Pentecost Sunday
Colours On Pentecost the Priest wears red vestments . Why is red a good colour for the Holy Spirit? Hint: Red is the colour of blood. Why do we need blood?
Design This is an example of a stole and a chasuble a priest might wear on Pentecost. What symbols can you see? What other symbols might be included in the design?
Music On Pentecost Sunday we use hymn connected to the Holy Spirit. On the next slide is an example of a very old hymn that might be used. Read the words carefully. Are there any you don’t understand? What imagery is used for the Holy Spirit? Use a hymn book to help you decide what other hymns you might use.
Thou who art called the Paraclete, Best gift of God above, The living spring, the living fire, Sweet unction and true love. O guide our minds with thy blessed light, With love our hearts inflame; And with thy strength, which never decays, Confirm our mortal frame. Far from us drive our deadly foe; True peace unto us bring; And through all perils lead us safe Beneath thy sacred wing. Through thee may we the Father know, Through thee the eternal Son, And thee, the Spirit of them both, Thrice-blessed Three in One. The word Paraclete means advocate or helper. In Christianity, the term paraclete most commonly refers to the Holy Spirit The word Unction is an old fashioned word which means anointing with oil. Used here it means the anointing with the Holy Spirit in order to help us become Holy (closer to God) Deadly foe here means all those things which would separate us from God. An example would be selfishness. The spirit helps us be less selfish and get closer to God Beneath thy sacred wing because a symbol of the Spirit is the Dove
Banners and Posters The church is sometimes decorated with special banners or posters. These are examples of coverings for the Lectern. How do they link to scripture?
This is a banner about the Holy Spirit but linked to different stories in the Bible. Which stories do you think are there? Starting from the left you have creation wind sweeping over the waters, then God breathes life into Adam, then from the Book of Kings where the prophet Elijah meets God at Horeb: God is in still small voice the picture in blue is actually not from scripture but from a story about St Benedict, thunder and lightning keep St Benedict from travelling and because of this he holds a really important conversation with someone . Last frame is the Pentecost Story itself
Readings We have special readings on this day. First Reading Acts 2:1-11 Second Reading 1Cor. 12:3-13 After the second reading there is a Special prayer called the sequence. Gospel John. 14:15-16, 23-26 or Jn. 20:19-23 Look up these readings. Do you think they fit the theme? Which Gospel would you use? Illustrate the meaning of the second reading.
Prayers There are special prayers that the priest says for Pentecost What might be included in such prayers? Why? Read the sequence Prayer. If you were hearing the story for the first time what questions might you have?