A liturgy in
two voices for sharing communion whilst scattered.
You can download a PowerPoint of this Liturgy here (DropBox Link).
Jesus said:
‘Very truly, I tell you, whoever believes has eternal life.
I am the bread of life.
Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died.
This is the bread that comes down from heaven,
so that one may eat of it
and not die.
I am the living bread that came down from heaven.
Whoever eats of this bread will live forever;
and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.’
(John 6.47-51)
We are the
people of God,
we are the body of Christ.
We are
scattered, and the body of Christ is broken,
but as we gather, the body of Christ is
re-membered.
So together
we gather in obedience to Jesus’ command,
to remember, and to share together in breaking
bread and drinking wine,
in
remembrance of the death of Christ.
Each piece
of bread that we eat was once scattered across the fields,
and the grain that God gave to grow
has become for us the bread of
life.
Each sip of
wine that we drink was once many vines,
and the grapes that God gave to
grow
have become for us the new wine of
God’s kingdom.
In our
communion with one another,
we are fed with the bread of
heaven that sustains us,
and we drink the wine of gladness
that brings us joy.
The people of Israel were sustained by God
through
their years of wilderness wandering:
‘The Israelites ate manna forty years,
until they came to a habitable land;
they ate manna, until they came to the
border of the land of Canaan.’
(Exodus 16.35)
(Exodus 16.35)
‘[God] rained down on them manna to eat,
and gave them the grain of heaven.’
(Psalm 78.24)
(Psalm 78.24)
And we too are God’s people, sustained by God through the wilderness of this
world.
Jesus said to his disciples:
‘Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness;
as it is written, 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'
Then Jesus said to them,
"Very truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from
heaven,
but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven.
For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven
and gives life to
the world."
They said to him, "Sir, give us this bread always."
Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life.
Whoever comes to me will never be hungry,
and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. "’
(John 6.31-35)
On the night on which Jesus was
betrayed, he sat at supper with his disciples.
While they were eating, he took a
piece of bread,
said a blessing broke it, and gave
it to them with the words,
‘This is my body. It is for you. Do this to remember me.’
Later, he took a cup of wine,
saying,
‘This cup is God’s new covenant, sealed with my blood.
Drink from it, all of you, to remember me’.
So now, following Jesus’ example
and command, we take this bread and this wine,
the ordinary things of the world
which Christ will make special.
And as he said a prayer before sharing, let us do so too
God of all those who are scattered and broken,
you call us to wholeness.
We thank you for the love demonstrated in
giving your son,
that we might be united with you.
We thank you that in Christ you enter into the
pain, uncertainty, and fear of our world;
and that your arms are open in loving embrace,
gathering us to you as a mother hen gathers
her brood under her wing,
as a shepherd gathers his flock.
as a shepherd gathers his flock.
We thank you for bread and wine,
symbols and signs for us today,
of your faithfulness to your people through all generations.
of your faithfulness to your people through all generations.
Amen.
‘Hear the word of the LORD, O nations, and declare it in the coastlands far
away;
say, "He who scattered Israel will gather him,
and will keep him as
a shepherd a flock."’
(Jeremiah 31.10)
Let us share in bread together.
‘Then all the Judeans returned from all the places to which they had been
scattered
and came to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah at Mizpah;
and they
gathered wine and summer fruits in great abundance.
(Jeremiah 40.12).
Let us share in wine together.
Jesus said
‘The hour is coming, indeed it has come,
when you will be scattered, each
one to his home,
and you will leave me alone.
Yet I am not alone because the Father is with me.
Yet I am not alone because the Father is with me.
I have said this to you, so that in me you may have peace.
In the world you face persecution.
But take courage; I have conquered the world!"’
(John 16.32-33)
3 comments:
Beautiful liturgy - a real gift for these troubled time!
Really helpful and thoughtful. Many thanks Simon...
today I read your heart warming profound liturgy and celebrated a lone communion reading your words. I am uplifted and strengthened Liz Ashworth Morayshire Scotland
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