caught in patterns of worry, let us pray.
People:
Glory and praise to you, O living God.
Leader:
For clear and discerning minds, let us pray.
People:
Glory and praise to you, O living God.
Leader:
For those who suffer, those who are ill, or in any trouble; For those on our parish prayer list, including… let us pray.
People:
Glory and praise to you, O living God.
Leader:
For all who have been affected by the Covid-19 virus, especially medical personnel treating patients and their families; for all of us in our different aspects of aloneness, brought on by continued isolation, let us pray.
People:
Glory and praise to you, O living God.
Leader:
For those who have died, and for those who mourn, remembering especially the recent dead from our parish community… and loved ones whom we remember either silently or aloud…, let us pray.
People:
Glory and praise to you, O living God.
Leader:
For ourselves, and all those we love, let us pray.
People:
Glory and praise to you, O living God.
Officiant:
Blessed are you, O Lord our God, who pours out your Spirit on all flesh. Hear our prayers which we offer in confidence and breathe upon us with your Holy Spirit; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
All:
Amen
Officiant:
And now, as our Savior Christ has taught us, we are bold to say,
Officiant and People:
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy Name,
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.
The Blessing
Presider:
May Almighty God, who enlightened the minds of the disciples by pouring out upon them the Holy Spirit, make you rich with his blessing, that you may abound more and more in that Spirit for ever.
People:
Amen.
Presider:
May God, who sent the Holy Spirit as a flame of fire that rested upon the heads of the disciples, burn out all evil from your hearts, and make them shine with the pure light of his presence.
People:
Amen.
Presider:
May God, who by the Holy Spirit caused those of many tongues to proclaim Jesus as Lord, strengthen your faith and send you out to bear witness to him in word and deed.
People:
Amen.
Presider:
And the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be upon you and remain with you for ever.
People:
Amen.
The Dismissal
Deacon:
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord! Alleluia, alleluia!
People:
Thanks be to God. Alleluia, alleluia!