The whole wide earth sings to the Lord!
Sing to the Lord, bless his Name!
We will tell of his salvation from day to day.
Declare his glory among the nations,
his marvelous works among all the peoples:
Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised!
Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice!
Let the sea roar, and all that fills it!
Let the field exult, and everything in it!
Then shall all the trees of the forest
sing for joy before the Lord.
For he is coming to judge the earth.
He will judge the world with righteousness,
and the peoples with his truth. [1]
We thank you, O God,
that tonight
the soles of your feet have touched the earth.
The back street and the forgotten place
have been lit up with significance,
as the households of earth
welcome the King of heaven—
for you have come among us…
you are one of us.
So may our song rise to surround your throne
as our knees bend to salute your cradle: [2]
The One whose first cradle was the wood of a manger
and whose hands shaped and smoothed the wood
of gentle yokes that made burdens light,
was, in the end, cradled upon the wood of a cross,
there destroying the power of death
even as he had affirmed the blessing of human life.
And when we eat of this loaf and drink from this cup,
we proclaim his death until he comes again. [3]
So we pray, O God,
that you will send now your Holy Spirit
to settle on this bread and wine,
that they may be for us the body and blood of Christ,
and on us
that we may be the body of Christ redeemed by his blood.
By that same Spirit, make us one with Christ
and one with each other in ministry to the world around us,
and may the bread we eat here
grant us strength for the journey,
and the wine we drink be the cup of joy.
With Christ and in Christ,
for Christ and through Christ,
we offer these prayers,
even as we pray together as Christ taught us.
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 debts as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.
NOTES
- From Psalm 96
- From Common Order (Church of Scotland)
- The Words of Institution were spoken during the Invitation.
