Pentecost Submerge - 4th June 2006

By: Richard Barclay on: 05.06.06

Richards Wrap on Submerge last night.

People arrived and were served with 'red food' of dips and antipasto type things in the foyer. Greg called everyone to attention and introduced the theme of Pentecost. He reminded us that Pentecost started with Jesus telling his disciples to wait. Greg asked us to spend some moments waiting in anticipation, reflecting on the Spirit's work in our lives.

The doors to the main space burst open and people were met with a large fan blowing in their faces, behind which were images of moving flames projected onto the wall. People were invited to walk through the door, feeling the wind on their faces, and were then given a small paper lantern each with a tea-light candle in it to symbolise the flames resting on each person on the day of Pentecost. The room was dark except for the candles, flame images, and some very low lighting.

Everyone was also given a piece of puzzle after they had received their lantern - there were some instructions on the back of each piece, but it was meant to be confusing for people. Each piece had a different Bible passage on it in a different language, and people had to find the people with the other parts of their puzzle. Nick shouted out some instructions in German, just to further confuse people, and then a soundtrack started with lots of layered voices in different languages speaking Bible passages. With some prompting, people began to find the matching puzzle pieces and make up a letter. There were five groups (hence five passages) and the letters spelt the word 'UNITY'. They then read their passage out together and lit the candle on the table beside their letter.

I then stood up and explained that what had just happened was to help us experience the confusion of the first Pentecost, that ultimately people were hearing people praising God in their own languages, perhaps for the first time. I then went on to tell people that the crux of Peter's sermon on that day had been that 'this Jesus whom you crucified, God has raised from the dead'. To explore this there were a number of black and white images meant to represent Jesus in some way, on the floor in the shape of the cross.

People were asked to take one and add colour with the paint and crayons on the table, then stick it on the wall to symbolise Jesus being raised from the dead. The coloured pictures were then stuck on the wall to form the word 'HOPE'.

We were then told that we would now hear the stories of two people who had encountered the Holy Spirit in the their lives in different ways. Two actors (Linda and Tim) then came on and performed monologues, one was Jonathan Edwards the 18th Century revivalist and the other was St Theresa of Avila. Each expressed in their own powerful words the life changing and emotionally charged moment.

John then explained the significance of an encounter with the Holy Spirit and that as on the day of Pentecost it often leads to repentance or confession. He then asked us to reflect on this and then write down a confession on the piece of paper he would give us. We were then asked to put it in the burner and watch it go up in flames, symbolising God's forgiveness. After each person had burned their confession they were handed an origami dove as a symbol of God's Spirit. A blessing was pronounced over them and then they were asked if they would like further prayer. People then moved back out into the foyer to have hot chocolate.

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