Cassburn United Church

Sunday, March 15, 2015

A Prayer of Thanks:
Blessed are you, gracious God, Creator of
Light, Giver of all life, Source of love. From the
dawning of creation, you have loved us as your
own. From the dust of the earth, you created
us in your image. From bondage and slavery,
you delivered us. Through all our wilderness
wanderings you guide us and you continue to
send your prophets even when we are lost and
turn away from you. You call us to renewal and
repentance, to justice and compassion, to
healing and wholeness.
We thank you for sending us Jesus, your
Chosen One, Bread for our journey. He lived
and loved this human life, taking upon himself
our suffering and sorrow, being tested as we
are tested, and reaching out to broken victims
of the worlds brokenness.

In him we come to know your truth, to feel the

life that is Christ within us. So it is that
throughout these Lenten days and nights we
worship you and bless you name, saying:
Holy, holy, holy is our God - maker of earth
and heaven. Blessed too, is the one God
sent into our world to bring new life.
Hosanna in the highest!
So it is we do what Jesus did the night he was
betrayed. He took bread, thanked you, broke
the bread and gave it to his followers, saying
Take, eat, this is my body. He also took the
cup, saying, This is my blood, the blood of the
new covenant.
Send your Holy Spirit, on us and what we do
that as we break bread and drink wine we may
be united with Christ, he in us and we in him,
that we who are many may be one in him.
Make us strong in faith and love that we may
become truly human as Christ was truly
human.
O God, we offer ourselves to you, as your
people have done before, and still do
everywhere. Use us as you will that we may
die to self and live for you. Accept us.
Accept what we have said and done. We
ask it then in Christs name:
Our Father, who art in heaven.......
2

(the bread is broken)

In the bread we break, we share in the body of
Christ.
We who are many are one body, for we all
share the one bread.
(the cup is elevated)
As we give thanks for the cup of blessing, we
share in the cup of salvation.

The Sharing:
Bread and wine: the gifts of God for the people
of God.
(one person from each table will pass the
element of body (bread) to the next table,
saying these words):
Jesus Christ, the bread of life.
(the table group will say, together)
AMEN!
(one person from each table will pass the
element of blood (juice) to the next table,
saying these words):
Jesus Christ, the true vine.
(the table group will say, together)
AMEN!
3

Prayer after communion:

Gracious God, may your gifts to us call forth
such joy that we never lose sight of your
goodness.
May your love for us transform and enliven
us, that we too may live lives of
thanksgiving.
May your presence among us provoke us to
such longing for your realm that we be never
satisfied until the whole world knows your
justice, your peace, and your love.
In Christs name we pray.
AMEN!
Please return to your bulletin.