Electric Pentecost

Pentecost (8 June 2014)

by Ann Peat

Suitable for Key Stage 1/2

Aims

To compare the power of the Holy Spirit with electricity

Preparation and materials

• Familiarize yourself with the description of Pentecost in Acts 2.1–8.
• You will need several different devices powered by electricity – some with batteries and some that plug in to a socket. It is good to have one that doesn’t work, too, and you will need a torch or electric light for the ‘Time for reflection’ part of the assembly.
• Gather some information about the history of harnessing of electricity (this can be found at: www.wisegeek.org/who-discovered-electricity.htm).

Assembly

1. Ask the children, ‘What powers most devices?’ They should respond, ‘Electricity.’
   
   Ask them if they think each of the devices you’ve brought in will work. Try them out to see, including the one you know doesn’t. 
   
   Point out that if they are not connected to a source of electricity (by plug or battery), they won't work.
   
   Expand on this by noting that electricity is used to help us keep warm or cool (fires and fans), do difficult tasks (power tools), help us take pictures and communicate (phones, cameras, radios and so on).
   
   
2. Ask, ’Who invented electricity?’ You may get several answers, including that no one invented it, but several people discovered how to harness it and use it.
   
   
3. If appropriate, give a brief history of the use of electricity.
   
   
4. Emphasize that electricity is a natural force – it has been in the universe since the very beginning of time, it just took time for humans to become aware of and able to use it.
   
   
5. Tell the story of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit came to friends and followers of Jesus with great power, enabling them to do things they couldn't do before, to tell people all about Jesus, to all sorts of different people, and gave them comfort when they were in trouble.
   
   Point out that the power of the Holy Spirit, in some ways, is like the power of electricity.
   
   
6. Christians believe that the Holy Spirit had always been at work in the world, but came in renewed strength at Pentecost. The Bible tells us that the Spirit was active in the creation of the world, animals and humans, and inspired the words of prophets who taught Jews about God before the coming of Jesus.
   
   
7. Say that Christians believe they need to be open, connected, plugged in to the Holy Spirit in order to do the work in the world Jesus did and God now wants them to do.

Time for reflection

Switch on the torch or electric light.

Jesus’ disciple John said Jesus was the light of the world.
Christians believe that the Holy Spirit gives power to his followers to be lights, too, like him.
Think how you can be like a light to people around you today. 

Prayer
Dear God,
We thank you that your Holy Spirit is always at work in your world, bringing strength and comfort, words and light.
Help us to live as Jesus did, to bring light to your world and live in the way that you want us to live.
Amen.

Song/music

‘Spirit of God, as strong as the wind’ (Come and Praise, 63)