Day of Pentecost May 31St, 2020

Day of Pentecost

May 31st, 2020 Pentecost The term means "the fiftieth day." It is used in both the OT and the NT. In the OT it refers to a feast of seven weeks known as the Feast of Weeks. It was apparently an agricultural event that focused on the harvesting of first fruits. Josephus referred to Pentecost as the fiftieth day after the first day of Passover. The term is used in the NT to refer to the coming of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1), shortly after Jesus' death, resurrection, and ascension.

Christians came to understand the meaning of Pentecost in terms of the gift of the Spirit. The Pentecost event was the fulfillment of a promise which Jesus gave concerning the return of the Holy Spirit. The speaking in tongues, which was a major effect of having received the Spirit, is interpreted by some to symbolize the church's worldwide preaching.

In the Christian tradition, Pentecost is now the seventh Sunday after Easter. It emphasizes that the church is understood as the body of Christ which is drawn together and given life by the Holy Spirit. Some understand Pentecost to be the origin and sending out of the church into the world.

The Day of Pentecost is one of the seven principal feasts of the church year in the Episcopal Church (BCP, p. 15).

The Day of Pentecost is identified by the BCP as one of the feasts that is "especially appropriate" for baptism (p. 312). The liturgical color for the feast is red.

Pentecost has also been known as Whitsun or Whitsunday, a corruption of "White Sunday." This term reflects the custom by which those who were baptized at the Vigil of Pentecost would wear their white baptismal garments to church on the Day of Pentecost.

The BCP provides directions for observance of a Vigil of Pentecost, which begins with the Service of Light (p. 227). The Hymnal 1982 provides a variety of hymns for Pentecost (Hymns 223-230) and the Holy Spirit (Hymns 500-516).

Welcome We are a community who gathers in faith to walk together into the mystery and experience of love, grace, hope, and healing. Our Mission is to go into the community and partner with our neighbors, to work for justice for all, for everyone is welcome at Jesus' table. Welcome to St. John’s-Grace Episcopal Church This program includes today’s entire service.

Please join us: Online Worship and Social Hour at SJG

While maintaining physical distance from one another to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus, we can remain prayerfully and socially connected through online worship followed by an online social hour.

We will host an Online Worship Service at St. John's-Grace Sundays at 10:30am, followed by social hour via video/phone conference at 11:15. Join Any Time!

How to Join: Fr. Jon will host the Liturgy of the Word online using a live video service called ZOOM Webinar.

Anyone can join the service by clicking on this link: https://zoom.us/j/129327034 This link will be used for all St. John’s-Grace Online Activities. Pass: 51Colonial

For assistance, please contact [email protected] or [email protected]

If you want to join by phone instead of computer video, call: +1 929 205 6099 US (New York) Enter 129 327 034 # when prompted. Id: #, pass: 362991

(Long distance charges may apply depending on your phone plan.)

Acclamation

Celebrant Alleluia. Christ is risen. People The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia.

Prayer CPP p. 66, adapted God be with you. Let us pray. Silence God of grace and glory, by the power of the Holy Spirit set our hearts on fire with a new love for Christ, that we may be alive to the opportunities of our times and bear our witness with urgency and zeal. Save us from complacency and from fear of new ways; inspire our minds with the vision of a world conformed to your justice and filled with your love; and stir our wills to pray and work until your will is done on earth as it is in heaven. 5

Short Litany to the Holy Spirit CW:TS p. 209, adapted As we wait in hopeful expectation: Fill us with your Spirit. As we listen to your word: Fill us with your Spirit. As we worship you in majesty: Fill us with your Spirit. As we long for your refreshing: Fill us with your Spirit. As we long for your renewing: Fill us with your Spirit. As we long for your equipping: Fill us with your Spirit. As we long for your empowering: Fill us with your Spirit. Celebrant Come, Holy Spirit, come. Come as the wind, and cleanse us; come as the fire, and burn; come as the dew, and refresh; convict, convert, and consecrate us and our lives to our great good and to God’s greater glory. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and forever. Amen.

Collect for Purity 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.

Confession The Rev’d Charles Deacon Presider Jesus said, "The first commandment is this: Hear, O Israel: The Lord your God is the only Lord. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these." Mark 12:29-31

Presider Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.

Silence may be kept.

Presider and People Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen.

Absolution

Presider Almighty God have mercy on you, forgive you all your sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen you in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in eternal life. Amen.

The Gloria 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. 8

The Collect of the Day 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.

Please be seated.

The Liturgy of the Word

The First Lesson 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, 9

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. Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.' " Acts 2:1-21

Hear what the Spirit is saying to God’s people. Thanks be to God. 10

The Response Psalm 104:25-35, 37; Benedic, anima mea

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 Epistle No one can say “Jesus is Lord” except by the Holy Spirit. Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the discernment of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. All these are activated by one and the same Spirit, who allots to each one individually just as the Spirit chooses.

For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body-- Jews or Greeks, slaves or free-- and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.

1 Corinthians 12:3b-13 Hear what the Spirit is saying to God’s people. Thanks be to God.

The Gospel The Rev’d Charles Deacon

The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to St. John

Glory to you, Lord Christ.

On the last day of the festival, the great day, while Jesus was standing there, he cried out, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me, and let the one who believes in me drink. As the scripture has said, ‘Out of the believer’s heart shall flow rivers of living water.’” Now he said this about the Spirit, which believers in him were to receive; for as yet there was no Spirit, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

John 7:37-39 Praise to you, Lord Christ.

Sermon The Rev’d Jon Lavelle

The Nicene Creed

We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe 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: by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, and was made man. 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.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified. He 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.

The Prayers of the People PRR The people stand, kneel or sit, as is comfortable.

Presider Through the waters of baptism joined together in the fellowship of Christ, and in the power of the Spirit we are sent forth to proclaim words and deeds of love, beginning with the offering of our prayers; responding, “Come, Holy Spirit.”

Intercessor Wisdom from on high, be with the leaders of the nations, giving them discernment and patience as they guide the people they serve; for this we pray.

People Come, Holy Spirit.

Intercessor Mighty Wind and Holy Fire, unsettle the hearts and minds of this church and diocesan community, that we may be challenged anew to hear your word and boldly live its message; for this we pray.

People Come, Holy Spirit.

Intercessor Blessed Advocate, may our ministries reflect your love for the poor in spirit, the needy, the sinner, those who are victims of injustice, oppression, violence and abuse, and for all whom the Son of God gave his life; for this we pray.

People Come, Holy Spirit.

Intercessor Spirit of many tongues, may the peoples of the world find a common language of the heart where cultural and racial diversity find holy ground, and nations suffering under bonds of oppression discover the way to peace; for this we pray.

People Come, Holy Spirit.

Intercessor Breath of Life, open our eyes to the crying needs of our environment, that we, and all the nations of the world, may prudently and tenderly nurture our fragile home; for this we pray.

People Come, Holy Spirit.

Intercessor Holy Comforter, pour your grace into the souls of all who have died, that they may know your abiding presence; for this we pray.

People Come, Holy Spirit.

Intercessor Spirit of thankfulness, we offer our gratitude to church school teachers and members of the choir whose devotion and creativity enrich the life of our community; for this we pray.

People Come, Holy Spirit. Intercessor We praise and thank you for the manifestation of your presence and power among us, for those celebrating anniversaries and birthdays.

People Come, Holy Spirit.

Intercessor Continue to mold us into your perfect wholeness as we add to these prayers: Marian; Father Charles; Ann; Deb; Jonah; Carm; Mary; Frederick & Ellen; Christa; Don; Colleen & Paul; Eugenia; Bob; Mary; Chet; Joe; John and Mary Ellen ;Jen & Guy; Gail; Ruth, Michael; Tony; James; Tristan; Cheryl; Donna C; Jorie; Collin, Paul, & Oscar; Jaika & Jack; Shanti, Jane; Mike; and Marilyn, let us pray. People Come, Holy Spirit.

Continues next page

Intercessor Filled with the power of the Holy Spirit urging us to be people of passionate witness, let us continue our prayers.

Prayers are made by the people aloud or in silence. People Come, Holy Spirit.

The Peace The Peace of the Lord be always with you. And also with you.

Announcements

As our Savior Christ has taught us, we now pray,

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. 19

The Final Blessing Patterns for Worship, C of E, p. 182 May the Spirit, who hovered over the waters when the world was created, breathe into you the life she gives. Amen May the Spirit, who overshadowed the virgin when the eternal son came among us, make you obedient in the service of the Lord. Amen May the Spirit, who inflamed the Church upon the day of Pentecost, set the world on fire with the love of the risen Christ. Amen And the blessing … Dismissal The Rev’d Charles Deacon Presider Let us go forth from this holy place in peace remembering: It is your eyes through which Christ's compassion looks out on the world. Your feet with which he must walk about doing good. Your hands with which he blesses humanity. Your voice with which his forgiveness is spoken. Your heart with which he now loves.

Presider Let us bless the Lord. People Thanks be to God.

Please Remain Online or on the Phone for Social Hour

Assisting schedule:

May21 Lesson I Kym Mathis Psalm Chris Vogelsang Lesson II Tom Lochner Gloria John Moffitt Intercessor Deb Deacon

Online Evening Prayer followed by Social Time St. John’s-Grace Episcopal Church Wednesdays at 7:00pm Link to an Order of Service for Evening Prayer from Mission St. Clare https://www.missionstclare.com/english/June/evening/03e.html To connect to the service using Zoom: Anyone can join the service by clicking on this link: https://zoom.us/j/129327034 Request password from [email protected] or [email protected] This link will be used for all St. John’s-Grace Online Activities. If you want to join by phone instead of computer video, call: +1 929 205 6099 US (New York) Enter 129 327 034 # when prompted. (Long distance charges may apply depending on your phone plan)

Now as we come to the setting of the sun, and our eyes behold the vesper light, we sing your praises, O God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Announcements & Parish updates *Healing Team meeting via Zoom (usual SJG meeting link/ID) at 1200 noon on Saturday, June 6th. All are welcome. *A Borderless Practice: The Interspiritual Invitation of Centering Prayer https://www.contemplativeoutreach.org/article/borderless- practice-interspiritual-invitation-centering-prayer *Please continue to send your pledges by check to: St. John’s-Grace 51 Colonial Circle, Buffalo, NY 14222 *St. John's-Grace Bible Study continues this Monday afternoon from 2:00 to 3:00 and each Monday afternoon. We are continuing reading the Second Book of Chronicles. We read the material together and discuss as we go along. No need to prepare. We use the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) of the Bible, but you may bring another translation to contribute added insight. For now we are using John Schimminger's Zoom account, but the password is the same as the church account (51 Colonial).

To join each Monday's Bible Study meeting, click here: https://us04web.zoom.us/j/77730618686?pwd=YWkzdFdIbzhYb1F BRlRWZ0ZMRWFudz09

Meeting ID: 777 3061 8686 Password: 51Colonial When you check in, make sure you have upgraded to the new version of Zoom (just click on the button for the update; it only takes seconds). Lots of problems were experienced a couple weeks ago at Sunday service due to folks not having the latest version of Zoom. Most of you have probably upgraded by now. John S. 23

From the Desk of Chris Barbera at Jesus the Liberator As Jesus the Liberator enters our 25th year, we have been practicing the African parable of Sankofa – looking back to move forward. Therefore, we have been putting our archives in order and completing our 3rd book, which contains organizational history.

Within that 3rd book is a section entitled “The Cloud of Witnesses.” This refers to the book of Hebrews 12:1. Jesus the Liberator has been blessed by a multitude of witnesses – some within prison and some without. I included two ministers of St. John’s Grace as witnesses…

“Rev. Judy Breny was a student of James Cone and Black Liberation Theology. She had a vision of the church as a bridge between rich and poor neighborhoods and invited us to use the space as an office and new home. Her sense of church and justice collaborated and supported our efforts.”

“Rev. Jon Lavelle was the minister of our host church who filled in when Judy stepped down. His years of ecumenical and interfaith service in the Middle East gave him a unique voice and critique of the Christian Empire of America, which affirmed our libratory educational approach.”

The 2 excerpts above are taken from our forthcoming publication, More to this Confession: Relational Prison Theology.

Those whom we hold in prayer Marian Stelter; Father Charles Deacon; Ann; Deb Deacon; Jonah; Donna Cassaro; Carm Buscemi; Mary Murphy; Frederick & Ellen Lavelle; Christa Vangelov; Don Smyton; Colleen & Paul Mercier; Eugenia Masferrer; Bob Larson; Paul & Nanette; Mary Lerner; Chet; Joe Macchia; June Hartnett; Ruth Bader Ginsburg; John and Mary Ellen Tompkins, Nasia and Liaquat Alito; Ebony Vasquez; Guy and Jen Buyea; Gail Payne; the Kilgallon family; Anthony Libertore; and James Stelter, Tristan Stelter, Cheryl Van Meer. Collin, Paul, & Oscar Barras; Jaika & Jack Stone; Shanti Morrissey; Jane Miller; and Meredith Zak.

New Op-ed from Bishop Rowe in the Erie, PA blogspot, goErie.com https://www.goerie.com/entertainmentlife/20200523/bish op-sean-rowe-pandemic-reveals-inequality-in-erie-county

Commemoration

MECHTILD OF MAGDEBURG; MYSTIC, c. 1282

Mechthild of Magdeburg (c. 1207 – c. 1282/1294), a Beguine, was a Christian medieval mystic, whose book Das fließende Licht der Gottheit (The Flowing Light of Divinity) described her visions of God. She was the first mystic to write in German, as she did not know how to write in Latin.

Definite biographical information about Mechthild is scarce; what is known of her life comes largely from scattered hints in her work. In 1230 she left her home and “renounced worldly honour and worldly riches”to become a Beguine at Magdeburg. There, like Hadewijch of Antwerp, she seems to have exercised a position of authority in a Beguine community. In Magdeburg she became acquainted with the Dominicans and became a Dominican tertiary. It was her Dominican confessor, Henry of Halle, who encouraged and helped Mechthild to compose The Flowing Light.

Her criticism of church dignitaries, religious laxity and claims to theological insight aroused so much opposition that some called for the burning of her writings. 26

With advancing age, she was not only alone, and the object of much criticism but she also became blind. Around 1272, she joined the Cistercian nunnery at Helfta, who offered her protection and support in the final years of her life, and where she finished writing down the contents of the many divine revelations she had experienced.

Mechthild’s writings are formed of the seven books that constitute Das fließende Licht der Gottheit (The Flowing Light of Divinity), which was composed between 1250 and 1280.

What is unusual about her writings is that she composed her work in middle low German at a time when most wisdom literature was composed in Latin. Thus she is remembered as an early proponent and popularizer of German as a language worthy of the divine and holy. Mechthild’s writing is exuberant and emotional: her descriptions of her visions are filled with passion.

While her work was translated into Latin during her lifetime, her work was largely forgotten by the 15th century, but was rediscovered in the late 19th century. Her work has been increasingly studied, both for its academic interest and as a work of devotional literature. It is unclear when Mechthild died. 1282 is a commonly cited date, but some scholars believe she lived into the 1290s.

Draw the souls of your people into your love, O God, that like your servant Mechthild, we may yearn to be fully yours, for you know us better than we can know ourselves; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God now and for ever. Amen.

(http://www.satucket.com/lectionary/Mechthild_of_Magdeburg.html)

About the Cover Image JYOTI ART ASHRAM THE ART ASHRAM IS SI TUATED IN SILVEPURA VILLAGE, NORTH BANGA L O R E , WHERE THE SAHI FAMIL Y H A V E BEEN LIVING SINCE 19 72. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF FACILITIES AT THE ART ASHRAM FO R CREATIVE EXPRESSIO N S , AND GROUPS HAVE BEEN COMING TO USE THE ST UDIOS, AND LEARN FRO M T H E VARIOUS SKILLS OF TH E SAHI FAMILY.

The Pentecost.

The Pentecost is in a way the end of the story of Jesus, and the beginning of the Church, or the New Kingdom brought about by the holy Spirit. Rather like the way this Blog on the story of Jesus, the end of the story is the way that we now have to start, and the other events which are contained in the four sections that I have outlined when I introduced the theme of the Story of Jesus in Asia, will unfold as we go back, till we come to the beginning of the story in the Anunciation and birth of Jesus. But in a way liturgical time is also circular time. In the end is also the beginning. https://jyotiartashram.blogspot.com/2007/10/pentecost.html

ST. JOHN’S - GRACE EPISCOPAL CHURCH 51 Colonial Circle, Buffalo, NY 14222 / (716) 885-1112 Presiding Bishop Michael Curry Sean Rowe, Provisional Bishop Rector: The Reverend Jon F. Lavelle Priest Associate: The Reverend Charles A. Deacon Music Director: Brian L. Hilton [email protected] Wardens: John Moffitt [email protected] Robert Petersen [email protected] Clerk of the Vestry: Peggy Moffitt Vestry Members: Herb Hogue Mark Babcock Merle Foraker Tom Lochner Jaika Stone Maribel Ortiz

Treasurer: Robert Petersen Wedding Coordinator: Janice Lochner Sextons: André Gilbert, Patrice Pinkney; Elijah Jones Parish Office: [email protected] Website: http://www.stjohnsgrace.org

Pastoral Care: Please call Father Jon Lavelle at 867-1340. [email protected]