Tuesday 31 May 2016

Pentecost

Pentecost Assembly
Wind that moves us

Show sailing boat  with sound effects as children come in

Sing  - One more step along the world I go.

Play "Flap the kipper "

  • what made the kipper move?
  • It is the same force that makes a sailing ship move


Story

Jesus’ friends weren’t moving at all.
They were sitting still – can you sit absolutely still?
They didn’t know what to do
Jesus had told them to tell people his message of love.
But they didn’t know where to start.
They wished he was there to ask
But he wasn’t

At least they could pray
They were gathered together on the day of Pentecost, which was a special feast in the Jewish faith.
Sitting still

When all of a sudden they heard the sound of a rushing wind.
It wasn’t windy outside, but they suddenly felt as if something new had blown into their lives.
All of a sudden they remembered the things that Jesus had told them, they remembered what it was like when he was with them. And they knew that God was with them, just  like he had been with them in Jesus. They felt like they could do anything. Of course they could tell people about Jesus – after all he was their friend, and its easy to talk about your friends.They were so excited that they rushed out into the street and started talking to anyone they could. And even if the people weren't from their country they understood what they were saying.
And very quickly the message spread, just as if that rushing wind had spread it around. And Jesus’ friends told people in Jerusalem, and all over the world.

Jesus’ friends called this experience of God being with them the Holy Spirit. He wasn’t just in heaven. He wasn’t just in Jesus. God was in all of them, helping them to do things that felt difficult, moving them when they felt stuck like statues.

Think of things that are difficult for you to do. When you are stuck it is easy to panic, but we can stop and pray and ask for help – we might get a good idea, or we might think of something we can do or someone we can ask. Christians believe that Pentecost tells us that God is always with us, helping us to get moving.