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. 

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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. 

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For flow of the liturgy have the same three readers throughout the communion time. 

WELCOME and opening prayer

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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.

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Prayers of Praise and Confession

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Listening to the Word

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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.  

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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. 

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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.

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Basis of Union Paragraph 8

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 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.

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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

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All:

Blessed be God forever

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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

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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

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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

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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

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Through your Son, Jesus Christ

in your holy church,

all honour and glory is yours, Father Almighty

Now and forever:

Amen

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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.

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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.

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BREAKING OF THE BREAD

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Minister

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

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The cup we take is a sharing in the blood of Christ

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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. 

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DISTRIBUTION

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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.

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Let us each break a piece of bread

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The body of Christ broken for you. Take and eat and remember.

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Let us each take the cup

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The blood of Christ shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.

Drink and remember all that Christ has done. 

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PRAYERS FOLLOWING HOLY COMMUNION

Spontaneous Prayers of Praise for the gift of the cross,  following sharing the cup together

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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.

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Reader 1

Dying and living, he declared your love,

Gave us grace, and opened the gate of glory

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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

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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. 

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All:  Amen

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PRAYERS OF THANKSGIVING AND INTERCESSSION

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CONFESSING CHRIST FROM THE BASIS OF UNION  based on paragraph 8

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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

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