Invitation to the Table
Friends, this is the joyful feast of the people of God!
By the mysterious wonder of our triune God,
we gather here to celebrate a feast for all time,
joining with Jesus and his disciples in an upper room,
with the church of the ages who have come here so often,
with sisters and brothers in faith all along the way,
with people we know well and we don’t know at all.
Here we trust that the mystery of God will become real.
Here we gain a taste of the divine.
And here we are fed as we go forth to serve in the world.
Come, all of you, and share this feast of the holiness and wonder of God.
Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
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.
(singing, “Holy God, We Praise Your Name”)
Holy God, we praise your name;
Lord of all, we bow before you.
All on earth your scepter claim;
all in heaven above adore you.
Infinite your vast domain,
everlasting is your reign.
We praise your name, most holy God,
for it is good and you are good.
You reveal yourself to us in countless ways,
even inviting us into the mystery of your inmost being
where you are one in three and three in one.
In your creation, you show us the marks of your hand,
and in creating us in your image,
you call us to bear your presence into all the world.
For your wondrous being and your glorious creation,
we join our praise with the sound of all creation
to sing joyfully in praise of your wondrous glory:
(singing) Hark! The glad celestial hymn
angel choirs above are raising;
cherubim and seraphim,
in unceasing chorus praising,
fill the heavens with sweet accord:
“Holy, holy, holy Lord!”
All apostles join the strain
as your sacred name they hallow;
prophets swell the glad refrain,
and the blessed martyrs follow,
and from morn to set of sun,
through the church the song goes on.
We your church sing your praise, eternal God,
for in your threefold glory we know Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord.
Fully human, fully God,
he was born of low estate and lived among us,
an ordinary man in an ordinary time
who yet showed your extraordinary grace.
He proclaimed your coming kingdom in word and deed,
challenging the powerful,
healing the sick and distressed,
and calling all people to live in light and life.
Even though he was executed by the powers of the day,
you raised him to new life
to show that your power was stronger than death.
Still now he reigns in glory,
united in your holy oneness
to show your presence to all people.
Remembering his life, death, and resurrection,
we gather at this table as he did to share this feast of heaven and earth,
that by your power we might be united with you in this bread and cup.
Just as we have known your presence and love in the gift of Father and Son,
so, O God, reveal yourself to us in the wonder and power of your Holy Spirit.
Pour out this Spirit of love and hope,
that we might rise from this holy meal to love and serve in your world.
Keep us faithful in our service to you,
that we might give you glory and honor and praise forevermore:
Holy Father, Holy Son,
Holy Spirit: three we name you,
while in essence only one;
undivided God we claim you,
and adoring, bend the knee
while we own the mystery.
Amen.
submitted by Andy James, First Presbyterian Church, Whitestone, Queens, New York
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