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Opening Prayer
God of Love, let your Holy Spirit come upon us— into our hearts, into our minds, and into our souls. Let your presence speak within us— in the languages we speak, in the ways we live and have our being. For we long to hear you, Gracious One, and to understand. We pray that you would abide in us, that we may abide in you, this day and all days. Amen.
Opening Hymn
“Abide with Me”
UMH #700
Message in Music
“El Shaddai”
arr. Susan E. Geschke
Bell Choir
Communion
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
We offer our thanks and praise, O God, for the glories of creation: for the black velvet of the night sky that allows the stars to twinkle, and the moon to glow; for the sun that peeks over the horizon and paints the sky as it sets. We offer our thanks and praise for the heavens and the inhabitants of Heaven, for the cloud of witnesses. We on earth sing with them above as we say together these words:
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.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed are you, Holy One, and blessed is your Son, Jesus Christ, the Light of the World. Born in the stillness of night, he knew the love of family and stranger alike. Threatened by evil, he fled to a distant land. Endowed with the spirit, he taught about grace and forgiveness, and he healed the sick, and confronted the powerful. In humility and trust, he lay down his life that he might rise again and bring new life to the world.
Great is the mystery.
Christ has died; Christ is risen; Christ will come again.
For the gifts of his life and presence, we give you thanks, and ask for one thing more: that your Spirit descend now upon us, upon this table, that the bread we break and the cup we share would be transformed from their ordinariness to sacred things. As we share one loaf and one cup, may we become one with the world, bringing good news to all. And now, with the confidence of children of God, let us pray:
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come;
thy will be done;
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation;
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.
Prayer After Communion
O Jesus, our beloved, we give you thanks for inviting us to your table and sharing your feast. May we know that we have been fed with love and grace, and may we follow you out in the world, ambassadors of your hope and peace. Amen.
(by Beth Merrill Neel)
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