A Eucharistic Prayer for the Global Pandemic
by the Rev. Lane Cotton Winn and the Rev. Juan Huertas, Louisiana
Conference (UMC)
We are experiencing Holy Communion in a new way today. Though
physically separated from one another, we are still bound together as family
through our baptism. As members of the household of God we now join together
virtually, yet still present to one another as we gather from across the miles.
This presence is marked by our shared praises and prayers, our shared hearing
and affirming of God’s word, and now our shared eating.
Liturgy for The Great Thanksgiving--Pastor Charles (Leader) and Angela Baker (People)
Congregation is encouraged to read People’s
response aloud on mute setting
The peace and presence of the Lord be with us. So, we lift up our
hearts. People: “We lift them up to God!”
Let us give thanks to the Lord, our God, because it is the right
thing to do, not only now, but always - day after day after day. People:
Day after day after day.
We thank You, creator God, that You made us in Your image, and
breathed into us the breath of life. When we turned away, our love failing, and
our bodies diseased, You reached out to us again and again, providing healing,
wholeness, and new life.
When the flood came, You provided an ark. When the plagues came
You provided safety. When evening came, You provided a pillar of fire. When
exile came, You provided a new song. Day after day after day, Your love
remained steadfast. People: Day after day after day.
And so, with Your people on earth, and all the company of heaven,
we praise Your name and join their unending hymn. Holy, Holy, Holy Lord! God of
power and might! People: Holy, Holy, Holy Lord! God of power and might!
Heaven and Earth are full of Your glory. People: Heaven
and Earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the Highest! People: Hosanna in the Highest!
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of our God. Blessed is
Your Son who came to preach the good news to the poor, release to the captives
and recovering of sight to the blind, freed the oppressed, and announced that
the time had come when You would save Your people. He healed the sick. People:
He healed the sick.
He is healing the sick now. People: He is healing the sick
now.
He will heal the sick, day after day after day. People:
Day after day after day.
On the night in which He gave himself up for us, He took bread,
gave thanks to You, broke the bread, gave it to His disciples, and said “Take,
eat; this is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”
When the supper was over, He took the cup, gave thanks to You, gave it to His
disciples, and said: “Drink from this, all of you; this is my blood of the new
covenant, poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this,
as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”
Let us be a community of healer and hope givers, as together we
proclaim the mystery of faith: Christ has died. People: Christ has
died.
Christ is risen. People: Christ is risen.
Christ will come again. People: Christ will come again.
Pour out Your Holy Spirit on us gathered here, and on these gifts
of bread and wine. Let them be for us the body and blood of Christ, so that we
may be for the world the body of Christ, made whole by His witness, passion and
life. In this season of social distancing, may You remind us that we are never
spiritually distant from You. We belong to Your body. People: We belong
to your body.
May the Spirit use us to heal and reconcile in Jesus name. People:
We will heal and reconcile in Jesus name.
And now may the Holy Spirit make us one in Christ, one with each
other, and one in ministry to all the world. People: Amen!
The Lord’s Prayer
Congregation is encouraged to pray aloud on mute
setting
The Breaking of the Bread
This bread reminds us that any life, no matter how broken, or
sick, or distorted it may become, can be made whole again.
The Pouring of the Cup
The cup reminds us that any life, no matter how empty, or lonely,
or isolated it may become, can be filled again. These are the gifts of God, for
the family of God.” People: Thanks be to God.
Invitation
I invite you to prayerfully partake in Holy Communion by whatever
means you have.
Prayer After Receiving
Day after day after day You give yourself to us: in two or three
gathered in Your name, in connection across the miles, and in bread and wine.
As we go from this gathering around Your table, may we feel restored to Your
body, companioned by Your people, and sustained by the power of Your Spirit as
we witness to Your healing and reconciling work. Through Christ our Lord,
Amen.
Remaining communion elements can be consumed or returned to the
earth.
