Prayers from GS 30 Worship 

Communion Prayer 
Sunday, June 28, 2015		
	
People will come together from places unexpected 			                
to feast at God’s Welcome Table. 
At this table, Christ the Living Word is the host, 
and all who desire to know 
the presence of the risen Christ in community 
are welcome here.

God be with you.  	And also with you.  
Lift up your hearts.  	We lift them to God.
Let us give thanks to God most High.
It is right to give God our thanks and praise.

We thank you, Creator and Creating God,
for infusing the whole world 
with your glory!  
Your power fashioned the universe, 
and your love made earth’s creatures 
--including humankind-- 
to know you and be known and loved by you.  

We praise you, O Holy One:							   
For revealing your life in Scripture: 
Stories of your faithfulness to a people called out 
to manifest your love and purpose in the world;

For giving your Law 
to bind us to you and to one another 
in right relationship;

For sending prophets 
to your people 
and to the imperial powers of their day 
to emblazon your justice on their hearts 
for the stranger, 
the dispossessed and disenfranchised. 
Thank you, God-with-Us,							      
for declaring the splendor of your grace 
in the person of Jesus the Christ: 
Born in limited human flesh, 
sent to live and walk in this broken world 
to reveal your Word and your Love incarnate.  
Jesus taught, healed, and called forth your Kin-dom on earth.  
Though he suffered and died 
at the hands of this world’s principalities, 
You raised him by resurrection power 
to eternal, imperishable life. 			
	
And we thank you, Sustaining One,							
for calling Christ’s body to life in the world as the Church 
by the power and anointing of the Holy Spirit. 
Untiring One, you challenge us to transform your world 
into beloved and redemptive community.

With all creation we praise: 
Holy, Holy, Holy				by Martie McMane

Ho-ly, ho-ly, ho-ly God, Rul-er Al-might-y;
heaven and earth are full of your glo-ry. Glo-ry be to you, O God.
Bless-ed is the one who comes, who comes in the name of God.
Ho-san-na, ho-san-na, ho-san-na in the high-est!

On the night of Jesus’ betrayal and arrest,				 
he gathered for a Seder with his beloved friends, 
some of whom would  betray him before the next dawn. 

 	While they ate, he took the bread of the Passover 
– grain of earth and earthly labor –  
blessed it, broke it , and shared it among them, saying, 
“This bread represents my body given for you and all– 
whenever you eat this,
Remember me and remember my life for you.”

After supper, he took the cup						
– fruit of the vine, pressed and poured.  
He gave thanks again and offered it to them, saying, 
“This cup represents a new promise of freedom and forgiveness
found in my love: 
my life force poured out for you and all– 
whenever you drink this, 
Remember me and remember my life for you.”
Today as we remember, we proclaim the mystery of our faith:
Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again.

	Come now, Holy Spirit, Comforter and Sustaining One -							Bless these common elements 
		And bless us as together we receive this bread and cup 
that we might be transformed
		to be Christ’s body, Christ’s life, Christ’s love in the world.

The Prayer of Our Savior 
				
Post Communion Prayer									
Gracious and loving God, we give you thanks 
that once more you have made room for us 
at your Welcome Table 
and fed us from your banquet of love.  
We thank you for the privilege 
of sharing this holy meal 
with our extended family of faith 
and pray that as we have been renewed 
and are sent from this place, 
we will be the body of Christ, 
transforming the world 
for the sake of your Beloved Kin-dom wherever we go.

Sunday Service of Worship at General Synod 30 was written by The Rev. Ann Jefferson, Pastor, and Director of Community Life and Pastoral Care, Pacific School of Religion and member of City of Refuge UCC in Oakland, CA.

Copyright 2015 United Church of Christ, 700 Prospect Avenue, Cleveland, OH  44115-1100.  Permission granted to reproduce or adapt this material for use in services of worship or church education.  All publishing rights reserved.