Home Communion Service :: Trinity Episcopal Church, Fort Worth Sending of Eucharistic Visitors Celebrant: Receive these Holy Gifts of our Lord’s body. We send you forth in the name of Christ, bearing these holy gifts, so that those to whom you go may experience with us the majesty and mystery of his presence by sharing the bread. May you carry the prayers of us all. People: We who are many are one body because we share one bread, one cup.
The Eucharistic Visitor (E-V) greets the people: E-V:
When our congregation gathers for the celebration of Holy Communion, we hear again the story of God’s mighty acts and the love shown us in the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. We are given assurance of our Lord’s presence through the gift of the Holy Spirit in prayers, through the good news of the Gospel, and the celebration of the Holy Eucharist. We are here with the greetings of the parish family to continue the worship begun at Trinity Church this morning. The Peace of the Lord be always with you.
All:
And also with you.
E-V:
Please join me in the Collect for Purity:
All:
Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid. Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you and worthily magnify your holy name, through Christ our Lord, Amen.
E-V:
The Lord be with you.
All:
And also with you. 1
E-V:
Let us pray. (The E-V reads the Collect of the Day.) (E-V reads the Gospel of the Day)
E-V:
A reading from the Gospel of _____________. (The E-V may then comment on the sermon of the day, if desired.)
E-V:
Let us pray for the Church and the World. I ask your prayers for God’s people throughout the world; for Katherine, our Presiding Bishop; Rayford, our Bishop; for the clergy of our parish: Carlye, Andrew and Janet, and for all ministers and people.
E-V:
Lord, in your mercy.
All:
Hear our prayer.
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E-V:
Let us pray for justice and peace; and for goodwill among nations; for the well being of all people. We pray for all in authority, remembering especially Barack, our president, and Rick, our governor.
E-V:
Lord, in your mercy.
All:
Hear our prayer.
E-V:
We pray for those to whom Holy Communion is taken this day, especially:_______________. We pray for the poor, the sick and the lonely, the unemployed, those without income, and for all homeless people.
E-V:
Lord, in your mercy.
All:
Hear our prayer.
E-V:
We pray for those who do not yet believe, and for those who have lost their faith, that they may receive the light of the Gospel. We pray for those who seek God, or a deeper knowledge of God: that we may find and be found by God. 3
E-V:
Lord, in your mercy.
All:
Hear our prayer. (Here people may add their prayers for any concerns they may have, and or add prayers for other people.)
E-V:
Lord, in your mercy.
All:
Hear our prayer.
E-V:
Let us commend ourselves, and one another, and all our life to Christ our God.
All: E-V:
To you, O Lord our God. For yours is the majesty, O Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; yours is the kingdom and power and the glory, now and forever. Amen
E-V:
Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor, saying together:
All:
Most merciful God, 4
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. We are truly sorry, and we humbly repent. For the sake of your son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen. E-V:
May Almighty God in mercy receive our confession of sorrow and of faith, strengthen us in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep us in eternal life.
Amen. E-V:
Let us pray in the words our Savior Christ has taught us: 5
All:
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power. And the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
E-V:
Almighty Father, whose dear Son, on the night before he suffered, instituted the Sacrament of his Body and Blood: Mercifully grant that we may receive it thankfully in remembrance of Jesus Christ our Lord, who in these holy mysteries gives us a pledge of eternal life; and who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen. 6
E-V:
The gifts of God for the People of God. Take this in remembrance that Christ died for you, and feed on him in your heart by faith with thanksgiving. (The Sacrament is administered using the following words.)
E-V:
The body of our Lord Jesus Christ keep you in everlasting life. Amen. (A moment of silence is observed after receiving Holy Communion.)
All:
O gracious God, whose Christ stretched out his arms of love upon the hard wood of the cross to embrace all the peoples of the earth: We give you thanks for feeding N., our sister/brother with the Sacrament of the precious Body, which is the sign and instrument of our common life, and also for enriching our parish family by her/his sharing with us the food of our pilgrimage, the foretaste of that heavenly banquet of which we shall partake with all your saints; through Jesus Christ, our Savior. Amen.
E-V:
DO NOT FEAR the changes of life. God, whose very own you are, will deliver you out of them. He has kept you hitherto, and he will lead you safely through all things. And when you cannot stand it, God will bury you in his arms. Do not be afraid of what may happen tomorrow. The same everlasting Father who cares for you today will care for you then and every day. He will either shield you from suffering or give you unfailing strength to bear it. Be at peace and put aside anxious thoughts and imaginations. 7
E-V:
Let us bless the Lord.
All:
Thanks be to God!
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loving nearness; and then grant that your life and love and joy may flow through me for the healing of others in your Name.
Prayers for Healing O Lord, look upon me with the eyes of your mercy, may your healing hand rest upon me, may your life-giving power flow into every cell of my body and into the depths of my soul, cleansing, purifying, restoring me to wholeness and strength for service in your Kingdom. Amen.
In the Morning [Ps. 103] Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy Name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits; who forgives all my sins and heals my infirmities…
O God who art the only source of health and healing, the spirit of calm and the central peace of this universe, grant unto me such a consciousness of your indwelling and surrounding presence that I may permit you to give me health and strength and peace, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
In the Evening [Ps. 4, 23] Commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still…and put down your trust in the Lord…I will lay me down in peace and sleep, for thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety.
Before an Operation
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want… I will fear no evil, for thou are with me; thy rod and thy staff comfort me…
Loving Father, I entrust myself to your care this day; guide with wisdom and skill the minds and hands of those who minister in your Name; and grant that every cause of illness being removed, I may be restored to soundness of health and learn to live in more perfect harmony with You and my fellow people, through Jesus Christ. Amen.
::: This is another day, O Lord. I know not what it will bring, but make me ready, Lord, for whatever it may be. If I am to stand up, help me to stand bravely. If I am to sit still, help me to sit quietly. If I am to lie low, help me to do it patiently. And if I am to do nothing, let me do it gallantly. Make these words more than words, and give me to the Spirit of Jesus. Amen.
Into your hands I commend my body and soul. Amen. After an Operation Blessed Savior, I thank you that this operation is safely past, and now I rest in your abiding presence, relaxing every tension, releasing every care and anxiety, receiving more and more of your healing life into every part of my being; in moments of pain I turn to you for strength, in times of loneliness I feel your
CHRIST THE HEALER Come unto me all ye that are heavy laden, and I will refresh you.
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This booklet is offered to the Glory of God and in thanksgiving for The Diocese of Fort Worth and Trinity Parish. This Home Communion Service was prepared by Deacon Janet Nocher from the Book of Occasional Services, 1994, beginning on page 227. The Prayers of the People are from the Book of Common Prayer, 1979, beginning on page 388. Special thanks go to The Rev. Kate Guistolise of St. Mark’s Parish, Evanston, Ill., for sharing this booklet with us.
Come, be welcome! Trinity Episcopal Church 3401 Bellaire Drive South Fort Worth, Texas 817-926-4631 www.fortworthtrinity.org www.facebook.com/FortWorthTrinity Twitter: @TrinityEpiscFW
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