Holy Communion - 14th April 2013 - MS Black Watch

This liturgy is based on material from the Iona Community

Welcome & Introduction

Hymn: "As we walked home at close of day"

O God who created the heavens and stretched them out
We praise you.
You who fashioned the earth and all who live here,
We praise you.
You gave breath to the people upon it, and life to those who walk on it.
We praise and thank you, O God.

That the eyes of the blind be opened,
the broken-hearted be healed,
the poor hear the good news, and
captives be brought out of darkness,
your kingdom come, O God; your will be done.
So shall we sing a new song, O God, and praise your name for ever.

Loving God,
in whose mercy we find our peace,
in whose presence we find our place,
in whose world we find our calling:
grant us grace to hear and accept your Word,
that we may be faithful followers
of your will and your way all our days.
In Jesus' name we pray,
Amen.

Holy God, maker of all,
have mercy upon us
Jesus Christ, servant of the poor,
have mercy upon us
Holy Spirit, breath of life,
have mercy upon us

Let us in silence recall our own faults and failings.
pause
I confess to God, in the company of God's people,
that my life and the life of the world are broken by my sin.
May God forgive you, Christ renew you, and the Spirit enable you to grow in love.
Amen.

We confess to God, in the company of God's people,
that our lives and the life of the world are broken by our sin.

May God forgive you, Christ renew you, and the Spirit enable you to grow in love.
Amen.

Hymn: "Walk through life with us, gracious Lord"

Reading: Luke 24: 13 - 35

Reflection

We believe in God our Creator, whose word upholds human life,
for God is life;
whose tenderness longs for the freedom of humanity,
for God is love.

We believe in Jesus, the Word made flesh,
who came to share our life and to lighten our darkness.
Born among the poor, he showed us God's love and accepted death.
The living Christ is the wellspring of life and hope.

We believe in God's Spirit, who brings us to birth in the life of God,
and floods us with strength and gladness in the struggle to be faithful.

We believe in the Church, servant of all, bringer of good news,
in whom we witness to God in the world.

We believe in eternal life.
We look for resurrection in the hope of a new world
where all humanity will be one in union with God,
who is now, and is to come for ever.
Amen


Let us give thanks for the gifts of God, and pray for God's world and God's people.

God, grant us the serenity
to accept the things we cannot change,
the courage to change the things we can,
and the wisdom to know the difference.


Let us pray for the Church of God throughout the world,
for our own denomination,
for our own home church and others in our neighbourhood...

God, hear our prayer,
and in your love, answer.

Let us pray for people who have power and influence,
and for all who govern nations and peoples...

God, hear our prayer,
and in your love, answer.

Let us pray for those who are powerless,
for victims of natural disasters and of human conflict,
and for people who seek peace and justice...

God, hear our prayer,
and in your love, answer.

Let us pray for those who are suffering and sorrowful,
and for all who need our love and care...

God, hear our prayer,
and in your love, answer.

Let us pray for all whose lives on earth have ended
and for all who mourn their passing...

God, hear our prayer,
and in your love, answer.

Hymn: "Jesus calls us here to meet him"

The peace of God is here to stay.
Thanks be to God.
Amen.


Now let us hear again the story of how this sacrament began.

On the night that Jesus was betrayed, he sat at supper with his disciples.
While they were eating, he took a piece of bread,
said a blessing, broke it and gave it to them with the words,
"This is my body. It is broken for you.
Do this to remember me."

Later on he took a cup of wine and gave thanks, saying,
"This cup is God's new covenant, sealed with my blood.
Drink from it, all of you, to remember me."

So now, following the example and command of Jesus,
we take this bread and this wine,
the ordinary things of the world which God will make special.

And look,
you prepare a table for us, offering not just bread, not just wine,
but your very self, so that we might be filled,
forgiven, healed, blessed and made new again.

You are worth all our pain and all our praise.

But as we come to share the richness of your table,
we cannot forget the rawness of the earth.

We cannot take bread and forget those who are hungry.
Your world is one world and we are stewards of its nourishment.

Lord, put our prosperity at the service of the poor.

We cannot take wine and forget those who are thirsty.
The ground and the rootless, the earth and its weary people cry out for justice.

Lord, put our fullness at the service of the poor.

We cannot hear your words of peace and forget the world at war -
or if not at war, then preparing for it.

Show us quickly, Lord, how to turn weapons into welcome signs
and the lust for power into a desire for peace.


We cannot celebrate the feast of your family and forget our divisions.
We are one in the Spirit, but not in reality.
History and hurt still dis-member us.

Lord, heal your Church in every brokenness.

So now we join our voices to those of the Church on earth and in heaven:

Holy, Holy, Holy God,
source of life and love:
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna through all ages!
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of our God.
Hosanna through all ages!


Look, look!
Here is our Lord coming to us in bread and wine.

These are the gifts of God for us, the People of God.

Many grains were gathered together to make this bread;
many grapes were mixed to make this wine.
So we who are many, and come from many places, are one - united in Christ.

Now let us draw near with faith and receive Christ in the bread and wine.

Sharing of the Bread and Wine

Ever-living and ever-loving God,
you have put your life into our hands,
now we put our lives into yours.
Take us,
shake us,
remake us.

No longer is what we have been as important as what,
with you, we can be, starting now.

Hymn: "Will you come and follow me"

(said with a strong rhythm)

the cross, we shall take it !
the bread, we shall break it !
the pain, we shall bear it !
the joy, we shall share it !
the gospel, we shall live it !
the love, we shall give it !
the light, we shall cherish it !
the darkness, God shall perish it !!



A Prayer of St Columba, who founded the Abbey on Iona in 563CE

My dearest Lord,
be Thou a bright flame before me,
be Thou a guiding star above me,
be Thou a smooth path beneath me,
be Thou a kindly shepherd behind me,
today and evermore.

Home | back |

valid HTML 4.01!