The Spirit is Red
Service Prayers for Pentecost Sunday
Strengthen the Church   June 12, 2011

Acts 2:1-21 or Numbers 11:24-30; Psalm 104:24-34, 35b; 1 Corinthians 12:3b-13 or Acts 2:1-21; 
John 20:19-23 or John 7:37-39

Call to Worship (freely adapted from 1 Corinthians 12)
(During this Call to Worship, rolled red crepe streamers that have been given to each person as they enter the sanctuary are tossed into the air as each person’s gift is named.  Each can choose the time to throw the streamer toward the ceiling, or forward, or backward over the congregation.  The idea is that by the end, everyone will catch and hold someone else’s streamer: the tongues of fire, as it were.)

One:     All elders and youth, all men and women, 
All:  	We are called to worship!

One:	All you saints, all you sinners,
All: 	We are called to worship!

One:    Wise counselors, teachers, parents and all in authority, 
you who think deep thoughts, 
all of you who have simple faith, like a child’s, 
you who heal the sick and do miraculous acts, 
all preachers of the Gospel, 
all who can discern differing spirits, 
everyone gifted with tongues, 
you who are interpreters of tongues,
All:  	We are called to worship!

One:	All you whose spirits are red 
with the power of the Great Spirit, Neeŝaa’nu.* 				(Arikara: pronounced   nee-shah-ah-noo)
All:  	We are called to worship!
	Alleluia! Alleluia!  
We praise God with one voice, one body, 
one church, one mind, one spirit.  
We are shining red 
with the power of our Great Spirit, Neeŝaa’nu! 

Invocation

	God of the heart, 
God of the blood and fire and smoke, 
you have invoked our 	presence here this morning 
with your great gift of the Holy Spirit.  
May this service of worship and praise 
be worthy of your challenge to us.  
May we turn the Spirit’s reign in our hearts to fire in our lives.  
May we glow red with power and love.  
May we wear our fiery hearts on our sleeves 
for all who have eyes to see!  

Confession

Neeŝaa’nu, God of every tribe and nation,
Our gifts are yours to use, 
yet we often take them to ourselves
And hide them from one another and from you.

Neeŝaa’nu, we confess that we know we cannot hide from you,
That our gifts are for giving away 
	in your world 
	for your work.

Forgive us for running our spirits to frivolous things.
Forgive us for forgetting what integrity means: 
living the shapes you have given us, 
right now,
until our blood and our fire 
reveal your holy, red power.

Assurance of Pardon

Forgiveness is your balm for us when we fail you.  
Thank you, God of the wind and flame, 
for sharing yourself with us in the blood of the lamb, 
the fire of the ascension 
and the smoke of the Holy Spirit. 

Offering Invitation

The red of our worldly lives, we give to you today
The red tithe of our increase.
We give away to God because we love God, as God loved us.
We bless, you Neeŝaa’nu.  

Here is our gratitude in treasure.
Here is our treasure in gratitude.

Bless our gifts with spirit and with power. 

Dedication

With these our earthly treasures, 
We bless the Great God of Red.  
We sing praises to your name, O Spirit.
O Holy Fire of Love and Glory, 
You who touch the mountains and they smoke,
We honor you all the days of our lives.
Neeŝaa’nu, as you have given yourself away to make us holy,
We are blessed by giving ourselves away to you.

Benediction

One:   	Take our gifts, Neeŝaa’nu, and make them yours.
All:    	We love you, Neeŝaa’nu.  
Our gifts are yours.

	As you have loved us, Jesus, we take your yoke upon us to learn of you.
	We love you, Jesus.  
Teach us your way, your truth and your life.

	Send us out on fire for you, O Holy Spirit; make us red with prophecy!
		We love you, Holy Spirit of red tongues of flame and mighty winds. 			We will prophesy.  

		And finally, brothers and sisters, may we be one, 
as Jesus and Neeŝaa’nu are One. 
		We love you, Neeŝaa’nu.  We love one another. 
	Make us one, Lord.  
Make us red, Lord.  
	Make us ONE.

*Neeŝaa’nu is the Arikara word for God, or Grandfather, as Native Americans often name the Great Spirit. Their culture is communal, tribal and family-centered: thus the “grandfather” image is an honored one among them.  However, any alternate name for God could be placed in this service where Neeŝaa’nu is used.  

The Spirit is Red --  Service Prayers for Pentecost Sunday, Strengthen the Church Sunday was written by The Rev. Marilyn K. Levine, a United Church of Christ pastor, ministering to New Town United Church of Christ and Parshall Memorial Congregational Church on the Fort Berthold Reservation (Arikara, Hidatsa and Mandan Tribal Nations: The Three Affiliated Tribes) at Lake Sakakawea in northwest North Dakota.  This Congregational Ministry has been ongoing with these tribes since Charles Hall, missionary, arrived in North Dakota from the Congregational denomination in 1876.  Ft. Berthold churches are among the founding members of CAIM. 

Copyright 2011 Local Church Ministries, Congregational Vitality and Discipleship Ministry Team, United Church of Christ, 700 Prospect Avenue, Cleveland, OH  44115-1100.  Permission granted to reproduce or adapt this material for use in services of worship or church education.  All publishing rights reserved.