Invitation to the Lord’s Table
This is the holy meal of the future
where we share now
in the life of the One-Who-Is-to-Come,
Jesus Christ, Emmanuel, God-with-us.
It is a foretaste of his coming to make all things new.
It is a sign of the way God transforms us from within.
In this sacrament
the One who becomes flesh to dwell among us
becomes our flesh,
and we become him,
sharing in the divine nature.
This is the Lord’s table.
Our Savior invites those who trust in him
to share in the feast which he has prepared.
Communion Preface
Open our hearts, O God, to your coming.
Broaden our vision to embrace your whole creation.
For at this table we see from the perspective
of your promised Kingdom of peace,
where violence and inequality are banished,
and all races and nations, families and tongues,
gather in joy.
Sanctus
And so we lift up our hearts, O God,
joining with all your people
of every time and place
in the angels’ song of grateful praise.
Holy, holy, holy….
Eucharistic Prayer and the Lord’s Prayer
God of tomorrow:
daily we pray for the coming of your Kingdom,
when debts are remitted,
wealth redistributed,
reparations made,
and the earth and her people
enjoy a blessed sabbath rest.
You created the universe
by your overflowing love,
and you declared it all very good.
Your unstoppable love
continued to overflow
until the time came
and you emerged among us
as one of us
in Jesus Christ.
You invite us to place our trust in him
and share in the life of eternity.
As the ultimate expression of love
Jesus gave himself up
to death on a cross
for blasphemy and sedition,
identifying fully with our brokenness and shame.
And your love finally triumphs over death
in his resurrection
revealing our true nature and destiny.
Your love now continues to overflow,
spreading your life over the whole world,
by the power of the Holy Spirit
with, within, among, and around us.
Send your Spirit, O God, upon us, your people
whom you call out from the world and gather together,
and upon these holy gifts,
of bread and the cup,
fashioned from the fruits of the Earth,
revealing here and now
the living and saving Presence of Jesus Christ
with us, within us, around us, and among us.
Let this meal be our medicine,
healing our souls and bodies,
opening our eyes to the truth of your love,
shining in all the world.
O God,
like a mother who will not forget her nursing child,
you love us forever.
And so we are bold to pray in the words Jesus taught us,
saying: Our Father….
