The Great Thanksgiving

I usually don't like it when we use a communion liturgy that is outside the "norm." But, today's really was meaningful. I am really a fan of having communion every Sunday, which we have done through Lent here at Second. I wish I could give credit to the author of this prayer, but none was listed.

EUCHARISTIC PRAYER

The Lord be with you.

And also with you.

Lift up your hearts.

We lift them to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

It is right to give our thanks and praise.

What do you bring to Christ’s table?

We bring bread, made by many people’s work, from an unjust world where some have plenty and most go hungry.

At this table all are fed and no one is turned away.

Thanks be to God.

What do you bring to Christ’s table?

We bring wine, made by many people’s work, from an unjust world where some have leisure and most struggle to survive.

At this table all share the cup of pain and celebration and no one is denied.

Thanks be to God.

These gifts shall be for us the body and blood of Christ,

Our witness against hunger, our cry against injustice, and our hope for a world where God is fully known and every child is fed. Thanks be to God

All sing: Sanctus ("Holy, Holy, Holy...")

Creator God, let your Holy Spirit moves in power over us and over our earthly gifts of bread and wine that they may become the body and blood of Christ. On the night before he met his death, Jesus came to table with those he loved. He took bread and blessed you, God of all creation; he broke the bread among his disciples, and said: Take this, all of you, and eat it; this is my body which will be given up for you.

Thanks be to God.

When supper was ended, he took the cup of wine and gave thanks to you, God of all creation; he passed the cup among his disciples and said, Take this, all of you, and drink from it; this is the cup of my blood, the blood of the new and everlasting covenant. It will be shed for you and for all so that sins may be forgiven. Do this is memory of me.

Dying you destroyed our death.
Rising you restored our life.
Lord Jesus come!
Lord Jesus come in glory!

The table of bread and wine is now made ready.

It is the table of company with Jesus and with all those who love him. It is the table of sharing with the poor of the world, with whom Jesus identified himself. It is the table of communion with the earth in which Christ became incarnate.

So come to this table, you who have much faith and you would like to have more. You who have been to this sacrament often and you who have not been for a long time. You who have tried to follow Jesus and you who have failed. Come! It is Christ who invites us to meet him here.

Amen.