Through a season of exile we’ve journeyed together- In the valleys of the dry bones, parched and looking for water, In the mountains hoping to hear the voice of God, In times of tears, drowning in the voice of the tempter- Grieving for loved ones near and far.
And so we arrive at the gates of Jerusalem. With palms in hand, we seek the first sight of Jesus on a donkey. We are ready to proclaim at the top of our voices.
Congregation will say or sing Sanctus.
For it’s this week that Jesus entered into Jerusalem, Flipping the tables of injustice, Preaching and teaching for those yearning to hear the message of God.
And then came the night when Jesus was ready to gather with friends, Celebrate their time together, and mourn what could have been.
While they were eating, Jesus took the loaf of bread, After blessing and breaking the loaf, he said to his friends: “Take, eat; this is my body.”
And after supper, he took the cup and gave thanks for the blessings, He gave it to his followers, saying to them Drink from it, all of you; for this is my blood, bound in covenant. Remember me as we drink together. Remember that God will forgive your sins.
They sang together one more time before Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.
It is at this time that we remember that Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.
Spirit of God, bless our bread and cup. Bless all of us as we reflect together on this holiest of weeks. Bless our minds and hearts during our time at the table today As we seek the grace given to us by you. Amen.
Invitation May the Spirit of love be with you And may the love of Christ be with you Open wide your cautious hearts. May the hope of our Creator pour peace in our souls. Let us give thanks to the one who created this time and space From our joy we give God thanks and praise.
Prayer of Communion God of the fair winds and bounteous fields, Of the storms overhead and the seas below, With joy we celebrate the connection we have with all of creation “From sea to shining sea,” 1 From the beauteous mountain caps to the rivers winding across the land.
We honor the connection we have with your beings- from the chipmunks scurrying through our yards to the swallows swooping in the air above.
We embrace the relationships with our neighbors near and far- the ones who are close to our hearts, and the ones with whom distance in miles and souls sets us apart.
And so we come to this table: The ones with many opportunities, and those seeking liberty. The ones who have been disregarded and those embraced, knowing that Christ’s welcome receives all. knowing that Jesus the Christ ate with sinners and tax collectors, with those who disapproved and those who leapt for joy, with Judas and Peter, with Mary and Martha, with Philip and Thomas.
And so we too come to the table. The table of God’s freedom. The table of God’s justice and love. The table which reflects the true kingdom, empire, realm of God where all are welcome.
We come to the table remembering the night before Jesus died. As he ate with his followers in a room away from the world, “taking a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’ And he did the same with the cup after supper, saying, ‘This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant.”2 Whenever we eat and drink at the table, we remember the Christ in our midst.
Spirit of Hope, Holy Winds of Divine Freedom, encircle this bread and cup, Encircle us in our eating and drinking that we may experience the radical love of Christ here today and sharing this care as we journey throughout this week. Amen.
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Liturgy (c) Rev. Michelle L. Torigian 2022. Permission to use liturgy with attribution.
1“From sea to shining sea” from America the Beautiful.
Divine Love, in this week of contemplation, may we remember the presentation of your love through the Christ. As we share in the breaking of the bread, may we recall the beautiful unity of Christ’s table. May the mandate of this day, to love our neighbors as ourselves, be etched into our souls. Widen our minds to see our neighbors from a new angle. Widen our hearts to serve as Jesus the Christ once served. Amen.
Communion
The communion liturgy keeps in mind a hybrid approach to worship this year. Some people may be in our presence, and others experiencing worship at home. This was adapted from last year’s “sheltering in place” communion liturgy.
Christ gave us the mandate to love one another. Christ gave us the peace that we will never be left alone. Christ gave us the picture that we are connected as vine and branches. Christ gave us the assurance that no one will take away our joy.
God is with you! God is with us all! Open wide our hearts. We open them to new possibilities. From here tonight to dining room tables, this is the time to give God our thanks and praise.
Jesus the Christ has created a realm of love for each of us- one in which we will be reunited with loved ones, one full of sacred memories, one in which we are assured of God’s comfort.
It was a night filled with teachings and memories. Undoubtedly, tears were shed and laughs raised. This was the night before Jesus died. Jesus took bread. As he blessed it and broke it, he said to his friends Whenever you eat this bread, eat in remembrance of me.
Later, Jesus blessed a cup filled with fruit of the vine. Friends, this is the new covenant. Drink this to remember me. Drink to remember our time together.
Spirit of God, surround the bread. Surround the cup. Surround us – here and elsewhere. Bless us in our eating and drinking. Bless our connection – near and far. No matter if close or distant, our covenant with God will keep us together.
May we spend this time remembering: The ones who can’t be at the table. The ones who are no longer at the table. And the one Christ who created this sacramental table experience. Amen.
Prayer of Thanksgiving
Loving God, Great Provider-
After this time together, near and far, we give thanks for the opportunity to commune with the Christ and our neighbor. May the love that was experienced tonight through bread and cup open our hearts to the beauty, pain, and joy across our world. May this sacrament move us to offer our neighbors our love. And may our time at the table remind us of the ones who are forever in our hearts. Amen.
Blessing of the Gifts and Benediction
As we are not having a “collection” time during our service, our congregants are dropping them in boxes on the way out of the sanctuary, mailing them into church, or giving online. We have combined the two together.
Holy One-Your gifts build a world of love, filled with memories of your presence in our lives. May we use our gifts to continue to create a world of care, living into your mandate to love one another as you love us. Amen.
We walk into the dusk knowing the journey of Jesus. May we remember his steps to the cross. May we embrace his profound love. And may we share this grace each and everyday, leading our world to resurrection.
Amen.
(c) Rev. Michelle L. Torigian 2021. Liturgy may be used with attribution.
Invitation God is with you! And God is with us all. Open wide your hearts. We open them completely to the Spirit of God. May God’s love nurture your wandering spirits each day. May God’s light sustain your souls each night.
Prayer of Communion This is a season of wilderness- The season we grasp to understand the Divine just a little more. This is the time for us to reach inwards to find the self that God sees. This is the chance for us to gaze outwards, caring for the Christ in our midst.
The Lenten roads are long Yet full of gifts. The Lenten paths often seem chilly Yet warm with the winds of the Spirit. The Spirit of God is the light that leads us in the hushed nights. The Christ is our companion on the journey in the intense sunlight of day. We remember his time in the wilderness- The struggles. The hunger. The peace.
And as we seek the Divine in our midst, On this journey, we crave the bread of life. On our desert roads, we thirst for the fruit of the vine, the cup of blessings.
Through Jesus the Christ’s story, we remember the night before his arrest, The night of serenity, solemnity, and love. Jesus took in his hands bread from the table. He broke it and blessed it. Eat in remembrance of me, he said.
And after supper, As the night grew long, Jesus took a cup, and filled it with the fruit of the vine. As he blessed it, he spoke aloud to them Take and drink and always remember me.
May the Spirit who traveled with Christ in the wilderness And fills us with the hope of God Surround these elements. May the Spirit speak to us in this season of wilderness Becoming our strength on this journey And filling our lives with love. Amen.
Prayer of Thanksgiving Divine Light of Our Journey- In a spirit of gratitude we give thanks for this time at your Holy Meal. This time at the Table filled us with strength, Knowing that as we continue on this Lenten journey, We will find your peace surrounding us. Amen.
Christ gave us the mandate to love one another. Christ gave us the peace that we will never be left alone. Christ gave us the picture that we are connected as vine and branches. Christ gave us the assurance that no one will take away our joy.
God is with you! God is with us all! Open wide our hearts. We open them to new possibilities. From our dining room tables to our home offices. this is the time to give God our thanks and praise.
Our homes may be filled with young voices, or our homes may be filled with overwhelming silence. This table might be brimming with family, or we may be sitting by ourselves at the empty table. But the table is never truly empty. The silence will not be the last sound you hear.
Jesus the Christ has created a realm of love for each of us- one in which we will be reunited with loved ones, one in which we are assured of God’s comfort.
It was a night filled with teachings and memories. Undoubtedly, tears were shed and laughs raised. This was the night before Jesus died.
Jesus took bread. As he blessed it and broke it, he said to his friends Whenever you eat this bread, eat in remembrance of me.
Later, Jesus blessed a cup filled with fruit of the vine. Friends, this is the new covenant. Drink this to remember me. Drink to remember our time together.
Spirit of God, surround the bread. Surround the cup. Surround the elements – no matter what form they take. Surround us – no matter where we are. Bless us in our eating and drinking. Bless our connection – near and far.
Even with physical distance between each one of us, our covenant with God will keep us together. Amen.
One: May you know that the God of comfort is with you. Many: And may you see the God of hope with you.
One: Open wide our anxious hearts! Many: We open them to God’s peace.
One: Let us give thanks and share our joy. Many: In this space and time, we offer God our love and praise.
Prayer
One: The dawn of hope rests on the horizon
And beams of love reach our doubting hearts.
We celebrate the newness of this season-
Waiting to see how the Christ will appear in our world.
Even in our despair, a glimmer of hope reaches into our twilight
Beckoning us to breathe and wait…
Our story tells us that the Christ child whose birth we anticipate
Will one day sit at tables with strangers and friends,
Building relationships filled with love and grace.
We see this as he fed the multitude,
Turned water into wine,
And ate with dear ones the night before his death.
He took the bread, blessed it, and broke it. Eat in remembrance of me, he said.
He took the cup, and in his blessing
Reminded them that when they sipped from the fruit of the vine
To drink in remembrance of him.
Jesus. The Christ. Emmanuel – God with us.
Light of the World. The Word of Life.
No matter how we know him
Or what name we call him,
He is our hope, our peace, our joy, and our love.
May the Spirit bless us and these elements as we commune to remember him.
Prayer of Thanksgiving
For the nourishment of spirit, mind, and body,
For hope that we begin to see,
And for comfort from the Prince of Peace,
We share our gratitude, Gracious God.
Encourage us in these shortened days.
Through the long nights of this season,
May your hope carry us until dawn arrives again.
Amen.
*****
(c) Michelle L. Torigian, 2019. Permission to use with attribution.
Michelle L. Torigian 