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A COMMUNION SERVICE

The minister, standing at the communion table, may begin the service by reading one or more of the following sentences

Blessed are they that do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled. Matthew v. 6.

Whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant; even as the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. Matthew xx. 27, 28.

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard of my Father, I have made known unto you. xv. 13, 14, 15.

John

For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the spirit of children whereby we cry, Father. Romans viii. 15.

If any man will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. Luke ix. 23, 24.

I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. John vi. 35.

knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. Revelation iii. 20.

Here may follow other portions of Scripture and an address. A hymn may then be sung, or, omitting the hymn, the service may proceed as follows

To be said by the minister

Dearly beloved, we have received it, that the Master on the night before he died, as he supped with his disciples in an upper chamber, took bread and broke it before them, likening it unto his crucified body, and poured out wine as a visible parable of the spilling of his blood. As we repeat this act with reverence, may the spirit which kept him steadfast, though foreseeing death, be quickened in us. We remember also that Christians in all ages have partaken of the bread and wine as a sign of their fellowship. May the symbol of love crown the parable of loyalty, and, in communion with Jesus Christ and all faithful servants of God, who have counted not their lives more dear than the triumphs of the spirit, let us seek the Lord in prayer that we may receive strength to overcome the trials and temptations of this world.

Or this

We are assembled here to meditate Behold, I stand at the door, and together on the life and death of Jesus

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COMMUNION SERVICE

Christ, that we may consecrate ourselves more earnestly to the service of God and of one another. In his acts of love In his acts of love and sympathy for the suffering, his compassion and help for the weak and sinful, he has left us an example that we should follow his steps. In communion with him, and with all who have been faithful servants of God, counting not their lives dear unto themselves, we now offer our prayers together to our Father in heaven.

Let us pray.

To be said by the minister

O God, our heavenly Father, grant that this service may be profitable to all who partake of it, for the sanctification of body and soul, for fruitfulness in good works, and for the establishing of thy holy Church.

We remember in this our communion, and beseech thee to bless, the multitudes of every name who are joined with us in one household of faith, our brethren and sisters in Christ throughout the world.

We remember those who have fallen asleep in Christ, in the joyful hope of resurrection unto life eternal. O Lord, refresh their spirits with the light of thy countenance.

We remember the fathers from the beginning of the world, and all who have wrought righteousness, even down to the present day. Refresh thou their spirits, and give them abundant entrance into the joy of our Lord. And grant unto us, O God, that we may have our part and lot with all thy saints.

We remember all such as journey, and them that sojourn in strange lands. May it please thee to abide with them

wheresoever they abide, and when they travel, to bring them in safety to their destined goal.

We remember all who are sick and in distress, all who suffer in body or in mind, all who are in prison and in bonds: as bound with them, and as sufferers with them, we bear them in our hearts and pray for their relief.

We remember our enemies, if there be any who have injured us, or cherish hatred against us. We beseech thee to turn their hearts, that we may live peaceably with all men. May we freely forgive all who have wronged us; and, if there be any whom we have wronged, may we make amends and seek forgiveness.

We remember the whole family of man, beseeching thee that the spirits of all flesh may taste of thy grace, and that the ends of the earth may see the salvation of our God. Amen.

To be said by the minister

The Lord Jesus, the same night in which he was betrayed, took bread; and, when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said: This is my body. which is broken for you. This do in remembrance of me.

¶ Then, as he delivers the bread to the people, the minister shall say

Take this in remembrance of Christ.

When all have received the bread, the minister shall say

After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying: This cup is the new testament in my blood. This do ye, as often as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.

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PRAYERS, THANKSGIVINGS AND COLLECTS FOR

OCCASIONAL USE

FOR THE OPENING OF WORSHIP

Almighty God, unto whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid: cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of thy holy spirit, that we may perfectly love thee, and worthily magnify thy holy name. Amen.

O God, giver of all temporal and spiritual good: grant us thy grace, so to speak, so to know, and so to learn, that our minds may be enlightened, our fears banished, our faith confirmed, and our way directed unto eternal life. Amen.

O thou infinite One, who fillest the universe with thine unsearchable presence, and hast thy dwelling-place in every heart that looks up in love and trust to thee: we come unto thee with our psalm of thanksgiving and our words of prayer, and would commune with thee in this hour of worship, that we may find thee nearer to us in our daily lives, and learn to live as in thy constant presence. May thy spirit rest upon us, and pray with us in our prayer, teaching us the things we should ask, and how to pray to thee as we ought; that we may worship thee, the infinite Spirit, in spirit and in truth. Amen.

FOR THE OPENING OR CLOSE OF
WORSHIP

O God, who hast prepared for them that love thee such good things as pass man's understanding: pour into our hearts such love toward thee, that we, loving thee above all things, may obtain thy promises, which exceed all that we can desire. Amen.

O God, from whom all good counsels, all holy desires, and all just works do proceed: we pray thee to enlighten our minds and sanctify our hearts by thy heavenly truth. What we know not, teach thou us; whatever is amiss in us, dispose us to reform; whatever in us is good, assist us to carry forward to perfection, that we may live evermore to thy praise. Amen.

O Almighty God, who alone canst order the unruly wills and affections of men: grant unto thy people that they may love the thing which thou commandest, and desire that which thou dost promise; that so, among the sundry and manifold changes of the world, our hearts may surely there be fixed where true joys are to be found. Amen.

Almighty God, who hast caused the light of eternal life to shine upon the

PRAYERS, THANKSGIVINGS AND COLLECTS

world: we pray thee that our hearts may be so kindled with heavenly desires, and thy love so shed abroad in us, that we may continually seek the things which are above; and, abiding in purity of heart and mind, may at length attain unto thine everlasting kingdom. Amen.

FOR THE CLOSE OF WORSHIP

Grant, O God, that the words we have heard this day with our outward ears, may, by thy grace, be so grafted inwardly in our hearts, that they may bring forth in us the fruit of good living, to the honor and praise of thy holy name. Amen.

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Enlarge now our souls, O Lord, with a divine charity, that we may hope all things, believe all things, endure all things, and become messengers of thy healing mercy to the grievances and infirmities of men. Amen.

Increase in us, O Lord, a true knowledge of thy holy will, that we may devote ourselves to thy service in word and deed; and that, doing thy will with cheerfulness and diligence, and bearing all our trials with patience, we may go on, through thy mercy, into the joy of everlasting life. Amen.

Almighty God, who hast caused the light of eternal life to shine upon the world: we beseech thee that our hearts may be so kindled with heavenly desires, and thy love so shed abroad in us by thy holy spirit, that we may continually seek the things which are above; and, abiding in purity of heart and mind, may at length attain unto thine everlasting kingdom. Amen.

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O Lord, who hast taught us that not the hearers of the word, but the doers, are justified in thy sight: let us go hence with an earnest and steadfast resolution, with quickened zeal, and renewed devotion to thy service. If any true word of thine has been spoken to us, if any ray of thy heavenly light has shone upon us, if any righteous purpose has arisen within us, may we be found faithful to what we have received, that all our thoughts and actions may henceforth be more in harmony with thy will. Let thy blessing be upon our uprising and our lying down, upon our going out and our coming in now and evermore. Amen.

MORNING PRAYERS AND COLLECTS

O Lord, our heavenly Father, almighty and everlasting God, who hast safely brought us to the beginning of this day: defend us in the same with thy mighty power; and grant that this day we fall into no sin, neither run into any kind of danger; but that all our doings, being ordered by thee, may be righteous in thy sight. Amen.

O Lord, our God, who turnest into morning the shadows of night: grant that we may be children of the light and of the day. Let the sun of thy righteousness shine in our hearts. Enlighten our reason, make clear our conscience, and purify our affections. We give ourselves to thee this day, beseeching thee so to rule and govern us by thy spirit that faithless distrust and all evil thoughts may be driven from our minds; that we may walk with joy in the light of thy countenance and in the way of thy salvation. Amen.

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