Sunday, October 5, 2014

An Order for the Eucharist on Thanksgiving Sunday (12 October 2014)

thanksgiving sunday
12 October 2014

The Gathering of the Community

Processional Hymn

‘Come, Ye Thankful People, Come’  Common Praise #262

Introductory Responses

Let the earth glorify the Lord.
Glorify the Lord, O mountains and hills,
and all that grows upon the earth,
praise and highly exalt the Holy One for ever.
Glorify the Lord, O springs of water, seas and streams,
O whales and all that move in the waters.
All birds of the air, glorify the Lord,
praise and highly exalt the Holy One for ever.
Glorify the Lord, O beasts of the wild,
and all you flocks and herds.
O men and women everywhere, glorify the Lord,
praise and highly exalt the Holy One for ever. [i]

Hymn of Praise

‘Glory to God’  Common Praise #702

Collect

Let us pray.

Gracious One,
you satisfy the need of every living creature.
Fill us with gratitude for the abundance of the earth
and for the bonds of love and care
that unite all creation into one family.
May our thanks be the soil
in which dreams of justice grow and thrive;
through Jesus Christ, the Lord of the harvest. Amen. [ii]

The Proclamation of the Word

First Reading

A reading from Joel (2.21-27).

            Do not fear, O soil; be glad and rejoice, for the Lord has done great things!  Do not fear, you animals of the field, for the pastures of the wilderness are green; the tree bears its fruit, the fig tree and vine give their full yield.  O children of Zion, be glad and rejoice in the Lord your God; for he has given the early rain for your vindication, he has poured down for you abundant rain, the early and the later rain, as before.  The threshing floors shall be full of grain, the vats shall overflow with wine and oil.  I will repay you for the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter, my great army, which I sent against you.  You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, who has dealt wondrously with you.  And my people shall never again be put to shame.  You shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I, the Lord, am your God and there is no other.  And my people shall never again be put to shame.

Hear what the Spirit is saying to the church.
Thanks be to God.

The Psalm

Psalm 126 with refrain from Songs for the Holy One

Refrain (sung twice):  The Holy One does wonderful things for us.

1  When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, *
            then were we like those who dream.
2  Then was our mouth filled with laughter, *
            and our tongue with shouts of joy.
Then they said among the nations, *
            ”The Lord has done great things for them.”

Refrain:  The Holy One does wonderful things for us.

3  The Lord has done great things for us, *
            and we are glad indeed.
4  Restore our fortunes, O Lord, *
            like the watercourses of the Negev.

Refrain:  The Holy One does wonderful things for us.

5  Those who sowed with tears *
            will reap with songs of joy.
6  Those who go out weeping, carrying the seed, *
            will come again with joy, shouldering their sheaves.

Refrain:  The Holy One does wonderful things for us.

The Second Reading

A reading from the First Letter to Timothy (2.1-7).

            First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, for kings and all who are in high positions, so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and dignity.  This is right and is acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour, who desires everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

            For there is one God; there is also one mediator between God and humankind,
Christ Jesus, himself human, who gave himself a ransom for all — this was attested at the right time.  For this I was appointed a herald and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.

Hear what the Spirit is saying to the church.
Thanks be to God.

The Gradual Hymn

‘When God Restored Our Common Life’  Common Praise #583

The Gospel

The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew (6.25-33).
Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

            [Jesus said to his disciples,] “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear.  Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?  Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.  Are you not of more value than they?  And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life?  And why do you worry about clothing?  Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these.  But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you — you of little faith?  Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’  For it is the Gentiles who strive for all these things; and indeed your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.  But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

The Gospel of Christ.
Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.


The Sermon

The Affirmation of Faith

Do you believe and trust in God the Father,
source of all being and life,
the one for whom we exist?
We believe and trust in the Holy One.

Do you believe and trust in God the Son,
who took our human nature,
died for us and rose again?
We believe and trust in the Holy One.

Do you believe and trust in God the Holy Spirit,
who gives life to all people
and makes Christ known in the world?
We believe and trust in the Holy One.

This is our faith.
We believe and trust
in God the Author of all that is,
in God the Word through whom all things came into being,
in God the Spirit who enlivens the whole creation.  Amen. [iii]

The Prayers of the Community

Intercessions, Petitions and Thanksgivings

The Exchange of the Peace

May the peace of the Lord be always with you.
And also with you.

The Holy Communion

The Offertory Hymn

‘Praise and Thanksgiving’ Evangelical Lutheran Worship #689

Prayer over the Gifts

Bountiful God,
you clothe the grass of the field
and feed the birds of the air.
Receive all that we offer you this day
and transform us by our giving
so that we might share your bounty with others.
We ask this in the name of Christ.  Amen. [iv]

Thanksgiving at the Table

The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.

Blessed are you, gracious God,
creator of heaven and earth;
you are the source of light and life for all your creation,
you made us in your own image,
and call us to new life in Jesus Christ our saviour.
Therefore we praise you,
joining our voices to proclaim the glory of your name.

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. [v]

Holy God, you alone are holy, you alone are God.
The universe declares your praise:
beyond the stars; beneath the sea;
within each cell; with every breath.
We praise you, O God.

Generations bless your faithfulness:
through the water; by night and day;
across the wilderness; out of exile; into the future.
We bless you, O God.

We give you thanks for your dear Son:
at the heart of human life; near to those who suffer;
beside the sinner; among the poor; with us now.
We thank you, O God.

In the night in which he was betrayed,
our Lord Jesus took bread, and gave thanks;
broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying:
Take and eat; this is my body, given for you.
Do this for the remembrance of me.

Again, after supper, he took the cup, gave thanks
and gave it for all to drink, saying:
This cup is the new covenant in my blood,
shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness of sin.
Do this for the remembrance of me.

Remembering his love for us on the way,
at the table and to the end,
we proclaim the mystery of faith:
Christ has died.  Christ is risen.  Christ will come again.

We pray for the gift of your Spirit:
in our gathering; within this meal;
among your people; throughout the world.

Blessing, praise and thanks to you, holy God,
through Christ Jesus, by your Spirit,
in your church, without end.  Amen. [vi]

The Lord’s Prayer

As our Saviour taught us, let us pray,
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial,
and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours,
now and for ever.  Amen. [vii]

The Breaking of the Bread

Creator of all,
you gave us golden fields of wheat,
whose many grains we have gathered
and made into this one bread.
So may your Church be gathered
from the ends of the earth
into your reign of justice and peace.

The gifts of God for the people of God.
Thanks be to God.

The Communion

Communion Hymn

‘Come, My Way, My Truth, My Life’  Common Praise #569

The Sending Forth of the Community

Stewardship Reflection

Prayer after Communion

Giving and forgiving God,
you created the good earth and blessed it.
Give us glad and generous hearts,
so that we may rejoice and give thanks
for the abundance of your creation,
the depths of your mercy
and your care for all;
blessed are you, O God,
Source of all being,
eternal Word and Holy Spirit,
for ever and ever.  Amen. [viii]

Glory to God,
whose power, working in us,
can do infinitely more
than we can ask or imagine.
Glory to God from generation to generation,
in the Church and in Christ Jesus,
for ever and ever.  Amen.

Stewardship Reflection

Blessing

May the Holy One of Israel strengthen you;
may the Word of God incarnate embrace you;
may the Power of the Most High uphold you,
+ now and for ever.  Amen. [ix]

Closing Hymn

‘For the Healing of the Nations’  Common Praise #576

Dismissal

Go forth in joy, praise and thanksgiving.
Thanks be to God. [x]



[i] Based upon the “Song of the Three 52-60” in The Book of Alternative Services, 84 alt.

[ii] Liturgy Task Force, ‘Trial Use Collects for Year A’ (2014), 16.

[iii] “Affirmation of Faith 1” in Common Worship, 144 alt.

[iv] The Prayer over the Gifts is based upon the “Intercessory Prayer for Thanksgiving” in Revised Common Lectionary Prayers, 228 alt.

[v] Common Praise #726.

[vi] The Thanksgiving at the Table is “Thanksgiving at the Table IX” in Evangelical Lutheran Worship, 68, using the “Preface for the Lord’s Day1 from The Book of Alternative Services, 218.

[vii] Common Praise #744.

[viii] Liturgy Task Force, ‘Trial Use Collects for Year A’ (2014), 16.

[ix] The Blessing is adapted from the Doxology of ‘Thanksgiving at the Table III’ in Evangelical Lutheran Worship (2006).

[x] The Dismissal was prepared by the Rev’d Dr Richard Geoffrey Leggett.

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