Public Worship and Aids to Devotion Committee Website

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General Assembly of Australia

Lord's Supper: First Order

The Lord's Supper

First Order

The congregation being assembled, the minister shall say:

Let us worship God or Scripture sentences such as:

How can I repay the Lord for all his goodness to me? I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord. (Psalm 116:12-13)

I will fulfil my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people. (Psalm 116:14)

For Christ, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed. Therefore, let us keep the Festival. (1 Corinthians 5:7-8)

Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him. (Psalm 34:8)

A Psalm or Hymn.

The minister shall say:

Let us pray:

Almighty God, to whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hidden: cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

If we claim to be sinless, we are self-deceived and strangers to the truth. If we confess our sins, he is just, and may be trusted to forgive our sins and cleanse us from every kind of wrong.

Then all may say together the following Confession of sins.

The minister shall say:

Let us together confess our sins:

Almighty God, our Father, we have sinned against you and one another; in thought, word and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. In your mercy forgive what we have been, help us to correct what we are, and direct what we shall be; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

The minister may then say:

God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)

God's mercy never ends. In the name of Jesus Christ, we are forgiven.

Thanks be to God.

Grant to us your people that we may love what you command and desire what you promise, that whatever changes life may bring, our hearts may be fixed on you where true joys are to be found, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

or this Confession of sins may be used:

Eternal God, our heavenly Father, we, unworthy sinners approaching your presence and conscious of your glory, repent of our sins.

We have sinned, grievously sinned against you, in thought, word and deed. We have broken our vows and have dishonoured your holy name.

Yet now, most merciful Father, have mercy upon us; for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord, forgive all our sins; deliver us by your Holy Spirit from all uncleanness in spirit and in body and help us sincerely to forgive others as we ask you to forgive us and strengthen us to serve you in newness of life, to the glory of your holy name.

Then may be said a short prayer of supplication or a prayer appropriate to the season;

Then may be said or sung "Glory be to God in Heaven" (Rejoice! 89), or another suitable Psalm or Hymn.

Glory to God in the highest, and peace to his people on earth.

Lord God, Heavenly King, Almighty God and Father, we worship you, we give you thanks, we praise you for your glory.

Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, Lord God, Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world; have mercy on us; you are seated at the right hand of the Father: receive our prayer. For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord, you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, In the glory of God the Father. Amen.

A reading from the Old Testament shall be read, after which a Psalm or Hymn shall be sung:

Then a reading from the New Testament shall be read.

Each reading may be introduced with the words:

Hear the Word of God, as it is written in....... the....... chapter, at the....... verse.

At the end of each reading may be said:

This is the Word of the Lord.

At the conclusion of all the readings, there may be said:

Blessed are those who hear the Word of God, who keep it in their hearts and do it.

Before the Sermon this or another Prayer for Understanding shall be offered:

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of our hearts be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, our Rock and our Redeemer. Amen.

The Proclamation of the Word of God.

Thereafter a Creed, either the Apostles' Creed or the Nicene Creed, may be said.

The Creed shall be introduced with the words:

Let us confess our faith in the words of the....... Creed.

I believe in God, the Father almighty creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

OR

We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen. We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten not made, of one Being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, and was made man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, and giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshipped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

Announcements concerning the life of the Church may be made, after which Prayers of Intercession shall be offered, and may be said by the minister, or by a member, or members of the congregation. The Prayers of Intercession should include prayers for the Church, the Nation, the local community, for home and family life, the sick, the bereaved, and any particular need appropriate to the time.

Let us pray:

(A suitable prayer of intercession may follow.)

... through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Offering/Collection.

Anthem or Hymn.

Then, as the offering/collection is brought forward, the minister shall go to the Communion Table.

Prayer of Thanksgiving for the offering/collection.

Then the Minister may say:

Brothers and sisters in Christ, the Communion Table is the table of our Lord Jesus.

On behalf of the Session of this congregation, I therefore invite those who love the Lord Jesus Christ and are members in good standing of this or another congregation to join in this celebration of the Lord's Supper.

Then the Minister may give an Invitation in words of Holy Scripture;

Friends in Christ, hear the gracious words of the Lord Jesus:

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble of heart, and you will find rest for your souls. (Matthew 11:28,29)

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. (Matthew 5:6)

Then shall be sung a Communion Psalm or Hymn.

During the singing, the minister and elders shall gather in their places at the Lord's Table, and the elements shall be uncovered.

Then the Minister shall say:

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.

Beloved in the Lord, listen to the words of the institution of the Holy Supper of our Lord Jesus Christ, as they are recorded by the Apostle Paul.

I received from the Lord what I passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, 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." 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." For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.

Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without recognising the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgement on himself. (1 Corinthians 11: 23-29)

Then minister and people may join together in saying:

Minister: Lift up your hearts.

People: We lift them to the Lord.

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

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

Alternatively the minister may say:

Let us lift up our hearts and give thanks to the Lord our God for it is right to give him thanks and praise.

Then the minister prays a prayer of Thanksgiving:

Almighty and everlasting God, it is indeed our duty and delight always and everywhere to give you thanks and praise.

In the beginning you created the heavens and the earth and everything in them: you made mankind in your own image and your tender mercies are over all your works.

Mighty God, heavenly King, we magnify and praise you. With all the company of heaven we worship and adore you, evermore praising you and saying:

Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of hosts, heaven and earth are full of your glory. Glory to you, O Lord most high. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.

Almighty and merciful God, you loved the world so much that you gave your only Son that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. We bless you for his holy incarnation, for his perfect life on earth, for his precious sufferings and death upon the cross, for his glorious resurrection from the dead, for his ascension to your right hand where he ever lives to plead our cause, for the promise of this coming again, and for his gift of the Holy Spirit. Remembering, therefore, the life and work of our Saviour Christ, and pleading his perfect sacrifice offered once and for all on the cross, we do this in obedience to his command. Amen.

And now as our Saviour Christ has taught us, we humbly pray:

Our Father..

Then the minister shall say:

On the night Jesus was betrayed, he took bread (here the minister takes the bread into his hands), and when he had given thanks, he broke it (here the minister breaks the bread) and said:

THIS IS MY BODY, WHICH IS FOR YOU; DO THIS IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME.

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.

In giving the bread the minister shall say:

Jesus said: "Take and eat: this is my body. Do this in remembrance of me."

And in giving the cup, he shall say:

Jesus said: "This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins."

When all have received, the vessels are returned to the Communion Table, and the minister shall say:

The peace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.

Then he shall call the people to thanksgiving, saying:

Christ has died;

Christ has risen;

Christ will come again.

Let us pray

O God our Father, you have greatly loved us and mercifully redeemed us, and now you have fed us and strengthened us at your table: give us grace that in everything we may give ourselves, our wills and our works, as a continual thank offering to you. May we live in peace and fellowship with our brothers and sisters in Christ and rejoice together in your eternal kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Then a Psalm or Hymn is sung.

Thereafter the minister shall say:

Go in peace; and the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit be upon you and remain with you always. Amen.