We welcome everyone to our In-Person and Virtual Worship Service
If you know anyone who wants to register for the virtual services, they can signup at https://portwallisunitedchurch.ca/virtual as everyone logging in needs their own registration. ALL are welcome!
Masks/vaccinations are highly encouraged for in-person services
Service Documents to view/print at home.
Pentecost * denotes standing 28 May 2023
Port Wallis United Church
is an open Congregation that affirms you as a child of God,
made in God’s Image, and loved by God.
MUSICAL PRELUDE
WELCOME / BIENVENUE / FAILTE / PJILA’DIK
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF LAND
EXPLANATION OF THE FEAST OF PENTECOST
SCRIPTURE LESSON: Acts 2: 1 – 6
CALL TO WORSHIP ~ VENI SANCTE SPIRITUS
7 Candles are lit to remind us of the seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit.
(1) Wisdom; (2) Understanding; (3) Counsel; (4) Fortitude;
(5) Knowledge; (6) Piety; (7) Fear of the LORD.
PRAYER OF APPROACH
Veni Sancte Spiritus. Come, O Wind of God,
You are the Voice of Wisdom in this world of wonder!
Come, O Breath of Eternity,
You are the Voice that reminds us of our home in glory!
Come, O Inspiration of the Ages,
You are the Voice that whispers to us throughout history.
O Holy Spirit, come to us and dwell within us;
Come as the wind and blow away the dust,
Come as the fire and purify our lives,
Come as the dew and refresh our souls.
Come, lift this world into the Presence of God,
until heaven and earth become one
and we share in the eternal joy of the resurrection!
Veni Sancte Spiritus!
Come, O Holy Spirit!
O Saint-Esprit, viens sur nous. Comble nous de tes faveurs!
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O Spiorad Naobh, trobhaid dhuinn. Cum sinn fo do sgaille. Heiliger Geist, komm über uns mit der fülle deiner Kraft.
Espíritu Santo cúbrenos hoy. Danos siempre tu poder.
O Holy Spirit, come to us. Fill us with your gift of Grace!
HYMN # 23 (MV) COME, O HOLY SPIRIT
PRAYER OF CONFESSION
Πνευμα Θεου – O Spirit of God,
we throw open the doors and windows of this Church
that You may fill this building with your Presence!
רוח קודש We throw open our minds
That You may breathe new ideas into us.
Святий Дух, Loving Spirit, we spread our lives out before You,
re-create us in the Image of Jesus Christ.
Forgive our fear, our failures, and our frailness.
Inspire us with visions and dreams of Glory.
Set us free from what was
and guide us into the new Creation You have promised.
Come, O Holy Spirit, and renew us for the glory of God.
Forgive us, redeem us and restore us
through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.
SILENT CONFESSION and ASSURANCE OF PARDON
INTROIT (#37 in Voices United) *
Gloria, Gloria, in excelsis Deo!
Gloria, Gloria, Alleluia! Alleluia!
SCRIPTURE LESSONS
First Lesson: Ezekiel 37: 1 – 14 Read in German
1The hand of the Lord was upon me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. 2He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. 3He asked me, “Son of man,, can these bones live?” I said, O Sovereign Lord, you alone know. 4Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! 5This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. 6I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.” 7So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. 8I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them. 9Then he said to me, “ Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe into these slain, that they may live.’”10So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet – a vast army. 11Then he said to me: “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.’ 12therefore prophesy
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and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: O my people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. 13Then you, my people, will know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. 14I will put my spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken, and I have done it, declares the Lord.’”
Responsive Psalm # 100 at # 820 in Voices United
Epistle Lesson: Romans 8: 22 – 27 Read in Dutch
22We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? 25But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. 26In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. 27And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.
Gospel: John 15: 26 – 16:15 Read in French
26When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, this One will testify about me. 27And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning. 16:1All this I have told you so that you will not go astray. 2They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, a time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering a service to God. 3They will do such things because they have not known the Father or me. 4 I have told you this, so that when the time comes you will remember that I warned you. I did not tell you this at first because I was with you. 5Now I am going to God who sent me, yet none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ 6Because I have said these things, you are filled with grief. 7But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send the One to you. 8When the Spirit comes, the Spirit will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: 9in regard to sin, because people do not believe in me; 10in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; 11and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned. 12I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. 13But when the One, the Spirit of truth, comes, this One will guide you into all truth. The Spirit will not speak on her own; The One will speak only what She hears, and She will tell you what is yet to come. 14 The One will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. 15All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you.
A TEACHING TIME (a time of learning for younger folk)
TEACHING PRAYER
In peace, dear God, I come to You
through Jesus Christ who makes me new
And while I run or play or rest,
be with those whom I love best,
Guide me in your Holy Way,
as You walk with me each day, AMEN.
HYMN # 382 (VU) BREATHE ON ME, BREATH OF GOD *
REFLECTION ON THE SCRIPTURE LESSONS – SERMON
OFFERING HYMN # 191 (MV) WHAT CAN I DO? *
SACRAMENT OF COMMUNION (Please follow on the Insert)
HYMN # 625 (VU) I FEEL THE WINDS OF GOD TODAY *
BENEDICTION *
May the blessing of the Maker be yours,
Encircling us, above us and within us.
May the blessing of the Son be yours,
The Wine and the water, the Bread and the stories,
to feed us and remind us.
May the blessing of the Spirit be yours,
The wind and the fire, the still small voice of calm,
to comfort us and disturb us.
May the blessing of God, Three-in-One and One-in-Three,
be yours, this day and every day,
To protect us, defend us, encourage us and strengthen us.
And may we bless each other,
A blessing rooted in our common pilgrimage,
the blessing of a friend.
EXCHANGING OF THE PEACE OF CHRIST *
CHORAL PARTING ANTHEM
LET THE FLAME BURN BRIGHTLY
ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR THE CHURCH COMMUNITY
MUSICAL POSTLUDE
Sunday June 4th at 10 am, David Hewitt, DM, the Regional Minister for Region 15 (Nova Scotia and Bermuda), will be joining us for Worship and participating in a “Q and A” Sermon time. Together, David and Ivan will answer your questions about the transition we are beginning.
The Regional Minister is responsible for assisting a Pastoral Charge with the transition between ministers and ministries.
David will stay for tea/coffee afterwards as we get to know him and he us. He will also briefly meet the Transition Team.
Thank you to our readers today.