Breath of God: Creation to Pentecost (for 3 voices)
Here is a Pentecost Sunday reading for 3 voices, interspersed with a sung congregational refrain. The refrain included here is from “Like the Murmur of the Dove’s Song,” (Daw & Cutts) but another hymn could easily be substituted. The Scripture translation is from the Common English Bible but, again, another translation could easily be substituted.”
READER 1: As the Holy Spirit comes with fire and with wind, the congregation sings:
CONGREGATION: [SING] “Like the murmur of the dove’s song, like the challenge of her flight, Like the vigor of the wind’s rush, like the new flame’s eager might: come, Holy Spirit, come.”
READER 2: When God began to create the heavens and the earth— the earth was without shape or form, it was dark over the deep sea, and God’s wind swept over the waters— God said, “Let there be light.” And so light appeared. God saw how good the light was. God separated the light from the darkness. God named the light Day and the darkness Night. There was evening and there was morning: the first day.
READER 3: God loves righteousness and justice; God’s faithful love fills the whole earth. The skies were made by God’s word, all their starry multitude by the breath of God’s mouth. And the congregation sings:
CONGREGATION: [SING] “Like the murmur of the dove’s song, like the challenge of her flight, Like the vigor of the wind’s rush, like the new flame’s eager might: come, Holy Spirit, come.”
READER 1: God said to the prophet Ezekiel, “Human one, these bones are the entire house of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope has perished. We are completely finished.’ So now, prophesy and say to them, The Lord God proclaims: I’m opening your graves! I will raise you up from your graves, my people, and I will bring you to Israel’s fertile land. You will know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves and raise you up from your graves, my people. I will put my breath in you, and you will live. I will plant you on your fertile land, and you will know that I am the Lord. I’ve spoken, and I will do it. This is what the Lord says.”
READER 2: At that time Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan River so that John would baptize him. John tried to stop him and said, “I need to be baptized by you, yet you come to me?” Jesus answered, “Allow me to be baptized now. This is necessary to fulfill all righteousness.” So John agreed to baptize Jesus. When Jesus was baptized, he immediately came up out of the water. Heaven was opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God coming down like a dove and resting on him. A voice from heaven said, “This is my Son whom I dearly love; I find happiness in him.” And the congregation sings:
CONGREGATION: [SING] “Like the murmur of the dove’s song, like the challenge of her flight, Like the vigor of the wind’s rush, like the new flame’s eager might: come, Holy Spirit, come.”
READER 1: Then Jesus opened their minds to understand the scriptures. He said to them, “This is what is written: the Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and a change of heart and life for the forgiveness of sins must be preached in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. Look, I’m sending to you what my Father promised, but you are to stay in the city until you have been furnished with heavenly power.”
READER 2: When Pentecost Day arrived, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound from heaven like the howling of a fierce wind filled the entire house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be individual flames of fire alighting on each one of them. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages as the Spirit enabled them to speak.
READER 3: When Pentecost Day arrived, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound from heaven like the howling of a fierce wind filled the entire house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be individual flames of fire alighting on each one of them. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages as the Spirit enabled them to speak. [PAUSE] And the congregation sings:
CONGREGATION: [SING] “Like the murmur of the dove’s song, like the challenge of her flight, Like the vigor of the wind’s rush, like the new flame’s eager might: come, Holy Spirit, come.”.
© Rev. Kevin Goldenbogen, 2018
