SCHOOL OF FAITH
ASSEMBLY OF CONFESSING CONGREGATIONS
OF THE UNITING CHURCH IN AUSTRALIA
HOLY COMMUNION
ONLINE SERVICE OF HOLY COMMUNION
Especially designed for zoom prayer times
Prayers of Adoration, Confession, and Listening to the Word precede this time and prayers for others and final blessing follow.
Because of the nature of Zoom being already somewhat disembodied it is important to share the elements at the same together.
Before the service starts check that each member has the elements ready. Encourage members if possible to ask one or two others to join them physically and join in Christ's meal together.
For flow of the liturgy have the same three readers throughout the communion time.
WELCOME and opening prayer
Leader
Psalms 34:1-7 (NIV) I will extol the Lord at all times;
his praise will always be on my lips.
2 I will glory in the Lord;
let the afflicted hear and rejoice.
Reader 1
3 Glorify the Lord with me;
let us exalt his name together.
Leader
4 I sought the Lord, and he answered me;
he delivered me from all my fears.
Reader 2
5 Those who look to him are radiant;
their faces are never covered with shame.
Leader
6 This poor man called, and the Lord heard him;
he saved him out of all his troubles.
Reader 3
7 The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him,
and he delivers them.
Prayers of Praise and Confession
Listening to the Word
Bible Reading.
Matthew 24:36-44 (NIV)
Reader 1
But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 37 As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; 39 and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.
Reader 2
42 “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. 43 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him
THE NICENE CREED
Everyone is welcome to mute their microphone or phone and read with the reader.
Reader 1
WE BELIEVE in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen.
Reader 2
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one Being with the Father.
Reader 3
Through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven,
was incarnate by the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary
and became truly human.
Reader 1
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again
in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory
to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.
Reader 2
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father,
who with the Father and the Son
is worshipped and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.
Reader 3
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come.
Amen.
Basis of Union Paragraph 8
The Uniting Church acknowledges that Christ signifies and seals his continuing
presence with his people in the Lord’s Supper or the Holy Communion, constantly repeated in the life of the Church. In this sacrament of his broken body and outpoured blood the risen Lord feeds his baptized people on their way to the final inheritance of the Kingdom.
HOLY COMMUNION
Participants are encouraged to mute and read with the readers below. Unfortunately it is not possible to read all together because of the time delay on zoom, so one reader will read on behalf of everyone. Liturgy based on Uniting in Worship 1
SETTING THE TABLE
Minister
Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation, for through your goodness we have these gifts to share: fruit of the earth and fruit of the vine, they will become for us the bread of life and our spiritual drink.
Blessed be God forever
All:
Blessed be God forever
GREAT PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
Minister
The Lord be with you
All
And also with you
Minister
Lift up your hearts
All
We lift them to the Lord
Minister
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God
All
It is right to give our thanks and praise
(Minister prays)
Thanks and praise, glory and honour are rightly yours
Our Lord and God, for you alone are worthy,
In time beyond our dreaming
You brought forth light out of darkness,
and in the love of Christ your Son
you set man and woman at the heart of your creation..
And so we praise you With the faithful of every time and place
Joining with choirs of angels And the whole creation In the eternal hymn:
Reader 1
Holy, Holy, Holy Lord, God of Power and might,
Reader 2
Heaven and earth are full of your glory
Hosanna in the highest
Reader 3
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord
Hosanna in the highest
Minister
We praise you Lord God, King of the universe
through our Lord Jesus Christ
Who on the night of his betrayal
took bread, gave you thanks, broke it
and gave it to his disciples saying:
Take this and eat it
This is my body given of you.
Do this for the remembrance of me
In the same way, after supper he took the cup
gave thanks, and gave it to them saying:
Drink from this, all of you
This is my blood of the new covenant
poured out for you and for everyone
for the forgiveness of sins
Do this, whenever you drink it
for the remembrance of me
With this bread and this cup
we do as our Saviour commands:
We celebrate the redemption he has won for us
Reader 1
Christ has died,
Reader 2
Christ is risen
Reader 3
Christ will come again
Minister
Pour out the Holy Spirit upon us
and on these gifts of bread and wine,
that they may be for us the body and blood of Christ
Make us one with him,
one with each other
and one in ministry in the world
until at least we feast with him in the kingdom
Through your Son, Jesus Christ
in your holy church,
all honour and glory is yours, Father Almighty
Now and forever:
Amen
LORD'S PRAYER (mute and join in or read softly and let reader lead)
Reader 1
Our Father in heaven
Hallowed be your name
Your kingdom come
Your will be done
On earth as in heaven.
Reader2
Give us today our daily bread
Forgive us our sins,
As we forgive those who sin against us.
Reader 3
Save us from the time of trial
And deliver us from evil
For the kingdom, the power and glory are yours
Now and forever. Amen.
BREAKING OF THE BREAD
Minister
The bread we break is a sharing in the body of Christ
The cup we take is a sharing in the blood of Christ
The gifts of God for us, the people of God
Minister
Jesus Lamb of God
All
Have mercy on us
Minister
Jesus, bearer of our sins
All
Have mercy on us
Minister
Jesus redeemer of the world
All
Grant us peace.
DISTRIBUTION
Minister: Let us receive the Holy Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ and feed on him in our hearts by faith with thanksgiving.
Let us each break a piece of bread
The body of Christ broken for you. Take and eat and remember.
Let us each take the cup
The blood of Christ shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.
Drink and remember all that Christ has done.
PRAYERS FOLLOWING HOLY COMMUNION
Spontaneous Prayers of Praise for the gift of the cross, following sharing the cup together
Minister:
Father of all,
We give you thanks and praise
That when we were still far off
You met us in your Son and brought us home.
Reader 1
Dying and living, he declared your love,
Gave us grace, and opened the gate of glory
Minister
May we who share Christ’s body live his risen life;
We who drink his cup bring life to others;
We whom the Spirit lights give light to the world
Reader 2
Anchor us in this hope that we have grasped;
So we and all your children shall be free,
And the whole earth live to praise your name;
Through Jesus Christ our Lord.
All: Amen
PRAYERS OF THANKSGIVING AND INTERCESSSION
CONFESSING CHRIST FROM THE BASIS OF UNION based on paragraph 8
Leader:
Through this holy meal we the people of God, through faith and the gift and power of the Holy Spirit,
Reader 1
have had communion with our Saviour,
Leader
made our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving,
Reader 2
proclaimed the Lord’s death
Leader
grown together into Christ,
Reader 3
Been strengthened for our participation in the mission of Christ in the world,
Leader
and rejoiced in the foretaste of the Kingdom which Christ will bring to consummation.
Final Prayer