responsive communion

The Mission-Shaped Ministry folks in the UK want to use my responsive eucharistic liturgy in their training. When I wrote it, I wanted to reverse the liturgy, so that the people were saying what the celebrant usually says, with the celebrant asking questions instead. (Steve later said that it reminded him of the questions at the Passover meal.) The whole point was that liturgy is the work of the people, not the work of the celebrant. The narrative needs to be told and the prayers prayed, but by whom? It ought to be a community story, a communal telling, a prayer of the people.

Anyway, I'm glad it struck a chord, and the writeup of the chapel service is here. Here's the middle bit...

Communion

Why have we gathered here?
We come because we have been called
to live out a story
What story shall we live?
The story of saving love
Where did this story begin?
It was whispered before time began,
it was sung in the melody of Creation.

Whose story is this?
This story is God’s alone to tell
It hums in the rivers and the trees
It whispers in the skies and the seas
It calls to the people of all places
It speaks in our hearts, in our lives
Why then should we speak of this story?
This story calls our name in Creation
This story claims our lives through the Cross
This story shapes our future through the Spirit
We are its telling in this time and this place

So tell me the story of this night, of this table
The Lord Jesus, on the night when he was betrayed
took bread, and when he had given thanks,
he broke it
(taking and breaking bread)
Tell me what he said and did
This is my body which is broken for you
Do this and remember me

Tell me what he said and did
 (taking and pouring cup)
In the same way, he took the cup and said
This is a new covenant in my blood
Drink it and remember me
This is our common story
our deep memory, our true destiny
So let it also be our story-telling, our testimony
Let’s celebrate the way that grace has shaped our lives
I invite you to say aloud a prayer of thanks
(pause)

Hear the storytellers of all ages whisper with us
Holy. holy, holy Lord
God of power and might
heaven and earth are full of your glory
Hosanna in the highest
Blessed in the one who comes in the name of the Lord
Hosanna in the highest

What is our prayer on this day?
Pour out your Holy Spirit on us
So this everyday meal becomes an eternal feast
So that our eating and drinking today
unites us with Christ,
whose body and blood are given for us.
So we know that you live in us
and that we live in you
So that we live in your world
knowing it is indeed yours.
Living God, this is our prayer
Amen.

Comments

[Olive Fleming Drane]

Absolutely true! Always touches a chord wherever I've used it Craig! Keep writing and imagining!:-)

[Ann Perrin]

Thanks Craig, I love the idea of turning it around with presider asking the questions and the poetry of the answers. For me I would like a few more words about the life and work of Jesus Christ alongside the wonderful trinitarian statement you make. Though the way you have written does highlight the story more.

[craigmitchell]

that's a fair comment Ann. As you can guess, the Great Prayer of Thanksgiving was meant to be said by the people. It would have been possible to give them some cues in that time. eg. let us give thanks for God's work in Creation.... let us give thanks for the gift of Jesus Christ, God-with-us, etc.

[Chris]

I love the way this draws people into the conversation, however (maybe it is the Anglo-Catholic in me) I can't hear the "Great Prayer of Thanksgiving"/Eucharistic aspect here. Althoug you dopick this up i your comment about "(giving) thanks for God's work in Creation.... (and giving) thanks for the gift of Jesus Christ, God-with-us, etc. I wonder how this celebratory dimension could be able to resonate here more fully?

[craigmitchell]

Chris, thanks for the comment and you're not the first person to say that! (see previous comment) Firstly the brief narrative mentions salvation history in Creation, Cross and the Spirit's coming. But secondly, the people are invited to make their own prayer of thanksgiving together. It's the work of the people. Of course, that part could be structured more - let us give thanks for God's goodness in Creation, let us give thanks for the life and ministry of Jesus Christ, etc. Having said that, I figure that people take liturgy and change it to make it their own, so that's why I haven't tried to fix it.