Communion at The Welcome Table

Prayer: O God, in the loving and liberating spirit of Jesus, we gather at this welcoming table open to all, remembering how Jesus gathered people from all the walks of life, stranger and friend and enemies, gave thanks to you, offered all the bread of life and the cup of blessing and proclaimed a covenant of love for all in your name. We remember too the wonder of his life, as we remember the wonder of all of Creation given unto us and how all are One. We remember the agony of his death, and all the terrors and the tyrannies that oppress people today. And we remember the power of resurrection, the mystery of faith in the everlasting Spirit, the triumph over fear. Help us to remember to practice resurrection everyday, as we remember all those who have given Love the ultimate trust and the last word and who have worked to create the beloved community of renewed and abundant life. Help us to remember with this meal especially all those who are hungry, and may we treat all our meals as sacred and to be shared. Take us, bless us, so that even in and with our brokenness we may serve others. Amen. Jesus said I was hungry and you gave me food. I was thirsty and you gave me drink. I was a stranger and you welcomed me. I was naked and you clothed me. I was sick and you visited me. I was in prison and you came to me. And they said, Lord, when did we do this? And he said, You did this for me when you did it for the least of these.

Here is the bread of life, food for the spirit. Let all who hunger come and eat. Here is the fruit of the vine pressed and poured out for us. Let all who thirst now come and drink. We come to make peace. We come to be restored in the love of God. We come to be made new as an instrument of that love. All are worthy. All are welcome. (from Singing the Living Tradition hymnal, Rob Eller-Isaacs)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbOyBxQLr8Q&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrE55uXHdeU&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VZ3oWo--AM&feature=related

Let us Break Bread Together on our knees, let us break bread together on our knees when I fall on my knees with my face to the rising sun o Lord have mercy on me Let us drink wine together on our knees let us drink wine together on our knees when I fall on my knees with my face to the rising sun o Lord have mercy on me let us praise God together on our knees let us praise God together on our knees when I fall on my knees with my face to the rising sun O Lord have mercy on me.

Passing the Plate and Cup of Communion: The Bread of Life, The Cup of Hope
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C__o5T2__YE       http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wxljWncd8k&feature=related   

1.We’re gonna sit at the welcome table, we’re gonna sit at the welcome table one of these days halleluia We’re gonna sit at the welcome table, gonna sit at the welcome table one of these days 2.All kinds of people round that table, all kinds of people round that table one of these days halleluia, all kinds of people around that table, gonna sit at the welcome table one of these days 3.No fancy style at the welcome table, no fancy style at the welcome table one of these days halleluia, no fancy style at the welcome table, gonna sit at the welcome table one of these days.

Evening Prayer in Lent

Each Thursday during Lent, we gather at 6 pm for this Vespers Service, at The Welcome Table Community Center, 5920 N. Owasso Ave.
You are welcome to join us, face to face, or if you are encountering this online, by participating and sharing prayers in the comment section and using the liturgy as a daily or weekly evening time of prayer and meditation and study.
The Welcome Table A Progressive Missional New Monastic Community in An Abandoned Place of Empire.
Following the radical Jesus in deeds not creeds. Join us in service to our community throughout the week. Our Welcome Table of Worship is open to all who welcome all, regardless of belief or denomination, race, gender, sexual orientation, age, physical abilities, economic status, or political affiliations. We don’t think Jesus would have it any other way. Free because we are non-creedal. We don’t give theological tests for admission, but encourage you to test us and try us to see if this way is for you. Universalist because we believe God is Love and All who abide in Love abide in God for all time. Christian because the generous compassionate way and story of Jesus, while not exclusively so, is our primary pathway opening up to God. Missional because we are sent to serve others more than ourselves. Community because we are made not to be autonomous individuals but to be a people of God.

Lenten Vespers
Invocation
Today is the day which God has made: Let us rejoice and be glad therein. What does the Eternal require of us? To live justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God.

Chalice Lighting Covenant
This is our covenant as we walk together in life together or apart, in ways of God known or to be made known, as a people of God striving to make Jesus visible in the world: In the light of truth, and the loving and liberating spirit of Jesus, we gather in freedom, to worship God, and serve all.

Evening Response
Now as we come to the setting of the sun and our eyes behold the evening light, we sing your praises, O God, for the blessings of the day, and we seek your presence as we face the night, finding your spirit there, waiting.

Song #46, Singing The Living Tradition, first verse, followed by humming the tune: Now The Day Is Over, Night Is Drawing Nigh, Shadows of the Evening, Steal Across the Sky http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVR3HoRJfLA&feature=related

Prayer of Confession: Gracious and Loving God, we have erred and strayed from thy ways. We have followed too much the desires and devices of our own hearts. We have left undone those things we ought to have done, and done those things we ought not to have done. But, Thou, O God, have mercy upon us, You Restore Us with a pure heart and a gentle voice, and turn our lives to You, in service to others, especially those in affliction and oppression and those in need. Amen.

Prayers interspersed with Silent Meditation Embrace our darkness, we beg you, O Lord, and by your great mercy be with us in the midst of all perils and dangers. (You are invited to speak names of those for prayer each followed by unison response Hear our prayer. Please share your prayer requests, and blessings, in the comment section below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GV3sV3e-2a8 I lie down this night with God, gaelic night prayer meditation

The Lord's Prayer
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, lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever.Amen.

Reading and Conversation: We have been discussing selections from Father John Dear's book The Questions of Jesus. http://www.johndear.org/articles/theQuestionofJesus.htm http://www.johndear.org/books/questionsofjesus2.htm

Responsive Reading #637, A Litany of Atonement For remaining silent when a single voice wold have made a difference We forgive ourselves and each other, we begin again in love. For each time our fears have made us rigid and inaccessible. We forgive ourselves and each other, we begin again in love. For each time that we have struck out in anger without just cause We forgive ourselves and each other, we begin again in love. For each time that our greed has blinded us to the needs of others We forgive ourselves and each other, we begin again in love. For falling short of the admonitions of the spirit We forgive ourselves and each other, we begin again in love. For losing sight of our unity We forgive ourselves and each other, we begin again in love. For those and for so many acts both evident and subtle which have fueled the illusion of separateness We forgive ourselves and each other, we begin again in love. --Robert Eller-Isaacs

Hymn 101 Abide With Me http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5nbq_VEea0

Responsive Reading 642, Psalm 23 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. 3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. 5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

http://theory.stanford.edu/~oldham/church/ps23-translations-2006Feb22/ps23-translations-2006Feb22.pdf For a variety of translations of this Psalm

Benediction: May the peace of God go with you, wherever you are sent; may God guide you through the wilderness, protect you through the storm; may God bring you home rejoicing, at the wonders you have seen; may God bring you home rejoicing, once again into our doors.