All Age Communion
Before the service begins there is an informal welcome. Once the service starts please join in with the words in bold type. The parts in itallics are instructions or an indication of what is happening. You will find throughout the service there are notes to stand, sit or kneel. These are invitations not commands, so please do whatever helps you to worship.
Gathering to worship God
The music group may play a piece of music or sing a song that leads us into worship before we all sing the processional hymn.
Processional Hymn
All stand to sing the hymn as the music begins and the servers and ministers process.
Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation;
O my soul, praise him, for he is thy health and salvation:
all ye who hear,
now to his temple draw near,
joining in glad adoration.
Praise to the Lord, who o'er all things so wondrously reigneth,
shieldeth thee gently from harm, or when fainting sustaineth:
hast thou not seen
how thy heart's wishes have been
granted in what he ordaineth?
Praise to the Lord, who doth prosper thy work and defend thee;
surely his goodness and mercy shall daily attend thee:
ponder anew
what the Almighty can do,
if to the end he befriend thee.
Praise to the Lord! O let all that is in me adore him!
All that hath life and breath, come now with praises before him!
Let the Amen
sound from his people again:
gladly for aye we adore him!
The Greeting
In my head
In my heart
And all around me
Jesus is here
In my head
In my heart
And all around me
Jesus is here
Additional words of welcome from the president may be given and the theme of the service introduced.
Saying sorry and hearing words of forgiveness
The deacon or a child invites us to think about the things we need to say sorry for and then we all join in with this sung confession:
For the things we have thought
That we wish we’d not thought
We’re sorry, we’re sorry
We need a new start
For the things we have said
That we wish we’d not said
We’re sorry, we’re sorry
We need a new start
For the things that we’ve done,
That we wish we’d not done
We’re sorry, we’re sorry
We need a new start
The Good News is God always wants to give us a new start. Let’s draw a smile on our foreheads and say God gives us a new start.
We draw a smile on our foreheads or the family members we have come with today and say ‘God gives us/you a new start.’ The president then says the prayer of forgiveness.
May the God of love and power
forgive you and free you from your sins
heal and strengthen you by his Spirit
and raise you to new life in Christ
Amen
The Gloria: A Song of Praise
Gloria (Clap! Clap!) Gloria (Clap! Clap!) in excelsis Deo
Gloria (Clap! Clap!) Gloria (Clap! Clap!) in excelsis Deo
Lord God, heavenly King,
peace you bring to us;
we worship you, we give you thanks,
we sing our song of praise.
Gloria . . .
Jesus, Saviour of all,
Lord God, Lamb of God,
you take away our sins,
O Lord, have mercy on us all.
Gloria . . .
At the Father’s right hand,
Lord receive our prayer,
for you alone are the Holy One,
and you alone are Lord.
Gloria . . .
Glory, Father and Son,
glory, Holy Spirit,
to you we raise our hands up high,
we glorify your name.
Gloria . . .
The Collect
The president introduces a period of silent prayer with the words ‘let us pray’. All remain standing for the period of silence and the collect - the special prayer for the day - and all respond.
Amen.
Hearing & Responding to the Word of God
Reading
We sit to listen to a reading appointed for the day taken from the Christian scriptures, the Bible. This might be from the Old Testament or Hebrew Scriptures as it is also called, or from the New Testament which is mostly made up of letters sent to some of the earliest churches.
At the end of each reading the following is said:
Here ends the reading
Thanks be to God.
First Reading: Isaiah 58.1-9a
1 Shout out, do not hold back!
Lift up your voice like a trumpet!
Announce to my people their rebellion,
to the house of Jacob their sins.
2 Yet day after day they seek me
and delight to know my ways,
as if they were a nation that practised righteousness
and did not forsake the ordinance of their God;
they ask of me righteous judgements,
they delight to draw near to God.
3 ‘Why do we fast, but you do not see?
Why humble ourselves, but you do not notice?’
Look, you serve your own interest on your fast-day,
and oppress all your workers.
4 Look, you fast only to quarrel and to fight
and to strike with a wicked fist.
Such fasting as you do today
will not make your voice heard on high.
5 Is such the fast that I choose,
a day to humble oneself?
Is it to bow down the head like a bulrush,
and to lie in sackcloth and ashes?
Will you call this a fast,
a day acceptable to the Lord?
6 Is not this the fast that I choose:
to loose the bonds of injustice,
to undo the thongs of the yoke,
to let the oppressed go free,
and to break every yoke?
7 Is it not to share your bread with the hungry,
and bring the homeless poor into your house;
when you see the naked, to cover them,
and not to hide yourself from your own kin?
8 Then your light shall break forth like the dawn,
and your healing shall spring up quickly;
your vindicator shall go before you,
the glory of the Lord shall be your rearguard.
9 Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer;
you shall cry for help, and he will say, Here I am.
Here ends the reading
Thanks be to God.
Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 2.1-12
2 When I came to you, brothers and sisters, I did not come proclaiming the mystery of God to you in lofty words or wisdom. 2 For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified. 3 And I came to you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling. 4 My speech and my proclamation were not with plausible words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 so that your faith might rest not on human wisdom but on the power of God.
6 Yet among the mature we do speak wisdom, though it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to perish. 7 But we speak God’s wisdom, secret and hidden, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. 8 None of the rulers of this age understood this; for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 But, as it is written,
‘What no eye has seen, nor ear heard,
nor the human heart conceived,
what God has prepared for those who love him’—
10 these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. 11 For what human being knows what is truly human except the human spirit that is within? So also no one comprehends what is truly God’s except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit that is from God, so that we may understand the gifts bestowed on us by God.
Here ends the reading
Thanks be to God.
Gospel Reading
We stand and sing together Halle, Halle, Halle-lu-jah! as the Gospel book is carried to the middle of the church and the congregation turns to face the reader. The Gospels are the books of the Bible which contain the stories and words of Jesus hence we stand to show how important they are to us.
Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew.
Glory to you, O Lord.
Gospel Reading: Matthew 5.13-20
13 ‘You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot.
14 ‘You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.
The Law and the Prophets
17 ‘Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfil. 18 For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter, not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law until all is accomplished. 19 Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
The Gospel for the day is proclaimed.
This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.
We sing Halle, Halle, Halle-lu-jah! as the gospel is carried back. We sit after the preacher offers an introductory prayer.
Talk
After the talk a song or piece of music may be played or there is a brief pause for reflection and then all stand to declare the faith of the Church.
Affirmation of Faith
Let us declare our faith in God.
We believe in God the Father,
From whom every family
In heaven and on earth is named.
We believe in God the Son,
Who lives in our hearts through faith,
And fills us with his love.
We believe in God the Holy Spirit,
Who strengthens us
With power from on high.
We believe in one God;
Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Amen
Prayers of Intercession
We think about the people and situations we wish to pray for. There may be some words shared or a creative response. This prayer song may be used.
For the world and all people: Hear our prayer.
For all Christians in all places: Hear our prayer.
For the place that we live in: Hear our prayer.
Lord Jesus hear our prayer.
For the sick and the lonely: Hear our prayer.
For our friends and our family: Hear our prayer.
For me and my life: Hear our prayer.
Lord Jesus hear our prayer.
Sharing Bread and Wine
The Peace
We stand. The president introduces the peace with some appropriate words and then says
The peace of the Lord be always with you
and also with you.
Let us offer one another a sign of peace
Members of the congregation turn to one another and greet their neighbours by saying ‘peace be with you’ and making a sign of peace.
Offertory Hymn
During this hymn bread and wine are brought forward and the altar-table is prepared. The offertory plate is presented, symbolic of both the financial and volunteering gifts of the people, and the president gives thanks for these while the deacon or lay assistant is laying up the altar-table.
Christ be in my waking,
as the sun is rising,
in my day of working,
with me every hour.
Christ be in my resting,
as the day is ending,
calming and refreshing,
watching through the night.
Christ be in my thinking,
and my understanding,
guarding me from evil,
walking in the light.
Christ be in my speaking,
every word a blessing,
pure and not deceiving,
grace to all who hear.
Jesus, this is my devotion,
all my life to know you,
every day to walk with you.
Saviour, you're my deepest longing,
you're the One I live for,
teach me, Lord, to walk with you.
Christ be in my gladness
for the joy of living,
thankful for the goodness
of the Father's hand.
Christ be in my sorrow,
in my day of darkness,
knowing that I follow
in the steps he trod.
Refrain
Christ when hope has faded,
nothing left to cling to,
every pleasure jaded,
every well is dry.
Christ the loving Shepherd
draws me with his kindness,
leads me from the desert
to the streams of life.
Christ be in my waking,
as the sun is rising,
in my day of working,
with me every hour.
Christ be in my resting,
as the day is ending.
Taking of the Bread and Wine
When the altar-table is prepared the president offers this prayer.
Blessed be God,
who feeds the hungry,
who raises the poor,
who fills our praise.
Blessed be God for ever.
Amen
The president washes their hands symbolising our desire to come together at the Lord’s table with pure hearts and minds.
The Eucharistic Prayer
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 thanks and praise.
The president praises God for His mighty acts and all respond by singing:
The Sanctus by James Macmillan
Holy, holy, holy Lord
God of power and might
Heaven and earth are full of your glory
Hosanna in the highest
Blessed is he, Oh blessed is he
Who comes in the name of the Lord
Hosanna in the highest
Hosanna in the highest.
The president recalls the Last Supper and the prayer continues leading into the final words of praise
…and now with the Blessed Mary and all your saints we give you glory,
through Jesus Christ in the strength of the Spirit,
today and for ever.
Amen.
We kneel or sit and observe a period of silence.
The Lord’s Prayer
We say this prayer together, each in whichever language is closest to our hearts.. It may be led by a member of the congregation using one of the global languages that make up our intercultural community.
As our saviour taught us, so we 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
Lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours
now and for ever.
Amen.
Breaking of the Bread
We break this bread
to share in the body of Christ.
Though we are many, we are one body,
because we all share in one bread.
While the ministers break the remaining consecrated bread and take communion and the communion assistants come to the front we sing together the ancient prayer known as the Agnus Dei.
Agnus Dei by James Macmillan
Lamb of God you take away
The sins of the world
Have mercy on us.
Lamb of God you take away
The sins of the world
Have mercy on us.
Lamb of God you take away
The sins of the world
Grant us peace.
Giving of Communion
The president gives an invitation to communion.
This is the table, not of the Church but of Jesus Christ.
It is made ready for those who love God and who want to love God more.
So come you have much faith and you who have little, you who have been here often and you who have not been for a long time or ever before.
You who have tried to follow and all of us who have failed.
These are the gifts of God for the People of God. Christ invites you to be known and fed here.
Please come forward when directed by the stewards. Christians of any church tradition are welcome to receive the bread and wine including children who have been admitted to communion, here or at another church. Alternatively you can come forward for a prayer of blessing, please indicate if this is your wish by crossing your arms across your chest.
As we share communion the music group may sing a song and sometimes instrumental music will be played. We all join in singing the communion hymn(s) that follow, the number(s) for which can be found on the notice sheet and on the hymn board at the front of church.
The splendour of the King, clothed in majesty
Let all the Earth rejoice
Let all the Earth rejoice
He wraps himself in light
And darkness tries to hide
And trembles at His voice
Trembles at His voice
Chorus
How great is our God, sing with me
How great is our God, and all will see
How great, how great is our God
Age to age He stands
And time is in His hands
Beginning and the end
Beginning and the end
The Godhead Three in One
Father Spirit Son
The Lion and the Lamb
The Lion and the Lamb
Chorus
Name above all names (how great is our God, sing with me)
Worthy of our praise (how great is our God, and all will see)
My heart will sing
How great is our God
Prayer after Communion
A brief silence is kept then we say the following prayer together:
Lord,
we have broken your bread
and received your life.
By the power of your Spirit
keep us always in your love;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
The Dismissal
Notices and publishing of the banns of marriage.
The Blessing
We stand for the president to give the blessing and we respond
Amen.
Recessional Hymn
As we sing our final hymn the servers and ministers process. Children are welcome to join the procession. Please turn to face the ministers for the dismissal.
Sing of the Lord’s goodness, Father of all wisdom,
come to him and bless his name.
Mercy he has shown us, his love is for ever,
faithful to the end of days.
Come then, all you nations, sing of your Lord’s goodness,
melodies of praise and thanks to God.
Ring out the Lord’s glory, praise him with your music,
worship him and bless his name.
Power he has wielded, honour is his garment,
risen from the snares of death.
His word he has spoken, one bread he has broken,
new life he now gives to all.
Courage in our darkness, comfort in our sorrow,
Spirit of our God most high;
solace for the weary, pardon for the sinner,
splendour of the living God.
Praise him with your singing, praise him with the trumpet,
praise God with the lute and harp;
praise him with the cymbals, praise him with your dancing,
praise God till the end of days.
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord
In the name of Christ. Amen.
You are warmly invited to stay for refreshments which are served most weeks after the service.