Seven Last Words of Jesus from the Cross

Good Friday   A   April10, 2020       

Gen 22:1-18        Ps 22

Heb.10:1-25        John 18:1-19:37

Lectionary Link It is a tradition on Good Friday to use the Last 7 Words of Christ from the Cross as the theme for mediation on this day.  I think as we look at these words that are gleaned from the various Passion Accounts in the Four Gospel, we can find that these words represent some of the central Christian values.  These words can be transferred from the Passion Narratives into the actual events of our lives and world today. The First Words of Jesus from the Cross:  Jesus said, "Father Forgive them, for they know not what they do."  In our haste we would probably say that they knew darn well what they were doing.  And we would say, that ignorance is no excuse.  To err and to be ignorant is very human but to forgive is divine.  One of the greatest errors of being human is the sin of revenge. Human society at its worst  is caught in a web of paybacks.  Revenge creates a domino effect  that

continues to magnify revenge and the damage, UNTIL one person does not return evil for evil but stops and says, "I forgive you. I will stop the cycle of revenge."  For humanity to rise above the law of the claw, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, forgiveness must happen.  Jesus forgave, he stopped the domino effect of violence, and he asks us to do the very same difficult thing.  

The Second Word Christ from the Cross: "Jesus said to the second thief who repented: Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in  Paradise."  Many people put off repentance and conversion because they think that they are too far gone.  They think their habits are too deep to over come.  There is no hope.  But Jesus honors every turn toward the good no matter how young or old we are.  At anytime that we turn towards God's mercy; in that moment we have taken a step toward Paradise.  Paradise is to turn toward what is good and right.  And lest we minimize our own willful acts of lawlessness, we need to remember that God is the only one big enough to give someone a clean slate at any moment of life.    God has the power of clemency and pardon. 

The Third Word of Jesus from the Cross: When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing near, he said to his mother, "Women, behold your Son?  And he said to the disciple, "Behold, your mother!"   The fifth commandment is Honor your father and your mother.  Jesus, in his darkest hour fulfilled this commandment.  He obeyed his father in heaven and he fulfilled his destiny.  And he entrusted the care of his mother to one of his disciples.  Caring for our aging parents is a big task in our society and it is something that we must always work at to improve the care of elderly parents.  The disciple friend of Jesus was willing to step in to take care of Mary.  We as a society need to be willing to step forward to care for needy parents and those who are made vulnerable by the aging process. 

The Fourth Word of Jesus from the Cross: And about the ninth hour, Jesus Cried with a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, Lama sabachthani."  which means, My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?"  Have you or I ever found ourselves questioning the fate of our lives, saying, why me God? Why me? Where are you God?  Pain, evil, suffering, misfortune,

ridicule, sense of failure, loss, and grief  all of these occasions can leave us feeling forsaken.  God’s Power, God’s Love do not seem to fit the capriciousness of human affliction.  Jesus in his Passion came to doubt and uncertainty about God's plan.  Jesus understood but understanding didn't take the pain and isolation away.  Evil is unnatural, and that is why we must always cry out against evil.  When we cry out in pain, it does not mean that we lack faith, it means that we have faith in the normalcy of freedom from pain.  We must in faith protest the conditions of this world that deviate from the wonderful normalcy of health, freedom from pain and having enough to eat. 

The Fifth Word of Christ from the Cross: Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said, "I thirst."  Hunger, thirst, sickness and pain, all the bodily needs of humanity cry out with Christ on the Cross, and Christ cries out with all human need and want.  We have the opportunity to help quench the need and thirst of Christ in our world, everytime that we see someone in need and reach out to help.  Remember that the presence of Christ is found in the lives of people who are in need.   

The Sixth Word of Christ from the Cross: When Jesus had received the vinegar, he said, "It is finished."  Ultimately, pain and suffering have a friend in death.  Death is a friend to those who suffer terminally.  Let us remember the terminally ill tonight, that they might have the grace to say with Christ, "It is finished."  Let us live our lives in a state of preparation so that we might be ready to be finished with life when our day comes.  

The Seventh Word of Christ from the Cross: Then Jesus crying with a loud voice, said, "Father unto thy hands, I commit my spirit." Jesus jumps into the abyss of death, but in faith he knows that his father will catch him and preserve him in an unspeakable way.  May we too, have faith to jump into the hands of a loving God at the hour of our departure, trusting in God’s ability to preserve of a way that no one else can.   

The Eighth Word is not the Word of Christ, but your word and mine as we stand today at the Cross.  As we kneel in silence, let our prayers be expression of faith that the worst of the world and of our life will be redeemed to us.  And let us offer prayers of thanksgiving for what Christ has done for us.  Amen.

Pillars of the Church: Eucharist and Service

Maundy Thursday   April 9, 2020

Ex. 12:1-14a       Ps. 78:14-20, 23-25

1 Cor 11:23-32      John 13:1-15

 Lectionary Link

Tonight we highlight two pillars of the Christian Church.  Eucharist and service.  Eucharist was a practice very early in the church.  St. Paul said that he received instruction about the Eucharist from the Lord.  He never met Jesus.  He was not at the Last Supper.  Certainly as a Jew, he would have participated in many Passover meals.  The Eucharist includes practices which show derivation from elements of the Passover Meal, but it is distinctively different.  Passover is once a year; Eucharist is on every Sunday.  Passover is an "in the home" family meal; Eucharist is meal that unites people from many families.  As Christians we understand Eucharist to be a command of Jesus for us to do when we meet.  Since Christianity became so prolific, Eucharist lost connection with being an actual meal.  The early Christian gathered to share Eucharist as a way to be present to each other and to care for those who did not have enough to eat.  By eating together, it was a way of making sure that everyone who gathered was getting enough to eat.  The Eucharist had a very practical purpose of care for the early churches and this aspect is lost except when the Eucharist results in also feeding those who do not have enough.  Can we appreciate the genius of the command of Jesus to eat when they gathered in remembrance of him?  In our cultures of excess, we've lost some of the practical sign value of the urgency of the Eucharist for those early communities.  Most every Episcopalian has more than enough food, so we don't have to attend Eucharist to "get" food.  We should not forget the connection of the Eucharist with real food for hungry people.  Sometimes people who need to gather for their well-being are more likely to gather.  We hope that the pandemic will work some reverse psychology upon us; when we're told that we can't gather, we perhaps will appreciate the privilege to gather when permission returns.

The second pillar of this night is the mandatum novum, the new commandment.  Love one another as I have loved you.  How did Jesus exemplify that love?  By washing his disciples' feet.  Hence, foot washing has become a Maundy Thursday ritual.  And suddenly people don't go to the Maundy Thursday service because they are shy about exposing their feet.  Many will spend money for pedicures but suddenly are very modest about their feet at church.  What is symbolic about the foot washing?  Jesus, the main boss, was a servant.  Jesus was training a motley crew that sometimes makes one think about sleepy, dopey, and the other of the seven dwarves.  John and James asked to be the greatest and sit next to Jesus in his administration.  Judas was the treasurer and an embezzler and a betrayer.  Peter was a proud braggart who at crunch time denied knowing Jesus.  Thomas was a doubter.  Andrew was a skeptic about Jesus' ability to feed the crowd.  Nathanael who may have also been Bartholomew, said about Jesus, "Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?" 

These are the guys that Jesus called his friends.  He knew they could be petty and egotistical.  Jesus washed their feet.  And by this he was saying them and to everyone, "Guys, friends, people the only way you can survive as a community is to check your egos at the door.  I'm not too good to wash your feet.  You are not too good to do anything that serves your brother or sister.  And if you are going to survive, the secret is service.

We live in the Maundy Thursday reality today.  St. Mary's was born and survives because we gather for Eucharist (even if we are hindered in the moment).  The mathematic equation for St. Mary's in the Valley is this:  St. Mary's=the sum total of all of the acts of service offered by those who have called St. Mary's their home.  It's as simple as that.  We are the sum total of our service.

Tonight, I would like to thank everyone for their service which has created the reality of St. Mary's.  You and many others have done much more than just wash feet; you have offered all of the kinds of service which comprises our existence as a parish.  We remember all who have served in the past and all who serve now to help us continue to meet and gather.

May God help us continue to be Maundy Thursday Christians by gathering to obey the Lord's command to offer Eucharist and to serve each other in the love of Christ.  Amen.

Power in Weakness

Palm Sunday/Passion Sunday Cycle A   April 5, 2020

Is.45:21-25     Ps. 22:1-11

Phil. 2:5-11    Matthew 26:36-27:66
Lectionary Link

I've entitled my reflections today on Passion Sunday, "Power in Weakness."  I do so to ponder the insights we receive from the writings of St. Paul who quite often offered the poetics of contradiction when he wrote about the cross of Jesus Christ.

"When I am weak, then I am strong.  Christ is God emptied of the Divine even to the point of death, death on a cross.  I determined to know nothing among you but Christ, and him crucified.   Christ has been made all things to us, even death and our sin.  I will not glory in anything except the cross of Christ."  Paul was fixated on the Cross of Christ and he spoke in very contradictory poetic terms about the significance of the cross of Christ.  He believed the cross of Christ, though visibly exhibiting the surrender of God to human death, was in fact an event of great power and glory.  This poetic contradiction is the foundation of the Christian tradition, in which we live and find our family identity as heirs.

Today, in the middle of the widespread pandemic, we find ourselves in the condition of weakness.  These tiny little beastie viruses have the power to bring the strong and powerful to death.   And knowing the power of these unseen tiny virus beasts, we are brought to our knees of human weakness.

Those with political power, with great knowledge and great wealth have been made to partake of the equality of weakness in face of this great plague.

The powerful cannot send their armies quick enough to avert the disaster.  The powerful cannot hire their lawyers to sue or delay this virus.  Those who have power who are used to giving orders have been left publicly in lying denial of this foe who leaves us in weakness.  Those with great wealth cannot secure a bargain with the coronavirus to avert its effects.  Those with the power of knowledge, political position and wealth are not used to being in the position of weakness and many of them are not handling it very well or realistically.  We see many of our leader acting and speaking with great denial because those with little practice in being weak, do not know how to be weak.  We need to look to the survival techniques in life and history of those forced into the power of being weak, yea the slaves and subjugated women of past history, the homeless and the practiced poor who by situation have had to practice the power of survival in the conditions of weakness.

The Passion Accounts came to writing in all four Gospels, so we know how important they were.  But they also came to writing after the theology of the cross of St. Paul.

St. Paul wrote, "I am crucified with Christ, but I live, yet not I, for Christ lives within me."  St. Paul believed that in identity with the cross of Christ one could discover the mystical power to die to the selfish Self.  And dying to this selfish Self was a great power to slay that which is unworthy within us.  This is the mystical path that St. Paul had initiation in and a path which he taught to others.  He taught the mystical ability to be weak, and in this weakness manifest the very power of God's Spirit.

Can we appreciate the total contradictions of Pauline mysticism?

The Passion Gospels put into story form the theology of the cross of St. Paul by presenting the event of the Cross as the power of God's Providence.  In the eyes of the logic of human history, a holy exemplary person who wrongly suffers capital punishment, seems to be an event of defeat for what is good and right and holy.  But the rise of a group of people inspired by resurrection appearances of the Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit, make the history of the cross of Jesus into the Providence of the power of God to use the event of weakness to uncanny effect and consequences.

Today, as the entire world is faced with the cross of the coronavirus weakness, how can we with eyes of faith pierce and experience the power of weakness?

Many are not yet willing to submit in acceptance of the weakness forced upon the world.  Defiant religious leaders believing their specialness in God's eye, feel they are exempt from the effects of this plague.  And I say to them, accept the weakness of God on the cross and die to the sense of being more exceptional than others in the non-discriminant effects of this virus.

What power are we discovering in this weakness?  All sick must be care for.  All people unable to work have to have financial compensation.  In short, this great experience is forcing upon us the holy power and notion of sacrifice.  Those who are strong must help the weak.  Those who are healers, must apply health to all.  Those who are wealthy must adjust the economic structures to provide a way for all to maintain and survive.

The power of weakness is forced upon us to embrace in this plague.  It is the power of sacrifice, laying down our lives in manifold ways for each other.  This is the power of the cross of Christ; this is the power of the mysticism of the Cross of Christ discovered by St. Paul and by all who wish to voluntarily take on the power of sacrifice, rather than have it forced upon us.

The Passion of Jesus Christ hits us with poignant relevancy today.  We are given the invitation to the manifold power of sacrifice that is needed to bring us to the eventual resurrection of a human world that will be invited to go forward with the preeminence of the power of sacrifice even in the post-pandemic era.  The post-pandemic era invites us to a resurrection of being different forever in our understanding of the power of sacrifice.

Friends, the Passion of the Christ, invites you and me into a renewal into the power of Sacrifice.  With God's help, we will embrace this power in our weakness today.  Amen. 

Sunday School, April 5, 2020 Palm Sunday/Passion Sunday A

Sunday School, April 5, 2020    Palm Sunday/Passion Sunday A

Theme:

Peer pressure.  Sometimes we do and say things just because of the people that we are with.  We want to fit in and so we do and say things to fit in.

Palm Sunday and Passion Sunday is a day when we look at two crowds of people.  One crowd of people took branches from the tree and formed a parade behind Jesus riding on a donkey.  They marched into Jerusalem and shouted, “Hosanna, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.”  They treated Jesus as though he was their king.

But another crowd gathered in Jerusalem at night when Jesus was being put on trial.  Since some people were treating him as a king, this angered the officers who served the Caesar who was the king of the Roman world and Jerusalem.  Jesus was accused of being a rival to the Caesar of Rome who controlled most of the world with his armies.  There was a different crowd at the trial of Jesus.  They yelled, “Crucify him. We have no king but Caesar.”

Remember we must choose the crowd of people that we want to hang around with.  And it is important to choose people as our friends who will help us to do and say the very best things.

Story Sermon for Palm Sunday.

Once upon a time in a village near the city of Jerusalem, the village of Bethphage; a little donkey was born in the pasture.  And that donkey was called by his owner, Shorty, because he was so tiny when he was born.

  But the donkey’s mom, called him Christopher.  When Christopher became old enough to talk to his mom, he asked her, "Why does my owner call me Shorty, even now when I've grown to be a tall and strong donkey?"  Christopher's mom said, "Well once you get a name, it sometimes just sticks and people won't let you be anything else."

  Christopher asked his mom, "Then why do you call me Christopher?"  His mom said, "Well, I'm not sure but I just had this feeling that it was the right name for you."

  Christopher looked in the other pasture and he saw a beautiful big stallion prancing around.  He saw important Roman Generals ride this beautiful horse.  And Christopher thought, "I wish that someone important would ride on my back some day.  And Christopher was a little jealous of the stallion.

  But one day something exciting happened to Christopher.  Two visitors came to the farm where Christopher was kept.  They called themselves disciples of Jesus, and they said there was going to be a parade into the great city of Jerusalem.  They also said that they needed a donkey to carry their king.  Christopher's owner Farmer Jacob, said, "I've got two donkeys, that jennet over there and her colt that I call "Shorty."  If Jesus needs the donkeys, take them.  Jesus is my friend, he healed my son, and I owe him everything I have."

  So the two disciples took Christopher and his mom with them and they went to a place just in front of the sheep gate in Jerusalem.  There was a large crowd gathered who had come to Jerusalem for the Passover Holiday.  After waiting for about an hour, the crowd soon got excited.  Jesus arrived and it was time for the parade to start.  The people put some robes on Christopher to make a saddle for Jesus.  Christopher had never been ridden before, and he was nervous.  But Christopher's mom said, "Calm down, Jesus is the nicest man in the world.  You don't need to buck him off."

  Jesus Climbed up on the back of Christopher and the parade started.  The people took some branches from some palm trees and they began to wave and shout and scream, because their superstar was there.  They followed Jesus as he was riding Christopher into the city of Jerusalem and Christopher trotted proudly through the streets.  This was the happiest day of his life.  At night, he and his mom were tied up at the house of one of the disciples in Jerusalem.  Christopher's mom was proud of him and she said, "Well now I know why I named you Christopher.  "Christopher" means, "the one who carries Christ."  And today you have carried Christ on your back, so today you have lived up to your name."  Christopher was so happy he wanted hee haw with joy.  But his happiness didn't last too long.

  He looked out on the street and he saw another parade.  In the darkness he saw a tired and naked Jesus walking with soldiers.  And the soldiers were forcing him to carry this large wooden cross on his back.  He was bleeding and he was too weak to carry the cross, so at one place they forced a man named Simon to carry the cross for Jesus.  The people who were following the soldiers were laughing and making fun of Jesus.  They were saying, "you're going to die Jesus.  You were just pretending to be a king, but you don't have any power, you're going to die Jesus."

  Christopher ran to his mom and said, "If I had known that this would happen to Jesus, I would not have brought him to Jerusalem."

  Christopher's mom said, "It is a terrible, terrible thing, but we must trust God.  Jesus is the best and nicest person who ever lived and God will take care of him.

  Well, Jesus went on to die on the cross.  And he was buried in a grave.  But does the story does not end here.  Come back next week and we will tell you the end of the story.  What happened to Jesus after he died and was put in the grave?

  What was the donkey's name?  Christopher.  What does Christopher mean?  It means "The one who carries Christ."  In a way, every Christian could be called Christopher.  Because you and I are asked to carry the presence of Christ into this world by being nice and kind.  Amen.

Intergenerational Holy Eucharist

April 5, 2020: Palm Sunday/Passion Sunday

Gathering Songs:

Hosanna! Hosanna!; Hosanna! Hosanna!;  The King of Glory

Palm Procession Entrance: Hosanna, Hosanna in the Highest! (Renew!, # 71)

Hosanna, Hosanna, Hosanna in the highest!  Hosanna, Hosanna, Hosanna in the highest!  Lord we lift up your name with hearts full of praise; Be exalted, oh Lord my God! Hosanna in the highest!

Glory, Glory, glory to the King of kings! Glory, Glory, glory to the King of kings! Lord we lift up you name with hearts full of praise; Be exalted oh Lord my God! Glory to the King of kings!

Liturgist: Bless the Lord who forgives all our sins.

People: His mercy endures forever.  Amen.

Liturgist:  Oh God, Our hearts are open to you.

And you know us and we can hide nothing from you.

Prepare our hearts and our minds to love you and worship you.

Through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Liturgist:         The Lord be with you.

People:            And also with you.

Liturgist:  Let us pray

Assist us with your mercy and help, O Lord God of our salvation, that we may enter with joy as we think about your mighty acts which have given us life and an everlasting future; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen

First Litany of Praise: Chant: Hosanna

O God, you are Great!  Hosanna

O God, you have made us! Hosanna

O God, you have made yourself known to us!  Hosanna

O God, you have provided us with us a Savior!  Hosanna

O God, you have given us a Christian family!  Hosanna

O God, you have forgiven our sins!  Hosanna

O God, you brought your Son Jesus back from the dead!  Hosanna

A Reading from the letter of Paul to the Philippians

Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death-- even death on a cross.

Liturgist: The Word of the Lord

People: Thanks be to God

Let us read together from Psalm 118

On this day the LORD has acted; *we will rejoice and be glad in it.

Hosanna, LORD, Hosanna! *LORD, send us now success.

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord; *we bless you from the house of the LORD.

Litany Phrase: Thanks be to God! (chanted)

Litanist:

For the good earth, for our food and clothing. Thanks be to God!

For our families and friends. Thanks be to God!

For the talents and gifts that you have given to us. Thanks be to God!

For this day of worship. Thanks be to God!

For health and for a good night’s sleep. Thanks be to God!

For work and for play. Thanks be to God!

For teaching and for learning. Thanks be to God!

For the happy events of our lives. Thanks be to God!

For the celebration of the birthdays and anniversaries of our friends and parish family.

   Thanks be to God!

Liturgist:         The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew

People:            Glory to you, Lord Christ.

When Jesus and his disciples had come near Jerusalem and had reached Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, "Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, just say this, `The Lord needs them.' And he will send them immediately." This took place to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet, saying, "Tell the daughter of Zion, Look, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey,

and on a colt, the foal of a donkey."  The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them; they brought the donkey and the colt, and put their cloaks on them, and he sat on them. A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of him and that followed were shouting, "Hosanna to the Son of David!  Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!  Hosanna in the highest heaven!" When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in turmoil, asking, "Who is this?" The crowds were saying, "This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee." 

Sermon – Father Phil

Children’s Creed

We did not make ourselves, so we believe that God the Father is the maker of the world.

Since God is so great and we are so small,

We believe God came into our world and was born as Jesus, son of the Virgin Mary.

We need God’s help and we believe that God saved us by the life, death and

     resurrection of Jesus Christ.

We believe that God is present with us now as the Holy Spirit.

We believe that we are baptized into God’s family the Church where everyone is

     welcome.

We believe that Christ is kind and fair.

We believe that we have a future in knowing Jesus Christ.

And since we all must die, we believe that God will preserve us forever.  Amen.

Litany Phrase: Christ, have mercy.

For fighting and war to cease in our world. Christ, have mercy.

For peace on earth and good will towards all. Christ, have mercy.

For the safety of all who travel. Christ, have mercy.

For jobs for all who need them. Christ, have mercy.

For care of those who are growing old. Christ, have mercy.

For the safety, health and nutrition of all the children in our world. Christ, have mercy.

For the well-being of our families and friends. Christ, have mercy.

For the good health of those we know to be ill. Christ, have mercy.

For the remembrance of those who have died. Christ, have mercy.

For the forgiveness of all of our sins. Christ, have mercy.

Youth Liturgist:          The Peace of the Lord be always with you.

People:                        And also with you.

Song during the preparation of the Altar and the receiving of an offering

Offertory Song: Hosanna! Hosanna!  (# 102, The Christian Children’s Songbook)

 Hosanna, Hosanna, the little children sing.  Hosanna, Hosanna for Christ our Lord is King.  Prepare the way, the children sing, Hosanna to our Lord and King!  Hosanna, Hosanna, the little children sing.

Doxology

Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Praise Him, all creatures here below.

Praise Him above, ye heavenly host. Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

Prologue to the Eucharist

Jesus said, “Let the children come to me, for to them belong the kingdom of God.”

All become members of a family by birth or adoption.

All are born into the family of God by Baptism.

A family meal gathers and sustains each human family.

The Holy Eucharist is the special meal that Jesus gave to his friends to keep us together as the family of Christ.

The Lord be with you

And also with you.

Lift up your hearts

We lift them to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to God.

It is right to give God thanks and praise.

It is very good and right to give thanks, because God made us, Jesus redeemed us and the Holy Spirit dwells in our hearts.  Therefore with Angels and Archangels and all of the world that we see and don’t see, we forever sing this hymn of praise:

Holy, Holy, Holy (Intoned)

Holy, Holy, Holy Lord, God of Power and Might.  Heav’n and earth are full of your glory.

Hosanna in the highest.  Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. 

Hosanna in the highest. Hosanna in the Highest.

(All may gather around the altar)

Our grateful praise we offer to you God, our Creator;

You have made us in your image

And you gave us many men and women of faith to help us to live by faith:

Adam and Eve, Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah, Jacob and Rachael.

And then you gave us your Son, Jesus, born of Mary, nurtured by Joseph

And he called us to be sons and daughters of God.

Your Son called us to live better lives and he gave us this Holy Meal so that when we eat

  the bread and drink the wine, we can  know that the Presence of Christ is as near to us as  

  this food and drink  that becomes a part of us.

And so, Father, we bring you these gifts of bread and wine. Bless and sanctify them by your Holy Spirit to be for your people the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ our Lord.  Bless and sanctify us by your Holy Spirit so that we may love God and our neighbor.

On the night when Jesus was betrayed he took bread, said the blessing, broke the bread, and gave it to his friends, and said, "Take, eat: This is my Body, which is given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me."

After supper, Jesus took the cup of wine, gave thanks, and said, "Drink this, all of you. This is my Blood of the new Covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Whenever you drink it, do this for the remembrance of me."

Father, we now celebrate the memorial of your Son. When we eat this holy Meal of Bread and Wine, we are telling the entire world about the life, death and resurrection of Christ and that his presence will be with us in our future.

Let this holy meal keep us together as friends who share a special relationship because of your Son Jesus Christ.  May we forever live with praise to God to whom we belong as sons and daughters.

By Christ, and with Christ, and in Christ, in the unity of the Holy Spirit all honor and glory

 is yours, Almighty Father, now and for ever. AMEN.

And now as our Savior Christ has taught us, we now sing,

Our Father: (Renew # 180, West Indian Lord’s Prayer)

Our Father who art in heaven:  Hallowed be thy name.

Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done: Hallowed be thy name.

Done on earth as it is in heaven: Hallowed be thy name.

Give us this day our daily bread: Hallowed be thy name.

And forgive us all our debts: Hallowed be thy name.

As we forgive our debtors: Hallowed be thy name.

Lead us not into temptation: Hallowed be thy name.

But deliver us from evil: Hallowed be thy name.

Thine is the kingdom, power, and glory: Hallowed be thy name.

Forever and ever: Hallowed be thy name.

Amen, amen, amen: Hallowed be thy name.

Amen, amen, amen, amen: Hallowed be thy name.

Breaking of the Bread

Celebrant:       Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us.

People:            Therefore let us keep the feast. 

Words of Administration

Communion:   Fairest Lord Jesus,    a 

Post-Communion Prayer

Everlasting God, we have gathered for the meal that Jesus asked us to keep;

We have remembered his words of blessing on the bread and the wine.

And His Presence has been known to us.

We have remembered that we are sons and daughters of God and brothers

    and sisters in Christ.

Send us forth now into our everyday lives remembering that the blessing in the

     bread and wine spreads into each time, place and person in our lives,

As we are ever blessed by you, O Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  Amen.

Closing Song: The King of Glory, (Renew # 267)

Refrain: The King of glory comes, the nation rejoices. 

            Open the gates before him, lift up your voices.

Who is the king of glory; how shall we call him?  He is Emmanuel, the promised of ages. Refrain

In all of Galilee, in city or village, he goes among his people curing their illness. Refrain

Sing then of David’s son, our Savior and brother; in all of Galilee was never another. Refrain

Dismissal:   

Liturgist: Let us go forth in the Name of Christ.

People: Thanks be to God!