worship guide
Pentecost Worship Guide
Planning your Pentecost service? Find sermon ideas, preaching guides, liturgy, and creative ways to celebrate the Birthday of the Church — free and subscriber resources.
Christmas has Santa and gifts. Easter has bunnies and eggs. Pentecost has... a dove and fire? Two of those are much easier to pull off than the other (and safer with children).
Somehow, Pentecost went from one of the two most important festivals in the Church calendar to a day that either barely gets a mention—or where the congregation wears red (if they remember). And yet, this is the day that celebrates the coming of the Holy Spirit, the fulfillment of central prophecies in the Old Testament, and God's literal presence and power with us and in us.
The silver lining is that it hasn't been commercialized to death, but that doesn't change the fact that we neglect this day to our cost (and to that of our flocks). Perhaps it contributes to the anemic pneumatology of many traditions today.
This worship guide is a gateway to The Pastor's Workshop's resources on Pentecost. Find sermon ideas, preaching guides on key texts, and liturgy by type and theme.
This page includes both free and premium resources. If you aren't a subscriber yet, consider a 14-day free trial to see how TPW can help your ministry.
Pentecost Sermon Ideas
Pentecost is one of the oldest Christian celebrations. But it can still be an enigma to figure out how to instruct our congregations how to celebrate it.
How Do You Prepare?
We have Advent for Christmas and Lent for Easter. But how do we prepare for Pentecost? Jack Levison offers advice. Following the story of the first Pentecost, he advises being practical, spiritual, and urgent in our preparation. Give your congregation better instructions for preparing for this holiday than just finding a red sweatshirt.
Read: Prep for Pentecost →
Free resource on TPW blog
The Lessons of Pentecost
There's a lot of confusion in how to celebrate Pentecost well. Chips and salsa to recapture the "tongues of fire"? Jack Levison isolates three main lessons from the story of Pentecost: stay put and wait, shut up and pray, and sit tight and study. Replace the chips and salsa with teaching that changes your congregation's perspective on this important day.
Read: Pentecost for the Rest of Us →
Free resource on TPW blog
Pentecost Preaching and Scripture
Lectionary Guides include preaching commentary, illustrations, quotes, and liturgy (Complete Package subscribers). Scripture Guides offer the same sermon content without liturgy (Essentials subscribers).
Acts 2:1-21 | A Rushing Wind
Having been clothed with God's presence while Jesus was physically with them, the disciples must have felt naked and unprepared to do the work they were called to. But all this changes with the rushing wind. Does your congregation see themselves as naked or clothed to go out and spread the Good News?
Acts 2:1-21 | The Waiting is the Hardest Part
Waiting is hard. But the disciples' waiting was worth it. Where are we called to wait for God to move? Where do we need to take a seat and not try to do it all in our own power?
John 15:26-27, 16:4b-15 | "Receive the Holy Spirit"
In the Upper Room, Jesus is preparing his disciples for what is coming. We are given a theologically rich picture of God's relationship to himself and to us. How does the Trinitarian picture of God and his relation to us that John presents frame the life of the believer and the church?
Genesis 11:1-9 | Confusion Reigns
The confusion of languages in the story of the Tower of Babel is a curse, but also turns out to bless us in the long run with diversity of languages and cultures. How will our language bless others and bring them together in God?
Romans 8:14-17 | A Spirit of Adoption
With the church in Rome threatened with a Jewish and gentile rift, Paul calls them together in the Spirit. We are adopted and led out of slavery to sin together, all calling out "Abba" to the same Father. How do we live this identity out in our own lives? How do we discern the Spirit of God from other voices?
1 Corinthians 12:3b-13 (Coming Soon)
Scripture Guide | Lectionary Guide
Will be posted in early Spring 2026.
Pentecost Liturgy
Premium—Complete Package
Sermon and Liturgy Resources by Theme
Browse sermon resources (including illustrations and quotes) and liturgy organized by themes — related to Pentecost, the Holy Spirit, and spiritual gifts.
Sermon resources accessible to all subscribers. Liturgy requires Complete Package subscription.
Pentecost Frequently Asked Questions
The texts for Pentecost in RCL Year A are:
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
See our scripture and lectionary guides for Pentecost.
On the Coming of the Holy Spirit
Acts 2:1-21 (Pentecost)
John 15:26-27, 16:4b-15 (Jesus breathes Holy Spirit on disciples)
New Testament Teaching
Romans 8:14-17 (the Spirit of adoption)
Romans 8:22-27 (the Spirit helps us in our weakness)
1 Corinthians 12:3b-13 (spiritual gifts)
Old Testament Promises
Joel 2:28-29 ("I will pour out my Spirit on all people...")
Jeremiah 31:33-34 (God will write the law on the heart — see also Hebrews 8:6-12)
Ezekiel 11:19-20 (Giving spirit and a new heart)
Ezekiel 36:24-27 (New spirit and new heart)
Other Old Testament Texts
Genesis 11:1-9 (confusion of languages)
Ezekiel 37:1-14 (valley of dry bones enlivened)
In Acts 2:3, the coming of the Holy Spirit was marked by a rush of wind and tongues of flame resting on all those gathered. By wearing red, the congregation embodies the tongues of flame on Pentecost.
The history of the color red's association with Pentecost is very old. There is evidence as far back as the 12th century in Jerusalem. There also may be additional reasons for the use of red beyond its connection to fire, historically speaking. Red has been used for festivals, such as Christmas, but also, at times, for ordinary time, which Pentecost begins.
The most widespread traditions for Pentecost among Protestant churches are the use of red vestments and decorations in the church, the invitation to the congregation to wear red (recreating "tongues of fire" in the congregation), and holding baptisms.
Those wishing to branch out may consider adapting some older traditions for Pentecost:
In England, there is a tradition of "whit walks" (see section on Whitsunday). Consider reviving this with your congregation after church by inviting people on a joyful prayer-walk around the neighborhood, blessing and interceding for your neighbors. Alternatively, this could be used for a hike later in the day, enjoying nature and incorporating a short prayer service at a scenic spot.
In Europe, there is an old tradition of climbing to high points in the landscape to "catch the Holy Spirit" early in the morning. A sunrise walk to a hilltop or a hike before church with a short prayer service may be a good way to set apart Pentecost from other days in the year for your congregation. This is perfect for places in the Northern Hemisphere where mornings are warm and mild this time of year.
In the Pantheon in Rome on Pentecost, the congregation gathers and sings "Come Holy Spirit" while rose petals rain down through the hole in the ceiling. What an incredible image for the descent of the Holy Spirit and the tongues of flame! (And just imagine the aroma of roses filling the church!) Your church may not have a perfectly placed hole in the ceiling, but if you have a choir loft or access points above the congregation, raining rose petals will bring the joy and wonder of the day to life in an unforgettable way. (If roses are too costly, red confetti is an option, too—though cleanup will be a beast!)
Bonus tip: We do not recommend reviving the old tradition of igniting flax fibers and throwing them down from the roof of the church on Pentecost. 10/10 for drama and recapturing the Biblical moment. 0/10 for fire danger!
Encourage families to put up an image of a dove above their dining room table on Pentecost (and to feast!), reviving an old tradition of putting up a carved dove above the table for the holiday. Perhaps put out a white tablecloth with rose petals and candles to really make it a celebration of the Holy Spirit.
Those outside of England, Ireland, Anglicanism, or Methodism may be puzzled by talk of "Whitsunday." The origins of the term are a little confusing, with different interpreters suggesting that it is for the "wit" or wisdom brought by the Holy Spirit. Others argue it is a contraction of "White Sunday," referring to baptismal garments or vestments worn on the day.
In the Middle Ages a major week-long holiday was observed, and various spring customs were observed: folk dancing, festivals, parades, and singing.
Churches where Whitsunday is not well-known may find it interesting to borrow some of the traditions. As we note above, reviving the "Whit Walk" or hosting a small festival after church with games may enrich your Pentecost celebrations.
Pentecost was celebrated very early in Christian history as a major holiday. Unsurprisingly, the earliest Church followed the Jewish patterns which shaped the events they celebrated. Easter followed Passover and the coming of the Holy Spirit followed the Feast of Weeks—Pentecost. There are mentions of the day in various early Christian writings, but by Tertullian's day (mid 2nd-3rd centuries), it was well-established.
It remained a major holiday throughout most of Christian history, often observed until Trinity Sunday. In many places, Pentecost Monday was also a major celebration. In the Orthodox Church, Pentecost remains a great feast, second only to Easter. While somewhat deemphasized by the reforms of Vatican II, it is also still very important in the Catholic Church.
In some Protestant denominations, however, the day has almost vanished. In the United States, Mother's Day occurs around the same time, and often, it receives more fanfare. At TPW, we have not found a great historical explanation of how this happened. Within the United States, at least, the influence of less-liturgical churches on the broader culture may be responsible for the de-emphasizing of Pentecost, as perhaps may be the fact that it has less commercializable traditions (no Christmas Trees, Santa Claus, or Easter Bunnies, etc.). Perhaps, also, it comes from the general neglect of the Holy Spirit in many churches. (Any church historians who can shed insight? Contact us!)
The importance of this day, however, gives us good reason to revive it in our own congregations. It is the "Birthday of the Church," after all!
Shavuot or "the Feast of Weeks" is the Jewish festival which the drew crowds to Jerusalem that witnessed the miracle of tongues on Pentecost. Because of this and the deep connection of early Christians to their Jewish roots, it was incorporated into Christian celebrations.
The Feast of Weeks was one of three major Jewish festivals that required going to Jerusalem for celebration (together with Tabernacles (Sukkot) and Passover (Pesach). It was a harvest festival, corresponding to the end of the grain harvest, which began at Passover (see Deut. 16:9-10). It does not appear to have been meant to correspond with any major events in salvation history. An association with the giving of the Law (celebrated today) does not appear to have been widespread during the time of Christ or the apostles.
Bread and first fruits were presented in the Temple during Jesus' day. Today, Jewish observances often involve staying up at night to read the Torah, eat dairy, light candles, the Book of Ruth (which focuses on the grain harvest) is often read, and flowers and greenery are often used to decorate the home.