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Pentecost Vigil - a campaign by Renovabis and go4peace

For peace to grow. YOU make the difference.


Review

Report on the Pentecost Vigil on 18.05.2024

"Find a place in the church, close your eyes, be quiet for 10 minutes and notice what you feel and what moves you!“ Young people followed this invitation on Pentecost Saturday in the tent of the Holy Family Church in Kamen during the analogue part of the Pentecost vigil in the go4peace network. They realised and discovered how gently the Holy Spirit was at work in them. „I felt a burden lying on my soul for weeks and when I was able to allow the heaviness inside me in the moments of silence, it was taken away! For the first time, I was able to understand HOW the Holy Spirit works!“ one young participant shared. - „I feel a very deep gratitude for the gift of my life, which was already so threatened!“ Milena contributed. - „I felt a great joy in my heart that I can play basketball again after rupturing a ligament, the team spirit in my team is so good for me!“ said Maya.

These noticeable EFFECTS were also the focus of the digital part of the Vigil organised on the initiative of Renovabis. Young people from 11 nations met on the evening of Pentecost between 8 and 9 p.m. on the go4peace network on an internet platform. Viktoria from Poland passionately read what she had just experienced from the Acts of the Apostles: ‘They were all together in the same place!’ (Acts 2)

Edita from Kosovo had previously called the Holy Spirit into the midst of the meeting in a prayer:  „Come, Holy Spirit, You, Spirit of truth, who sets us free. You, Spirit of storms, who shakes us up, You, Spirit of courage, who gives us strength. You, Spirit of fire, who makes us worthy of trust.“ In a short video, the more than 50 young participants experienced the work of the Holy Spirit in many social activities of the go4peace network, in which young people had given their hands and feet to bring concrete signs of love in their areas.

Then it was time to share experiences. Marc, a young priest from LeMans in France, told how he had spent an hour of vigilance and prayer with Vitali from Ukraine during the „24 hours connected-campaign“. - Mathilda, who is currently doing a volonteer service at the Ivan Pavao II Youth Centre in Sarajevo and was travelling in Serbia over Pentecost, told how she wanted to go to India for a year and was led through the circumstances to Sarajevo, where she was able to experience Europe in a completely new way. - Mariaklelia from Albania, now studying in Austria, had asked the Holy Spirit for his help in a difficult exam but she failed. After she had talked to the professor for some insight she passed it. - Milena from Germany spoke about difficult times in her life, which she had overcome during her voluntary service in Poland.

Halyna, sitting in a shelter in Kyiv, wrote during the meeting: „I am so deeply touched and tears are running down my face! But I am so grateful to share this experience with you in this difficult time for us here in Ukraine!“ Then we inivted the participants for some moments of silence. „Let us pray for the people of our continent“ someone said. A whiteboard was opened on all the connected computers and smartphones. In silence, many names were written down. They came from Albania and Bosnia-Herzegovina, from France, Kosovo, Germany, Austria, Poland, Serbia and Switzerland, from the Czech Republic and Ukraine. Lorena from Shkodra finished this time of prayer by saying the Our Father in albanian language, before Martina from Sarajevo prayed for God's spirit to bless all our projects and activities.  After a passionate organ piece by Amelie Held from New York, it was time to say „Good Bye!“ Touched by the sometimes tender and sometimes captivating effects of the Holy Spirit, strengthened by this common experience, gathered in the ONE PLACE EUROPE and supported by the go4peace network, a spiritually rich evening came to an end.

Invitation to the Europe-wide Pentecost Vigil 2024 for young people

The Europe-wide network go4peace is offering elements for a vigil on Saturday, 18 May 2024, the eve of Pentecost, for the Renovabis Pentecost campaign "For peace to grow: YOU make the difference". We invite you to discover the Holy Spirit in your own life. We have prepared different elements that you can adapt together with your friends according to your needs and wishes. Get together and join in!  Here are the colourful modules:

Element A

A look towards Europe

"Ruach" - the Old Testament Hebrew word for "spirit" - is feminine.

In a short video seven young women talk about what it means to them to live for peace in their challenging (national) situations.
Watch one or more videos and discuss them.

Edita from Kosovo

Lorena from Albania

Halyna from Ukraine

Marie from Czech Republic

Pavlina from Serbia

Martina from Bosnia and Herzegowina

Marta from Poland

Element B

Networking with the European partners

Take a photo of your group and write a greeting via email to one of the young people from Eastern and South-Eastern Europe whose video you have just watched. The young Europeans are informed about the campaign and are waiting for your greetings this Pentecost night. You can find their email addresses at the end of the video. This is how you build a bridge of peace this night, this is how YOU make the difference!

Element C

Silence for peace

If you like, keep silent and pray for peace in yourselves and in the world. Here is a brief schedule:

Song

„Ubi caritas“ or „Laudate omnes gentes“

Action

Write down names for whom you want to pray and place them around a peace candle.

Exchange

What "dawned" on you anew that night?
What moved you?
How does God speak to you in this?
Is there anything you want to do for the next time?

Prayer

Our Father

Blessing

The Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;
the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace

Song

"Bless the Lord, my soul" from Taizé

Element D

Pentecostal zooming

You can network live that night (18/19 May 2024) from 8-9 p.m. CEST with young people from Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Germany, Kosovo, Poland, the Czech Republic and Ukraine, among others.

If you have any questions, please contact us at info@go4peace.eu

Here is the Zoom link: https://www.go4peace.eu/zoom (You will be automatically redirected to the Zoom page!)

We would like to experience an hour of vigil, sharing and prayer together with you as part of the Pentecost Vigil. Be there, YOU make the difference!

Did you like the Pentecost campaign?
We look forward to your feedback!