Great Thanksgiving

This is the joyful feast of the people of God! Luke 13:29; 24:30–31

People will come from north and south and from east and west

to sit at table in the kingdom of God.

According to Luke,

when our risen Lord was at table with his disciples, he took the bread,

blessed and broke it, and gave it to them.

Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him.

This is the Lord’s Table.

Our Savior invites those who trust him to share the feast that he has prepared.

GREAT THANKSGIVING

All may stand for the Great Thanksgiving (121). The introductory dialogue may be sung (GTG 9) or spoken. With hands lifted, the presider says:

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.

Praise to you, O God, for all your works.

You created the world and called it good

and made us in your image to live together in love. You made a covenant with us,

and even when we turned from you, you remained ever faithful.

Therefore with all creation we sing your praise by saying:

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.

Thank you, O God, for sending us your Son. He lived among us and told your story.

He healed the sick and welcomed sinners. He shared our pain and died our death, then rose to new life that we might live, and all creation be restored.

Words of Institution

We give you thanks that the Lord Jesus, on the night before he died, took bread,

and after giving thanks to you, he broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying:

Take, eat. This is my body, given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.

In the same way Jesus took the cup, saying:

This cup is the new covenant sealed in my blood, shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.

Whenever you drink it, do this in remembrance of me.

Remembering your boundless love revealed to us in Jesus Christ,

we break bread and share the cup, giving ourselves to you

to live for him in joy and praise.

Great is the mystery of faith:

Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again.

Gracious God, pour out your Holy Spirit upon us and upon these your gifts of bread and wine

that they may be for us the body and blood of Christ and that we may be his body for the world.

By your Spirit unite us with Christ and one another until we feast with him and with all your saints

in your eternal realm of justice and peace.

ThroughChrist, with Christ, in Christ, in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

all glory and honor are yours, almighty God, now and forever. Amen.

LORD’S PRAYER

As our Savior Christ has taught us, we are bold to pray:

Our Father which 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 debts as we forgive our debtors.

And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.

For thine is the Kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

BREAKING OF THE BREAD

The presider lifts and breaks the bread, saying words of scripture (145):

Jesus said: I am the bread of life. John 6:35; 15:5 The presider pours and/or lifts the cup, saying words of scripture (145):

Jesus said: I am the vine, you are the branches.

Come to me and never be hungry; believe in me and neverthirst.

Extending the breadand cup to the people, the presider says:

The gifts of God for the people of God. Thanks be to God.

COMMUNION

During the communion of the people, hymns, psalms, and spiritual songs may be sung (GTG 494–538; PH 500–521), or other appropriate music may be offered.

In giving the bread, the server says:

1 The bread of heaven. Amen. 2 The body of Christ,

given for you. Amen.

In giving the cup, the server says:

1 The cup of salvation. Amen. 2 The blood of Christ,

given for you. Amen.

PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION

Psalm 103

Bless the Lord, O my soul;

and all that is within me, bless God’s holy name.

Bless the Lord, O my soul;

and forget not all God’s benefits.

God of abundance,

with this bread of life and cup of salvation you have united us with Christ,

making us one with all your people.

Now send us forth in the power of your Spirit

that we may proclaim your redeeming love to the world and continue forever in the risen life

of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.