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An
Invitation to LIVING
LITURGY Do not print or copy without the express written permission By The Most Rev. Randolph W. Sly INTRODUCTION We
are glad you are interested in exploring a style of worship very similar to
that which has existed since the time of the early church. If you are not used
to a liturgical - sacramental service, much of what you see may seem different.
Let me assure you that we have not invented
any of this, but have taken our shape of worship from the Apostles and early
church fathers. While much of contemporary worship is focused on edifying the
worshiper and meeting the needs of those who come, the ancient church was
committed to focusing their attention on the worship of the Lord. Worship has always followed a specific
liturgical form (liturgy from the Greek leitourgeia which means
"work of the people") from the very beginning of the church. This
work involves a specific structure for worship which takes the church on a
journey to the throne room of God, and there in His presence allows us to offer
a sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving. Woven into the fabric of this liturgy is an
elasticity of the Holy Spirit, so that the church can exercise her gifts and
ministries during worship under the direction of her leaders. Thus, the major
focus is the Lord, and people are built up as a result of coming into His
presence. The final part of this pilgrimage takes place at the Lord's table.
Here the church shares in the covenant meal instituted by our Lord Jesus Christ
with His disciples. Everything done in worship has a meaning or
symbol pointing to the Lord or His character. Our services, while having a
liturgical structure, also contain significant times of spontaneity, contemporary
praise and Biblically-based preaching. While we can't go into great detail, we
want to answer some of your immediate questions in this introduction. WHAT
ABOUT OUR LEADERS? As
a part of the historic church, the CEC calls its ordained ministers priests,
which is a shortened form of the word "presbyter" meaning elder.
We hold to the priesthood of believers, but within this priesthood there are
those set apart to serve as ministers of the Word and Sacraments, and to assist
in the governance of the Church. Deacons are ordained clergy whose
responsibility is to serve the church in many ways. This service includes, but
is not restricted to, assisting the celebrant (usually a priest) during the
liturgy and performing many other ministry functions within the church in
leadership and serving. They supervise many of the ongoing ministries and take
care of a lot of detail work, which allows the priests to focus on their
pastoral responsibilities. The historic church also has an office of overseer
(from the Greek episcopos) which is another name for bishop. In our communion, bishops
must be the Rector (i.e. senior pastor) of their local church (which we call a parish).
He also "oversees" the work of the church in a given geographic region,
called a diocese. Most parish churches see the bishop only once or twice a
year. Cathedrals, however, have the privilege of the bishop's presence as an
ordinary experience. Archbishops are bishops of two or more dioceses (which is
called a Province) thus having other bishops under their authority. Others you may see helping in the service
include subdeacons, or postulant interns, men in training for the ministry. In
our services, we also use lay men and women as readers (who read portions of
the Scripture during the Liturgy of the Word), musicians, singers, dancers, and
acolytes (young people who assist the ministers in various parts of the
service). WHAT
ABOUT OUR VESTMENTS? Our
clergy wear vestments, all of which mean something, including their color.
Clerical shirts (usually black for priests and gray for deacons) signify that
certain men have been set apart and ordained publicly in Holy Orders. The
special collar symbolizes that they are to be yoked to Christ (the collar) as
opposed to being yoked to the world (the tie) for their vocation. Each of the vestments used during the service
have their own meaning attached. The garments are used to help the ministers
blend into the furnishings of the altar area. In liturgical worship, the idea
of personality is de-emphasized. One does not come to church because of the
person in the pulpit, but because of the Person whom we adore in and through
the liturgy. For worship, the priest wears a white alb and
a stole worn over both shoulders, which is the symbol of his priestly office (a
deacon also wears a stole, but his is draped over the left shoulder, signifying
the towel of service). The color of the stole matches the rest of the altar
colors and signifies the part of the church year we are celebrating. During communion,
the Celebrant wears a chasuble (a large cloth garment) of the same color. The
deacon may wear an alb, or a cassock (a black garment) and surplice (a white
covering) as his vestments for worship. If Subdeacons serve, they typically wear a
black cassock and surplice, but may also use other garments and implements.
Other lay assistants, such as acolytes, may wear a different colored cassock or
a small alb. The bishop wears the same garments as the
priest, but may also use other garments and implements. His clerical shirt is
usually black in color, although he may also wear purple. During worship, when
he enters in the processional, the bishop may be wearing a hat called a mitre,
and a cape called a cope. He carries a special staff called a crozier, which
symbolizes his authority as a shepherd under the Chief Shepherd, Jesus Christ. WHAT
ABOUT OUR WORSHIP? The
following summary will help you understand the actions and events of worship in
what we would call a "convergence of streams" approach. This means we
are worshiping within a Liturgical-Sacramental framework and are incorporating
the best of the two other streams of the church: the Evangelical stream with
its commitment to the teaching of God's infallible Word and a personal faith in
Jesus Christ, along with the Charismatic stream which emphasizes strong
expressions of praise and worship and the work and power of the Holy Spirit. We
believe all three streams are to be present for the river of God to flow in its
fullness. AS
YOU ENTER The
worship area of the church is reserved as a place of reverence. We encourage
our people to meet and fellowship in the foyer and then enter the nave (the
place where the congregation sits) quietly. We encourage everyone to take time
for prayer, that our hearts might be prepared for worship. The Prayers before the
Eucharist (see
below) are offered as an aid in this regard. Much of the activity of worship takes place
in the raised area up front called the sanctuary. You will also notice that the
Communion Table (i.e. the altar) and cross, not the pulpit, are central in the
worship setting. This is to signify Christ's centrality in worship and that all
other parts are secondary to Him. Candles are placed on either side of the
cross, signifying that Christ was both human and divine. One of the first experiences you may have in
our worship doesn't involve sight or sound, but smell. Just before the
processional begins, a thurible (a censor for burning incense) is filled.
Several times during the service the censor is used. Incense is symbolic of the
prayers of the saints. (Mal. 1:11; Rev. 8:3) Whenever you smell incense and see
the smoke coming from the thurible, it is to remind us that prayer is ascending
to the throne of God! If you have further questions, please feel
free to talk to us at any time. The Liturgy
of the Word (Form 1) The
worship service of the Ancient Church was composed of two major parts: the
Liturgy of the Word, and, the Liturgy of the Table. Through the Liturgy of the Word,
Gods people were instructed in the Faith and made ready to receive the holy
food prepared by Jesus Christ for them in the Liturgy of the Table. The Liturgy of the Word is composed of
several parts: the Processional, the Acclamation, the Collect for Purity, the
Summary of the Law (or the Decalogue), the Kyrie (or Trisagion), the Gloria,
Praise and Adoration, the Collect of
the Day, the Readings (Old and New Testament), the Psalm, the Gospel, the
Sermon, the Creed, the Prayers of the People, the Confession of Sin (with
Absolution and Comforting Words), and, finally, the Peace. THE PROCESSIONAL
Everything
we do in worship has a purpose. Rather than this being a clever way to get the ministers
into the church, the processional symbolizes the entrance of the Church into
the presence of the Lord. Since it would not be practical for the entire
congregation to process, those leading in worship enter on behalf of the whole
People of God. The cross leads the way, since no one can
come to the Father except through Jesus Christ. You may notice that the
congregation bows their heads as the cross passes. This honors Christ and is an
expression of adoration for His death on the cross -- a death He died for us! THE
ACCLAMATION When
one enters another's presence it is customary to greet that person. So it is in
worship. The first words we speak, we speak to God, ascribing to Him greatness
and glory. This is done in a responsive manner; first the celebrant speaks, and
then the congregation. In most services we would begin as follows: Celebrant Blessed be God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. People And blessed be His kingdom, now and for ever! Amen. COLLECT FOR PURITY
After
we greet the Lord, we offer a prayer for purity that our worship and our lives
may bring glory to His Name. This prayer also acknowledges that, as we come to
worship God, we cannot hide anything from Him. We call upon the Holy Spirit to
help us worship and live our lives to His glory. Usually the celebrant prays this on behalf of the congregation. Almighty God, to You all hearts are all desires known, and from You no secrets are hid: 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. SUMMARY OF THE LAW or DECALOGUE
Following
the Collect of Purity, a deacon reads the Summary of the Law of God or leads
the parish in the recitation of the Decalogue (i.e. the Ten Commandments).
Since we have just prayed for purity, God offers us His standards of
righteousness. Apart from His mercy and His Spirit we are helpless in attaining
His level of right living. On the first Sunday
of the month the deacon usually reads the entire Decalogue
instead of the summary. On this occasion, the congregation participates by
kneeling during the reading and giving its ascent to each commandment and offering
a prayer for God's assistance. For each of the commandments, the congregation
offers a prayerful response that declares their desire that God would fulfill
His new covenant promise of writing His laws on the tablets of our hearts: Lord,
have mercy upon us, and incline our hearts to keep this law. Summary of the Law Jesus said, The first commandment
is this: Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is the only Lord. Love the Lord your God
with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your
strength. The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other
commandment greater than these. Mark 12:29ff KYRIE
or TRISAGION and THE GLORIA We
have heard the Summary of the Law and are reminded how holy God is and how
unrighteous we are. We have no righteousness of our own and are incapable of
making a proper offering of our lives. Because of this, we cry for mercy with
two songs, the Kyrie ("Lord, Have Mercy") or the Trisagion (which
means "Three Holies") and then the Gloria in Excelsis. We need to
remember that when we cry for mercy, it doesn't mean "Lord, have pity on
me", in a demeaning way. Rather it means, "Lord, bestow Your covenant
love on our behalf." The Gloria also gives us opportunity to rejoice for
the mercy He has sent. Kyrie Lord,
have mercy. Kyrie eleison. Christ,
have mercy. Christe eleison. Lord,
have mercy. Kyrie eleison. The
Gloria Glory to God in the highest, and
peace to His 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. PRAISE AND ADORATION THROUGH MUSIC
After
the Kyrie-Gloria, a time of adoration and praise often follows. (In many CEC
parishes this segment of the liturgy occurs earlier, sometimes immediately
following the Procession, or sometimes just before the Sermon.) At this time, the People of God are invited
into a time of spontaneous praise. It is within this time especially that the
gifts of tongues and interpretation, prophecy, words of wisdom or knowledge,
and various other gifts of the Spirit are in operation. To facilitate and encourage the proper
exercise of the prophetic gifts within the Church, sometimes "words from
the Lord" are cleared by one of the vested ministers before they are
offered to the congregation. Standing, the People of God are free to raise
their hands, to clap or to otherwise engage in diverse expressions of praise.
In some parishes, dance teams or other visual arts teams minister before the
Lord in concert with whole People of God. (1
Corinthians 12:1-14:39). COLLECT
OF THE DAY Each
service has a theme that is particularly developed by this prayer and the
readings. The Celebrant begins by saying "The Lord be with you". The
church answers "And with your Spirit". Many of our churches respond a
bit differently, saying, And also with you a more modern liturgical response.
We have felt it important to return to the more ancient response for continuity
and to regain the meaning of the response. More than a formality, this is a
spiritual check-up, where the leader is imparting the power of the Spirit for
prayer upon the people, and they implore him to pray in the Spirit. A collect (pronounced COL-lect) is a short
prayer that asks for only one specific thing. It begins by addressing God,
describing one of His divine attributes, then makes a request, and closes by
endorsing the prayer through the agency of His Son, as Scripture commands us to
do. The following is an example of a
typical collect, one for the Season of Pentecost: Celebrant The Lord be with you. People And with your Spirit Celebrant Let us pray. Almighty God, on this day
youd the way of eternal life to every race and nation by the promised
gift of your Holy Spirit: Shed abroad
this gift throughout the world by the preaching of the Gospel, that it may reach
to the ends of the earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns
with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. People Amen. THE READINGS
Three readings are offered at this point
in the service: an Old Testament and a New Testament reading (these are called
lessons), and a Gospel reading. These Scriptures come from a Lectionary
an order of Scripture readings according the Christian calendar. Between them
the church offers a response, either a psalm or a hymn. Between the first two
readings a psalm is normally read, while a hymn or chorus called the gradual
is sung just before the Gospel reading. Usually the lessons thematically
tie into the Gospel reading of the day. After each lesson the readers says "The
Word of the Lord." To this the congregation responds, "Thanks be to
God!" More than just an automatic response, this acclamation of the people
confirms their agreement that what was just spoken is, in fact, the Word of God.
You will notice that the Gospel is normally
read from the center aisle in the middle of the congregation. Just before the
reading, the Gospel book is picked up from the altar, blessed by the Celebrant
and taken to the people by the deacon. This is to remind us that our Lord was
sent from the Father and lived among us as He taught the Good News and that the
words of Jesus were spoken by a man in the midst of mankind. Then as the book
goes back to the altar, we are reminded that Christ rose from the dead and
ascended to the right hand of the Father. When the deacon reads the Gospel, he starts
by saying, "The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ..." At that time
you may see our people make the sign of the cross on their forehead, lips and
heart. This states by our actions the prayer: "Lord, may your words be in
my mind, in my mouth and in my heart."
Our vocal response to this declaration is Glory to You, Lord Christ.
After the Gospel is read, the deacon proclaims, The Gospel of the Lord! to
which we respond, Praise to You, Lord Christ! SERMON
The
sermon within the CEC is always Bible-based. We believe the Word of God to be
the authoritative and infallible, and are committed to teaching the
theological, spiritual and practical truths contained within. Normally, this teaching is from one of the
readings presented earlier. From time to time other messages are preached,
should God so direct. Sometimes, however, a topical preaching series, or a
study of a book of the Bible, may be used instead of the lectionary texts. NICENE
CREED Following
the sermon, the entire Church stands and recites the Nicene Creed. Containing
the essentials of the Christian faith, the creed offers the People of God an
opportunity to declare their allegiance to their faith before the world as well
as the principalities and powers in heavenly realms. This creed encompasses the essence of
Christianity and therefore is also to be used to evaluate the faithfulness of
the message just preached to the teaching of the Word of God. When I was consecrated a bishop, leading the
congregation in the creed was one of the most powerful parts of the service.
The consecrating bishop invites the candidate to lead the people in declaring
their faith. At that point, the archbishop looked at me and pointed his finger,
saying "This is the faith you are called to die for." Every time I
recite the creed I recognize I am declaring a faith I will defend with my very
life. We believe in one God, the Father,
the Almighty, Maker
of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen. We believe in one Lord, Jesus
Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from
God, Light
from Light, true God from true God, begotten,
not made, one in Being with the Father. Through Him all things were made. For
us men and for our salvation He came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy
Spirit he was born of the Virgin Mary and became man. For
our sake He was crucified under Pontius Pilate; He
suffered, died, and was buried. On the third day He rose again in fulfillment
of the Scriptures; He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of
the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and
His kingdom will have no end. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the
Lord, the Giver of Life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the
Father and the Son He is worshiped and glorified. He has spoken through the
Prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and
apostolic Church. We
acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We
look for the resurrection of the dead, and
the life of the world to come. Amen. PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
The
Creed is followed by a time of intercession. Using various prescribed formats
the People of God are given opportunity to offer explicit agreement concerning
those things that are brought to the Throne of God. During this time of prayer
people are given time to offer personal prayers, petitions, and intercessions
during or at the end of the forms followed. Often, each section of the prayers
are punctuated by a statement and response (see the following example). Leader Let us pray for the Church and for the world. Grant,
Almighty God, that all who confess Your Name may be united in Your truth, live
together in Your love, and reveal Your glory in the world. Individuals may offer their own
prayers at this time. Leader Lord, in Your mercy. People Hear our prayer. Leader Guide the people of this land, and of all the nations, in the ways
of justice and peace; that our lives may honor and glorify You. Individuals
may offer their own prayers at this time. Leader Lord, in Your mercy. People Hear our prayer. Leader Give us all wisdom that we might use the resources of Your creation
rightly in the service of others to the honor and glory of Your Name. Individuals
may offer their own prayers at this time. Leader Lord, in Your mercy. People Hear our prayer. Leader Strengthen, protect and deliver all those who are persecuted for
their faith in Christ, and grant that we who enjoy the benefits of freedom
might boldly proclaim Your Word to the lost and hurting of this world. Individuals
may offer their own prayers at this time. Leader Lord, in Your mercy. People Hear our prayer. Leader Bless all whose lives are closely linked with ours, and grant that
we may serve Christ in them, and love one another as He loves us. Individuals
may offer their own prayers at this time. Leader Lord, in Your mercy. People Hear our prayer. Leader Comfort and heal all those who suffer in body, mind, or spirit;
give them courage and hope in their troubles, and bring them the joy of Your
salvation. Individuals
may offer their own prayers at this time. Leader Lord, in Your mercy. People Hear our prayer. Leader We commend to Your mercy all who have died, that Your will for them
may be fulfilled; and we pray that we may share with all Your Saints in Your
eternal kingdom. Individuals
may offer their own prayers at this time. Leader Lord, in Your mercy. People Hear our prayer. The Celebrant adds a concluding Collect. CONFESSION OF SIN
Worship
cannot be completely offered to the Lord without confession. Each Sunday, the
People of God have an opportunity to take inventory and to confess those things
which are an offense to God. While we can take time daily or whenever necessary
to confess our sins, we can and must take earnest inventory weekly, and then
repent, in order to prepare for Holy Communion and find His forgiveness and strength for the week ahead. In the
liturgy we have a focused time to worship, to hear the Word of God, and to
listen to His Word preached. All of this focuses our heart and minds on our
relationship with Him and His place in our lives. Our time in His presence can
also produce a sensitivity to sins which subtlely slip into our lives. Out of
this conviction and recognizing that, both in commission and omission, we have
sinned against Him, we come to honestly andy confess our sins. The confession of our sin is critical if we
are to come to the Table of the Lord properly. Paul gives a strict warning in I
Cor. 11 about coming to Holy Communion unworthily. At the end of the confession the Celebrant
stands and offers the absolution. This does not mean he forgives you, but on
the authority of Jesus Christ he confirms that God's forgiveness has been
given. The deacon of the service (or
the celebrant) then gives words of comfort to those who have just been
absolved. In our liturgy the Confession, Absolution, and Comforting Words look
like this: Let us humbly confess our sins unto Almighty
God, kneeling. A time of silence
is kept for personal reflection and self-examination. Celebrant and
People say together Almighty God, Father of our Lord
Jesus Christ, Maker of all things, Judge of all men: We acknowledge and bewail our
manifold sins and wickedness, which we from time to time most grievously have
committed, by thought, word, and deed, against Thy Divine Majesty, provoking
most justly Thy wrath and indignation against us. We do earnestly repent, and
are heartily sorry for these our misdoings; the remembrance of them is grievous
unto us, the burden of them is intolerable. Have mercy upon us, have mercy upon
us, most merciful Father; for Thy Son our Lord Jesus Christs sake, forgive us
all that is past; and grant that we may ever hereafter serve and please Thee in
newness of life, to the honor and glory of Thy Name; through Jesus Christ our
Lord. Amen. The Absolution
Almighty
God, our heavenly Father, who of His great mercy has promised forgiveness of
sins to all those who with hearty repentance and true faith turn unto Him, have
mercy upon you, pardon and deliver you from all your sins, confirm and
strengthen you in all goodness, and bring you to everlasting life; through
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Words of Comfort Hear the
Word of God to all who truly turn to Him. God so loved the world, that He gave
His only-begotten Son, to the end that all that believe in Him should not
perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16 This is a true saying, and worthy of
all men to be received, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. 1 Tim. 1:15 THE
PEACE At
first glance passing the peace may look like a time for friendly greetings
and chatting with friends and visitors. In actuality, it has a very different
function. Scripture
admonishes us to make our relationships right with those whom we have offended
before giving our offering to the Lord, whether it be our treasures (during the
offertory) or our lives (during the Great Thanksgiving). In
the Confession we have made peace with God; the peace gives us an opportunity
to make peace with each other, welcoming all in Christs love. Celebrant The peace of the Lord be always with you. People And also with you. The Liturgy
of the Table With the Liturgy of the Table, the People of
God enter into the central act of Christian worship. Out of the Eucharist flows
the meaning and substance of the Christian's calling. Through it, the People of
God are called to celebrate and to participate in the saving work of Jesus
Christ's life, death and resurrection. In the Eucharist is contained the whole
Good News of the Church, Jesus Christ himself. It is no surprise then that the
early church celebrated the Eucharist every week. To this end, the Eucharistic Prayer is
structured to bring the church through a re-presentation of the central drama
of salvation. In it, we give thanks for our creation, preservation through the
cross, and our walk of faith. More than just a memorial, the Eucharist is the
Sacrament whereby God imparts to us His very life. As Jesus said, "I am the living bread
which came down from heaven. If anyone eats this bread, he will live forever;
and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of
the world...For My flesh is food indeed and My blood is drink indeed. He who
eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me and I in him." (John 6:51,
55-56) Following Christ's own teaching and that of
the early church, the CEC understands that the Eucharist is much more than a
memorial of a past event. It is, in fact, the unique sacrifice of Calvary made
present. When the People of God meet around the Lord's Table for this covenant
meal, it is Christ Himself that is the meal, the substance of their communion.
Thus, the Real Presence of Jesus Christ is found in the consecrated bread,
which is His flesh, and the consecrated cup of wine, which is His blood. These
elements, which have been sacramentally set apart, are treated with special
care. Precisely because the Eucharist is a
"communion of the body...and blood of Christ" (Cf. 1 Corinthians
10:16), the Church has understood it to be a healing meal. Thus, in the CEC,
the faithful are encouraged to approach the Lord's Table in the sure hope that
through their participation in the Eucharist God the Father seeks to effect
their healing --- body, soul and spirit. To this end, many CEC parishes have
established Eucharistic Healing Teams to provide for special healing prayer within
the context of the our eucharistic celebrations. God has moved mightily during
this time for healing. One unique feature of the CEC's approach to
the Holy Eucharist is that we welcome to the Lord's Table all baptized
Christians who come to receive the real presence of Christ in the consecrated
Bread and Wine and are in communion with a local church. The communing of young
children is offered at the discretion of their parents. Any person present may
come forward to be blessed even if they cannot partake of the elements. They
simply cross their arms with their hands on opposite shoulders and receive
their blessing. Typically, to receive the elements,
parishioners gather at the communion rail or form a line in front of the priest
serving the host (consecrated bread). As they come, they place their hands out
flat -- right over left -- to receive the Bread. As the priest comes to them he
will say, "The Body of Christ, the Bread of Heaven." After they
respond with the "Amen", he places the Bread in their hand.
Similarly, when the priest, deacon, or chalice bearer presents the Chalice
saying, "The Blood of Christ, the Cup of Salvation," the communicant
responds with the "Amen." The eucharistic minister then will offer
the Chalice. Communicants may eat the Bread and then drink from the Chalice
when it is brought to them, or wait and let the chalice bearer intinct (dip the
Bread into the Wine) and place the host in their mouth instead. Praise and adoration continues throughout the
distribution of the Bread and the Wine. This is one of the most intimate times
of worship available to the believer, thus we encourage each person to use this
time to meditate upon the Lord. The final prayers of the Great Thanksgiving
is the Post-Communion Prayer, in which we give thanks to God for the spiritual
food and drink which He has given and we have received. Then, the Celebrant
offers the Benediction, through which we receive a final blessing as we depart
to live out our life in Christ Here is a example of the Liturgy of the Table: Offering
& Presentation of Gifts Representatives of the congregation bring the peoples
offerings of bread and wine, money or other gifts, to the deacon or the
Celebrant. As appointed, special music may occur. After the offering has been
collected, the People stand as the gifts are presented and placed on the Altar. Doxology Praise
God from whom all blessings flow, Praise
Him all creatures here below. Praise
Him above ye heavenly host. Praise
Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Preparation of Gifts Celebrant Blessed are You, Lord, God of all creation. Through Your goodness
we have this bread to offer, which the earth has given and human hands have
made. It will be for us the bread of life. People Blessed be God forever. Celebrant According to ancient custom, we now mix water with this wine in
token of the union of the Divine and human natures in Christ Jesus; may we who
drink this Cup share in the divinity of Christ who humbled Himself to share in
our humanity. Blessed
are You, Lord, God of all creation. Through Your goodness we have this wine to
offer, fruit of the vine and work of human hands. It will be for us our
spiritual drink. People Blessed be God forever. Celebrant Blessed are You, Lord, God of all creation. Through Your goodness
we have these tithes and offerings. Receive these gifts presented by Your
people for the work of Your Church. People Blessed be God forever. The
Great Thanksgiving Eucharistic
Prayer I Celebrant The Lord be with you. People And also with you. Sursum
Corda Celebrant Lift up your hearts. People We lift them up to the Lord. Celebrant Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. People It is right to give Him thanks and praise. Celebrant continues It is right, and a good and joyful
thing, always and everywhere to give thanks to You, Father Almighty, Creator of
heaven and earth. Through
Jesus Christ our Lord. In fulfillment
of his true promise, the Holy Spirit came down from heaven, lighting upon the
disciples, to teach them and to lead them into all truth; uniting peoples of
many tongues in the confession of one faith, and giving to your Church the
power to serve you as a royal priesthood, and to preach the Gospel to all
nations. Therefore we praise You, joining our
voices with Angels and Archangels and with all the company of heaven, who
forever sing this hymn to proclaim the glory of Your Name: The
Sanctus 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. Holy and gracious Father: In Your
infinite love You made us for Yourself; and, when we had fallen into sin and
become subject to evil and death, You, in Your mercy, sent Jesus Christ, Your
only and eternal Son, to share our human nature, to live and die as one of us,
to reconcile us to You, the God and Father of all. He stretched out His arms upon the cross, and offered
Himself in obedience to Your will, a perfect sacrifice for the whole world. On the night He was handed over to
suffering and death, our Lord Jesus Christ took bread; and when He had given
thanks to You, He broke it, and gave it to His disciples, and said, Take, eat:
This is My Body, which is given for you. Do this for the remembrance of Me. After supper He took the cup of
wine; and when He had given thanks, He gave it to them, and said, Drink this,
all of you: This is My Blood of the new Covenant, which is shed for you and for
many for the forgiveness of sins. Whenever you drink it, do this for the
remembrance of Me. Therefore we proclaim the mystery of faith: Celebrant and
People Christ
has died. Christ
is risen. Christ
will come again. We celebrate the memorial of our
redemption, O Father, in this sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving. Recalling
His death, resurrection, and ascension, we offer You these gifts. Sanctify them by Your Holy Spirit to
be for Your people the Body and Blood of Your Son, the holy food and drink of
new and unending life in Him. Sanctify us also that we may faithfully receive
this holy Sacrament, and serve You in unity, constancy, and peace; and at the
last day bring us with [Saint __________ and with] all Your Saints into
the joy of Your eternal kingdom. All this we ask through Your Son
Jesus Christ. By Him, and with Him, and in Him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit
all honor and glory is Yours, Almighty Father, now and forever. AMEN. And now, as our Savior Christ has
taught us, we are bold to say, Celebrant and
People 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, and the power, and the glory,
forever and ever. Amen. The
Breaking of The Bread The Celebrant
breaks the consecrated Bread and says or sings Celebrant [Alleluia.] Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us; People Therefore let us keep the feast. [Alleluia.] In Lent the
Alleluia is omitted, and may be omitted at other times except during Easter. Agnus
Dei Lamb of God, You take away the sins
of the world, have
mercy upon us. Lamb of God, You take away the sins
of the world, have
mercy upon us. Lamb of God, You take away the sins
of the world, grant
us Your peace. Prayer
of Humble Access We do not presume to come to this
Thy Table, O merciful Lord, trusting in our own righteousness, but in Thy
manifold and great mercies. We are not worthy so much as to gather up the
crumbs under Thy Table. But Thou art the same Lord whose property is always to
have mercy. Grant us therefore, gracious Lord, so to eat the flesh of Thy dear
Son Jesus Christ, and to drink His Blood, that we may evermore dwell in Him,
and He in us. Amen. Celebrant continues This is
the Lamb of God; who
takes away the sins of the world. Happy
are those who are called to his supper. Celebrant and People Lord, I am not worthy to receive
You, but only say the word and I shall be
healed. Post Communion Prayer Celebrant Let us pray. Celebrant and People Eternal God, heavenly Father, You have
graciously accepted us as living members of Your Son our Savior Jesus Christ,
and You have fed us with spiritual food in the Sacrament of His Body and Blood.
Send us now into the world in peace, and grant us strength and courage to love
and serve You, with gladness and singleness of heart; through Christ our Lord.
Amen. Benediction The Lord
bless you and keep you: The Lord make His face to shine upon you, and be
gracious to you: The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace,
and the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be
among you, and remain with you always. Amen. RECESSIONAL Finally,
the Celebrant and his eucharistic assistants recess. Again, as the cross
passes, the people bow their heads. Following the recessional hymn, one of the
deacons officially dismisses the congregation to go forth to love and serve the
Lord. The people respond, "Thanks be to God. Alleluia! Alleluia!" Recessional
Hymn Dismissal Deacon Let us go forth into the world, rejoicing
in the power of the Spirit. People Thanks be to God. Alleluia! alleluia! Do not print or copy without the express written permission By The Most Rev. Randolph W. Sly © 1996, 2000 Fourth printing |
