Our Service of Holy Communion

This service is authorised for use by our sponsoring body the Bedfordshire Ecumenical Committee, January 1995. The service is used totally ecumenically and it matters not what denomination the minister is presiding. We have found the service lasts for just an hour with four hymns, a ten minute sermon and 100 communicants. Children usually leave after the second hymn and then join us for the administration. The service is according to the ICET texts and as part of our commitment to equal opportunities uses fully inclusive language. We now always enjoy singing the Gloria, Kyrie and Agnus Dei.

THE PREPARATION

The minister welcomes the people using these or other appropriate words

Minister: The Lord is here.
All: His Spirit is with us.

All: Almighty God, to whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hidden: cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

A HYMN may be sung

CONFESSION

Minister:

The minister may use words of invitation to the congregation to confess their sins

All: Almighty God, our heavenly Father, we have sinned against you and against each other, in thought and word and deed, in the evil we have done and the good we have not done, through ignorance, through weakness, through our own deliberate fault. We are truly sorry and repent of all our sins. For the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ, who died for us, forgive us all that is past; and grant that we may serve you in newness of life to the glory of your name. Amen.

The minister will declare the words of forgiveness

KYRIE ELEISON Either (sung) or (said)

Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy. Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

THE GLORIA may be sung

Glory to God in the highest, and peace to God's people on earth.
Lord God, heavenly King, almighty God and Father,
we worship you, we give you thanks, we praise you for your glory.
Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, Lord God, Lamb of God,
you take away the sin of the world: have mercy on us;
you are seated at the right hand of the Father: receive our prayer.
For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord,
you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ,
with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. Amen.

THE OFFERING

After the offering is collected it may be brought forward with the bread and wine. The people stand as it is presented and say

Yours, Lord, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the splendour, and the majesty; for everything in heaven and on earth is yours. All things come from you, and of your own do we give you.

A HYMN may be sung

THE MINISTRY OF GOD'S WORD

THE COLLECT OF THE DAY

or some other prayer which follows the theme of the readings The reader introduces the readings using the suggested words and announces the page number in the pew bibles

FIRST READING

Reader: The Epistle/Old Testament reading is taken from ............................(name of book) chapter ...........beginning at verse.......

At the end of the reading

Reader: This is the word of the Lord.
All: Thanks be to God.

GOSPEL READING all stand

Reader: The Holy Gospel is taken from the Gospel according to .....chapter ..........beginning at verse........
All: Glory to Christ our Saviour.

At the end of the reading Reader:

This is the Gospel of Christ.
All: Praise to Christ our Lord.

THE SERMON

A HYMN may be sung

THE DECLARATION OF FAITH may be said

Minister: Do you believe and trust in God the Father, who made all things?
All: I believe and trust in him.
Minister: Do you believe and trust in his Son Jesus Christ, who redeemed the world?
All: I believe and trust in him.
Minister: Do you believe and trust in his Holy Spirit, who gives life to the people of God?
All: I believe and trust in the Holy Spirit.
Minister: This is the faith of the Church.
All: This is our faith. We believe and trust in one God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

THE PRAYERS

The prayers may include the following or some other responses

Leader: Lord in your mercy.
All: Hear our prayer.

The prayers end with Leader:

Merciful Father.
All: Accept these prayers for the sake of your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

The Lord's Prayer may be sung

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and for ever. Amen.

A HYMN may be sung

THE MINISTRY OF THE SACRAMENT

THE PEACE

Minister: Christ is our peace. He has reconciled us to God in one body by the cross. We meet in his name and share his peace.
Minister: The peace of the Lord be always with you.
All: And also with you.

You may wish to exchange a sign of peace and shake hands with those around you

THE PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING

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

It is indeed right, it is our joy and salvation, always and everywhere to give you thanks and praise through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord. Through him you have created all things and made us in your own image. Through his death on the cross and resurrection you freed us from sin and opened the way to everlasting life. He is the peace between us reconciling us to you and making us your people. Nothing can separate us from your love.

A seasonal prayer may follow

Therefore with angels and archangels, and with all the company of heaven, we proclaim your great and glorious name, for ever praising you and 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.

We praise you, Lord God, creator and sustainer of the universe. Grant that by the power of your Holy Spirit these gifts of bread and wine may be to us the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, who on the night that he was betrayed, took bread, gave thanks, broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, 'Take, eat; this is my body which is broken for you. Do this in remembrance of me.' In the same way, after supper, he took the cup and gave you thanks, he gave it to them, saying, 'This is my blood of the new covenant poured out for you and for many, for the forgiveness of sins. Do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.'

All: Christ has died: Christ is risen: Christ will come again.
Minister: The bread we break is a sharing in the body of Christ.
All: Though we are many, we are one body because we all share in one bread.

Therefore, heavenly Father as he has commanded us, we do this in remembrance of your dear Son Jesus Christ. We give you thanks and praise that through faith in him we receive forgiveness of all our sins.

Either (sung) or (said)

Jesus, Lamb of God, have mercy on us.
Jesus, bearer of our sins, have mercy on us.
Jesus, redeemer of the world, grant us your peace.

Before the bread and wine is given we sit or kneel for the prayer of humble access

Most merciful Lord, your love compels us to come in. Our hands were unclean our hearts were unprepared; we were not fit even to eat the crumbs from under your table. But you, Lord, are the God of our salvation, and share your bread with sinners. So cleanse us and feed us with the precious body and blood of your Son, that he may live in us and we in him; and that we, with the whole company of Christ, may sit and eat in your kingdom. Amen.

Draw near with faith. Receive the body of our Lord Jesus Christ, which was given for you, and his blood which was shed for you. Eat and drink in remembrance that he died for you, and feed on him in your hearts by faith with thanksgiving. Amen.

Communion is now received and you will be invited forward. If you would like communion brought to you, please remain in your seat and inform the communion steward. You are welcome to receive the bread and wine, but if for any reason you do not wish to receive, then please bring your order of service with you and hold it in your hand. The minister will then know not to offer the sacrament to you and will say a prayer of blessing instead. If you wish to partake only of the bread, take the chalice or glass as it is presented and then give it back without drinking. At the distribution the minister will say words of administration to which the communicant may reply, AMEN.

AFTER COMMUNION

THE PRAYER SAID AFTER COMMUNION

We thank you Lord, that you have fed us in this sacrament with the body and blood of your Son Jesus Christ and given us a foretaste of the heavenly banquet prepared for all people. Through him we offer you our souls and bodies to be a living sacrifice. Send us out in the power of your Spirit to live and work to your praise and glory. Amen.

A HYMN may be sung

THE DISMISSAL

The minister will say a blessing before the final prayer

Minister: Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
All: In the name of Christ. Amen.

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