THE COMMUNION

LONGER FORM

For use when the Communion is a separate service, not having been preceded by the usual Order of Morning Worship.

The Invitation, to be read when the service is announced.

A Communion Service will be held in this Church at (stating the time). It is a service of commemoration, consecration and fellowship, open to all who desire to take part in it.

The Minister, standing at the communion table, may begin with an Introit or with the reading of one or more of the following Sentences.

SENTENCES

Send out thy light and thy truth, let them lead me;
Let them bring me unto thy holy hill.
Then will I go unto the altar of God, unto God, my exceeding joy.
Psalm XLIII: 3,4.

O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good;
For his mercy endureth forever.
Psalm CVII: 1.

Offer unto God thanksgiving,
And pay thy vows unto the Most High.
Psalm L: 14.

I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord.
I will offer the sacrifice of thanksgiving in the courts of the Lord’s house;
Yea, in the presence of all his people.
Psalm CXVI: 13, 17-19.

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart; and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
Matt. XI: 28-30.

Beloved, let us love one another; for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.
1 John IV: 7.

A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; even as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
John XIII: 34, 34

By one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. And we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.
1 Cor. XII: 13; X: 17.

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth; but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.
John XV: 13-15.

Whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant; even as the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister.
Matt. XX: 27, 28.

If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.
Luke IX: 23, 24.

It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing; the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
John VI: 63.

Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
Rev. XXII: 20.

The Spirit and the bride say Come. And let him that heareth say Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
Rev. XXII: 17.

The Minister shall then read the Exhortation.

EXHORTATION

Dearly beloved, we have received it that Jesus, on the night before he died, as he supped with his disciples in an upper chamber, took bread and broke it, likening it unto his crucified body, and poured out wine as a visible parable of the shedding of his blood. As we repeat this act in remembrance of him, may the spirit which kept him steadfast, even unto death, be quickened in us. We remember also that the bread and wine have been to Christians in all ages a sign of their fellowship with him and with one another, a source of strength; a witness to the power of sacrificial love. Conscious of the weakness of our own hearts and of the needs of our fellow-men, let us here renew our communion with him and with all faithful servants of God who have found strength and joy in doing the will of God upon earth.

Then shall follow the Invocation and the Prayer of Confession, the Minister first saying:

Let us pray.

INVOCATION

Almighty God, unto whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid; cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of thy holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love thee, and worthily magnify thy holy name. Amen.

CONFESSION, the people joining

We come not into thy presence, most holy Lord God, trusting in our own righteousness but in thy manifold and abiding mercies. Remembering this day the great heart and passion of a son of man of long ago, we are ashamed of our selfish and imperfect lives. We would here be turned to the way of his brave and tender spirit, and find that wholeness of life which shall be at once a divine blessing for us and a divine ministry from us. Forgive our failures and shortcomings, and by thy grace strengthen our weak desires for goodness, that we may henceforth serve thee without fear and without shame, all the days of our lives. Amen.

The Lord be with you.
And with thy spirit.
Praise ye the Lord.
The Lord’s name be praised.

HYMN, CANTICLE or ANTHEM

SCRIPTURE

SERMON or ADDRESS

OFFERTORY

If an offering is to be received it may be announced by one or more of the fol­lowing sentences, or by other appropriate ones. While the offering is being taken the organ may be played or an anthem may be sung.

Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name;
Bring an offering, and come into his courts.
O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.
Psalm XCVI: 8, 9.

Let us offer up the sacrifice of praise to God, the fruit of our lips which make confession to his name: and forget not to do good, for with such sacri­fices God is well pleased.
Hebrews XIII: 15, 16, abbrev.

If thou bring thy gift to the altar and there rememberest that thy brother hath aught against thee, leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.
Matt V: 23, 24.

Offer thyself unto God, and give thyself wholly for him; so shalt thine offering be accepted.
Imitation of Christ, Bk. IV. Chap. 8; 1.

When an offering has been gathered, it should be retained by the ushers until the Minister has set apart the bread and wine.

Then shall the Minister remove the napkin which covers the bread, and say:

Let the bread here set apart from the bounty of the earth be to us a token of all the good we receive and cannot ourselves effect. And let us with quiet hearts wait for that highest good of all, the presence and spirit of God.

Then shall the Minister pour the wine from the flagon into the cup, and say:

Let the wine here outpoured be to us a token of the self-forgetting good which men must needs do for others if they are to share the fulness of the divine blessing. And let us offer ourselves not to be ministered unto but to minister.

When the offering is brought forward the people may rise and sing an offertory chant, or say a confession of faith.

The following prayer may then be read by the Minister.

Let us pray.

Infinite and All-holy One, we would present ourselves (and our gifts), our souls and bodies, to be a reasonable, holy and living sacrifice unto thee; and we pray that as the grain once scattered upon the mountains is here gathered into one bread, so thy separated children of every nation, kindred and tongue may, by thy grace, be united in one living spirit of righteousness and peace: and as this wine came forth from the fruit of the vine, so may thy people, continually abiding as branches or the true vine, bring forth the fruit of good living, to thy glory. Amen.

The following Act of Thanksgiving may then be read by the Minister and people, the people standing: *

ACT OF THANKSGIVING

Lift up your hearts.
We lift them up unto the Lord.
Let us give thanks unto our Lord God.
It is meet and right so to do.

It is very meet, right, and our bounden duty, that we should at all times and in all places give thanks unto thee, O Lord, Holy Father, Almighty, Everlasting God.

Here shall follow the proper Preface, if any be appointed, or else shall immedi­ately follow:

Therefore with seers and prophets, with saints and apostles, and with all the company of those who strive to do thy will, and with thy whole creation, we laud and magnify thy glorious name, evermore praising thee, and saying:†

Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of hosts; heaven and earth are full of thy glory. Glory be to thee, O Lord, most high. Amen.

PREFACES

Christmas Day

And especially at this festival of the nativity we give thanks for the vision of thy reign of peace and goodwill on earth, as it is in heaven:

Easter

And because thou hast implanted within our hearts immortal hopes which look beyond the years and know that death no more hath dominion over him whose life is hid with thee:

Whitsunday

And because thou dost pour forth thy spirit upon all flesh, that thy children may walk in thy light:

All Saints, or All Souls

And because thou hast encompassed us about with so great a cloud of witnesses, the wise and good who have been our forerunners in the race that is set before us:

Then shall follow the Communion Prayer:

COMMUNION PRAYER

All glory be to thee, Creative Spirit, from whom we receive life and all the fruits of the earth to sustain us. Spirit of Holiness and Truth, who dost nourish our souls unto eternal life, be thou a light within our hearts, a quickener of righteousness, a fire of devotion, a blessing of peace, a song of joy. We rejoice that many of the children of men have manifested thy light and grace. But especially we give thanks and praise for his word of truth and his spirit of love, who, the same night in which he was betrayed, took bread, and, when he had given thanks, brake it and said:

This is my body which is broken for you; this do in remembrance of me.

And after the same manner also took the cup, when he had supped, saying:

This cup is the new testament in my blood; this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.

Wherefore, O Life of Life, we too would be thy servants, offering here not alone thanksgiving, but also labor and love, praying a blessing upon our offering that we may be cleansed and strengthened in spirit, and so bring forth new fruits of generous living, to the glory of thy name and the blessing of many souls.

We remember, in this our communion, the multitudes joined with us by faith in the spirit of Christ, and other multitudes also, of other names, seek­ing the truth. We remember the needy of body or spirit, wherever they may be in all the earth. We remember those who have fallen asleep, whose lives have blessed us in faith and righteousness. May perpetual light shine upon them. We remember the fathers, from the beginning of the world, and all who have wrought righteousness down to the present day. We remember the whole family of man, of every tribe and kindred and tongue. May thy presence in the hearts of all lead us on together to new heights of fellowship, peace and joy. Amen.

The elements may then be distributed to the communicants in the manner customary in the church in which the service is held, the Minister saying, as he gives the bread,

Take and eat this in remembrance of Christ.

And, as he gives the cup,

Drink this in remembrance of Christ.

Or, if the elements are not passed, the Minister may say,

Let us partake in spirit with those who, remembering him, have shared the bread of life and the wine of sacrifice. Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness; for they shall be filled.

The Minister may then lift first the plate with the bread and then the cup, tasting a little of the bread and wine, as he says:

We take and eat this in remembrance of Christ.

We drink this in remembrance of Christ.

Minister:

Let us join in silent prayer that the spirit which was in Jesus may be in us also, enabling us to know the truth, to do the will of God, and to abide in his peace.

After a time of silent prayer, the Minister and people may repeat together the Lord’s Prayer, after which the Minister may read one or more of the follow­ing or other appropriate prayers, or may offer prayer in his own words.

PRAYERS

Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever.

Amen.

Thanks be to thee, O Lord God, Father Almighty, for the way of grace and truth which thou hast made known unto us in the life and death of our elder brother, Jesus of Nazareth. Make us to be of one spirit with him and with thy whole church, as members of a mighty fellowship. Unite us in the bond of peace with one another. Unite us with the great host of the living and the dead who have sought to know and to do thy holy will. And send us forth to our appointed tasks in the world with thanksgiving upon our lips for all thy mercies; with peace in our hearts because we have found rest in thee. Amen.

O Thou Guiding Spirit of the souls of men, whom all worship under many names and diverse forms, we pray for thy blessing upon the great company of those who fain would know thy law and do thy will. Grant unto thy Church Universal, wheresoever it may be found, an increasing knowledge of the truth, a deeper understanding of human need, a more generous spirit of sacrificial love. Where it is weak in the presence of evil, strengthen and upbuild it in the hearts of men; where it is in error, re-establish it in the right way; where it is corrupt, purify it, though it be by fire; where it is divided by misunderstanding, jealousy or suspicion, bring it into one spirit of goodwill. Draw together in one accord the spirits of thy children, until each shall labor in his appointed way for thy kingdom of righteousness and love, until the discords of earthly strife and clamor shall be lost in one great hymn of praise. So may thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Amen.

Grant unto us, Almighty God, that we, communing with one another and with thee, may feel our hearts burn within us, until all pure and just and holy things are lovely to us, and we find nothing to fear but that which is hateful in thine eyes. Let thy peace possess our souls, while we look to loving kindness and tender mercy to lift us above that which is low and mean; and, at last, give to the spirit within us a perfect victory and bring us safe through death unto life everlasting. Amen.

O God, thou Fountain of Love, thy spirit is in us as a well of water springing up into everlasting life. Let every thought and motive be cleansed by its life-giving stream. Let each high resolve and holy desire be quickened into larger growth, that the hearts of thy children may bear the fruits of joyful service and grateful adoration. Amen.

HYMN

BENEDICTION

Now may the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, that peace which the world can neither give nor take away, abide in our hearts to bless us this day and forevermore. Amen.

Or this:

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellow­ship of his holy Spirit, be with you all evermore. Amen.

Or this:

Now unto the God of grace, for the might of his spirit and the love of Christ, be glory in the church throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

If desired, the Nunc Dimittis, ‘Now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace,’ may be chanted before the people disperse.

* If the book is not in the hands of the people, or if they are not accustomed to its use, the Canticle may be said by the Minister alone, beginning,

Let us lift up our hearts unto the Lord, and give thanks unto our Lord God, for it is very meet, right, and our bounden duty, that we should at all times and in all places give thanks unto thee, O Lord, Holy Father, Almighty, Everlasting God. Therefore, etc.

† If desired, the following ancient version of the Sanctus may be used instead:

Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of hosts; heaven and earth are full of thy glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the Highest.

Musical settings will be found in the Hymn Book. Nos. 504, 505.