Tuesday, May 03, 2022

Pentecost C (June 5): Contagious Christianity/ Inspired by the Spirit/Celebration Time



























Bible Readings: Acts 2:1-21, Genesis 11:1-9, Psalm 104:24-34, 35b, Romans 8:14-17, John 14:8-17, 25-27.

About the Photos:
Upper Left:
This photo was taken by good friend David Husted when he was taken hot air ballooning over Melbourne by his kids for his 60th birthday. Balloons have always been a symbol for me of the Holy Spirit. Just as a balloon filled with air shows great promise so do we when we are filled with God's Spirit. Hot air balloons, flames and all, over a city are a sign of promise and challenge. Please feel free to use this image for worship and related activities.
Upper Right: 
This image is free and come from the excellent ImageBank site which has closed down.
Middle Left: This is my image so please feel free to use it for worship and related activities.
Middle Right: This image comes from the awesome Church Galleries website which is down at present
Lower Left: This is a free image from the excellent Heartlight site - see my link column at left.
Lower Right: A free image from the Hermano Leon site. - see my link column at left.  

Whole Service Idea: Spread it Around
Found in Multi-Sensory Seasons by Wendy Raynor and Annie Slade, Scripture Union, 2005, ISBN 1844271757, page 47 (pictured at left). These ideas are based primarily on the Acts reading.


Listening Song: Hands and Feet By Audio Adrenalin on WOW 2001 or their
album, Underdog (pictured at right). This works well with the Romans reading.

Listening Song: Holy Spirit
By Third Day on their self titled album (pictured at left).  This is a song that goes well with the whole theme of Pentecost.

Listening Song: Burning like Fire.  

By Iona on their album Beyond these Shores (pictured at right).  This also goes well with the whole theme of Pentecost and if you are into Celtic music, then this song is an added bonus. 

Prayer: Feathers
  
In Multi-Sensory Scripture by Sue Wallace, Scripture Union, 2005, ISBN 1844271668, page 34 (pictured at left). This prayer is based primarily on the Acts reading.

Drama: Verbal Symphony for Pentecost

 By M Preugschat in Drama Resources 2 by Lutheran Publishing House, 2000, page 55 (pictured at right). This drama is so much fun.  I turned it into a congregational drama - and everybody participated with great delight.

Drama: But It's Only 9 O'clock.
Found in Mega Drama 5 by Verena Johnson (Ed), Open Book, 2002, ISBN 0859109194, page 109 (pictured at left). This drama is based on the Acts reading.

Quote: Hitler
Hitler used fear to drive his attack on Europe. He said "If the Jews did not exist we would have had to invent them" . 


Film: The Legend of Bagger Vance 
Show this clip where Bagger Vance teaches Junuh how to find his "one truly authentic swing".



Discussion: The Legend of Bagger Vance
 

1. What do you think our "one truly authentic swing" could be?
2
. If Bagger Vance represents the Holy Spirit, how does the Holy Spirit help us to find our "one truly authentic swing"?
3. Have you found your "one truly authentic swing"?

(thanks to someone for this idea - unfortunately I can't remember who - let me know if you know).

Film: Dead Poets Society

(pictured at left) Use your discretion as to how much you show of this clip depending on the age and emotional resilience of your congregation. Show the clip prior to the student's suicide when the student, who is a talented actor, is stopped from realising his dreams by his father who thinks that acting is a waste of time. The student tries to explain his fear of a future which does not include acting and which will therefore be devoid of the things that he loves doing best.

Discussion:
What sort of things do we fear today?
What sort of things do we fear for our church?
What sort of things do we fear for ourselves? 


Film Clip: Spirit Wind
From Work of the People- see my link column at left

Story: Your Own Experience
Display digitally or have with you some of the more fear evoking headlines which we often see today or relate an experience you have had recently where you came across actions taken by others as a result of fear. eg on our last trip to Tasmania we were intrigued by the official who wanted to look under the bonnet of our car as we waited to drive on to the ferry at Port Melbourne. We were quite amused when he told us he was looking for bombs.... until we realised he was fair dinkum. 


Story: The Big Rock
Found in Hot Illustrations for Youth Talks by Wayne Rice, Youth Specialties, 1994, ISBN 0310402611, page 36.

Response Activity:

Give everyone a sparkler. Light the front row and allow people to touch the ends to light others. Use them as a reminder of the first Pentecost (fire and wind) - they fire up best when they are waved about.....but please be careful!


Also:

Film Clip: The Fear
This film clip was suggested by Rob who visits this blog.  He says the clip "encapsulates how virtually an entire generation often feel. Also, the lyrics are genuinely intelligent and thought-provoking" and "the lyrics to The Fear are here, in case anyone can't make them out clearly - http://www.musicloversgroup.com/lily-allen-the-fear-lyrics-and-video/"
Thanks Rob!




Kids: The Sea-Breeze Hotel 
By Marcia Vaughan and Patricia Mullins with lots of ideas for a whole worship service found in Worship is For Everyone by Julie Pinazza, Openbook Publishers, 2000, ISBN 0859109259, page 13. This goes well with the Acts reading.

Taize Service: Holy Fire
Found in Worship Feast by Taize, Abingdon Press, 2004, page 30. This is based on the Acts reading.

Two chapters of resources for Pentecost and the Holy Spirit:
By Ruth Burgess in Fire and Bread, Wild Goose Publications, 2006, ISBN 9781905010301, pages 147ff. 

Various Ideas: Power to Communicate the Message
Found in Multi-Sensory Message by Dave Maclure, Scripture Union, 2008, ISBN 9781844272730, page 34. Connected with Acts. 

Lots of Useful Stuff: Portrait of the Artist
Found in Multi-Sensory Together by Ian Birkinshaw, Scripture Union,2005, ISBN 1844271641, page 20.  Based on the Psalm reading.

Beautiful Illustrations of John's Gospel  connected to the Australian Outback
Found in The Gospel According to John Illuminated by Fiona Pfennigwerth, Tien Wah Press, Singapore, 2013, ISBN 9780646912462, page 36-37.

Poem: Two Are to be Together
Found in In Due Season by Herbert F Brokering, Augsburg Publishing, 1966 (pictured at right) in the Summer section.

Drama: That's The Spirit
Found in Let's Make a Scene by Verena Johnson, Lutheran Publishing House, page 60ff. This is an interview in which the reporter tries to find out what happened at Pentecost.

Service Starter: Promised Delivered
Based on the Acts reading, this is found in The All-Age Service Annual Volume 4, published by Scripture Union, 2010, ISBN 9781844275199, page 48.

Poem: The Tower of Babel
Found in The Electric Bible by Peter Dainty, Kevin Mayhew Ltd, 2003, ISBN 1 84417 041 1, page 26.  This poem is based on the Genesis reading.  


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