Worship

(Immediately following announcements, corporate prayer and Passing of the Peace)

Psalm 84 / Hymn 305: Holy, Holy Holy! Cantus Christi
We use the Cantus Christi hymnal, published by Canon Press, for corporate worship.

Unison: Most holy and merciful Father, we acknowledge and confess before You our sinful nature, prone to evil and slothful in good, and all our shortcomings and offenses against You. You alone know how often we have sinned in wandering from your ways, in wasting your gifts, in forgetting your love.

O Lord, have mercy on us, who are ashamed and sorry for all wherein we have displeased You. Teach us to hate our errors, cleanse us from our secret faults, and forgive our sins for the sake of your dear Son. And O most holy and loving Father, send your purifying grace into our hearts, we beseech You, that we may henceforth live in your light and walk in your ways, according to the commandments of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Minister: If You, Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But there is forgiveness with You, that You may be feared. O Israel, hope in the Lord; for with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him is abundant redemption, and He shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities. (Psalm 130:3–4, 7–8)

Hymn 120: How Lovely, Lord of Hosts, to Me

Old Testament Reading

Reading of the Psalm

Epistle Reading

Gospel Reading

The Apostles’ Creed

Unison: Almighty and Everlasting God, in whom we live and move and have our being; we, Your beloved children, offer to You our humble praises for having preserved us from the beginning of our lives to this day. Especially do we praise You for having delivered us from the dangers and uncertainties of this past week. For these mercies we bless and magnify Your Glorious Name, humbly beseeching You to accept this our morning sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, for His sake who lay down in the grave and rose again for us, Your Son our Saviour Jesus Christ. Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us, granting us in this world knowledge of Thy truth and in the world to come life everlasting. Amen.

Minister: I ask your prayers for God’s people throughout the world; for our confederation; for this church; and for all ministers and missionaries. Pray for the church.

Unison: Lord, hear our prayers.

Each request is followed by a period of silent meditation or individual response in prayer by congregants for specific needs.

Minister: I ask your prayers for the poor, the sick, the bereaved, the burdened and for the widows, orphans, and prisoners. Pray for those in any need or trouble.

Unison: Lord, hear our prayers.

Minister: I ask your prayers for those who do not know Christ and for those who seek a deeper knowledge of Him. Pray that they may find and be found by Him.

Unison: Lord, hear our prayers.

Minister: I ask your prayers for our children and future generations which will be born to them. Pray that the knowledge of the Lord will fill the earth through them.

Unison: Lord, hear our prayers.

Minister: Pray that we may have grace to glorify Christ in our own day.

Unison: Lord, hear our prayers.

Unison: Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be world without end. Amen.

Minister: The Lord, having called, and cleansed, and consecrated us, He now bids us to join Him in communion. So, to all who embrace Jesus Christ as their only Savior, and to all who have gladly bowed to His lordship in receiving baptism in His name, and to all who belong to an evangelical church, the Eternal God who made the worlds, and made of us His people, invites us all to His table.

Minister: The Lord be with you!

People: And also with you!

Minister: Lift up your hearts!

People: We lift them up to the Lord!

Minister: Let us give thanks to the Lord!

People: It is good and right so to do!

Minister: It is right, and a good and joyful thing, that we should at all times and in all places give thanks to You, O Holy Lord, Father Almighty, Everlasting God; because You sent Your beloved Son to redeem us from sin and death, and to make us heirs in Him of everlasting life; that when He shall come again in power and great triumph to judge the world, we may without shame or fear rejoice to behold His appearing. Therefore with angels and archangels, and with all the company of heaven, we praise and magnify your glorious Name, evermore praising you and singing,

Sanctus

Unison:
Ho-ly, Ho-ly, Ho-ly Lord, God of pow’r and might,
Ho-ly, Ho-ly, Ho-ly Lord, God of pow’r and might.
Heav’n and earth are full, Full of Thy glo-ry.
Ho-san-na in the high-est, Ho-san-na in the high-est.
Blessed is He who come-eth, in the name of the Lord.
Ho-san-na in the high-est, Ho-san-na in the high-est.

Prayer of Consecration

Words of Institution

Minister (in closing): Therefore we proclaim the faith:

Unison: Christ has died; Christ is risen; Christ will come again.

Prayer of Approach

Unison: We do not presume to come to this Your table, O merciful Lord, trusting in our own righteousness, but in Your manifold and great mercies. We are not worthy so much as to gather up the crumbs under Your table. But You are the same Lord, who always shows mercy; grant us therefore, gracious Lord, so to eat the flesh of Your dear Son Jesus Christ, and to drink of His blood, that our sinful bodies may be made clean by His body, and our souls washed through His most precious blood, and that we may evermore dwell in Him, and He in us. Amen.

Minister: Christ our Passover was sacrificed for us.

People: Therefore, let us keep the feast!

Minister: The gifts of God for the people of God.

People: Thanks be to the Lord!

(The people come forward to receive the sacrament.)

We partake of the Lord’s Supper every week. Please be advised, bread and wine are used for the sacrament. The children of our member households are welcome to the table.

To our visitors, if your children are allowed to partake of the Supper at your home church, they are welcome to partake with us. If they are not allowed to do so in your church, we wish to respect the authority of those who have been entrusted with the care for your souls. However, we encourage you to bring them forward that we might pray for them.

Communion Hymns

The congregation is invited to sing as the sacrament is observed.

Hymn 226: “Comfort, Comfort Ye My People”

Hymn 208 : “Jesus Christ, Our Blessed Savior”

Hymn 258: “How Sweet and Awful Is the Place”

Hymn 38    “The Lord’s My Shepherd, I’ll Not Want”

Hymn 296  “Behold the Glories of the Lamb”

Hymn 283: “Now Thank We All Our God”

Unison: Amen

Unison: Almighty and everliving God, we thank You for feeding us with the spiritual food of the most precious Body and Blood of Your Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ; and for assuring us in these holy mysteries that we are living members of the Body of Your Son, and heirs of Your eternal kingdom.

And O, Lord, grant us this other benefit: that You will never allow us to forget these things, but having them imprinted on our hearts, may we grow and increase daily in the faith which is at work in every good deed.

And now, Father, send us out to do the work You have given us to do, to love and serve You as faithful witnesses of Christ our Lord. To Him, to You, and to the Holy Spirit, be honour and glory, now and forever. Amen.

“Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to Your name give glory.” (Psalm 115:1a)

Song of Simeon

Minister: Go in peace to love and serve the risen and reigning Lord Jesus Christ.

People: Thanks be to God!

Unison: Amen