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LITURGY FOR WORSHIP AT HOME

Reformed Church of Port Ewen

the Day of Pentecost

Sunday, May 31, 2020

+ You are encouraged to light a candle as you begin this service. When you light the candle

you may say: “Christ, you are the light of the world. In you, there is no darkness at all.

Amen.”

+ You are encourage to pour water in a bowl after the Prayer of Confession. Dip your hand

fingers in the water and make a sign of the cross on your forehead. In this way, you are not

re-baptizing yourself but you are reminding yourself of your baptism, of being washed clean

in Christ, of being claimed by God as His own forever.

+ If you are alone, you are encouraged to speak aloud all the readings and sayings, italicized and

bold, that follow.

+ If you are together with family or friends, you may designate one person to be the leader

(reading aloud the italicized words) while the rest of those gathered may respond (saying aloud

the words in bold).

+ A prayer list has been included at the bottom, generated from requests of those in our

community.

+ All the hymns and songs include links above the sheet music to recordings made by organist

and choir director Linda Bresnahan-McCarthy, with the assistance of her husband Harry.

The link will take you to Youtube.com so that you can listen and sing along!

+ There is a link below that will also take you to a recording of a meditation by Pastor Kevin.

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OPENING SENTENCES & CALL TO WORSHIP

God calls us into worship with these words:

“You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be

my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and Samaria, and to the ends of the

earth.”

— Acts 1:8

HYMN OF PRAISE

“I’m Gonna Sing When the Spirit Says Sing”

Click this link to listen: https://youtu.be/9QRls1PEY5M

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CONFESSION & ASSURANCE

CALL TO CONFESSION

Jesus said:

“If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father,

and he will give to you another Helper, to be with you forever, the Spirit of

truth. . . . Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who love

me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and

manifest myself to him.”

— John 14:15-16, 21

Let us confess together the ways we have failed love Jesus:

PRAYER OF CONFESSION

God, our Judge and Redeemer,

We have not kept your commandments.

We have failed to love you with our whole being.

To you all hearts are open,

all desires known,

and from you no secrets are hid.

Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts,

by the power and work of the Holy Spirit,

that we may, in all things, grow more and more like Jesus,

loving you and loving one another,

keeping your commandments.

In Jesus’ name. Amen.

ASSURANCE OF FORGIVENESS

Hear this assurance of our forgiveness in Jesus Christ:

I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries

and bring you into your own land. I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you

shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will

cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within

you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart

of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my

statutes and be careful to obey my rules.

— Ezekiel 36:24-27

In Christ, you have been baptized, cleansed from all unrighteousness. You have been given a new

heart and a new spirit by the Holy Spirit that dwells in you. In Christ, you have been forgiven and

made new. Amen!

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GLORIA PATRI

Click this link to listen: https://youtu.be/bKnoAr8iLFM

SCRIPTURE LESSONS

PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION

As we prepare to hear God’s Word let us pray for God’s help:

Lord of heaven and earth, pour out on us the abundant gifts of the Holy

Spirit, that in hearing Your Word, our hearts would be made to burn within

us, our tongues set aflame, with your love, so that we can’t help but tell others

of the gospel of Jesus Christ. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Isaiah 61

The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me,

because the LORD has anointed me

to bring good news to the poor;

he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,

to proclaim liberty to the captives,

and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; 2 to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor,

and the day of vengeance of our God;

to comfort all who mourn; 3 to grant to those who mourn in Zion—

to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes,

the oil of gladness instead of mourning,

the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit;

that they may be called oaks of righteousness,

the planting of the LORD, that he may be glorified.

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4 They shall build up the ancient ruins;

they shall raise up the former devastations;

they shall repair the ruined cities,

the devastations of many generations. 5 Strangers shall stand and tend your flocks;

foreigners shall be your plowmen and vinedressers; 6 but you shall be called the priests of the LORD;

they shall speak of you as the ministers of our God;

you shall eat the wealth of the nations,

and in their glory you shall boast. 7 Instead of your shame there shall be a double portion;

instead of dishonor they shall rejoice in their lot;

therefore in their land they shall possess a double portion;

they shall have everlasting joy. 8 For I the LORD love justice;

I hate robbery and wrong;

I will faithfully give them their recompense,

and I will make an everlasting covenant with them. 9 Their offspring shall be known among the nations,

and their descendants in the midst of the peoples;

all who see them shall acknowledge them,

that they are an offspring the LORD has blessed. 10 I will greatly rejoice in the LORD;

my soul shall exult in my God,

for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation;

he has covered me with the robe of righteousness,

as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress,

and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. 11 For as the earth brings forth its sprouts,

and as a garden causes what is sown in it to sprout up,

so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise

to sprout up before all the nations.

John 14

1“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father's house

are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for

you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself,

that where I am you may be also. 4 And you know the way to where I am going. 5 Thomas

said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the

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way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the

Father except through me. 7 If you had known me, you would have known my Father also.

From now on you do know him and have seen him.”

8 Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” 9 Jesus said to

him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has

seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Do you not believe

that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak

on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. 11 Believe me that I

am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.

12 “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and

greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. 13 Whatever you ask in

my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask me anything

in my name, I will do it.

Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit

15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will

give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world

cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells

with you and will be in you.

18 “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Yet a little while and the world will

see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 In that day you will

know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. 21 Whoever has my

commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved

by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.” 22 Judas (not Iscariot) said to

him, “Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?” 23 Jesus

answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him,

and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24 Whoever does not love me does

not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father's who sent me.

25 “These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. 26 But the Helper, the Holy

Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your

remembrance all that I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.

Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be

afraid. 28 You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I will come to you.’ If you loved

me, you would have rejoiced, because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than

I. 29 And now I have told you before it takes place, so that when it does take place you may

believe. 30 I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has

no claim on me, 31 but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know

that I love the Father. Rise, let us go from here.

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Acts 2

1When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there

came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where

they were sitting. 3 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one

of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other

tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. 5 Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under

heaven. 6 And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because

each one was hearing them speak in his own language. 7 And they were amazed and

astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 And how is it that we

hear, each of us in his own native language? 9 Parthians and Medes and Elamites and

residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and

Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from

Rome, 11 both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own

tongues the mighty works of God.” 12 And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one

another, “What does this mean?” 13 But others mocking said, “They are filled with new

wine.”

Peter's Sermon at Pentecost 14 But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: “Men of Judea

and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. 15 For

these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. 16 But

this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel: 17 “‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares,

that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh,

and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,

and your young men shall see visions,

and your old men shall dream dreams; 18 even on my male servants and female servants

in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy. 19 And I will show wonders in the heavens above

and signs on the earth below,

blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke; 20 the sun shall be turned to darkness

and the moon to blood,

before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day. 21 And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall

be saved.’

22 “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by

God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as

you yourselves know— 23 this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan

and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. 24 God

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raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by

it. 25 For David says concerning him,

“‘I saw the Lord always before me,

for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken; 26 therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced;

my flesh also will dwell in hope. 27 For you will not abandon my soul to Hades,

or let your Holy One see corruption. 28 You have made known to me the paths of life;

you will make me full of gladness with your presence.’

29 “Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died

and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30 Being therefore a prophet, and

knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants

on his throne, 31 he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not

abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. 32 This Jesus God raised up, and of

that we all are witnesses. 33 Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having

received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you

yourselves are seeing and hearing. 34 For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he

himself says,

“‘The Lord said to my Lord,

“Sit at my right hand, 35 until I make your enemies your footstool.”’

36 Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord

and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”

37 Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the

apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized

every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will

receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is for you and for your children and for

all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” 40 And with many

other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from

this crooked generation.” 41 So those who received his word were baptized, and there were

added that day about three thousand souls.

The Fellowship of the Believers 42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking

of bread and the prayers. 43 And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs

were being done through the apostles. 44 And all who believed were together and had all

things in common. 45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing

the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 And day by day, attending the temple together

and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous

hearts, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their

number day by day those who were being saved.

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MEDITATION ON THE SCRIPTURE LESSONS

Click here to listen: https://youtu.be/D2KthukWO8o

CONFESSION OF THE FAITH: THE NICENE CREED

Let us confess together the faith that has been handed down to us through centuries:

We believe in one God,

the Father almighty,

maker of heaven and earth,

and of all things visible and invisible;

And in one Lord Jesus Christ,

the only Son of God,

eternally begotten of the Father,

God from God, light from light,

true God from true God,

begotten, not made,

of one Being with the Father;

through him all things were made.

For us and for our salvation

he came down from heaven,

was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary

and became truly human.

For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;

he suffered death and was buried.

On the third day he rose again

in accordance with the Scriptures;

he ascended into heaven

and is seated at the right hand of the Father.

He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,

and his kingdom will have no end.

And we believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,

who proceeds from the Father [and the Son],

who with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified,

who has spoken through the prophets.

We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.

We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.

We look for the resurrection of the dead,

and the life of the world to come. Amen.

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PRAYERS OF THANKSGIVING AND INTERCESSION

+ During the following prayer, when prompted, you are invited to name specific things that you are thankful to

God for, or specific things and persons who are in need of prayer (intercession).

Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, on this day of Pentecost we praise you for sending your Holy Spirit, setting our hearts aflame with your love, filling our mouths with your praise, and your Church with power. Come, Holy Spirit, take and transform our societies— that broken people find healing; that lonely people find love; that bitter people find peace; that fearful people find hope.

(silent prayers of intercession may be offered);

Come, Holy Spirit, take our world’s leaders and governments and bring renewal— that communication can be open; that relationships between hostile people and hostile nations will evaporate; that a hunger for Your justice will fill the hearts of leaders.

(silent prayers of intercession may be offered);

Come, Holy Spirit, fill your church— that our worship will be ever more pleasing to you; that prayers will change our minds instead of trying to get you to change yours; that our lives will make a real difference to real people in the real world. Help us to proclaim the good news of Jesus of Christ, and help us to love the justice that you love.

(silent prayers of intercession may be offered);

We pray for your church, to be a people that reflects the justice of the kingdom of God.

We pray for our church, to be set free from the spirits of the age that we can live radically different lives, bound together not by blood, not by nation, not by race, not by status, but bound together in the power of the Holy Spirit.

We lament and mourn the unjust deaths of blacks Americans. We long for justice. We pray against violence and long for peace. Fill us with your Spirit.

Come, Holy Spirit, fill our lives with your presence— so that more and more every day, all that we do and say and hope will be an act of worship to you and an expression of love to others, to the glory of your name. Amen.

And now as our Savior Jesus Christ has taught us, we are bold to pray . . .

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THE LORD’S PRAYER

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 debts,

as we forgive our debtors;

and lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom,

and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

HYMN OF SENDING

“Spirit of God, Descend upon My Heart”

To listen click here: https://youtu.be/DPLANWy-oI0

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BENEDICTION

God sends us on our way with these words of comfort and peace:

May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,

the love of God,

and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be ours now and forevermore. Amen.

— 2 Corinthians 13:14

DOXOLOGY

To listen click here: https://youtu.be/4fXlzHiW1D0

Prayer List

World — The Coronavirus, governments, scientists and public health officials around the world

responding to the crisis, all those who put themselves at risk to care for the sick (church family); An

end to the coronavirus, A solution for the refugee crisis around the world, esp. Syria (K. Lamb;

Phyllis & Janet Hutton); Environmental protection and clean-up, Refugees along the Syrian border

(V. Rubeo); End to the war in Syria (K. Lamb); for all the homeless (Phyllis & Janet Hutton).

Nation — President Donald J. Trump; Governor Andrew Cuomo; U.S. Senators Gillibrand and

Schumer; U.S. Representative Antonio Delgado

Church Worldwide — Persecuted Church (China, Nigeria, North Korea)

RCA — Oman Protestant Church and Bode Family, Al-Amanda Center

Mid-Hudson Classis — Rev. Eric Titus and St. John’s Reformed (Red Hook)

Petitions of healing, protection, and deliverance — Wayne Scherry (S. Scherry); Mario & Susan

Rutella (C. Mabie); Ethan Olenick (K. Lamb); Linda Cook (Jim & Anita Hadley); Linda Tierney,

Bea Hogan, Colleen Janssen, Elnora McSpirit (Church Family); Neil Shah, Nancy Brinckerhoff

(Glenn Knickerbocker); Jackie Reynolds (B. Schlichting); Ian McKellar, Adrienne Dykeman, all

essential workers and those who’ve lost their jobs (Rhoda family); Bob Holmes (Jayne Holmes);

Frank Auringer (VanAken family); Fran Hagan (B. Lalor); Adriene Kelley, Don Every, Bill Loughlin

(Kinsch family); Joseph Sutton (C. Sutton); Randy Allwardt (K. Slusher); Rev. Eric Titus & family

(J. Nolting); Family of Kevin (S. Goodrich); Linda Beatty, Cathy & Jerry Every (E. McSpirit); Tom

Bauer, Patty Van Voorhis (J. Pade); Flooding victims in Michigan, LeeAnne Hunlock, Taylor Block,

Fred Rhoda (Bresnahan-McCarthy family); Mary Van Deusen, Stevie, Gordon Still, Ginny Clark (C.

Van Deusen); Blake Parker (Stickley family)

Homebound/nursing homes/institutions — Pauline Wyre, Verna Allen, Lucille Van

Steenburgh, Bea Hogan, Dan Terpening, Martha Koelli, Marie Klippel

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Grieving — Family & friends of: Joan Glosch; Leslie Banks; Cathy Schoonmaker; Rene Hobart;

Margaret Dixon; Cathy Seimer; Rosemary Becker, Jeff Westfall, Rev. Allan Janssen, Karen Ashline,

Jon Michael Hutton, Jacqueline Helmer.

Praise & Thanksgiving — Jackie Reynolds is off ventilator and is home recovering (B.

Schlichting); Randy Allwardt being released from the hospital; Birth of Ila Blair Noel Banks (J.

Loring).