This Week’s Bulletin

CHRIST CONGREGATIONAL

UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST

MAY 24, 2026 – 11:00 a.m.

PENTECOST SUNDAY

Strengthen the Church Offering

Preparation for worship

“Ask the Holy Spirit to help you see where God wants you to go—and give you the courage to get there.” —Fr. Jacques Philippe

🌸 Today’s flowers are in celebration of Joan Campagna’s mother, Marian’s birthday!

The Rev. Candace Thomas, Pastor

Jay Harragin, Director of Music

Graham Bryan, Church Moderator/ Musician

Karen Kett, Liturgist

Fay Gordon, Usher

Kevin Salas, Audio/ Visual Technical director

14920 Southwest 67^thAvenue, Palmetto Bay, Florida 33158

www.christcongregationalucc.org

office@christcongregationalucc.org | 305.235.9381

*Indicates please stand if comfortably able

GATHERING MUSIC -10:45 a.m.

WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

PRELUDE

*LIGHTING OF THE PEACE CANDLE

Leader: The Light shines in the Darkness

All: And the darkness cannot put out the light!

*WORLD PEACE PRAYER (Unison)

Lead us from death to life, from falsehood to truth,

Lead us from despair to hope, from fear to trust.

Lead us from hate to love, from war to peace.

Let peace fill our heart, our world, our universe. Amen.

* CALL TO WORSHIP (Responsive) (Inspired by Acts 2:1 and Psalm 104)

One: When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place.

Many: We join for worship online and onsite, in real time and sometimes days later, and yet,

One: The Holy One sends forth the Spirit.

Many: Who unites us, connects us, and forms us as a community.

One: We were created in spirit and in truth, wonderfully and fearfully, in the image of Holy Love.

Many: God renews the face of the earth and the cosmos, this faith community and the church.

One: May the glory of God the Fire endure forever!

ALL: Bless the Holy One, oh my soul. Praise God!

*HYMN “Sweet, Sweet Spirit (No. 293, NCH)

Verse 1

There’s a sweet, sweet Spirit in this place, and I know that it’s the Spirit of the Lord; there are sweet expressions on each face, and I know they feel the presence of the Lord.

Refrain

Sweet Holy Spirit, sweet heavenly Dove, stay right here with us, filling us with your love; And for these blessings we lift our hearts in praise. Without a doubt we’ll know that we have been revived when we shall leave this place.

Verse 2

There are blessings you cannot receive till you know that Spirit’s fullness and believe; you’re the one to profit when you say, “I am going to stay with Jesus all the way.”

Refrain

*PRAYER OF INVOCATION (Unison)

Spirit of Unity, you knit us together with all of our connections and distinctions. You make us one and yet unique. We gather to hear your voice and to attune ourselves to the language of the other, to celebrate the diversity of your creation and to immerse ourselves in compassionate care, to give you glory and to recognize the gift of community. May our hearts be opened and our lips declare your praise. Inhabit our worship with your abiding presence and inflame us with your love. Amen.

THE COMMANDMENT OF JESUS (John 15:5, 12)

I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.

SCRIPTURE LESSON: Acts 2:1-21 NRSV

When the day of Pentecost had come, they 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.

Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

SPECIAL MUSIC “Breathe on Us”

There is a shaking, let hearts awaken
Our God is moving, forever changing us
There is a trembling, there is revival
The sound of worship, so great and glorious

Holy Spirit, hear us now

Breathe on us, holy fire fall
Come and fill this place with Your presence
Like a rushing wind, send Your spirit here
Breath of Heaven, breathe on us
Breath of Heaven, breathe on us

There is a shaking, let hearts awaken
Our God is moving, forever changing us
There is a trembling, there is revival
The sound of worship, so great and glorious

Holy Spirit, hear us now

Breathe on us, holy fire fall
Come and fill this place with Your presence
Like a rushing wind, send Your spirit here
Breath of Heaven, breathe on us
Breath of Heaven, breathe on us

Come breathe on us
Come breathe on us
Come breathe on us

Lift up your hands and shout
The Lord is with us now
Lift up your voice and sing
He is Holy
Lift up your hands and shout
The Lord is with us now
Lift up your voice and sing
He is Holy

Lift up your hands and shout
The Lord is with us now
Lift up your voice and sing
He is Holy
Lift up your hands and shout
The Lord is with us now
Lift up your voice and sing
He is Holy (yeah)

Breathe on us, holy fire fall
Come and fill this place with Your presence
Like a rushing wind, send Your spirit here
Breath of Heaven, breathe on us
Breathe on us, holy fire fall
Come and fill this place with Your presence
Like a rushing wind, send Your spirit here
Breath of Heaven, breathe on us
Breath of Heaven, breathe on us

Come breathe on us
Come breathe on us
Come breathe on us, yeah

PRAYER FOR TRANSFORMATION AND NEW LIFE (Unison)

Spirit of God, fall afresh on us. Let your refining fire bring impurities to the surface for the fullness of who we are to shine through. Forgive us for the ways we allow our diversity to be a reason for divisiveness and exclusion rather than a celebration of your wondrous work in us. Enable us to overcome and eradicate the barriers that we create in the name of our convenience and comfort that push your beloved to the margins. Awaken in us a desire to know and share space with neighbor, enemy, and kin. Amen.

WORDS OF GRACE-Pastor

Beloved of God, you have not received a spirit of fear, divisiveness, or hate. Receive the true gift of God—the spirit of adoption—that binds us together as one and unique,

connected and distinct, unified yet not uniform. The Spirit of God delights in you as the individual you are and are becoming as a co-heir with Christ of the kingdom, as well as in the global human community that declares the creative breadth of the Holy One’s creative acts and surpassing love.

SHARING OUR JOYS AND CONCERNS

PRAYER SONG “Spirit of the Living God” Verse 1 (No. 283, NCH)

Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me;

Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me.

Melt me, mold me, fill me, use me.

Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me.

TIME OF SILENT MEDITATION

(You are invited to open your heart to the movement of the Holy Spirit).

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE

THE PRAYER OF JESUS (Unison)

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, now and forever. Amen.

INVITATION TO GENEROSITY– Pastor Candy

Psalm 104:27-28 states, “These all look to you to give them their food in due season; when you give to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are filled with good things.” As your gathered body, we give and open hands and hearts to share the good things you have given to us. We give in abundance and in sacrifice so that all needs are met. Let us give in thanksgiving and commitment to the church and the world.

MUSICAL OFFERING “Build Your Kingdom Here” Rent Collective

Verse 1

Come set Your rule and reign In our hearts again Increase in us we pray Unveil why we’re made Come set our hearts ablaze with hope Like wildfire in our very souls Holy Spirit come invade us now We are Your church We need Your pow’r in us.

Verse 2

We seek Your kingdom first We hunger and we thirst Refuse to waste our lives For You’re our joy and prize To see the captives’ hearts released The hurt the sick the poor at peace We lay down our lives for heaven’s cause We are Your church We pray revive this earth.

Chorus 1

Build Your kingdom here Let the darkness fear Show Your mighty hand Heal our streets and land Set Your church on fire Win this nation back Change the atmosphere Build Your kingdom here we pray.

Verse 3

Unleash Your kingdom’s pow’r Reaching the near and far No force of hell can stop Your beauty changing hearts You made us for much more than this Awake the kingdom seed in us Fill us with the strength and love of Christ We are Your church We are the hope on earth.

PRAYER OF DEDICATION AND THANKSGIVING (Unison)

Spirit, receive these gifts for the mutual flourishing of all the creatures of earth and the benefit of your kingdom. Sustain us as caretakers, prosper our work, and stir the gifts in us. Amen.

* HYMN “Joys Are Flowing, like a River” (No. 284 , NCH)

Verse 1

Joys are flowing like a river, since the Comforter has come; Christ abides with us forever, makes the trusting heart a home.

Refrain