ORDER OF WORSHIP | 26 JULY

Feasting at the Lord’s Table

Invitation

We join together at the Lord’s Table to remember the way our Lord Jesus gave his life for us, and to experience his resurrection life, as he communes intimately with us. If you are trusting in Jesus, you are welcome to commune with us. If for any reason you are not communing with us today, please receive this blessing instead:

May Jesus draw you near to himself, show you his grace and glory, and give you courage and peace to follow him in the days ahead. Amen

Communion Liturgy

The Lord be with you!
And also with you!
Lift up your hearts!
We lift them up to the Lord!
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God!
It is right to give him thanks and praise!

Gracious God, it is truly good and right that we should always praise and magnify your name, for you have made us for yourself, you have made a world for us to inhabit and enjoy, and you have given your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, to redeem us from all the sin with which we have spoiled your good creation and tarnished your image. Through him we come to you with great hope, rejoicing with joy unspeakable, and awaiting the redemption of our bodies and the renewal of the whole creation, until that day when we praise you in resurrection glory with angels and archangels and the whole host of heaven, with whom we exalt your holy name even now, saying:

Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might:
Heaven and earth are full of your glory! Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!
Hosanna in the highest!

The Words of Institution

1 Corinthians 11:23-26

23 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

Prayer of Consecration

Heavenly Father, as we draw near to the table of our Lord Jesus Christ, be pleased to share in intimate communion with us through him. Set apart these common things—bread, wine, juice–for this glorious and holy purpose. And use this table fellowship to nourish our spirits, to strengthen our witness, and to unite us as your people, to the honor and glory of our Savior, in whose name we pray. Amen.

The Bread and the Cup

As we take the bread, we say: This is his body, given for you: take and eat.
As we take the cup, we say: This is his blood, shed for you: take and drink.

Prayer of Thanksgiving

Heavenly Father, thank you for being pleased to see us in communion with yourself through your Son, by the power of your Spirit, despite the distance between heaven where Jesus sits and earth where we sit, and despite the distance we sit from one another. We are reminded that neither height nor depth, nor life nor death, nor anything in all creation is able to separate us from your love in Jesus Christ. And we rejoice that you will keep us in the palm of your hands as your treasured possession until that day when our faith becomes sight, and we see our Savior face to face. Make that day come quickly, and make us faithful until that day. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.