Holy Communion - Mothering Sunday 2nd March 2008 - MS Black Watch

Let us worship God,
who watches over us
as a mother watches her brood.

Ever-present God,
this day enfolds us and surrounds us:
be in our speaking and in our thinking;
be in our life and on our lips;
be in our hearts and in our souls,
today and forever.
Amen.


HYMN: Lord of all hopefulness

God, father and mother of us all,
we praise you, whose name is love.

We, your children, ask your blessing,
for your nature is compassion.


We remember with you, our God, those who bear the role of motherhood -
mothers who laugh in joy, and others who weep in sorrow
as they care for their children.

Keep them in the palm of your hand.

We remember with you, our God, Jesus who was born of a woman
and nurtured in her love, and Mary, a reminder
of your patient, waiting love.

Blessed be God for ever.

We thank you, God, for giving us others to share in our lives:
our families and friends, acquaintances, colleagues and neighbours.
To know ourselves, we need others to show us who we are.

May we offer friendship to all

We thank you, God, for our experience of life down the years:
life's ups and downs, heart-ache and heart-lift,
sadness and celebration.

We thank you, God, for bringing us to this moment.

We thank you, above all, for those to whom we are closest:
those who know us better than we know ourselves,
those with whom we can truly be ourselves.

Gracious God, thank you for the gift of love.

In all those times when we know that we are not true to ourselves,
when we live with regret at what we may have said or done,
when we have missed opportunities to help or comfort another,
when we've been guilty of a lack of attention to others
and have let our self-centredness dominate our thoughts -

forgive us, gracious God, and renew your Spirit within us.


To all who turn from sin in sorrow,
to all who turn to God in hope,
this is God's word of grace:
we are accepted, we are forgiven, we are cherished.
This gift we have from God.
Thanks be to God.
Thanks be to God.

HYMN: Maker maternal, making and mending

Reading: St Luke 2: 41-51

Reflection

HYMN: Mothering God, you gave me birth

The risen Christ appeared to Mary Magdalene in the garden,
but she did not recognize him.
He called her by her name, and then she knew him.

God calls us by name, bidding us believe and follow.

God of the unexpected, help us to expect your call,
to look outside the box of the familiar
and to recognise the signs of your presence.

May Christ's presence be made known to us in the breaking of bread.

We remember that, when Jesus ate with his friends,
he took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it,
he broke it and gave it to them, saying:
"Take, eat.
This is my body, given for you.
Each time you do this, remember me."

Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks,
passed it to his friends, saying:
"Drink this, all of you.
This cup that is poured out for you is the promise of God,
made in my blood.
Whenever you drink it, remember me."

We proclaim the living Christ
who was, who is
and who is to come.


Pour out your Holy Spirit upon us
that this meal may be our communion
in the body of Christ.

Make us one with Christ and with all who share this feast.
Unite us in faith, encourage us with hope, inspire us to love,
that we may serve as your faithful disciples
and proclaim your kingdom of love.


Jesus said, "Love one another.
As I have loved you, so you are to love one another."
The Peace of Christ be with you all -
and also with you.

The bread which we break, and the cup for which we give thanks,

are our sharing in the life of Christ.

Come, receive the Bread of Life and the Cup of Blessing.
Come, for all things are now ready.

The Sharing of the Bread of Life and the Cup of Blessing

We give thanks, almighty God,
that you have refreshed us at your table
by granting us the presence of Christ.
Strengthen our faith and
increase our love for one another.
Send us out into the world
united in courage and peace,
rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit,
through Christ our Saviour.
Amen.


HYMN: Dear Mother God, your wings are warm around us

May God, who gave birth to all creation,
and who broods as a mother over her children,
bless us and keep us and those closest to us,
now and always.
Amen

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