By Kachael J and Ashley Johnson

Wind Rush, Spirit Flow

An Opening Bible Reading/Call to Worship for Acts 2:1-21
(Kachael J)

Prepare for this call to worship by teaching this chant as the people are gathering for worship. Encourage your skilled musicians to add a musical layer to that gathering chant. When you are ready to begin worship, have the leader encourage the congregation and musicians to continue with the chant as he/she reads Psalm 104.

Congregation:
(Chants softly repeating throughout the duration of Call to Worship)
Wind Rush, Spirit Flow, We Are Here on One Accord.

Leader (over top of chant reads)
Psalm 104:24-25 (NKJV)
O Lord, how manifold are your works!
In wisdom you have made them all.
The earth is full of your possessions—
²⁵This great and wide sea,
In which are innumerable teeming things,
Living things both small and great.

(Leader pauses while people continue chanting for a few rounds)

(Leader resumes reading)
Romans 8:22-25 (NKJV)

²²For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. ²³Not only that, but we also who have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. ²⁴For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? ²⁵But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.

(Leader joins chant with people for a few rounds)

ALL: We are here and we wait with expectation. Spirit, Flow!

What Happened on the Day Pentecost?

A Choral reading for multiple voices for Acts 2:1-18, 21
(Ashley Johnson)

Prepare for this choral reading by asking several people of your congregation to be prepared to read Psalm 103:1 in another language. The author suggests having at least ten people read the verse simultaneously. Adjust the author’s example to fit your congregation.

Voice 1: When the Day of Pentecost came, they were all together
Voice 2: Together
Voice 3: Together
All voices: Together
Voice 1: In one place.

Voice 2: 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.[Wind Sound]
[5 Second Pause]
[Read the following verses in a round; each subsequent voice will begin at a different time – after “as of fire”]

Voice 3: Divided tongues, as of fire [Voice 1 begins], appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them.

Voice 1: Divided tongues, as of fire [Voice 2 begins], appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them.

Voice 2: Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them.

All Voices: All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.

[Voices 1-3 pause while Psalm 103:1 is read in multiple languages. Have your multilingual readers ready to read without leaving a time gap.}

[Multilingual Proclamations]
Psalm 103:1
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and all that is within me,
bless his holy name!

Languages

English
Ga (Ghana)
Chinese
Portuguese
French
English
Spanish
Italian
Bulgarian
English

[Voices 1-3 resume, seamlessly]

Voice 1: Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered,
All Voices: Because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each.

Voice 2: 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."

Voice 3: All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another,
All Voices: "What does this mean?"

Voice 1: But others sneered and said, "They are filled with new wine."

Voice 2: But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them,
Voice 3: "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 servants, both men and women, in those days I will pour out my Spirit; and they shall prophesy. Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.'
All Voices: Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

Equilateral Triangle

A Spoken Word celebration of the Third person of the Trinity

I am the third Part.
I transform what would be a line, you know two Points into a plane.
An equilateral triangle.
Call Me,
Your Advantage,
Helper,
Support in Weakness,
One-who-Renews,
Intercessor,
Spirit of Truth,
Witness Bearer,
Leader,
One who hovers,
Spirit of God and Testifier of Christ!
Don’t get it twisted, scrambled, or confused; my name, too is Capitalized.
Jesus tagged out just to tag Me in.
I am your secret weapon.
Your special counselor, also known as Defense Attorney.
Spiritual Translator? I am that too.
Your murmur, your groan, that gasp or exclamation of joy, the tear that rolled down your cheek and erupted into a wail of sorrow.
I heard, I interpreted, and I informed God of your heart.
You will give me the respect I am due.
I lead the sons of God and I realign your will.
I hear the Word of God,
I speak the will of God. I keep you from the hidden snares, the pits, and traps that the enemy set just for you.
I know my role.
Now you play yours!

When I show up, prophesy,
Speak as I give you utterance,
See the vision and dream the dream.
See my style. Feel my flow.
Give me room and let me breathe.

My breath brings life.

It clears the cosmos, activates the atmosphere, and unsettles the soul.
I am nothing to play with.
From my wind blowing upon the invisible movement of your life, I create your visible environment.
The visible is created from the invisible, Me.
Prepare a place for me.
Invite me to come through.
Wait with expectation.
Watch me show up and show out.
‘Cuz that is just what I do.

Kachael J was a voracious reader growing up, and she enjoys exploring new worlds through literature. A researcher by training and a worshiper at heart, she desires to see people and communities raised, repaired, and restored by the power of the Holy Spirit and preaching of the gospel. Using one of her hobbies, video editing, Kachael creates videos to encourage and help others in their faith walk. The daughter of a United Methodist ordained elder and a native of Atlanta, Georgia, she currently resides in the Atlanta Metro area and works in commercial real estate.

Ashley Johnson is a proud alumna of Spelman College. She received a Master of Arts in Teaching from Brown University and has enjoyed serving as an elementary school teacher for more than ten years. In 2017, Ashley graduated from BU’s School of Theology with an MTS. She is a provisional deacon in The United Methodist Church, and she currently serves at Union Church Boston.