Hopefully many charismatic prayer groups and individuals having prayed expectantly since Easter will be inspired this year to do something special for Pentecost. One suggestion would be to organise a Burning Bush Pentecost prayer vigil. The Burning Bush Initiative, grew out of a prophetic inspiration given to Kim Kollins, a leader in the Catholic Charismatic Renewal, when she was attending a gathering over a decade ago in Rome. Her experience brought an unplanned extended stay during the next months where she was led by God to remain in Rome and intercede for the Renewal and for the world. Over this time, she felt God tell her to encourage those in the Charismatic Renewal to return to intercessory prayer for a new outpouring of the Holy Spirit. This message was taken up initially by the CCR in Italy as well as by many of European National Service Committees and has spread all over the world. It also received a special encouragement from Pope John Paul II in 2004 when he called the Italian CCR to come and pray the Pentecost vespers with him in St Peter’s square. At the heart of the Burning Bush Initiative are three pillars

• A return to the Upper Room in Jerusalem
• Worship and Adoration
• Intercession

A return to the Upper Room in Jerusalem. This is a call to return to gathering in expectant prayer, as the apostles did, as they waited in the Upper Room in Jerusalem for the promised Holy Spirit to come upon them to empower them to go out and evangelise the nations. We too are to gather in a group with expectancy in our hearts that as we wait upon God, He will speak to us and empower us for the task ahead.

Worship and Adoration. The second pillar is to call forth a new attitude of worship and adoration - the willingness to sit, stand, fall on one’s knees or prostrate oneself in adoration of the Lord Jesus. . The Catechism of the Catholic Church states “Adoration is the first attitude of man acknowledging that he is creature before his creator. It exalts the greatness of the Lord who made us (Psalm 95:1-6) and the almighty power of the Saviour who sets us free from evil (CCC2628).

This act of adoration is primarily an interior one, but is expressed through external bodily gestures. If it is possible it is good for this to be done in front of the Blessed Sacrament. It is a time of contemplating the “Face of Jesus” that we may focus our hearts on “Starting afresh from Christ” – a time of joining our burdens and suffering to the “Cross of Jesus”.
Kim Kollins comments, “I believe the Holy Spirit wants to deepen in us the fullness of the Upper Room experience, not only that of Pentecost, but also the “washing of feet” and the Last Supper; always remembering that the Upper Room first of all was where Jesus established the Eucharist and the ministerial priesthood. ”If circumstances are such that Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is not possible, or because the gathering is an ecumenical one, people are still encouraged to worship and adore the Lord with all their hearts. Suitable objects for veneration or as aids to worship might be an icon of the Lord or the Bible or anything that will help those assembled to focus on the greatness and majesty of God.

Intercession. The third and most essential pillar of the Burning Bush is the call to offer one’s whole life in sacrifice as a gift of intercession for the Church and the world. It means to stand in the gap in love praying for the forgiveness of sins and the healing of the whole world. Jesus is the primary intercessor and we as members of his body are called to do likewise. Intercession can be a crucifying experience and also can bring great joy. It is a living out of St Paul’s insight “When one member of the Body suffers all the members suffer with it. When one member is honoured, all the members share its joy.” (1 Cor 12.26). The intercession of the Burning Bush Initiative draws on the gifts of the Holy Spirit particularly the gift of tongues which can find its application in “we do not know how to pray as we ought but the Spirit himself makes intercession for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in speech. He who searches hearts knows what the Spirit means, for the Spirit intercedes for the saints as God himself wills. (Rom 8:26-27)

Kim Catherine-Marie Kollins is a member of the Catholic Community of the Beatitudes and a member of the ICCRS European sub-committee. She is a leader in various European and international Charismatic organisations, including being a member of the executive committee of International Charismatic Consultation, an ecumenical charismatic work. She has the ministry of reconciliation among Christians and a key project is the prayer initiative “Burning Bush Project.”

Kim Kollins through her personal experience has discovered a useful structure for those who would like to organise a prayer vigil in a charismatic style for Pentecost.
Her suggested length for the vigil is about 4 hours divided into four parts.

1. PRAISE AND WORSHIP – 30 mins to 1 hour
If it is available, the Blessed Sacrament should be exposed in front of the gathering. The first thirty minutes to an hour should then be spent in praise and worship, preferably with song. If there is no possibility of a music ministry, a CD of praise music can be played to help facilitate worship. Otherwise just singing acapella is fine or simply vocal prayers of free praise and worship. This part of the vigil is meant to call down the Spirit and to worship the Lord. The longer the time of praise the better, but whenever the groups feels comfortable they may enter the next phase of silent adoration.

2. SILENT ADORATION – 30 mins to 1 hour
During this time the prayer team really enters into the Spirit of Adoration, which happens most powerfully in silence. During this time the individual intercessors can take any prayer posture they feel led to take, including prostration or kneeling, standing or sitting. They can have hands raised in the air or folded in front. This body language in adoration is important and silence is important. If during this time a team member receives a word from the Spirit, they should write it down to share during the time of intercession. This is a time to unite one’s heart with the Sacred heart of Christ crucified. This time can last from 30 minutes to an hour, again an hour is preferable, but go as the Spirit leads.

3. CHARISMATIC INTERCESSION – 90 mins to 2 hours
This part of the prayer vigil is the longest and most intense. It can be further divided into six sections if this makes it more manageable for the prayer team. This can be six 15 minute sessions (90 mins) or six 20 minute sessions (2 hours). The six sessions can correspond to the specific intentions which will be interceded for during the prayer vigil. There are two intentions that the Pope has underlined for the burning Bush Initiative world wide to intercede for. These are:
- Full Christian unity
- Conversion of sinners

Then the prayer team might bring their own prayer intentions
for intercession or the intercessions from the Pentecost
novena prayer guide.

ABC INTERCESSION FORMAT Once the prayer team has outlined their intentions, they can begin the intercession. This time of intercession can be very free and open or very structured again at the Spirit’s prompting. It is also possible and encouraged to have praise and music during this time of intercession even as the group intercedes in tongues. One useful way of beginning charismatic intercession with prayer using the gift is tongues is known as the “abc” format

a. First present the intention to the Father in Jesus’ name.
b. intercede in the gift of tongues until the prayer naturally comes to an end. It is recommended that people pray in tongues when they are interceding and sing in tongues when they are worshipping.
c. prayers of thanksgiving and blessing in faith, believing the Holy Spirit knows how to pray the perfect will of the Father for this intention (Rom 8. 26-28)

In a group it is important for someone to lead the session. It is possible to include a time of intercession through worship and by praying the scriptures of adoration (ie Psalms and Revelations chapters 4-5)

4 INDIVIDUAL CHARISMATIC PRAYER
During the final part of the prayer vigil the prayer team, interceding in tongues, pray over each other for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the whole Body of Christ. This is because where one member of the Body is present the whole body is united there by the Spirit. So by praying over someone through the “laying on of hands”, the body of Christ is being interceded for as a whole through one of its members. Each member of the prayer team does not need to receive prayer, but a few should act as representatives and allow their hearts to be conduits of grace for the whole Body of Christ. Remember this is not prayer for an individual but intercession for the Body, the whole Bride of Christ. Those praying over the person should be praying prayers for the Universal Church and for the specific intentions mentioned. Praying using the gift of tongues should be primary. This time can last anywhere from 15-30 minutes. Always remember to stay open to the leading of the Holy Spirit in every vigil. Do not be afraid of changing the format in whatever way you feel led by the Spirit, as seems most appropriate to the circumstances and venue and people participating.

For testimonies about the Burning Bush see
www.burningbushinitiative.com