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 Whether you are new to Episcopal worship, or whether
you have been attending worship at St. Gregory's for longer than you care to
remember, the Instructed Eucharist is a wonderful opportunity to think about
why we do things the way we do, and to participate in our worship together with
greater understanding and renewed meaning.
This page merges three separate texts; a program for a typical
10:00 AM Rite II Service (in Bold and Normal text), a description of the
action at each point of the service (in Italics) and a commentary (in
Color) which together demonstrate what we do at worship.
These descriptions and commentary might be delivered from the pulpit by two
voices within an Instructed Eucharist Service at Saint Gregory's.
As is traditional in an Anglican
Church, the text of the complete service is available to the congregation in
the Book of Common
Prayer, the service bulletin, or both. All hymns and other music sung by
the congregation are available in the
Hymnal. Both books are placed in the pews, and the celebrant
will provide relevant page numbers to help the congregation.
Introductory
Commentary: The liturgy that we participate in each Sunday morning is the
most important worship we do together as a parish community. Parts of what we
say date from the time of Jesus Christ and parts of our liturgy have survived
the revision of the Book of Common Prayer for 500 years. Other portions of our
service come to us from many years before Jesus. The word "liturgy" means,
"work of the people." The work of the liturgy binds us together as a parish. It
is the liturgy that guides, nourishes and sustains our fundamental ministry as
Christians in the world. There is an old Latin phrase that translates, "the way
we pray determines the way we believe." As Episcopalians, there is no set of
doctrines or confession that must be accepted by members-instead the liturgy we
celebrate together reminds us again and again each week that we are a people of
God. It teaches us, re-narrating our lives into God's history, reforming our
memory and actions, bringing us into the kingdom.
There is much that happens in way of
preparation before our worship services begin. Members of the congregation
prepare themselves at home: readying their offering envelope, putting out food
to bring as a donation to our Food Basket; perhaps even fasting or using the
Penitential Order from the Book of Common Prayer (Rite 1 p.319; Rite 2 p.351).
Once here, we pray, meditate, or review the service bulletin and read the
lessons in advance.
The church building also has been
made ready. The Altar Guild is the backstage crew that does this: putting
flowers on the altar (except during Advent, and in Holy Week during Lent when
they also veil all the crosses) replacing used votive candles and then holy
water in the small receptacles near the doorways. (These are to remind us of
our baptism, our entrance into the church.) Also, they change the altar frontal
and pulpit fall to the liturgical color for the season or major Holy Day. The
liturgical colors are blue for Advent, white for Christmas and Easter, purple
for Lent, red for Palm Sunday and Pentecost, and green for Ordinary Time
(Pentecost until Advent, and Epiphany until Lent).
In the sacristy, the Altar Guild
prepares the devotional paraphernalia: the vested chalice, the wine and water
cruets, the wafers in their containers, the candles, the tapers, the books with
the proper lessons marked, the linens, the offering plates, the Sanctus bells,
and the missal (altar book) on its stand. And after each service, they clean,
refill, and otherwise ready these items for the next service, setting them out
again.
The
clergy,
vergers,
servers,
acolytes,
and choir also
prepare: they put on their vestments, the choirs rehearse, instructions and
details are given to those participating, and finally, all participants gather
in the courtyard for prayer and then line up to enter at the South Transept.
(The vergers are the ones with the staffs, called verges, that lead the
procession and participants.)
Commentary:
Often in the Episcopal Church, the liturgical expression of praise, "Alleluia"
occurs, meaning "Praise the Lord!" We find it in a number of psalms and
elsewhere in the Bible-often as the chant of the saints in heaven. It was taken
over into the liturgy of the Church at an early date. It became a
characteristic expression of joy. In the Western Church it became a part of all
services except during the penitential season of Lent.
In the Eastern Church,
it was said at all services, and this became one of the eastern grievances
against the Western Church. Holy Saturday is sometimes called Alleluia Saturday
to mark the return of the "alleluias" following Lent.
Throughout the history
of the Church, this particular liturgy that we are taking part in today has
been known by many names: The Last Supper, The Lord's Supper, The Holy
Communion, The Mass, The Holy Liturgy. The Book of Common Prayer calls it "The
Holy Eucharist." "Holy", set apart, "Eucharist" is from the Greek word for
Thanksgiving. Our participation in this service should always be characterized
by a joyful sense of thanksgiving.
While this commentary
may seem fairly detailed, to pursue our liturgy further, see
Marion Hatchett's Commentary on the American Prayer Book.
The ringing of bells accents the
arrival of special moments within our service. When we burn incense, the rising
smoke symbolizes our prayers ascending to heaven and the presence of the Holy
Spirit. This inclusion in our full ceremony has been nick-named "bells &
smells."
 The
Liturgy Of The Word
Organ Prelude
Processional Hymn
The service usually begins with an
Organ Prelude while the last arrivals are seated. This is a time for quiet
reflection and prayer before worship. At the conclusion of the Prelude, the
congregation stands to sing the processional hymn as the celebrants and choir
process down the aisle following the cross.
Commentary:
Music is a very important part of the Episcopal Church and takes all forms.
Our Hymnal 1982 includes hymns authorized for use within our services. The
Psalter is the hymn book of Judaism. Now, we may include modern or historic
folk music, anthems, which are music sung by the choir rather than the
congregation. There is also instrumental music, mentioned for the first time in
our current Book of Common Prayer (1979). Our music dates from the earliest of
times to the most contemporary scriptural music that is being written today for
worship.
The Holy Eucharist
service is divided into two parts: The Liturgy of the Word or the Word of God,
and the Liturgy of the Sacrament or The Holy Communion. The Liturgy of the Word
begins with a procession. From our daily lives, we have all processed here to
worship and though you may be standing in place, the processional is the symbol
of the whole Church under the sign of the cross marching to heaven.
Priest: Blessed be God: Father,
Son, and Holy Spirit
People: And blessed be God's
kingdom, now and forever. Amen
Commentary: With
these words, we have greeted one another, and affirmed our conviction that God
is gathered with us, too. This opening salutation is adapted from the
salutation in the Greek Orthodox rite: "Blessed is the Kingdom of the Father,
and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, now and ever, to the ages of ages.
Amen." It marks the formal beginning of the service, focuses our attention on
God, and joins our praise with the people of God across time. Like many parts
of the service, these opening sentences vary with the seasons of the Church.
Many Episcopalians make
the sign of the cross at the Name of the Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
We make the sign to remember when we were signed with the cross and in the name
of the Trinity at our baptism. It also calls to mind the great sacrifice Jesus
made for us on the Cross of Calvary. These small signs and gestures are part of
the sacramental nature of the Episcopal Church. The life of faith involves our
whole self: the material body and the spirit. We use such visible, tangible
things as candles, the cross, the altar, and bodily gestures, to remind us of
spiritual realities.
Collect for Purity
Priest: 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
People: Amen
With the congregation standing, the
celebrant says the Collect for Purity, an ancient prayer that was incorporated
into the English liturgy in the 16th century (by Archbishop Thomas Cranmer) but
is thought to date to the 8th century. The congregation and choir then sing the
Gloria ("Glory to god in the highest...")
 The Gloria
Glory to God in the highest, and peace
to his people on earth.
Lord God, heavenly King, almighty God
and Father, we worship you, we give you thanks, we praise you for your glory.
Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, Lord God, Lamb of God, you take away
the sin of the world: have mercy on us; you are seated at the right hand of the
Father: receive our prayer. For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the
Lord, you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the
glory of God the Father. Amen.
Commentary: In
the 11th Century the "Gloria in Excelsis" came into normal use. It actually
dates to the fourth century, with variations in early texts. The hymn begins
with the song of the angels from Luke 2:14.
THE WORD OF GOD
 The Collect of the
Day
Priest: "The Lord be with you"
People: "And also with you."
Priest: "Let us Pray"
The priest says the Collect
appointed for that day from pages 157 to 261 in the Book of Common Prayer.
People: Amen
Commentary:
Following The Gloria, the celebrant says The Collect of the Day, a short
prayer constructed from an invocation, a petition, and a pleading in Christ's
name or an ascription of glory to God. The term Collect comes from the
"collecting" of petitions congregation. Most collects in the Book of Common
Prayer come from medieval sources and some are original compositions by the
Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Cranmer.
First Lesson
Lector: A reading from
___________
The congregation sits to hear the
Lessons, as the Lector or Lay Reader, a
member of the congregation, reads a passage from the Old Testament. The
readings and psalms are scheduled in a three year cycle according to the
Revised Common
Lectionary.
Lector: (At the conclusion of
the reading) "The Word of the Lord"
People: "Thanks be to God."
Commentary:
Every time and place that God's people gather as a community at worship, the
Word of God is read and heard. There is a reading from the Jewish testament,
the psalms, the epistles, and the Gospels, following a seasonal calendar known
as the Lectionary. In ancient times, reading was always done aloud and seen as
a substitute for the presence of the writer. The public reading of the
scriptures is the focal point of the Liturgy of the Word.
Gradual Psalm
The Psalm appointed in the
Lectionary for that week is said, or, more often, sung responsively. The Choir
sings each verse; the congregation responds with the antiphon.
Commentary: The
Psalms have been called "the Bible in miniature." Originally, hymns composed
for Jewish worship in the Temple in Jerusalem, date from the 10th Century to
the 3rd Century BC. Throughout the centuries they have been sung, and we often
use a variation of Anglican chant.
Second Lesson
The Lector reads the appointed
selection from the New Testament Epistles.
Sequence Hymn
The congregation stands to sing a
hymn, accompanied by the choir and the organ.
 Gospel
Deacon: The Holy Gospel of our
Lord Jesus Christ according to ___________
People: Glory to you, Lord
Christ
As the hymn is ending, the Deacon
will take the Gospel book from the Altar and carry it forward, usually into the
congregation. As the book passes up the aisle, worshipers seated in the front
pews will turn to face the Deacon and the book. The congregation remains
standing for the Gospel reading. This name comes from the Greek word "diakonos"
meaning "servant." In this special ministry of total servanthood, deacons serve
as a bridge between the Church and the world and also prepare the altar table.
(Deacons wear their stoles across their chests rather than hanging vertically
like the priest's stoles.) At the conclusion, the Deacon will say:
Deacon: The Gospel of the Lord
People: Praise to you, Lord
Christ
Commentary: The
Gospel, since it is the record of what Jesus himself said and did, is always
given the highest honor-this is why we stand when it is read. The reading of
the Gospel, indeed the book itself, symbolizes the presence of Christ in the
Liturgy of the Word. The Gospel book is processed into the nave, the center of
the church, where it is read in the midst of the congregation. Reading the
Gospel is the responsibility of the Deacon. It is a symbol of the Deacon's vows
to bring the Church to the world. It brings home the point that Jesus lives and
works through His people, the Church. Indeed, we are his living Gospel in the
world. St. Augustine once wrote, "You may be the only Gospel your neighbor
hears today." Sometimes people make the sign of the cross over their foreheads,
mouth and chest, while saying to themselves, "Lord be in my mind, Lord be on my
lips, Lord be in my heart."
Sermon
The congregation remains standing as
the Deacon returns the Gospel book to the Altar. The clergyperson delivering
the sermon for the week says a brief prayer and then invites the congregation
to be seated for the Sermon.
Commentary: The
sermon, which follows the Gospel reading, brings the Word of God, recorded in
the Scriptures, to bear on our own lives. At the conclusion of the sermon, we
observe a moment of quiet to contemplate the lessons from the scripture and the
sermon we have heard.
The Nicene Creed
The congregation stands and together
with the priest repeats the Nicene Creed.
Commentary:
Having heard God's Word and the story of how God has loved and saved us, and
how God continues to love and save us, we respond by boldly affirming our
faith. The Nicene Creed is our response to having heard the Word of God. These
words are from the 4th Century and evolved from the Church Council of Nicea in
the year 325 which met to work out a common understanding of God. As we pray
them, we express the fundamental core of what we, the Church, believe.
Prayers of the People
As the Congregation remains
standing, a lay member leads the Prayers of the People. This duty is another of
the many ways that members of the congregation participate in the service. The
Prayer Book provides six variations, or Forms, for this part of the liturgy. In
each there are opportunities for worshipers to add their own prayers, silently
or aloud. In some, selected members of the congregation, representing the whole
community, will read parts of the Prayers from the pews.
Commentary: The
Prayers of the People follow the Creed. To pray for the Church, the world,
others and ourselves is one of the fundamental reasons we worship God, and it
is an obligation from our baptism. At Saint Gregory's, "Prayers of the People"
comes from the people and that provides another opportunity for laity to serve
the Church. In this way Christians share in Christ's "eternal priesthood,"
interceding to God the Father on behalf of the whole of creation.
Confession and Absolution
The celebrant and people together
recite a common confession of sins, after which the priest pronounces
absolution. For the confession, we kneel as we are able.
Priest: Let us confess our sins
against God and our neighbor
All: Most merciful God,
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,
and walk in your ways,
to the glory of your Name. Amen
Priest: Almighty God have mercy
on you, forgive you all your sins, through our Lord Jesus Christ, Strengthen
you in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in eternal
life.
All: Amen
Commentary: Any
relationship is based on honesty-confession is a way of being honest about
ourselves before God. The confession is a time to reflect on personal choices
and decisions, to examine where we have been wrong or at fault and to offer
these things to the Lord. The Confession first notes that God is known to us as
a merciful God (Exodus 34:6). We can confidently confess our sins knowing that
God's very nature is forgiveness. Following the confession, the priest
pronounces absolution, which is in keeping with Western tradition since the
13th century that only a bishop or priest may pronounce absolution. Another
Christian may hear a confession but must make it clear that a priestly
absolution will not be pronounced. The priest has been ordained-called by God
and the Church-to perform this priestly function with the authority of Christ
by the power of the Holy Spirit. Our sins are forgiven. We gratefully accept
forgiveness as we say, "Amen."
 The Peace
Priest: The Peace of the Lord be
always with you.
People: And also with you.
The people, still standing, exchange
greetings with those around them. A simple handshake and the words, "Peace be
with you" is traditional.
Commentary: It
is thought that the exchange of the Peace came as early as the second century.
Having prepared, heard God's word, renewed our faith, prayed for others, and
confessed our sins to one another and to God, we should now be at peace with
God and those around us.
Announcements
This point marks the middle of the
service, and the transition from the Liturgy of the Word to the celebration of
Holy Eucharist. This is a relaxed moment when the clergy or parishioners can
make announcements.
THE HOLY COMMUNION
Commentary:
After the offertory sentence, people remain seated-The 1549 Book of Common
Prayer provided twenty sentences of scripture to be sung while the people
placed their offerings in "the poor men's box."
With the offertory
sentence, the second part of the liturgy begins Holy Communion. The offertory
is not just a matter of "taking up the collection." It is when we prepare to
offer our whole lives up to God. All things come from God, and so we offer not
only our money, but bread and wine as the work of our hands and now the symbol
of the body and blood of Christ, our voices lifted in praise, and indeed our
whole selves when we stand as the offering is presented and placed upon the
altar. A sense of self-offering is essential in preparation to celebrate and
receive the self-offering of Christ.
Offertory Presentation
After taking up the offering (usually
accompanied with music), the Ushers and the
"Oblators" bring the people's offering of bread, wine and money forward to be
blessed. Usually a couple from the parish community will act as Oblators
carrying the bread and wine. This simple duty is another of the many ways that
members are involved in the service. The congregation stands for the
presentation and sings the "Doxology," which in the Episcopal Church refers to
a four line hymn (actually the last verse of a longer hymn)
composed by Bishop
Thomas Ken in the 17th century, and set to a tune called the "Old 100th,"
which is even older.
Doxology
Praise God, from Whom all blessings
flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye
heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
Commentary: The
Table is set, usually by a Deacon. We have placed our lives on the table of the
Lord and are ready to hear the Great Thanksgiving. The celebrant greets the
people and invites them to participate with their whole heart in this
meaningful prayer. There is no greater thanksgiving possible than our
thanksgiving for what God offers to us in Holy Communion. Eucharist translated
from Greek means "The Great Thanksgiving."
All of the Eucharistic
Prayers ( Prayers A, B, C, and D) are Trinitarian, which means they all speak
of the God we worship as Christians: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Each begins
with a section of praise to God the Father and Creator of all. This is followed
by a section that remembers and makes present the saving work of Jesus, God the
Son. Finally, we invoke the presence of the Holy Spirit to make this Holy
Communion real and effective in our own lives.
The opening praise,
known as the preface, varies according to the church season or occasion being
celebrated. In response to remembering God's mighty deeds, we join our voices
to sing the Sanctus, "Holy, holy, holy…" This great hymn of praise can be
traced to Isaiah (6:3) and Revelation (4:8), where angels before the throne of
God sing it. The last part of this hymn of praise, the Benedictus, "blessed is
he…," recalls the words shouted by people as Jesus entered the city of
Jerusalem on Palm Sunday (Matthew 21:9, Mark 11;9-10, Luke 19:38, John 12:13).
 The Great Thanksgiving
Eucharistic Prayer A
Sursum Corda
Priest: The Lord be with you.
People: And also with you.
Celebrant: Lift up your hearts.
People: We lift them to the
Lord.
Celebrant: Let us give thanks to
the Lord our God. People: It is right to give him thanks and praise.
Priest: It is right, and a good
and joyful thing, always and everywhere to give thanks to you, Father Almighty,
Creator of heaven and earth.
The sursum corda or "conversation of
praise" between the celebrant and the standing congregation builds until the
priest adds the appropriate preface for the season, concluding...
Priest: Therefore we praise you,
joining our voices with Angels and Archangels and with all the company of
heaven, who for ever sing this hymn to proclaim the glory of your
Name:
Sanctus
Priest and People: (Singing)
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and
might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the
highest.
Commentary:
Sanctus is Latin for "holy." This is the heart of the Eucharist. We recall
Jesus' Last Supper with the disciples, the Passover meal, shared the day before
his crucifixion. The narrative is drawn almost verbatim from Biblical accounts
in Luke (22:19-22) and Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians (11:23-25). The
tradition of the Western Church has been that the recital of these words
brought about Christ's presence in the bread and wine; and so they are marked
with special solemnity and the ringing of bells. In the Eastern Tradition, the
invocation of the Holy Spirit was understood as the critical moment. The
Episcopal Church has always included both of these elements in its prayer and
has never tried to define a moment of transformation. It is sufficient to know
that in the offering of our prayer, Jesus becomes present in the elements and
action of the liturgy.
The Priest/Celebrant
continues:
At this point, people kneel as they
are able.
Holy and gracious Father: In your
infinite love you made us for yourself, and, when we had fallen into sin and
become subject to evil and death, you, in your mercy, sent Jesus Christ, your
only and eternal Son, to share our human nature, to live and die as one of us,
to reconcile us to you, the God and Father of all.
He stretched out his arms upon the
cross, and offered himself, in obedience to your will, a perfect sacrifice for
the whole world.
From the rubrics (instructions) in the
Book of Common Prayer: "At the following words concerning the bread, the
Celebrant is to hold it, or to lay a hand upon it; and at the words concerning
the cup, to hold or place a hand upon the cup and any other vessel containing
wine to be consecrated."
Priest: On the night he was
handed over to suffering and death, our Lord Jesus Christ took bread; and when
he had given thanks to you, he broke it, and gave it to his disciples, and
said, "Take, eat: This is my Body, which is given for you. Do this for the
remembrance of me."
 After
supper he took the cup of wine; 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. Whenever you
drink it, do this for the remembrance of me."
Therefore we proclaim the mystery of
faith:
Priest and People:
Christ has died. Christ is risen.
Christ will come again.
Priest: We celebrate the
memorial of our redemption, O Father, in this sacrifice of praise and
thanksgiving. Recalling his death, resurrection, and ascension, we offer you
these gifts.
Sanctify them by your Holy Spirit to be
for your people the Body and Blood of your Son, the holy food and drink of new
and unending life in him. Sanctify us also that we may faithfully receive this
holy Sacrament, and serve you in unity, constancy, and peace; and at the last
day bring us with all your saints into the joy of your eternal kingdom.
All this we ask through your Son Jesus
Christ: By him, and with him, and in him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit all
honor and glory is yours, Almighty Father, now and for ever.
Everyone: AMEN.
(This is known as the Great Amen.)
Priest: And now, as our Savior
Christ has taught us, we are bold to say...
The Eucharistic Prayer
ends with the congregation joining together in saying the Lord's Prayer. This
is the prayer that Jesus himself used and taught his disciples to pray (Matthew
6:9-13, Luke 11:2-4).
The Lord's Prayer
Commentary:
First the priest raises the bread high in what is called the Elevation. Then,
as the bread is broken (called the Fraction), we ponder the holy mystery of The
Eucharist. The host, which is the large wafer that the celebrant holds up, has
become the body of Christ, and now is broken, symbolizing Jesus' broken body on
the cross. Bread must be broken to be shared. Here we celebrate and give thanks
for Christ's gift of himself for us. In this church, all are welcome to come
forward and receive communion at Christ's table. This is more than just an
individual act. We come forward and gather together at the altar to symbolize
unity in Christ. Jesus offers himself so that we might become what we receive,
the Body of Christ.
The Episcopal Church
encourages people to receive communion in both kinds (bread and wine), although
you receive the full benefit of the sacrament if for some reason only one part
is received. Participants receive the bread either in extended hands crossed
with palms up or on the tongue. Wine is received from the chalice either
directly or by dipping the bread wafer into the consecrated wine and then
placing it into the mouth.
The Breaking of the Bread
Priest: [Alleluia.] Christ our
Passover is sacrificed for us;
People: Therefore let us keep
the feast. [Alleluia.]
The [Alleluia] is not said during
Lent, is mandatory at Easter, and is optional the rest of the time. The priest
or celebrant makes the determination; the congregation should just follow the
lead.
Priest: The Gifts of God for the
People of God.
(and may add)
Take them in remembrance that Christ
died for you, and feed on him in your hearts by faith, with thanksgiving.
Commentary: This
is the Welcome, or Invitation, to come and receive at the Altar rail. Those
seeking a blessing but not choosing to receive bread and wine may indicate so
by kneeling and crossing their arms across their chest a signal to the
Eucharistic ministers. We have both wheat-free and glutton-free communion
wafers in consideration for those with food allergies. Please speak in advance
to an usher or any of the clergy.
Communion
The celebrant and other ministers
assisting with the Eucharist will receive communion first. As they do, the
congregation will either sit or kneel. If the Choir is present they receive
next, followed by the congregation. The Ushers will assist in coordinating the
flow of communicants to the altar rail. When receiving communion, move into the
center aisle with the others in your pew and come forward. As space opens at
the Altar rail, come to the rail and either kneel or stand with hands open and
crossed in front of you.
The Bread and the Cup are given to
the communicants with these words
 Eucharistic
Minister (Priest or trained assistants):
The Body (Blood) of our Lord Jesus
Christ keep you in everlasting life. [Amen.]
or with these words
The Body of Christ, the bread of
heaven. [Amen.]
The Blood of Christ, the cup of
salvation. [Amen.]
The response to this blessing is to
say, "Amen." Once you have received the sacrament, return to your pew via the
outer aisles. Most Episcopalians prefer to use the moments after communion for
private prayer while kneeling, but others will sit quietly. Often a hymn is
sung by the choir.
If you do not wish to receive the
sacrament, you may remain in your pew without embarrassment. Please know that
at Saint Gregory's all are welcome to share in the Lord's Supper, but no one is
required.
Commentary: The
final prayer reminds us that as Christians, strengthened by the Eucharist and
empowered by the Holy Spirit, it is our mission to serve the world in the
Lord's name; to literally be the body, the hands, feet, eyes, ears and mouth of
Jesus in our communities. This formal conclusion of the communion was a
development of the 4th century.
 People may receive
the laying-on-of-hands for healing for themselves or on behalf of others at our
healing ministry located in the Saint Mary chapel in the north transept during
communion.
Post Communion Prayer
Priest: Let us pray.
Celebrant and People: Eternal
God, heavenly Father, you have graciously accepted us as living members of your
Son our Savior Jesus Christ, and you have fed us with spiritual food in the
Sacrament of his Body and Blood. Send us now into the world in peace, and grant
us strength and courage to love and serve you with gladness and singleness of
heart; through Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Blessing
The Priest says a blessing invoking the
Trinity (at which many, but not all, Episcopalians will make the sign of the
cross.) People stand and sing the closing hymn while the choir and officiants
process to the rear of the church.
Commentary:
Again from the 4th century, the service concludes with a blessing followed
by the dismissal. Since the beginning of the Church, it has been the Deacon who
gives the dismissal. It is a symbol of the Deacon's vows to send the Church out
into the world to serve the Lord.
 Closing
Hymn
Dismissal and Response
Deacon: Go in peace to love and
serve the Lord.
People: Thanks be to God!
or this
Deacon: Let us go forth into the
world, rejoicing in the power of the Spirit.
People: Thanks be to God.
The service does not end with
receiving the bread and the wine, but with the dismissal. Many Saint Gregory's
Parishioners like to remain in the pew to listen to the organ postlude, so if
you get up to leave at this point, please keep conversation quiet. As you leave
the church, the clergy will be at the doors to greet you.
Visitors are invited to stop by the
"Welcome Table" located at the entrance of the church. On the table are copies
of the most recent newsletter, The Steeple News, and information about St.
Gregory's ministry. Newcomers are invited to sign our guest book. The clergy
welcome the opportunity to speak to visitors about becoming part of the St.
Gregory's church family.
Acknowledgements
Thanks to the creative
people at:
Holy Trinity, Melo Park, California
St. Mary's, Eugene,
Oregon
Our own creative people at St. Gregory's
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