Invitation

Come, gather round the table of love and share the feast of oneness.
In this bread and wine given in love by the God of love, we glimpse the glory that is God.
Here is the reminder that the presence of the holy lives deep within our being giving us all that we need to become the people we are created to be.

Jesus called his disciples to remember and here we too remember.
We remember that last supper, a Passover meal during which those present remembered all that God had done for their people; we, too, remember all that God has done for us.
We remember Jesus taking bread and wine and giving thanks to God and so we too take bread and wine, the ordinary things of life made extraordinary for us in this moment, and we give our thanks.

Prayer

Holy God, for the universe you have created with all its variety, mystery, majesty and intricacy,

we praise and thank you.

For the gift of Jesus, teacher, healer, saviour and friend,

we praise and thank you.

For the power of the cross and the hope of the resurrection,

we praise and thank you.

For the people of faith whose stories inspire us, and encourage us

we praise and thank you.

For your presence in our lives, leading us, feeding us, drawing us closer,

we praise and thank you.

With people everywhere, past present and yet to come,

we praise and thank you.

That you have called us together around this table, no longer strangers but companions on a journey,

we praise and thank you.

Photo: Sharing communion at the induction of Revd Mwape at St Stephens, United Church of Zambia, Lusaka — taken by Ana Gobledale