A SERVICE OF WORD AND TABLE

THE GREAT THANKSGIVING

Pastor:  The Lord be with you.

People:  And, also with you.

Pastor:  Lift up your hearts.

People:  We lift them to the Lord.

Pastor:  Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

People:  It is right to give our thanks and praise. 

Pastor:  How can we thank you, O God?  For the sun and moon and stars, for breath and life and all things good, for your steadfast promise and your faithful love, for the day that is surely coming when all things will be made new.    With saints, angels, and with the whole of creation, we join the ancient and eternal hymn:

People:  Holy, Holy, Holy Lord, God of power and might.  Heaven 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. 

Pastor:  We give you thanks, Holy God, for Jesus, who came to be your living word, to baptize us with Spirit and fire, to feed the hungry, to humble the mighty, and to announce the good news of your coming realm.  With thanksgiving, we remember how, when the hour had come, Jesus took his place at the table with the apostles. 

BREAKING THE BREAD

Pastor:  On the night he was betrayed he took bread, gave thanks to you, broke the bread, and gave it to his disciples saying, “Take, eat, this is my body given for you.  Do this in remembrance of me. 

When the supper was over, he took the cup and gave thanks, saying, “Drink this all of you.  This is my blood of the new covenant poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.  Do this in remembrance of me.

And so, in remembrance of these your mighty acts in Jesus Christ, we offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving as a holy and living sacrifice, in union with Christ’s offering for us, as we proclaim the mystery of faith.

Christ has died; Christ is risen; Christ will come again.

With thanks and praise we offer ourselves to you, sharing this holy meal. 

Pour out your Holy Spirit upon us -- Make us one in the Spirit, one in the church, and one with Christ our Lord.

GIVING THE BREAD AND CUP

Pastor:  This is the table of the Lord.  Everyone is invited to receive the gifts from this table.  You do not have to be a Methodist or a member of this church or any church.  We are all children of God and on this holy evening, we are all invited as Gods’ children to share in the gifts that are given. 

We will be coming out to you to pass the plates with the cups and bread.  Please pass the elements to your neighbor, as we serve each other. 

When everyone has received the bread and cup, we will share the meal together.

Pastor:  Please take the elements you have received and know that they are blessed by our Holy Creator. 

Receive them now. 

Pastor:  The Body of Christ, the Bread of Life given to you.  Amen. 

Pastor:  The Blood of Christ, the Cup of Salvation given to you.  Amen. 

PRAYER OF THANKS

Pastor:  Most Bountiful God, we give you thanks for the world you have created, for the gift of life, and for giving yourself to us in Jesus Christ,

People:  whose holy life, suffering and death, and glorious resurrection have delivered us from slavery to sin and death.

Pastor:  We thank you that in the power of your Holy Spirit,

People:  you have fed us in this Sacrament, united us with Christ, and given us a foretaste of your heavenly banquet.  We pray these things in your name, and we pray now the prayer you taught your disciples to pray,

SOLO                                                               Oh Holy Night                                                     Tena Greene-Porter

THE OFFERING OF LIGHT                                                                                                          Rev. Lynnette Sills

*HYMN                                                                               Silent Night                                        Pam McNeil, organ

                             Silent night, holy night, all is calm, all is bright

Round yon virgin mother and child.

Holy infant so tender and mild,

Sleep in heavenly peace, sleep in heavenly peace.

Silent night, holy night, shepherds quake at the sight;

Glories stream from heaven afar,

heavenly hosts sing Alleluia!

Christ the Savior is born, Christ the Savior is born!

Silent night, holy night, Son of God, love’s pure light;

Radiant beams from thy holy face

with the dawn of redeeming grace,

Jesus, Lord, at thy birth, Jesus, Lord, at thy birth.

Silent night, holy night, wondrous star, lend thy light;

With the angels let us sing,

Alleluia to our King;

Christ the Savior is born, Christ the savior is born!

At the beginning of the last verse, please raise your candles.

*BENEDICTION                                                                                                                        Rev Lynnette Sills

Walk in darkness no longer.

We will walk in the light of Christ.

Sing of Christ’s birth with the choirs of angels. 

We will sing with the heavenly host.

Go and proclaim the good news,

Jesus Christ is born!

Go in peace.  Amen. 

Postlude                                             Angels We Have Heard on High                                      Pam McNeil, organ                                                                                                                                             Breanna Cochran, piano

*Please stand as you are able

You may take your candles with you if you wish to keep them.  Or you may extinguish them

and leave them in the metal bowls located at each exit.

Audio Visual Team: Jennifer MONTERISI & Pam MONTERISI