Published on
June 1, 2005
A service adapted from one prepared by Brother Max Thurian of the Community of Taizé. The liturgy draws from various Christian traditions, in order to express the faith held in common by churches throughout the world.
Worship Service

Theme of the Service

Lima Liturgy

This service hosted by Church of the Servant Christian Reformed Church. This liturgy is adapted from one prepared by Brother Max Thurian of the Community of Taizé, for the 1982 Conference of the Faith and Order Commission in Lima, Peru. The liturgy draws from various Christian traditions, in order to express the faith held in common by churches throughout the world.

Gathering

(Please stand if able) Gathering Hymns

Chapel and FAC: Here from All Nations, arr. Roy Hopp (GIA G-7092)

st. 1, all
st. 2, choir
st. 3, unison
st. 4, choir
st. 5, unison

Text: Rev. 7:9-17; vers. Christopher Idle (b. 1938), 1973
Music: O Quanta Qualia; Antiphoner, Paris, 1681; harm. John B. Dykes (1823-1876), 1868, adapt.
Text © 1973, Hope Publishing Co. All rights reserved.

Greeting

Leader: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
People: And also with you.

Call to Confession

Leader: With confidence in the grace of God, let us confess our sin before God and one another.

Confession

People: Most merciful God, we confess that we are in bondage to sin and cannot free ourselves. We confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.

Early American folk hymn (Land of Rest), adapt. Marcia Pruner
Adaptation © 1980 Church Pension Fund. All rights reserved.

Leader: For the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us.

People: Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in your will and walk in your ways, to the glory of your holy name, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

(We remember our baptism as the water is poured.)

Assurance of Pardon

Leader: Hear the Word of the Lord: "Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Therefore we have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life." Since Almighty God gave Jesus Christ to die for us, I declare to you the complete forgiveness of all your sins, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

People: Amen!

Canticle

People sing: "This Is the Feast of Victory"

All sing the refrain each time.
St. 1: women
St. 2: men
St. 3: all
St. 4: women
St. 5: all

Text: Rev. 6:12-14; para. John W. Arthur (1922-1980)
Music: Festival Canticle; Richard Hillert (b. 1923)
Text and music © 1978, Lutheran Book of Worship, Augsburg Fortress. Used by permission of Augsburg Fortress.

Word

Prayer of Illumination

Leader: Let us pray for the presence of the Spirit. Gracious and merciful God, you anointed your beloved Son with the Holy Spirit at his baptism in the Jordan, and you consecrated him prophet, priest, and king.

People: Pour out your Spirit on us again, that we may be faithful to our baptismal calling, ardently desire the communion of Christ's body and blood, and serve the poor of your people and all who need your love.

(Please be seated) Scripture Readings

Leader: Exodus 33:12-23 (FAC); Isaiah 54:1-3 (Chapel)
This is the Word of the Lord.
People: Thanks be to God.

People stand to sing: "Psalm 19: God's Glory Fills the Heavens"

Text: Carl P. Daw, Jr. (b. 1944)
Music: Creation; Franz J. Haydn (1732-1809)
Text © 1989, Hope Publishing Co. All rights reserved.

Leader: Revelation 5
This is the Word of the Lord.
People: Thanks be to God.

Sermon

A Song Worth Singing (Chapel)
. Listen (10.6 MB)

Show Us Your Glory (FAC)
. Listen (13.8 MB)

(followed by a moment of silence)

Hymn

People sing: "My Life Flows On in Endless Song / How Can I Keep from Singing?"

Text and music: Robert Lowry (1826-1899), alt.

(Please stand if able) Affirmation of Faith

Leader: Let us join together in love, and with one heart and voice confess the faith of the Church at all times and in all places.

People: We believe in one God,
the Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all things visible and invisible.

And in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
begotten from the Father before all ages,
God from God,
Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made;
of the same essence as the Father.
Through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven;
he became incarnate by the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary,
and was made human.
He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered and was buried.
The third day he rose again, according to the Scriptures.
He ascended to heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again with glory
to judge the living and the dead.
His kingdom will never end.

And we believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Lord, the giver of life.
He proceeds from the Father and the Son,
and with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified.
He spoke through the prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic church.
We affirm one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look forward to the resurrection of the dead,
and to life in the world to come. Amen.

(Please be seated) Intercessory Prayer

Spoken Refrain: God of all mercy, hear our prayer.

Table

(Please stand if able) Preparation

Leader: Blessed are you, Lord our God, Ruler of the universe: you are the giver of this bread, fruit of the earth and of human labor; let it become for us the bread of life.
People: Blessed be God, now and forever!
Leader: Blessed are you, Lord our God, Ruler of the universe: you are the giver of this wine, fruit of the vine and of human labor; let it become for us the wine of the eternal kingdom.
People: Blessed be God, now and forever!
Leader: As the grain once scattered in the fields and the grapes once dispersed on the hillside are now reunited on this table in bread and wine, so, Lord, may your whole church soon be gathered together from the corners of the earth into your kingdom.
People: Maranatha! Come, Lord Jesus!

Great Thanksgiving

Leader: The Lord be with you.
People: And also with you.
Leader: Lift up your hearts.
People: We lift them up to the Lord.
Leader: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
People: It is fitting for us to give thanks. It is right and fitting, our joy and our salvation, that we should at all times and in all places give thanks to you, almighty, everlasting God, through Christ our Lord.

Preface

Leader: Truly it is right and good to glorify you,
at all times and in all places,
to offer you our thanksgiving O Lord, Holy Father,
Almighty and Everlasting God.
Through your living Word you created all things,
and pronounced them good.
You made human beings in your own image,
to share your life and reflect your glory.
When the time had fully come, you gave Christ to us
as the Way, the Truth and the Life.
He accepted baptism and consecration as your Servant
to announce the good news to the poor.
At the last supper
Christ gave to us this meal,
that we should celebrate the memorial
of the cross and resurrection,
and receive his presence as food.
People: Therefore, with the angels and all the saints, we proclaim and sing your glory:

Sanctus

People sing:

Music: Land of Rest; American

Prayer for the Holy Spirit

Leader: O God, Lord of the universe, you are holy and your glory is beyond measure. Send the life-giving Spirit, who spoke by Moses and the prophets, who overshadowed the Virgin Mary with grace, who descended upon Jesus in the river Jordan and upon the Apostles on the day of Pentecost. May the outpouring of this Spirit of Fire transfigure this thanksgiving meal that the cup of blessing that we bless and bread we break may be a sharing in the blood and body of Christ.
People: Come Holy Spirit!

(Please be seated) The Institution

Leader: We thank you that your beloved Son, on the night in which he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks to you, broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take, eat, this is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me." After supper he took the cup, and when he had given 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 many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this in remembrance of me." Great is the mystery of faith.

Memorial Acclamation

People:

Music: Land of Rest; American

Prayer of Consecration

Leader: United by one baptism in the same Holy Spirit and the same body of Christ,
we pray as God's sons and daughters:
People: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.

Preparation of the Elements

Leader: The bread which we break is the communion of the body of Christ.
The cup of blessing for which we give thanks is the communion in the blood of Christ.

(Please stand if able) Passing of the Peace

Leader: Lord Jesus Christ, you told your apostles: "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you." Grant us always this peace, and guide us toward the perfect unity of your kingdom forever.
People: Amen.
Leader: Let us give one another a sign of reconciliation and peace.

(The people extend the peace to each other.)

The Invitation

Leader: Congregation in the Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord has prepared this table for all who love and trust in him for their salvation. All who are truly sorry for their sins, who sincerely believe in Jesus as their Savior, and who desire to live in obedience to him, are now invited to come with gladness to the table of the Lord.
People: In thanks for the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, in the joy of his resurrection, in the hope of his coming again, we come with joy to the table of our Lord.

The Invitation to the Table

Leader: Come, then, the table is ready. The gifts of God for the people of God.

Communion

Professing members in good standing of a church in which Jesus Christ is confessed as Lord and Savior are warmly invited to join with us in the celebration of the Lord's Supper!

Music during distribution

Choir: Lamb of God, Olaf C. Christiansen (Chapel) (Augsburg Fortress 11-0133)
El Cielo Canta Alegria/Heaven Is Singing for Joy, Pablo Sosa (Chapel) (GIA G-7014)
[see bottom of page]
Jesus, Son of Life, My Splendor, G.F. Handel (FAC) (Concordia 98-1445)
Sanctus from Gospel Mass, Robert Ray (FAC) (Hal Leonard HL 44707014)

Congregation (in both locations, as time allows):
"In Christ Alone"

Text: Stuart Townend Music: Keith Getty
© 2001 Thankyou Music, admin. EMI Christian Music Publishing. Used by permission.

"Before the Throne of God Above"

Text and music: Bob Kauflin
© Sovereign Grace Music, www.sovereigngraceministries.org. Used by permission.

"Crown Him with Many Crowns"

Text: st. 1, 3, Matthew Bridges (1800-1894), 1851; st. 2, Godfrey Thring (1823-1903), 1874, alt.
Music: Diademata; George J. Elvey (1816-1893), 1868; desc. Hal H. Hopson (b. 1933), 1979
Descant © 1979, GIA Publications, Inc. All rights reserved.

As soon as all have received the bread and cup:

"We're Marching to Zion / Come, We That Love the Lord," arr. John Ferguson

Text: Isaac Watts (1674-1748), stanzas; Robert Lowry (1826-1899), refrain
Music: Marching to Zion; Robert Lowry

The Thanksgiving

Leader: In peace let us pray to the Lord. O Lord our God, we give you thanks for uniting us by baptism in the body of Christ and for filling us with joy in the eucharist. Lead us toward the full visible unity of your church, and help us to treasure all the signs of reconciliation you have granted us. Now that we have tasted the banquet you have prepared for us in the world to come, may we all one day share together the inheritance of the saints in the life of the heavenly city.
People: Through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

Sending

Benediction

Leader: The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord smile upon you and be gracious to you.
The Lord look upon you with favor and give you peace.
Almighty God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, bless you now and forever.
People: Amen.

Notes

El Cielo Canta Alegria/Heaven Is Singing for Joy, Pablo Sosa (Chapel)

Text and music: Pablo Sosa, Argentina
Text and music © 1991 Pablo Sosa. Used by permission. (GIA G-7014)