Communion Ritual

We will be receiving Communion or the Lord’s Supper this morning. In the moments of reflection as we approach the Lord’s Table, let us look inside ourselves and make sure we are truly followers of Christ. If you have felt a tug on your heart this morning to receive forgiveness of your sins and new life in Christ, I invite you to do that before we approach the Lord’s Table. As we pray a prayer of faith, I invite you to make it the cry of your heart.

Pray the prayer of faith.

Lord, I believe
that Jesus Christ
is the Savior of the World
that he gave his life
to forgive my sins
and was raised from the grave
to give me new life.
I receive your grace
by faith.
Come into my life
I will follow you!
Amen

If you prayed this prayer of faith for the first time, would you courageously raise your hand? We welcome you to the body of Christ, and assure you that you are welcome to receive communion. And please let Pastor Derek or one of the pastoral staff know you prayed. We want to help you on your new journey.

You do not have to be a member of this church to participate. The only prerequisite is that you believe on Christ for salvation. These moments at the altar draw us all to the feet of Jesus. This is His table.

This morning, we will have two stations with our traditional Nazarene style communion, and two stations with an alternative style called intinction. Choose whichever style you are comfortable with.

{ A word about intinction. When you come, take a piece of
{ bread and dip it into the grape juice. If you lose it in the
{ cup, please don’t go fishing. Just take another piece of
{ bread.

If you are unable to come to the altar, please let us know and we will bring the elements to you.

As you receive the elements, pause a moment to be reminded that these elements represent the body and blood of Jesus. Then take the elements and return to your seat.

I will be calling us to the Lord’s Table in a few moments. But let’s explore what communion is all about.

Let the minister then give the following invitation:

The Communion Supper, instituted by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is a sacrament, which proclaims His life, His sufferings, His sacrificial death, and His resurrection, and the hope of His coming again. It shows forth the Lord’s death until His return.

The Supper is a means of grace in which Christ is present by the Spirit. It is to be received in reverent appreciation and gratefulness for the work of Christ.

All those who are truly repentant, forsaking their sins, and believing in Christ for salvation are invited to participate in the death and resurrection of Christ. We come to the table that we may be renewed in life and salvation and be made one by the Spirit.

In unity with the Church, we confess our faith: Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again. Let us pray.

Prayer over elements

Holy God,

We gather at this, your table, in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ, who by your Spirit was anointed to preach good news to the poor, proclaim release to the captives, set at liberty those who are oppressed. Christ healed the sick, fed the hungry, ate with sinners, and established the new covenant for forgiveness of sins. We live in the hope of His coming again.

And so, we gather as the Body of Christ to offer ourselves to you in praise and thanksgiving. Pour out your Holy Spirit on us and on these your gifts. Make them by the power of your Spirit to be for us the body and blood of Christ, that we may be for the world the Body of Christ, redeemed by His blood.

By your Spirit make us one in Christ, one with each other, and one in the ministry of Christ to all the world, until Christ comes in final victory. In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,

Amen.

If your servers could come prepare the elements for us.

Let us hear Paul’s story of the Lord’s Supper.

1 Corinthians 11:23-26

23 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

We are one, at one table with the Lord. Won’t you join me at the Lord’s table?

Scripture Readings

Luke 22:14

14 When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. 15 And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. 16 For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.”

17 After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, “Take this and divide it among you. 18 For I tell you I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”

19 And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.”

20 In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.

John 1:1-5, 9-14

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

9 The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

1 Peter 1:3-9

³ Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, ⁴ and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, ⁵ who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. ⁶ In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. ⁷ These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. ⁸ Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, ⁹ for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

Revelation 5:6a, 9-10

6 Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders.

9 And they sang a new song, saying:

“You are worthy to take the scroll
and to open its seals,
because you were slain,
and with your blood you purchased for God
persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.
10 You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God,
and they will reign[b] on the earth.”

WHEN ALL ARE FINISHED

Has everyone who desires to receive the Lord’s Supper been served?

Then, let’s conclude this moment and this service in prayer.

Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, we are so grateful for the gift of your son to die for our sins and to be raised to new life to give each of us the hope of glory.

As we prepare to leave these moment in your presence, please go with us. May we walk in the light of your Spirit through this coming week.

Please be with the church, Father. Guide us where you need us to go. Help us to be your people, filled with your Spirit.

Let’s close our service this morning by reciting the Lord’s Prayer together. We will use the debts and debtors version.

Let us all pray together.

Our Father, who art in heaven,
hollowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come,
thy will be done
in earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread
And forgive us our debts
as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation
But deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power and the glory forever.
Amen.

Go into this week walking in the leading of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Amen.