Baptist Assembly 2014, Communion Service

A number of people have asked to have a copy of the words we used for the Communion service on Sunday afternoon.

The team that write and design these sessions draw on a variety of influences, but this year our own Craig Gardiner wrote most of the significant portions. I include here the text of the Gathering Prayer, the prayer following In Memoriam, the words used to welcome all to the table, and then the invitation to come.

A Gathering prayer

Gather us in, Lord,
the lost and the lonely, the broken and breaking,
the tired and the aching
who long for the nourishment found at your feast.
All: Gather us in,

the done and the doubting, the wishing and wondering,
the puzzled and pondering
who long for the company found at your feast.
All: Gather us in,

the proud and pretentious, the sure and superior,
the never inferior,
who long for the levelling found at your feast.
All: Gather us in,

the bright and the bustling,
the stirrers, the shakers,
the kind laughter makers
who long for the deeper joys found at your feast.
All: Gather us in,

from corner or limelight, from mansion or campsite,
from fears and obsession, from tears and depression,
from untold excesses, from treasured successes,
to meet, to eat, be given a seat,
be joined to the vine, be offered new wine,
become like the least, be found at the feast.
All: Gather us in!

Congregational response of thanks and praise, following In Memoriam

There are many who have gone before us
Those who stretched to the heights of faith
For these men and women
For these saints of God
we give you thanks and praise O Lord

There are many who have gone before us
Those who sought out the depths of love
For these men and women
For these saints of God
we give you thanks and praise O Lord

There are many who have gone before us
Those who embraced the widest hope
For these men and women
For these saints of God
we give you thanks and praise O Lord

And like those who have gone before us
we give ourselves to follow you
in the name of Jesus Christ
in the power of the Holy Spirit
higher, deeper and wider than ever before

Words of welcome as we prepare for Communion

The old and the young
Even little children
There is a place prepared for you

Women and men
free and oppressed
there is a place prepared for you

Regardless of our colour or ethnicity
Impairment or ability
there is a place prepared for you

Singles or couples
Straight or gay
Friend or stranger
there is a place prepared for you

Rich and poor
Employed and jobless
Housed and homeless
there is a place prepared for us all

The invitation to share

This is the table not of the Church,
But of the Lord
It is made ready for those who love him
And who want to love him more

So come,
You who have much faith
And we who have little
You have been here often
We who have not been for a long time
All who have tried to follow
We who have failed

Come because it is not I who invite you
It is our Lord
It is his will that
Any and all who want him


Should meet him here

Comments

David Fleming said…
Thank you so much for posting that! I tried to jot down some of it at the time, but they spoke faster than I could write!

I especially appreciated the "invitation to share".
13/5/14 13:12
Alison Mackay said…
Great to have this. Many thanks. Powerful words
13/5/14 14:00
Anonymous said…
Hello in jo to write and share my opinion in blessing with following Christ in life with the HOly Spirit to quard and help and give wisdom and prophecy to move on in jo for grace thanks and bless and pray,keijo sweden
28/11/14 12:32
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