Presider:  God be with you.

People:  And also with you.

Presider:  Open your hearts.

People:  We open our hearts to God.

Presider:  We embrace all that is holy throughout all time and space as we sing: (Sanctus)

Presider:  As we travel the path of Lent, we mourn the dark places in our souls and in our

world. We look for healing of the wounds of our existence, for a saving balm

for our troubles and for the brokenness of the world.

Speaker 1:  We remember Jesus’ temptations as we struggle with temptations of our own.

Speaker 2:  We wander in our own wildernesses, often lonely and hungry for love.

Speaker 3:  We try to follow Jesus, but we struggle with our own crosses.

Speaker 4:  We lose the essence of our lives, trying to save what only proves false.

Presider:  And yet, we are not disconsolate.  Like the disciples, we hold on to hope and

encouragement; we share our stories, and we keep faith. Like the disciples,

we gather together at table, trusting in Jesus to be present with us when we do.

And we remember how, on the night before he died, Jesus took bread, and

when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples and said,

“Take, eat:  This is my body, which is given for you.  Do this in remembrance

of me.

Co-Presider:   After supper, he took the cup of wine, and when he had give thanks, he

gave it to them, and said, “Drink this, all of you;  This is my blood of the

new covenant, which is shed for you and for everyone for the forgiveness

of sins.  Whenever you drink it, do this for the remembrance of me.”

Presider:  Gracious God, may this bread and wine, the gifts of your creation and the work

of human hands, be blessed by your love.  May they be for us the body and

blood of Christ, and may we, in sharing them, be strengthened, not only to bear

our crosses, but to live and serve with courage, gratitude and joy.  Amen

Co-Presider:  And now as our Savior Christ has taught us, let us pray:  (Lord’s Prayer,  trad. form)

Bread is broken in silence or with a sung fraction

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

Post-Communion Thanksgiving

We give thanks for this common meal that brings us together in Jesus’ name.  May the spiritual food from this table inspire us with your love, and may your love touch others through us as we go forth from this place to do the work you have given us to do.  Amen