CELEBRATION OF HOLY COMMUNION (and Holy Community)
Westport Presbyterian Church
August 7, 2022 11:00 am
PRELUDE: Andante— César Franck
RESPONSIVE CALL TO RENEW OUR SOULS
Leader: Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable.
People: Every step toward the Kingdom of God goal of liberty and justice for all
Leader: Requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle;
People: The tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals.
Leader: Let us become committed by what we give, who we become,
People: And the work we are willing to do.
—adapted from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
HYMN: Wade in the Water STF#2107
SCRIPTURE: Isaiah 61:1-4 Luke 4:14-21
ANTHEM: This is the Hour— Richard Shephard; Today we welcome guest singers Andy Flanagin, tenor, and Sarah Baxter, alto.
PRAYER BEFORE DIALOGUE SERMON
Leaders : May the words of our mouths
People: And the meditations of our hearts
All : Be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, our strength and our Redeemer. Amen
DIALOGUE MESSAGE ON POLICE REFORM FOR THE KCPD
SUNG PREPARATION FOR COMMUNION: In the Singing GTG#533
SERVICE OF HOLY COMMUNION
Pastor: Let us gather around this planet friendly, holy table! With holy bread and drink upon it!
People: The promise of Christ being alive among us!
Pastor: This is the welcome table of God where all who intend to experience the non-physical spiritual dimension of life
People: And live in relationships of freedom and peace with neighbors!
Pastor: Hunger no more!… Come to eat!! Here, everyone who longs for otherwise elusive grace
People: May enjoy the strong love of God in Jesus Christ.
Pastor: Here you are embraced and held by Self Giving Love!—
People: One of God’s great and holy names!
Pastor: Come to drink, you are invited into this holy mystery.
People: We are ready!
Pastor: Jesus said: “I am the bread of life. All who come to me shall not hunger, and all who believe in me shall never be thirsty.”
People: We are hungry for Your Love, O God, We are thirsty for Your Deep Peace, O Lamb of God. We come seeking an unusual gift— an experience of wonder and joy.
Pastor: Come, Holy Spirit. Come. Open our eyes to the mystery of The living Christ’s presence in our midst. Through the broken bread…
People: We are becoming the Body of Christ—
Pastor: Whom we named Pat after our fire—a name crossing genders.
People: We celebrate the new life Christ gives us.
Pastor: Now Pat has a new life, Pat is a new person, as a particular Body of Christ.
People: Let us praise and pray to God by singing an African hymn!
CONGREGATIONAL SUNG PRAYER: Come, Bring Your Burdens to God GTG#851
Come, bring your burdens to God; come, bring your burdens to God;
Come, bring your burdens to God, for Jesus will never say no. (SING TWICE)
Pastor: Lift up names of people we wish to pray for, concluding with The Lord’s Prayer (Glory to God, page 35)…
BREAKING AND SHARING OF THE BREAD
POURING AND SHARING OF THE WINE (We will take both bread and wine together rather than separately as we used to do. You may briefly unmask.)
Pastor: The Grace, Peace, Love and Joy of Jesus Christ be with you.
People: And also with you.
Pastor: Let us pray…..
PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING:
Gracious and loving God, You have united us into a body of Christ, And nourished us at Your table with holy food and drink. Thank you for feeding our hunger and relieving our thirst. Now send us into the world to do the great work You have called us to do; To find the lost and lonely! To heal wounded souls! To free people, including ourselves, who are not at all free! To give compassion to the vulnerable and marginalized! To love Beauty, the Planet and Sky, To persist in re-sisting evil, and to share by what we say and do The Message of Jesus Christ!—Who is The Light in the World. Amen.
SUNG COMMUNION RESPONSE: Be Known to Us in Breaking Bread GTG#500
OFFERTORY: Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring — J. S. BachAndy Flanagin, tenor
UNISON PRAYER OF DEDICATION
Pastor: God, show us the way to take ourselves out of the center of our own thoughts!
People: God, show us how to take ourselves off our own hands!
Pastor: God, teach us how to let go of our worries and fears and troubles—
People: And let You work on them for a little while.
Pastor: Make us promise not to take back into our own hands
People: What we are giving to You! Amen.
HYMN: Lead Me, Guide Me W&R#498
RESPONSIVE BENEDICTION
Pastor: And now we must close our time of worship, my people.
People: This is merely a resting place, a place of transit, where humanity and God pause before taking to the road again!
Pastor: Go, my people, you are ready to set sail, your country is not here!
People: For we are a traveling people, strangers never rooted in one place, pilgrims moving towards an abiding city further on.
Pastor: Go forth, my people, go and pray further off. Love will be your song and life your celebration.
People: Go, you are the house of God, stones cut according to the measure of God’s love!
Pastor: You are restored, O people of God—and God declares to you,
People: “I am going with you! Amen.
Postlude Presto in F Major —G. F. Handel
0 Comments