(adapted from the hymn, God of grace and God of glory)
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 him thanks and
praise.
It is a right and good and joyful thing
always
and everywhere to give you thanks,
O
God of grace and God of glory,
for
you pour your power upon your people,
and
nourish your Church to a glorious bloom
that
guided by your wisdom and filled with your courage
we are equipped for the facing of
any hour.
Therefore we praise you,
joining
our voices with people of faith
from
all times and in all places,
in
a song of unending praise to your Name:
We are especially mindful this day
that
the hosts of evil surround us
and
how in the cause of a radical faith
some
seek to visit us with death and destruction.
From
the fears that long have bound us
free
our hearts to faith and praise
and give us grace for the living of these
days.
On the night before he was betrayed,
knowing he was surrounded by evil,
Jesus
faced the fear of the moment by taking bread,
offering
a blessing, breaking the bread,
and
giving it to his friends, saying,
“Take,
eat:
This
is my Body, which is given for you.
Do this for the remembrance of
me.”
After supper, he took a cup of wine,
gave
thanks, 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.”
As we remember his death, resurrection,
and ascension
we
offer you these gifts of bread and wine.
Send you Holy Spirit upon them
that
they may be for us
the Body and Blood of Christ our Lord.
Send forth your Holy Spirit on all the
people of the earth.
Cure
our warring madness
by
bending our pride to your control.
Shame
our selfish, wanton ways,
for
we are rich in things, but poor in soul.
Bless
us with your help
so that we will not miss your kingdom’s
goal.
And send your Holy Spirit upon us,
that
we may be delivered from weak resignation
to
the evils we deplore.
Let
the gift of your salvation.
be
our glory evermore.
Grant
us wisdom, grant us courage
to serve you whom we adore.
Accept our prayers and praises, Father,
through Jesus Christ our great High
Priest,
to
whom, with you and the Holy Spirit,
your
Church gives honor, glory, and worship,
from generation to generation. Amen.
(after communion)
Let us pray.
God
of grace and God of glory,
we give you thanks for nourishing us
we give you thanks for nourishing us
with the spiritual food of Jesus’ own
Body and Blood;
and for being our companion on this,
and for being our companion on this,
our fifteen year journey, from the pain
and horror of 9/11.
We
thank you for calming our fears,
awakening our hope, and guiding us along the
way.
May
we leave this meal and this moment
refreshed and renewed for the road ahead,
and ready always to be instruments
of your justice, your mercy, and your
love.
We
ask these things in the Name of Jesus Christ our Lord.
To him, to you,
and to the Holy Spirit,
be honor, glory, and praise, now and for ever. Amen.
be honor, glory, and praise, now and for ever. Amen.
