For Faith Parish of Sullivan County NY

05/31/2026

May 31st, 2026

Trinity Sunday - Year A

Lake Huntington, Hortonville, Roscoe, and Bethel Presbyterian Churches.

Member Churches of the For Faith Parish
A More Light Presbyterian Parish

“We will be the hands of Christ, growing in faith, touching lives, reaching out, and spreading the Good News.”

Welcome to all guests and visitors worshiping with us today. we hope you will join us again! The * indicates points in the service where you are invited to stand, if that is comfortable for you.

For Quiet Reflection…

Does the future feel uncertain? Remember that the Holy Spirit is present in chaos and darkness. God speaks, and the WORD brings light and order to our lives. Give thanks to God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Prelude: Morning Has Broken
#664 (Glory to God) # 469 (Blue Presbyterian Hymnal)
https://youtu.be/7NFVM45loJA?si=BIxDHTqe5MCNL6JL

WE ASSEMBLE IN THE LORD’S NAME

Welcome and Sharing of Information

~ ~ The weekly announcements are at the end of this bulletin each week. Please contact Steph Valastro at the email listed to add to or correct announcements. ~ ~

Call To Worship

L: We come today to worship the Triune God, even as we, like the Eleven on the mountainside, have our doubts.

P: Holy Trinity, meet us in our questions and help us embrace your mystery.

L: We come to encounter the God who is both immense and particular, greater than words can describe, and yet intimately present with us.

P: Holy Trinity, surround us with your love that brings order to chaos and community to individuals.

L: We come to give thanks to the God who created and sustains us, and who calls us to steward the earth and all that live in it.

P: Holy Trinity, empower us to enter into partnership with you, for the flourishing of all creation, with gratitude and joy.

L: We come to receive Christ’s commission to make disciples, to baptize, and to teach the gospel wherever we go.

P: God, immerse us in the life of the Holy Trinity, that we might go and welcome others into the dance of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.

Unison Opening Prayer

Holy God, Three in One, you are our eternal hope, our companion in life, our liberating power. Lead us in your mission, baptizing and teaching in your blessed name, so that all may worship you to the end of the age. Amen.

*Hymn: Holy, Holy, Holy
#1 (GtG) # 138 (Blue)
https://youtu.be/zzM9P_Gqw-s?si=GH5TxMSypz-NuSQm

Call to Confession

We live fractured lives. Lives full of cracks. God does not seek to punish us for those faults and fault lines, but to mend them, to reconcile and restore us. Trusting in God’s grace and mercy, let us make our confession, first in silent prayer and then in unison.

~ ~ Silent prayer ~ ~

Unison Prayer of Confession

God of grace, love, and communion, we confess that we have failed to love you with all our heart, soul, and mind; and to love our neighbor as ourselves. We ignore your commandments, stray from your way, and follow other gods.
Have mercy on us. Forgive our sin and raise us to new life, so that we may serve you faithfully and give honor to your holy name. Amen.

Assurance of Grace

L: Trust in the promises of the Triune God, who offers new life, a gift of new birth, to all who believe.

P: In the name of Jesus Christ, we are forgiven. Thanks be to God.

* Sharing the Peace of Christ

Jesus said, “… when you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother or sister and then come and offer your gift.” Matthew 5:23-24

Share the signs and words of peace with each other.

*Hymn: “Let There Be Peace on Earth.” 1 Verse
Not in our hymnals - See Handout.
https://youtu.be/D_VNTXPoudo?si=wflSbCvQM3DO843q

THE LORD SPEAKS AND WE LISTEN

Unison Prayer for Illumination

Lord, open our hearts and minds by the power of your Holy Spirit, that as the Scriptures are read and your Word proclaimed, we may hear with joy what you say to us today. Amen

Scripture Readings…

Old Testament Reading: Genesis 1:1 - 2:4a

Creation of the heavens and the earth.

When God began to create the heavens and the earth, the earth was complete chaos, and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters.
Then God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. And God saw that the light was good, and God separated the light from the darkness.
God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.
And God said, "Let there be a dome in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters."
So God made the dome and separated the waters that were under the dome from the waters that were above the dome. And it was so.
God called the dome Sky. And there was evening and there was morning, the second day.
And God said, "Let the waters under the sky be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear." And it was so.
God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good.
Then God said, "Let the earth put forth vegetation: plants yielding seed and fruit trees of every kind on earth that bear fruit with the seed in it." And it was so.
The earth brought forth vegetation: plants yielding seed of every kind and trees of every kind bearing fruit with the seed in it. And God saw that it was good.
And there was evening and there was morning, the third day.
And God said, "Let there be lights in the dome of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years, and let them be lights in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth." And it was so.
God made the two great lights--the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night--and the stars.
God set them in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth, to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good.
And there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day.
And God said, "Let the waters bring forth swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the dome of the sky."
So God created the great sea monsters and every living creature that moves, of every kind, with which the waters swarm and every winged bird of every kind. And God saw that it was good.
God blessed them, saying, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth."
And there was evening and there was morning, the fifth day.
And God said, "Let the earth bring forth living creatures of every kind: cattle and creeping things and wild animals of the earth of every kind." And it was so.
God made the wild animals of the earth of every kind and the cattle of every kind and everything that creeps upon the ground of every kind. And God saw that it was good.
Then God said, "Let us make humans in our image, according to our likeness, and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over the cattle and over all the wild animals of the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth."
So God created humans in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.
God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth."
God said, "See, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is upon the face of all the earth and every tree with seed in its fruit; you shall have them for food.
And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the air and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food." And it was so.
God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day. Thus the heavens and the earth were finished and all their multitude.
On the sixth day God finished the work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all the work that he had done.
So God blessed the seventh day and hallowed it, because on it God rested from all the work that he had done in creation. These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created.

Reading of the Psalm: Psalm 8

How exalted is your name
O LORD, our Sovereign, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens.
Out of the mouths of babes and infants you have founded a bulwark because of your foes, to silence the enemy and the avenger.
When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you have established;
what are humans that you are mindful of them, mortals that you care for them?
Yet you have made them a little lower than God and crowned them with glory and honor.
You have given them dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under their feet,
all sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field,
the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, whatever passes along the paths of the seas.
O LORD, our Sovereign, how majestic is your name in all the earth!

Epistle Reading: 2 Corinthians 13:11-13

Paul's farewell

Finally, brothers and sisters, farewell. Be restored; listen to my appeal; agree with one another; live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.
Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the saints greet you.
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with all of you.

Gospel Reading: Matthew 28:16-20

Living in the community of the Trinity

Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them.
When they saw him, they worshiped him, but they doubted.
And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you.
And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

~ ~ Message ~ ~

“Go, Therefore”
By Cathy Wilcox, Retired Clergy

If you have ever gotten into a conversation with someone about God, you may have discovered that they thought of God as very powerful, amazing and very distant, even unreachable. Many people envision an all-seeing God who is out there somewhere – a detached God. As Christians, one of the amazing things about OUR experience of God, is God’s ATTACHMENT. God, as we understand God, is not Detached, but very Attached to human beings, very attached to everything – all of creation.

The reason we feel this attachment is because God comes to us in so many different ways, depending on what God is trying to guide us through. The richness of God’s presence is evident in this morning’s Old Testament lesson and Psalm: God created a beautiful world and everything that we need to have abundant life. These texts are rich in imagery and beautifully poetic and yet - we actually lose a little bit of richness in the translation to English. Today is Trinity Sunday – a celebration of God as three in one – so, let’s take a moment to look at the original languages describing the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

The original Old Testament scrolls are mostly in Hebrew (some Aramaic) and there are different words for God in those scriptures. The Hebrew word for God in Genesis:1 and 2, which we just heard, is Elohim (meaning Mighty Creator, Ruler of the Universe). In Psalm 8, God is addressed as Master and Lord. The Hebrew words are Adonenu, meaning master, and Yahweh, which means simply I AM (The one who is, the one who brings into existence everything else that is). Other Hebrew words for God in scripture include El Shaddai (Lord God Almighty) and El Elyon (The Most High God). There are many others and each name describes a different characteristic of God.

Something else that’s lost in translation is the presence of the Spirit. Genesis 1:2 says, “the earth was complete chaos, and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters.” The Hebrew word translated here as wind is waruah, which means wind and breath and spirit. So, in the beginning, when the earth was formed, the spirit of the creator swept over the face of the waters. The Spirit of God is and was and always has been present – the breath of God - sweeping through creation – the creation that God spoke into being. The WORD and the Spirit and the Father of creation, all together, in the beginning.

Last week, we heard the story of Pentecost, when Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to be the guide and companion of his followers – another way for God to be present with and in us. Those who witnessed the coming of the Holy Spirit were amazed and confused. So, Peter preached to them, reminding them that God had promised, through the prophet Joel, to pour out God’s Holy Spirit, that everyone who calls on the Lord might be saved. The people heard him and understood him – each in their own language, nothing lost in translation – and because they understood, because they had ears to hear, they were very upset to think that they had stood by while Jesus was crucified. Jesus Christ, Christou in the original Greek, meaning Messiah, savior, anointed one, the one they had been waiting for. They asked Peter, “What can we do?” Peter said, “Repent and be baptized - every one of you - in the name of Jesus Christ, so that your sins may be forgiven, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you, for your children, and for all who are far away, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to him.” (Acts 2: 38-39)

Brothers and Sisters, we are here, because we have been called by God, by the Holy Spirit. You have been called by this amazing God who wasn’t satisfied to exist alone, as spiritual wisdom, as breath in a formless void. Our God is creator, redeemer, sustainer. Our God, through God’s Spiritual breath, God’s life energy and wisdom, created our world and saw that it was good.

And God has not stopped creating. The world is such a beautiful place, with amazing rhythms of life and an intricate weaving of lives together – like birds with trees, grass, insects and the air; fish with water and insects; the deer with grass, tulips, petunias, shrubs and small trees; people with their children, neighbors and co-workers. Nothing exists in isolation. And yet, even though the world has such amazing rhythms of life and such intricate weaving of lives together, people sometimes don’t understand that God is more than a powerful, distant ruler.

So, God came to us in the form of Jesus to show us how to love - how to live in loving relationship with each other and with God. Jesus understands our struggles, because he experienced them and witnessed them first-hand. His first disciples often argued. They disagreed. They misunderstood. And, through it all, Jesus kept showing them how to live a better life, a life of love.

This morning we heard the very end of the Gospel of Matthew. The eleven remaining disciples had been told to gather in Galilee on a mountain. The women told them that Jesus had risen from the dead. They went to the mountain, but they doubted. The text tells us explicitly that they doubted. And in the midst of that doubt, moments before ascending to heaven, Jesus told them this: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to the Risen Christ. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)

These words of Jesus are not a suggestion. All authority is given to Jesus and he says, “Go and make disciples” This is a Command, a commission. And it isn’t only for those with supersized faith. It is for all who follow Jesus. Disciples of Jesus Christ, we have our orders: “Go and Make Disciples.” No matter how big or small your faith is, no matter how often you doubt or how often you forget that God is with you, “Go and make disciples.”

OK. But HOW, you may ask. How do we make disciples? That will depend on your gifts and your situation. If you’re having a conversation with someone and it turns toward God, humbly share your experience of God’s attachment, God’s presence in your life. If the conversation turns toward everything going wrong in the world, you might mention that it has always been this way. People are not perfect, but we do have a perfect God, who has never given up on us – a God who is always present, in the form of the Holy Spirit, guiding and encouraging us, loving and forgiving us. Our God - Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer.
Show the world that God brings order out of chaos. Light in the midst of darkness. And the light is good! We are created in the image of God to be God’s hands and feet on earth today. Through God’s work in us, we can bring order out of chaos, light to the darkness. We are called to participate in God’s loving creative work.

Finally, brothers and sisters, remember the words of Paul in his final letter to the Corinthians: “Be restored; agree with one another; live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.” (2 Corinthians 13:11) When people see the love and joy that you share, the community that you work to build, they will want to be a part of it. “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with all of you.” (2 Cor 13:13)

And that, my friends, is the good news of the Gospel for today. Thanks be to God.

WE RESPOND IN FAITH

Affirmation of Faith: Nicene Creed (Ecumenical)
Pg 34 (GtG) Pg 15 (Blue)

I 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-begotten Son of God, begotten of His Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made; who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary and was made man; and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate. He suffered and was buried. And the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures and ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of the Father. And He will come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead, whose kingdom will have no end.

And I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of Life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified, who spoke by the prophets. And I believe in one holy Christian and apostolic Church, I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins, and I look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.

*Hymn: “O Lord My God – How Great Thou Art”
# 625 (GtG) # 467 (Blue)
https://youtu.be/LSVfgo8kMns?si=VENGFzDEioNaBL5f

Invitation to the Offering
“The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it.” Psalm 24:1
“Freely you have received. Freely give.” Matthew 10:8
Let us return to God the offerings of our life and the gifts of the earth.

Offertory: Breathe on Me, Breath of God, Verse 1
# 286 (GtG) # 316 (Blue)
https://youtu.be/wfCXuwG0N1I?si=qAcRGZWIkyZhNwyd

* Doxology # 606 (GtG) #592 (Blue)
https://youtu.be/JiMZprhxZw4?si=Y2sGOmgBlZhVNJhp

* Prayer of Dedication - Unison

Creating God, from the beginning, you formed light out of darkness, breath from dust, and life from love. In Christ, you walked among us, and through your Spirit, you empower us still. Today, we offer our gifts - signs of our desire to partner with you in your ongoing work of creation, healing, and discipleship. Use these offerings to build communities of compassion, to welcome the stranger, and to teach your ways of justice and joy. May our giving reflect the wonder of your Triune love and our willingness to go and grow disciples in your name. Amen.

Prayers of the People Joys and Concerns

The people offer their joys and concerns to God.

Holy, holy, holy God, in calling forth creation from the void, revealing yourself in human flesh, and pouring forth your wisdom to guide us, you manifest your concern for your whole universe.
You invite us, as your people, to gather the world’s needs into our hearts and bring them before you.

We lift up names in prayer.

Holy, holy, holy God, fill us with strength and courage, with discernment and compassion, that we may be your instruments of justice and love in this world, that it may be on earth as it is in heaven. Hear us as we pray the prayer our Lord Jesus taught us …
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.

SENDING THE FAITHFUL INTO GODS’ WORLD

* Hymn: “For the Beauty of the Earth” (v 1,2,5)
#14 (GtG) # 473 (Blue)
https://youtu.be/O9wt2BYM2lo?si=mgjhdAZRoSW-dHEB

Commission and Benediction

Go, therefore, because you are children of the Triune God and partners in God’s work of light, life, and love that is in and around us. May the mystery of the Trinity enfold you, the glory of the Trinity astound you, and the love of the Trinity accompany you on your way. Amen.

Postlude: “Lord, Dismiss Us with Your Blessing”
# 546 (GtG) # 538 (Blue) One verse
https://youtube.com/shorts/2NZA8slP5wo?si=k3FdPQeYADyMjy8O

~~ WEEKLY ANNOUNCEMENTS ~~

 Please remember to contact Joy Bertsch, with the names of anyone who is ill or hospitalized, or who has lost a family member, or in need of a Thinking of You card. Send all info to Joy through the email address listed on the bulletin.
 If anyone has any announcements or information that you wish to share in this bulletin, please contact Stephanie Valastro at the email listed on the bulletin.

For Faith Parish Council Officers

Stephen Valastro, Parish Moderator [email protected]
Kristina Snedeker, Parish Secretary [email protected]
Julie Dreher-Setren, Parish Treasurer [email protected]

For Faith Visitation Ministry
Virginia Bossley [email protected]

For Faith Parish Card Ministry
Joy Bertsch [email protected]

For Faith Parish Online Worship Facilitator.
Stephanie Valastro [email protected]

For Faith Parish of Sullivan County NY page
www.facebook.com/For-Faith-Parish-of-Sullivan-County-NY-195557170784677

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05/28/2026

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05/24/2026

Pentecost Sunday

May 24th, 2026 - Year A

Lake Huntington, Hortonville, Roscoe, and Bethel Presbyterian Churches.

Member Churches of the For Faith Parish
A More Light Presbyterian Parish

“We will be the hands of Christ, growing in faith, touching lives, reaching out, and spreading the Good News.”

Welcome to all guests and visitors worshiping with us today. we hope you will join us again! The * indicates points in the service where you are invited to stand, if that is comfortable for you.

For Quiet Reflection…

Through mountains and valleys, deserts and plains, rivers and oceans and lakes and streams, you come, Holy Spirit. From the north and the south, from the east and the west, from within and without, like wind, the roar of Pure Wind you come, sweeping through to renew.

Prelude: “Come, O Holy Spirit, Come”
# 283 Glory to God) Not in Blue Presbyterian Hymnal)
https://youtu.be/mZABkEd5VVA?si=wXFxzRBVUwH5cvzt

WE ASSEMBLE IN THE LORD’S NAME

Welcome and Sharing of Information
~ ~ The weekly announcements are at the end of this bulletin each week. Please contact Steph Valastro at the email listed to add to or correct announcements. ~ ~

Call To Worship

M: The wind of God blows where it will, no one can chart its path or prescribe its boundaries.

P: Suddenly a sound came from heaven like the rush of a mighty wind, and it filled the house where they were sitting.

M: The Fire of God inspires the meek and the poor with gifts, but no one can choose the day of inspiration or choose the kind of gift.

P: And there appeared among them something like tongues of fire, distributed around, resting on each one of them.

M: By the Spirit we are all baptized into the one body of Christ, whether we are born Jew or Greek, American or Mexican.

P: And we all have found refreshment in the one beautiful Spirit.

M: Bless the Lord, O my soul.

P: I will praise my God as long as I have being.

Unison Opening Prayer

Spirit of God, we long to be open to your presence in our church and in our lives. Fill us with your wind and fire, that we might be enlivened again. Help us hear the words as if for the first time, that they might touch us anew. Give us visions and dreams of what you long for in your creation, that we might begin to live them into reality. Come, Spirit; come into our worship, into our church, into our very selves. Amen.

*Hymn: “Spirit, Spirit of Gentleness”
# 291 (GtG) # 319 (Blue)
https://youtu.be/mw5Q_57Nth4?si=U7UgRl6PPld5v8W8

Call to Confession

M: People of Pentecost, let us turn our faces to God, acknowledging the ease with which evil contaminates us, and seek the mercy of Christ to cover all our sins.

Unison Prayer of Confession

If the pervasive evil spirits of this secular world have insinuated themselves into our lives without us hardly realizing it, please come with you fire and incinerate them. If we have allowed our own egos to taint our souls with ta**ry wants and selfish scheming, please come with your Wind and drive the pollution far from us. If we have received your forgiveness with eagerness, yet have withheld forgiveness from those who have hurt, rejected, or maligned us, send your Spirit to soften our hardened hearts.
Loving God, please forgive us and liberate us from these and all other sins that weigh us down or divert us. Fill us with the Spirit of Christ, and let his glory transform all that is rude and rough, twisted and foolish, tired and pessimistic. For your love’s sake. Amen.

~ ~ A Moment for Silent Confessions ~ ~

Assurance of Grace

M: Jesus breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit, if you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven. If you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” By his grace alone our sins are forgiven.

P:Thanks be to God !

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 for ever. Amen

* “Gloria Patri” #581 (GtG) #567 (blue)
https://youtu.be/aENxd0G-XTw?si=jlTtzLKMp0OyGFtf

* Sharing the Peace of Christ

M: Through Christ we are at peace with God, and we are also to be at peace with one another. The peace of Christ be with you.

P: And also with you.

Share the signs and words of peace with each other.

*Hymn: “Let There Be Peace on Earth.” 1 Verse
Not in our hymnals - See Handout.
https://youtu.be/D_VNTXPoudo?si=wflSbCvQM3DO843q

THE LORD SPEAKS AND WE LISTEN

Unison Prayer for Illumination

Lord, by the power of your Holy Spirit, open our hearts and our minds to the reading and hearing of your Word, that we may hear with joy what you say to us today. Amen.

Scripture Readings…

Reading of the Psalm: Psalm 104: 24-34, 35b

24 O Lord, what a variety of things you have made! In wisdom you have made them all. The earth is full of your creatures.
25 Here is the ocean, vast and wide, teeming with life of every kind, both large and small.
26 See the ships sailing along, and Leviathan, which you made to play in the sea.
27 They all depend on you to give them food as they need it.
28 When you supply it, they gather it. You open your hand to feed them, and they are richly satisfied.
29 But if you turn away from them, they panic. When you take away their breath, they die and turn again to dust.
30 When you send your Spirit. life is created, and you renew the face of the earth.
35 Let all sinners vanish from the face of the earth; let the wicked disappear forever. Let all that I am praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!

Epistle Reading: James 3: 1-12

3 Dear brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers in the church, for we who teach will be judged more strictly.
2 Indeed, we all make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way.
3 We can make a large horse go wherever we want by means of a small bit in its mouth.
4 And a small rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot chooses to go, even though the winds are strong.
5 In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches. But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire.
6 And among all the parts of the body, the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself.
7 People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish,
8 but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison.
9 Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God.
10 And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right!
11 Does a spring of water bubble out with both fresh water and bitter water?
12 Does a fig tree produce olives, or a grapevine produce figs? No, and you can’t draw fresh water from a salty spring.

Gospel Reading: Acts 2: 1-21

1 On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place.
2 Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting.
3 Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them.
4 And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.
5 At that time there were devout Jews from every nation living in Jerusalem.
6 When they heard the loud noise, everyone came running, and they were bewildered to hear their own languages being spoken by the believers.
7 They were completely amazed. “How can this be?” they exclaimed. “These people are all from Galilee, 8 and yet we hear them speaking in our own native languages!
9 Here we are—Parthians, Medes, Elamites, people from Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, the province of Asia,
10 Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, and the areas of Libya around Cyrene, visitors from Rome
11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism), Cretans, and Arabs. And we all hear these people speaking in our own languages about the wonderful things God has done!”
12 They stood there amazed and perplexed. “What can this mean?” they asked each other. 13 But others in the crowd ridiculed them, saying, “They’re just drunk, that’s all!”
14 Then Peter stepped forward with the eleven other apostles and shouted to the crowd, “Listen carefully, all of you, fellow Jews and residents of Jerusalem! Make no mistake about this.
15 These people are not drunk, as some of you are assuming. Nine o’clock in the morning is much too early for that.
16 No, what you see was predicted long ago by the prophet Joel:
17 ‘In the last days,’ God says, ‘I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams.
18 In those days I will pour out my Spirit even on my servants—men and women alike; and they will prophesy.
19 And I will cause wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below; blood and fire and clouds of smoke.
20 The sun will become dark, and the moon will turn blood red before that great and glorious day of the Lord arrives.
21 But everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

~ ~ Message ~ ~

“Spirit of the Living God”
Acts 2:1-21, James 3:1-12
Preached by Rev. Dr. Phyllis Norman May 24, 2926
For Faith Parish of Sullivan County

Happy Birthday to us.

Today is Pentecost Sunday — the birthday of the Church. And it was anything but a quiet, candles-and-cake kind of birthday. This was more like a birthday where the whole house shook! And wind and fire were the guests celebrating!

In Acts chapter 2, we read that the disciples were gathered together in one place when suddenly — suddenly — 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.

Wind. Fire. And the impossible — people from every nation, every language, every corner of the known world, suddenly hearing and understanding one another! That is one extraordinary birthday party!

But what makes Pentecost so remarkable isn't just the wind and the fire. It is what happened in the hearts of ordinary, frightened, confused human beings when the Holy Spirit showed up. Everything changed! And that same Spirit — that same living, breathing, moving Spirit — is here with us today. Right here. Right now. In this room.

But let us back up just a moment, because the story did not begin with fire and joy. It began with loss and confusion.

Think about the disciples in the weeks between the crucifixion and that Pentecost morning. Jesus — the one they had followed, the one they had trusted with everything — was gone, ascended to heaven. The disciples had scattered. They hid behind locked doors, not knowing what to do next, not knowing what to expect, not even sure who they were anymore. They were wandering. They were frightened. In a word — they were lost.

And honestly? Doesn't that feel a little familiar right now?

We are living through a time when it can be genuinely hard to know which way is up. Prices at the grocery store keep climbing. A tank of gas feels like a luxury. Feeding a family — really feeding them — feels harder than it should. And everywhere we turn, the world seems a little more divided, a little more sharp-edged, a little more exhausting than it was before. The noise of it all can make it very difficult to feel the presence of the Holy Spirit. Sometimes hope feels very far away.

The disciples knew that feeling too. And God met them right there in the middle of it. God did not wait for them to have it all together. God showed up anyway.

Here is something worth holding onto today: we have been here before.

Not here exactly — not this particular moment in history. But the feeling of standing in the middle of hard times and wondering how we are going to get through? That is not new for God's people. Generations before us faced inflation and scarcity. They faced deep division, and political turmoil, and times when feeding a family felt impossible. They faced moments when it seemed like things simply could not hold together.

And they held together. Not because life suddenly got easy, but because God was faithful. The Holy Spirit was present and moving — sometimes quietly, sometimes invisibly, and sometimes in ways that took everyone completely by surprise.

That same Spirit has been walking alongside our communities through every hard season. Through long winters and tough times. Through losses that felt unsurvivable, and mornings that somehow came anyway. There have been moments when it seemed impossible to take one more step — and somehow, the strength was there.

We have survived. We have come through. And we have not come through alone. God has been with us every single time. That is not a small thing. That is everything.

Sometimes the Holy Spirit shows up in the most unexpected places, through the most unexpected people.

Many of you remember the flood of 2006. In my area of Delaware County, it rained 17” over several days. The Delaware River rose till it overflowed its banks and took with it homes and businesses and roads and memories, and whole pieces of people's lives in Hancock and Deposit. It was devastating. People were overwhelmed and didn't know where to turn.

And in the middle of that devastation, something remarkable happened.

The Islamic Community, nestled up in the mountains between the two towns, came down. They came with food. They came with water and clothing. They came to help their neighbors — neighbors who might look different from them, pray differently from them, live differently from them. None of that mattered in that moment. What mattered was that people were hurting, and they could help.

Now — wasn't that the Spirit of the Living God moving right through those mountains?

That is Pentecost. That is what it looks like when the walls we build between ourselves come down, and people simply show up for one another. The disciples in Acts 2 found themselves suddenly able to reach across every boundary of language and culture and background. And on a hillside in New York State , in the middle of a flood, something very similar happened. The Spirit moved, and people came together.

The Spirit does not wait for us to have everything figured out. The Spirit does not wait for the world to be less complicated, or for the news to settle down, or for our differences to disappear. The Spirit moves. Right through the middle of the mess. Right through the flood. Right through the fear.

Of course, fire can burn in less helpful ways too.

The Letter of James — chapter 3:1-12 — contains some of the most honest words in all of Scripture about the human tongue. James writes that the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great exploits. How great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire. And the tongue, James says, is a fire.

We know this is true, don't we? We have all felt the sting of words carelessly spoken. And if we are being gentle with ourselves and honest at the same time — we have all been the ones doing the careless speaking. A sharp comment. A dismissive tone. A disagreement that drifted into something harder and colder than it ever needed to be. It does not take much. A small spark can travel a very long way.

But here is where the hope comes in — and with the Holy Spirit, there is always hope. The same Pentecost fire that came rushing into that upper room was a fire of love, and patience, and peace, and the kind of courage it takes to truly listen to another human being.

We do not have to fix everything today. We do not have to solve the rising prices or untangle the political climate before sundown. But we can choose — one conversation at a time, one moment at a time — to let the Spirit shape the words that leave our mouths. We can choose kindness. We can choose to listen a little longer before we speak. We can choose to reach across instead of dig in.

That is not weakness. That is the power of Pentecost living itself out in the ordinary, everyday moments of our lives.

There is a hymn that many of us carry close to our hearts. “Spirit of the Living God, fall afresh on me. Melt me, mold me, fill me, use me.”

Melt me. Mold me. Fill me. Use me.

Those are not passive words. They are a prayer of surrender and of trust. They are an open hand extended to the Holy Spirit and a quiet voice saying: I do not have all the answers. I cannot do this on my own. But I am here. Come and do what only you can do.

That is the spirit of Pentecost. Not certainty. Not having everything figured out. Just openness. Just a willingness to be surprised by grace. Just a group of imperfect, sometimes frightened, sometimes very tired human beings gathered together and saying: we are here, Spirit. Fall afresh on us.

The disciples had no idea what was coming when they gathered in that upper room. The community on that mountain had no idea what the flood would ask of them. And we do not always know what tomorrow holds either. But we know who holds tomorrow.

So today, on this birthday of the Church, may we leave this place just a little more open. May we carry a little more kindness in the words we choose, and a little more grace toward the people who are trying, just like we are. And may we trust — even in the hard, uncertain, noisy days ahead — that the Spirit of the Living God is still moving. Still breathing life into dry places. Still falling fresh.

On us. On these communities. On this beautiful, broken, beloved world that needs it so very much.

WE RESPOND IN FAITH

Affirmation of faith

We share in the redemption of Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit, who convinces us of our sin, enlightens our minds in the knowledge of Christ, and renews our wills, persuading and enabling us to embrace Jesus Christ, freely offered to us in the gospel.

God’s redeeming and reconciling activity in the world continues through the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, who confronts individuals and societies with Christ’s Lordship of life and calls them to repentance and to obedience to the will of God.

That apart from the Holy Spirit, our Lord can neither be loved, nor known, nor served. The Holy Spirit is the personal bond by which Jesus Christ unites us to himself, the teacher who opens our hearts to Christ, and the comforter who leads us to repentance, empowering us to live in Christ’s service.

*Hymn: “Spirit of the Living God” - (Sing 3X)
# 288 (GtG) # 322 (Blue)
https://youtu.be/RxOHCVV7L3s?si=btlQuAwMOmGbiTvM

Invitation to the Offering

“Give and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over…” ~~Luke 6:38

Offertory: “I Danced in the Morning” 1 Verse
#157 (GtG) #302 (Blue)
https://youtu.be/sCFQXis4eKc

* “Doxology” # 606 (GtG) #592 (Blue)
https://youtu.be/Fbu5rBfz49E?si=2qHlff1CTVjzV9Hi

* Prayer of Dedication - Unison

Lord, we thank you for the power of Pentecost. As we bring our tithes and offerings into your house, we do so with expectancy. We believe that as we honor you, you are opening the windows of heaven. We pray for a revival in our finances and a breakthrough in our lives. Use these gifts for the growth of your kingdom. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Prayers of the People Joys and Concerns

(offer up your joys and blessings)

Holy Spirit, because you have come to us like fire and wind, this world can never be a barren and joyless place. May all people and all nations make room for your presence. May they come to recognize you, to trust you and to love you. Then in loving you, they may find the resources to love one another.
Spirit of Truth, inflame our children with a real zeal for a reformation of communities and nations which is grounded in love. Give us a passion for justice and truth administered with grace and mercy. Teach the way of Christ in all things.
We pray, Loving Spirit, for the comfort of your Spirit for all who are frail, sick, injured or in sorrow. We name before you people for whom we hold a special concern … … (offer up your concerns and worries)
Please shape, direct, and bless all the powers of healing , and let trust and peace reside in every heart.
May your Holy Spirit move among us like wind and fire and forge a new era of understanding, cooperation, and witness to the world. By your Spirit give us the grace to love and live and have our being, through Jesus Christ, our Redeemer. Amen.

SENDING THE FAITHFUL INTO GODS’ WORLD

* Hymn: “Loving Spirit"
# 293 (GtG) # 323 (Blue)
https://youtu.be/Qzi4q-cITIQ?si=3O5UNATuhI8k1Hu8

Commission and Benediction

M: May the Holy Spirit, which set the Church on fire on the Day of Pentecost, bring the world alive with the love of the risen Christ. Amen.

Postlude: “All Things Bright and Beautiful”
# 20 (GtG) # 267 (Blue)
https://youtu.be/_qcs68Up8EQ?si=3iZIcwLdv-XE_MBc

~~ WEEKLY ANNOUNCEMENTS ~~

 Please remember to contact Joy Bertsch, with the names of anyone who is ill or hospitalized, or who has lost a family member, or in need of a Thinking of You card. Send all info to Joy through the email address listed on the bulletin.
 If anyone has any announcements or information that you wish to share in this bulletin, please contact Stephanie Valastro at the email listed on the bulletin.

For Faith Parish Council Officers

Stephen Valastro, Parish Moderator
Email: [email protected]

Kristina Snedeker, Parish Secretary
Email: [email protected]

Julie Dreher-Setren, Parish Treasurer
Email: [email protected]

For Faith Visitation Ministry
Virginia Bossley
Email: [email protected]

For Faith Parish Card Ministry
Joy Bertsch
Email: Email: [email protected]

For Faith Parish Online Worship Facilitator.
Stephanie Valastro
Email: [email protected]

For Faith Parish page
For Faith Parish of Sullivan County NY
www.facebook.com/For-Faith-Parish-of-Sullivan-County-NY-195557170784677

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