Communion Message - 7/24/2022

Introduction

You may be seated

This morning as we celebrate the Lord’s supper we’re going to do something a little different. I’ve prepared a communion liturgy to walk through, don’t worry it’s pretty short. It definitely will feel more formal than I believe a lot of us our used to. However, if you remember from my teaching on Ascension Sunday that liturgy means the participation of the people of God in the work of God. This sacrament is a work of God, and as we are the people of God, his very children, we are to participate in it. By having you all participate in this liturgy via prayers and prose we are fulfilling this work. I also believe by all of us praising and praying together, we will experience and be more aware of the communal nature of this sacrament. We are meant to partake of this meal together, both with our God and each other. We will have slides up on the screen, if you see an underlined phrase, say it with me please. And just so you don’t think Dave is missing slides, if it’s just a prayer for me…then you won’t see it on the screen Alright…let’s see how we do.

Communion Liturgy

Declaration of God’s invitation and Promises

Friends, this is the joyful feast of the people of God! People will come from the east and west, from north and south, and sit at table in the kingdom of God. When our risen Lord was at table with his disciples, he took the bread, and 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 in the feast that he has prepared.

- based on Luke 13:29; 24-30-31

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving

Let us prayer with thanksgiving...

The Lord be with you.

And also with you.

Lift up your hearts.

We lift them up to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

It is right for us to give thanks and praise.

Thanksgiving for the Work of God in Creation

With Joy we praise you, gracious God, for you created heaven and earth, made us in your image, and kept covenant with us—even when we fell into sin. We give you thanks for Jesus Christ , Our Lord, who by his life, death, resurrection, and ascension opened to us the way of everlasting life. Therefore we join our voices with all the saints and angels and the whole creation to proclaim the glory of your name.

Acclamation of Praise

Let us praise the Lord together..

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.

Thanksgiving for the work of Christ

Let us pray to the Lord in thanksgiving....

We give thanks to God the Father that our Savior, Jesus Christ, before he suffered, gave us this memorial of his sacrifice, until he comes again.

At his last supper, the Lord Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.”

In the same way, he took the cup after supper and said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this in remembrance of me.”

For whenever we eat this bread and drink this cup, we proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

Memorial Acclamation

Therefore we proclaim our faith as signed and sealed in this sacrament:

Christ has died,

Christ is risen,

Christ will come again.

Prayer for the work of the Spirit

Let us prayer for the work of the Spirit

Send your Holy Spirit upon us, we pray, that the sharing of the bread that we break and the cup that we bless may be for us the communion of the body and blood of Christ. Grant that, being joined together in him, we may attain to the unity of the faith and grow up in all things into Christ, our Lord. And as this grain has been gathered from many fields into one loaf, and these grapes from many hills into one cup, grant, O Lord, that your whole church may soon be gathered from the ends of the earth into your kingdom. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

The Lord’s Prayer

We pray this in the name of Jesus, who taught us to pray in this way...

Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive 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.

Passing of the peace

Since God has forgiven us in Christ, let us forgive one another. The peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.

And also with you.

Preparing the Bread and Cup

Take the bread and break it

The bread that we break is a sharing in the body of Christ.

We who are many are one body, for we all share the same loaf.

Pick up the cup

The cup for which we give thanks is a sharing in the blood of Christ.

The cup that we drink is our participation in the blood of Christ.

Corporate Confession

Let us confess together before we partake of this meal...

Merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart and mind and strength. We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. In your mercy forgive what we have been, help us amend what we are, and direct what we shall be, so that we may delight in your will and walk in your ways, to the glory of your holy name. Through Christ, our Lord, Amen.

Assurance of Pardon

Rogue Valley Fellowship, hear the good news! There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death. Anyone who is in Christ is a new Creation. The old life has gone; a new life has begun. Know that in Jesus, God embraces you, forgives you, and strengthens you to live a renewed life. Thanks be to God.

Distribution

Now if you have the elements ready

The body of Christ, given for you.

Thanks be to God.

You may now take the bread

The blood of Christ, shed for you

Thanks be to God.

You may now receive the cup

Response of Praise and Prayer

Let us finish with praise and a prayer

Acclamation

Praise the Lord, O my soul;

all my inmost being, praise his holy name.

Praise the Lord, O my soul,

and forget not all his benefits

who forgives all your sins

and heals all your diseases,

who redeems your life from the pit

and crowns you with love and compassion.

Worthy is the lamb, who was slain,

to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!

Prayer

Loving God, we thank you that you have fed us in this sacrament, united us with Christ and each other, and given us a foretaste of the heavenly banquet in your eternal kingdom.

May you empower us by your Spirit to live and work to your praise and glory for the sake of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Well done, RVF, well done. I knew you could do it.

We have been nourished at the Lord’s table, now please stand and be nourished by the reading of His word...

Romans 8:14–17 ESV

For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

This is the word of the Lord . Amen

Now let us sing to the Lord

Take mic stand off