This communion liturgy was written to honor World Communion Sunday, which celebrates Christian diversity and unity across the globe. It is interspersed with Eres Santo by Per Harling, which is a Sanctus (a tradition developed in Antioch) written by a Swedish composer and translated into Spanish and English.
Invitation to the Table
Today we mark World Communion Sunday, when we remember that this is not our table, not a Presbyterian or American or even Protestant table; this is God’s table, and God has placed tables like it all over the world, and we are invited to join a great feast where every language is spoken and every bite of bread, rice, naan, pita, challah, tortilla, baguette, corn bread and nom chakie is a sign of your goodness.
Today, whatever else you may believe, believe this: you are welcome at God’s table.
The Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
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.
Eres Santo
You Are Holy, you are whole.
You are always ever more than we ever understand.
You are always at hand.
Blessed are you coming near?
Blessed are you coming here
to your church in wine and bread,
raised from soil, raised from dead?
You are holy, you are wholeness; you are present.
Let the cosmos praise you, Lord!
Sing hosanna in the highest,
sing hosanna, sing hosanna to our God.
You are holy, you are whole.
And when you made this world,
you made us to be whole too.
At harmony with the earth
and with each other.
We shattered, and we ran.
But in your holiness, you found us.
When we were starving, you found us.
When we were in chains, you found us.
When we were lost and wandering, you found us.
When we turned our backs on you, you found us.
Over and over, you drew near.
Until at last you drew so near that we could reach out and touch you.
as Jesus the Christ, God made flesh.
Holy and whole, you taught us,
and fed us and healed us and showed us
that what is broken can be repaired.
Then we shattered you,
With a spear, with a taunt, on the cross.
And three days later, you rose,
holes in your hands, but holy still,
carrying wholeness for the whole world.
And so now we break bread and pour out the cup,
to remind us that just because things have been broken
does not mean they cannot be whole again.
And we do this with siblings all over the world,
who are remembering this morning,
that in all the fracture lines on this planet,
there is still the hope of wholeness
in a simple table meal.
Eres Santo (if posssible, you can also sing this verse in Spanish)
You Are Holy, you are whole.
You are always ever more than we ever understand.
You are always at hand.
Blessed are you coming near.
Blessed are you coming here
to your church in wine and bread,
raised from soil, raised from dead.
You are holy, you are wholeness; you are present.
Let the cosmos praise you, Lord!
Hallelujah, our Lord.
Draw near, Lord, in this bread and cup.
Draw near, Holy Spirit, and turn a snack into a sacrament.
Draw near, Holy God, and transform us
that we might live for you alone.
Let us now join together in the words that Jesus taught us to pray, saying…
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 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.
The Words of Institution
Sharing the Bread and Cup
PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION
God of grace,
you drew near to us,
when we were hungry for hope
and thirsty for forgiveness.
Send us out now to draw near to the world,
and feed it with the bread of life
and stain it with the cup of compassion
so that instead of leaving this meal behind
we take it with us until everyone is fed. Amen.
Eres Santo
You Are Holy, you are whole.
You are always ever more than we ever understand.
You are always at hand.
Blessed are you coming near?
Blessed are you coming here
to your church in wine and bread,
raised from soil, raised from dead?
You are holy, you are wholeness; you are present.
Let the cosmos praise you, Lord!
Sing hosanna in the highest,
sing hosanna, sing hosanna to our God.
Deep Well Worship 