Pentecost and Ascension worship ideas
Ideas for this season
[This article updated in May 2025.]
New song for Pentecost 2025: Holy Spirit Move Among Us.
Can be sung to this tune, or use another hymn tune in 8787D metre.
Ascension
Ascension Day can often go un-celebrated (some will mark it on the Sunday after). But we love this moment to remember that the risen Jesus, human-and-God, is now sitting at the right hand of the Father.
There is a script and a recording of a fun re-telling of the Ascension story from the perspective of a confused disciple. You could make use of this in the home or have someone act it out on a Zoom or Facebook live.
Bob Hartman has two poems here which span the time between Easter and Ascension, so are a good way to engage with the wider story we find ourselves in.
When it comes to songs, Judy Gresham's High in the Heavens is a great way to remind ourselves of both Jesus' coming as a human and his exaltation. Below is a live video, but you can also get a lyric video from resoundworship.org
Pentecost
Gemma has created a print-out activity sheet to help children and families learn a bit more about what happened at Pentecost and what it means for us today.
Richard Lyall has created two Acts 2 visual reading videos. These would be ideal in Pentecost services you stream online. Richard has previously also made a PowerPoint visual reading of Acts 2 which you could read-along with.
He has also made a Pentecost Prayer video based on the hymn "O Breath of Life".
For an all-age service where you want the viewers to interact with you, try Bob Hartmans' Peter's Sermon.
For written prayers, there is an "Expression of Faith" (like a creed) based on Acts 2:22-39 which you can read over the PowerPoint. There is also a "Holy Spirit Sending Prayer" for the end of your service.
Sam and Bob's Pentecost song "Blowing Wind and Tongues of Flame" from the Rhyming Bible album is a fun way to communicate the story with children. (Note we don't own the copyright for this one, so although you can share the video via a link you would need to contact Song Solutions directly to edit the video into your own).
Other songs which would work well for Pentecost services include Geraldine and Carey Luce's Spirit of God, Jo Doré's Holy Spirit Inspire Again and Sam's Jesus Lead Us to the Father.
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Saying that, it should be straightforward for you to read over the music. Any player, whether it's YouTube or on your own computer, will have the facility to adjust the volume and then you can read over the video live. Hope that helps.