Pentecost 2026

Today’s service will be held outdoors at the woods stage as an in-person service and also live streamed at this link.  Click on “live” for live stream.  Bring a chair.  Join us!   

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Gathering Music                                    Polly Dunford                                                                                       

Welcome and Announcements       Cierra Donnelly                                                               

Call to Worship

Leader:  Come, Holy Spirit, into this place of worship.
People:  Breathe life into weary hearts and hope into troubled minds.

Leader:  We gather with different stories, different struggles, and different journeys.
People:  Yet we are, each of us, beloved and welcome here.

Leader:  When fear tells us to stay silent—
People:  The Spirit gives us courage to speak love and truth.

Leader:  When the world teaches division and suspicion—
People:  The Spirit teaches us compassion and community.

Leader:  The Spirit’s fire burns not to destroy, but to illuminate the way toward justice and mercy.
People:  May our hearts burn with love for our neighbors and for this world.

Leader:  Young and old, questioning and certain, joyful and grieving—
People:  We come together as one people seeking the Spirit’s presence.

Leader:  The Spirit is moving among us even now.
People:  We open our hearts to be renewed, transformed, and sent into the world.

All:  Come, Holy Spirit.  Fill this place, fill these people, and kindle in us the fire of love. Amen.

Opening Hymn                             “Pentecost Had Come”                                   Handout

Words by Carolyn Winfrey Gillette. Tune is Argentine folk song.

1)  Pentecost had come and in that time of grace,

Jesus’ friends were gathered in a meeting place.

Suddenly the Spirit came in wind and flame,

Sending men and women out in Jesus’ name.

Spirit, come upon us, too!  Give us gifts to share for you.

We live in a world in need;  Send us where you daily lead!

2)  All around the city joy was in the air;

People gathered in the streets from everywhere.

Soon they heard some preaching and the news was good!

There, in every language, they all understood.

Spirit, move through every land till all know and understand:

Jesus died and rose - it’s true!  Now we have new life in you.

3)  Peter told the crowd to turn and be baptized;

thousands heard the words he spoke and changed their lives.

Daily they sold what they owned to help the poor;

Day by day the church was growing more and more.

Spirit, change the way we live.  Teach us how to gladly give.

Guide us, as we seek to be faithful in our ministry.

Scripture Reading         Acts 2:1-21

Sermon                     “A Pentecost for Times Like These”           Dr. Keith Ray

Thoughts to Ponder:  In a world shaped by anxiety, division, and exhaustion, Pentecost reminds us that a Spirit still moves among ordinary people with extraordinary power. Echoing Pope Francis’ call when he said, “Forward!  Keep moving forward!,”  let us consider how the Spirit pushes us beyond fear and into lives of compassion, justice, courage, and radical welcome.  What does it mean for us to become a people who carry the fire of hope into a hurting world?

Joys and Concerns

Prayers of the People

Closing Hymn and Offertory            “Make Spaces for Spirit!”        Handout

Words by Shirley Erena Murray and Music by Jean S. Strathdee; Arranged by Jim Strathdee

Words 2001 by Hope Publishing Co. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

Music 2005 by Desert Flower Music. All rights reserved.

1) Make spaces for Spirit!  For energy rising, for Pentecost presence,

the wind and the fire,

a new kind of language, a voice and a vision to shift and uplift us,

to rouse, rouse, and inspire.

2)  Make spaces for action by spirited people: the leader, the teacher

the healer of ill,

the builder, the artist, the bringer of laughter, the melding and welding

of spirit, spirit and will.

3)  Make spaces for graces the gifts of the Spirit, the fruit of the garden

where love is the spring,

the water of blessing, the incense of worship, the wine poured for sharing,

the hope, hope that will sing.

4)  Make spaces for Spirit by changing of systems, by opening prisons,

by debtors’ release,

the flaming of courage, the firing of justice, the Spirit of Jesus,

the coming coming of peace.

Benediction

Discussion 

Shalom (“May you be well and whole and in communion with all creation.”)

Shalom, my friends, Shalom, my friends, Shalom, Shalom.

Till we meet again, Till we meet again, Shalom, Shalom.                 *************************************************************************************

Reprinted with permission under One License #A-625711.  All rights reserved.

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Calendar of Service -

May 31 - David Johnson (outdoors)

June 7 - Rev. Beth Templeton; Potluck Meal

June 14 - Cordney Burgess, Upstate Fatherhood (outdoors)

June 21 - Dr. Keith Ray

June 28 - Rev. Dr. Steve Morgan (outdoors)  

Choir members have a hymn practice for the next 2 Sundays, May 24 and 31 at 9:45 am at the outdoor stage (weather permitting).   Otherwise, we will meet in the choir room.

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Peace Church is continuing a sermon series examining Christian Nationalism – what it is, where it comes from, and why it matters for people of faith right now.  This isn’t a series about partisan politics; it’s an honest look at how religious identity gets weaponized, and what the Gospel actually has to say about power, belonging, and the common good.

Join us Sunday, May 24 at 4:00 PM at First Baptist Church of Pendleton. All are welcome, and we’d love to have friends from other congregations with us.

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On Saturday, May 30, from 8:00 am to 12 noon, there will be a joint yard sale with PFLAG and NACCP!   If you have some good yard sale items, please bring them in by next Tuesday, May 26 so that we have time to sort and price everything.   There is a sign-up sheet in the church entry hall for volunteers to help price and sort items, and later to monitor an area/table on sale day.  All proceeds will be contributed to the Shower Fund.

Yard Sale SetUp - Please stay after church on Sunday, May 24, to help move tables and all the goods into the sanctuary.  We will work on sorting, making signs, and pricing as many items as we can.  Plans are to meet on Tuesday and possibly Thursday evenings 6:30-8:30 pm to continue pricing items AND continue accepting items for the sale if you bring them to the church those evenings.  Jump in to help!  We want to put in that new shower!

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Looking ahead to the next gathering of the Meet and Eat group, they will get together on Wednesday, June 3, at 5:30 pm at Doolittle’s Restaurant in downtown Anderson.  All are welcome to join!

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Rob Gentry will make coffee mugs one more time.  If you would like one, PRINT your name on a note paper and give it to Rob.

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NACCP has received a Mary Hemphill grant of $3,500, facilitated by the Inspire Committee of the Synod of the South Atlantic, to partially fund the new shower in the handicap bathroom at the estimated total cost of $7,100.

We are SO grateful for a total of $6,032 so far!  If you have not yet made a contribution or want to do more, please consider joining us to raise about $1,068 more to make it happen!

If you choose to donate with a check, write it to NACCP, and make a note in memo for “Shower” or place cash in an envelope with a notation for the shower!

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Three Nights of Nature speakers:

July 21 - Jessica Bell - Split Creek Goat Farm - Goat species brought from near extinction

July 22 - Jay Keck - SC Wildlife Federation’s Industry Habitat Education Manager, a passionate nature and bird lover since his early teens.

July 23 - Robby Morrow - Geologist with SC Department of Natural Resources - Geological Survey.  Co-authored a book, Geology of the Foothills Trail.

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Keep up with the latest news from Foothills Presbytery here.

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Bible Study meets on Mondays at 6:30 pm through Zoom.  The new topic is Apocalyptic Eschatology along with the Book of Revelation.  Dave says he will try to make sense of it!   If you’d like to be added to the Zoom invite list, contact Cynthia at cynthiakwarner@mac.com.

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Please remember to donate non-perishable food items to AIM (Anderson Interfaith Ministries).  An extra item when you shop is a great help to others in our community.

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Remember in prayer:  Bill Bailey; Jay Lyn Martin and Jerry Meehan; Mary Alice Mundy; Latha Semones; Immigrant families; Victims of all violence, oppression, and injustice; People of the World in ALL walks of life and strife.