GREAT PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them up to you, Lord.
Let us give thanks to our God.
It is right to praise you, Lord.
It is right, and a good and joyful thing, always and everywhere to give thanks to you, Holy Triune God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. From the rising of the sun to its setting your name is praised among all peoples. Therefore we praise you, joining our voices with your people on earth
and all the company of heaven who forever sing this hymn to the glory of your name:
Holy, holy, holy, Lord, God of power and might.
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed is the One who comes in the name of the Lord.
You are holy, Almighty One! Blessed are you, Jesus Christ! In the power of the Spirit you created all things, blessed them, and called them good. You called to yourself a people to make your mercy and truth known in all the world. We betrayed your calling;
You were faithful.
We wandered from the way;
You called us to return, and led us home.
And still we turned from your ways, abused your creatures, and made ourselves slaves to sin and death. At the right time you came and dwelt among us, as one of us, bringing good news to the poor, healing the sick, raising the dead, sharing table with the unrighteous, and teaching the way that leads to life. By your incarnation, life, suffering, execution and resurrection You gave birth to your church, delivered us from slavery and made a new covenant with us by water and the Spirit.
On the night of your betrayal, Lord Jesus, you took bread, blessed it, broke it, gave it to your disciples and said, "This is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me." You did the same with the cup after the supper, saying, "This cup that is poured out is the new covenant in my blood." Blessed Trinity, in remembrance of all you have done to save us, we offer ourselves to you in praise and thanksgiving as a holy and living sacrifice, in union with Christ's offering for us, as we sing the mystery of our faith:
Christ has come among us. Christ has died.
Christ has risen. Christ abides with us.
Christ will come again.
Pour out your Spirit on us. Pour out your Spirit on these gifts. Make these gifts the body and blood of Christ. Make us, through them, Christ's body alive in the world. Abba, Father! Let your kingdom come! Come, Lord Jesus! Be our daily bread. Holy Spirit!
Send us to the world. Holy, Blessed Trinity! One God forever! Glory to you!
Amen.
Breaking the Bread
Giving the Bread and Cup
PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION
Lord, you now have set your servants free to go in peace as you have promised. For these eyes of ours have seen the Savior whom you have prepared for all the world to see! Blessing and honor and glory are yours, now and forever. Amen.
(Contemporary Service of Holy Communion of United Methodist Church)
