Please be seated. . . .

We stood for prayer and we now sit to listen to the Word. Usually a reading is taken from the Old Testament, then a Psalm, followed by an Epistle. Our response after listening to the Word of the Lord, "Thanks be to God," is an acknowledgment that we have heard the readings.

A short period of silence may be observed after each reading to allow for personal reflection.

The Proclamation of the Word The Readings The first reading as appointed. The reader says, A reading from . . . At the conclusion of the passage, the reader says, The word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. Silence may be kept. Then shall follow a Psalm as appointed. On Sundays and major festivals a second reading as appointed is read. The reader says, A reading from . . . At the conclusion of the passage, the reader says, The word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. Silence may be kept. A psalm, canticle, hymn or anthem may follow.

 

In the early Church, the book of the Gospels was carried from the altar to the pulpit to act out the coming of the Gospel (the Good News) of God in Jesus Christ here on earth. This custom, or the reading of the Gospel from another prominent place, is still followed in many of our churches.

We stand to hear the Good News and we stand to praise the God who gives it. It is the custom to precede the reading of the Good News with a hymn called a "Gradual." That name derives from the Latin word GRADUS, meaning step, and the practice of singing it either on the altar steps or as the deacon climbed the steps of the pulpit.

A sermon usually follows the Gospel reading. In the sermon the minister preaches in humility as one of Jesus' disciples. It is only by God's grace that preaching reconciles the Church in love. It is only by God's grace that the Church is empowered to go out into the world to do his work.

Please stand.

(The Gradual Hymn is hymn # . . .)

All stand for the Gospel The Lord be with you. And also with you. The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to . . . Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ. At the conclusion of the Gospel, the reader says, The Gospel of Christ. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ. The Sermon

Our response following the Sermon is to declare our faith and our allegiance to God in the words of a Creed. The Nicene Creed or the Apostles’ Creed may be said. The Nicene Creed that we are using today is the International Consultation on English Texts version and is slightly revised. It begins "We believe," which is a corporate statement of faith. The personal and baptismal "I Believe" is used in the Apostles’ Creed. Creeds are the ritual expression of our relationship with God. It is a symbolic statement and in ancient practice the Creed was usually sung.

Prayers of intercession are something we also inherited from the Jewish synagogue. These prayers, known in the ancient Christian liturgies as "Prayers of the Faithful," were said before the offerings of bread and wine were brought to the Altar. These prayers have always been part of the Church's corporate worship and are often led by a deacon or lay member of the community. During periods of silence we are invited to present our own intercessions audibly.

Our preparation for receiving the Holy Eucharist is not complete without self-examination, both personal and corporate. We fail as individuals and as members of the Faith Community to be what God calls us to be. Together we confess our failure and acknowledge our need for forgiveness, personal renewal and renewal as a Community.

During an Ordination to the Priesthood, the Bishop lays hands on the Deacon and says: "You are to preach, to declare God's forgiveness to penitent sinners." In response to this commission, Jesus' words in the Gospel of St. John (John 20.23), the priest is authorized and empowered to pronounce the Absolution.

After the Absolution, the assurance of God's pardon for our sins, we exchange "The Peace." It takes form in our culture as an embrace, or clasping of hands. The Peace is the final act of preparation before the Eucharist and is based on chapter 5 of St. Matthew's Gospel:

"So when you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift." (Matthew 5:23-24, NRSV)

We are cautioned not to take Communion unworthily. We are forgiven our sins and we must forgive those who sin against us. In this action we demonstrate that we are "at peace" with one another. It is an important part of what we do corporately - God's Spirit dwells in each one of us and reaches out in love to those around us.

The Offertory that follows is not a collection. During the Offertory representatives of the Faith Community bring forward gifts of (bread, wine and) money as our offerings to God. The Offertory attempts to re-enact the ancient practice of the people bringing their bread and wine to the community.

The Offertory came to have more significance than the actual gifts and foods that were given. Christians saw the offerings as tokens of their own lives, representing their labours, their skills, their recreation, themselves, and their families and their communities. The offering of (bread and wine and) money is a token, not only of our labour, but also of our sins; not only of what we have done but also of what we have left undone.

(The Offertory Hymn # . . .)

At the altar bread is consecrated. It is set apart and made holy as the Body of Christ. The social implications of the Eucharist are that our daily bread is similarly to be hallowed by the way we conduct ourselves in the world each day.

In the first Eucharistic action the celebrant "TAKES" the bread and places it on a single plate or Paten to symbolize the sharing of one loaf. This bread is commonly unleavened bread as it is believed that Jesus used unleavened bread when he presided at the first Eucharist on the Jewish feast of the Passover. Jewish table wine was always watered before use. As a symbol of the Passion, we remember that the Centurion thrust his spear into Jesus' side, and that water and blood poured out. A single Chalice is prepared by the celebrant as a sign of our community.

The second Eucharistic action is to "GIVE THANKS." There are six Thanksgiving Prayers in the Book of Alternative Services. The sentence: "lift up your hearts," was originally a command to stand, showing participation of the community. It is an appropriate posture for those who are lifted up or raised in baptism. Eucharistic Prayer 2 and 3 specifically thank God for making us worthy to stand before him.

During the prayer, the celebrant repeats the words that Jesus spoke on the night that he was betrayed. The Holy Spirit is called to descend upon the people and on the gifts. The prayer is not simply a remembrance. Christians are those for whom the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ become a present reality. Time is set aside. We participate in Christ's death and resurrection and we re-live the mighty acts of God in this prayer. We recall the cross of Calvary, the present joy of the risen Lord and we look forward to the heavenly banquet in the future.

We are joined to Christ in our offering of bread and wine and in his offering of Body and Blood. We now dare to claim a part of his prayer by addressing God as "Our Father." The Lord's Prayer has made its way into almost every spoken language. Jesus probably spoke it in Aramaic, the New Testament was written in Greek, and later the early church used a Latin translation. English versions have evolved along with the English language. The 1582 version was:

"Our Father which art in Heaven, sanctified be thy name. Let thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done as in heaven and earth also. Give us today our super-substantial bread."

The placement of the Lord's Prayer here contributes to a closer relationship between our daily bread and the Eucharist. Two alternatives are suggested, a traditional version and a translation by the International Consultation on English Texts, which we are using today.

The celebrant BREAKS the bread in the third Eucharistic action to allow the sharing of the bread among the people. This serves to remind us of the breaking of Christ's body on the cross.

A sentence and response are followed by the invitation for us to share in the communion. A lay person, licensed by the Bishop, may help in administering the Chalice.

The traditional posture for Christians receiving communion is standing and the Church Fathers interpreted this stance as our approach to God not as slaves but as children. It further symbolizes our being raised by Jesus Christ.

Giving is the final Eucharistic action. As the priest GIVES the bread and the cup to the faithful and repeats, "The body of Christ, the bread of heaven," and "The blood of Christ, the cup of salvation," we respond "AMEN" which means "truly" or "so be it."

Receiving the sacrament is the dramatic climax of the celebration. After sharing this holy meal, the priest consumes the remaining consecrated bread and wine. The chalice and paten are rinsed with water, and the Communion vessels returned to where they were at the beginning of the service. When this is completed, there is a closing prayer of thanksgiving and a sentence of dismissal.

The celebrant may use the prayer "Gracious God" or, as we are using here, the Prayer after Communion appointed for the day and doxology.

A blessing may be given by the celebrant.

We leave the church, strengthened by the sacrament, knowing that in this great mystery we are joined with Christ and he with us. We are the church, the People of God, the Christian Community, and the Body of Christ.

We (conclude our celebration singing Hymn #. . . and) are dismissed to go out to minister to the world.