Worship Resources for
the Center for Faith and Giving
World Communion Sunday
World Communion Sunday opens the opportunity to focus the whole of worship on God’s love made known in the Lord’s Supper, celebrated each year across denominations on the first Sunday of October.
For a variety of ways to provide this focus, check out an old post from Carolyn Brown: http://worshipingwithchildren.blogspot.com/2011/09/year-proper-22-27th-sunday-in-ordinary.html
Call to Worship (adapted from Thom Shuman, posted at http://lectionaryliturgies.blogspot.com/2014/09/liturgy-wcommunion-for-october-5-
2014.html)
One: From north and south, from east and west, we come:
Many: people called to the Table
where simple grace nourishes us.
One: From down the street to across town,
from single households to apartment dwellers:
Many: God’s people are called to community,
where we live and serve one another.
One: From every class, every race, every status;
from little ones with sippy cups to elders with overflowing hearts:
Many: As God’s people we are called to witness to God’s hope,
to offer peace to a shattered world,
to feast together at one table of love.
Consider using this YouTube video or another to help the congregation visualize world communion: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umuWGjtW1jM)
Opening Prayer
Holy God, from all corners of earth, your people sing your praise and prepare to feast at your Table. Thank you for the opportunity to share in worship with sisters and brothers from around the globe as we sing in different languages, eat varied types of bread, and share this joyful communion with believers of different ages, races, languages. Gather us all into your loving embrace as we rejoice, sharing Christ’s love made visible in the loaf and in the cup. AMEN
Moment for Stewardship
Invite several folks to bring forward coins or bills from a variety of countries (or use visuals on the screen, or very descriptive language to help identify different currency), as you identify how congregations around the world are receiving an offering this morning.
Whether we share kwatcha, francs, pesos or dollars, we are invited to bring an offering today, to support this congregation and our world-wide ministries. (Describe one or two specific outreach ministries which are underwritten by your offering)
From the smallest coin to the largest check, every gift is valued, appreciated and will be used to sustain the work of Christ in the world.
With generous hearts and open hands, let us share our offering.
Prayer of Thanksgiving
God of all good gifts, we’ve gathered to grow in faith, to share our voices and to offer our gifts. We’ve offered these gifts, grateful for all we’ve received from your hand. Receive this offering. Fill us once more with your Spirit, and help us spread the Table love known here to all we encounter in the coming days. AMEN
Invitation to Communion
God creates and sustains our world, connecting us more surely than any world wide web, binding us together more closely than any cable.
On this World Communion Sunday, we gather around one extended table to give thanks for the beauty of God’s people, “church,” with all its varied denominations, with people of every color, nation, and culture.
Gracias a Dios! We thank God for beautiful music, in various languages.
Grazie Dio [Grat-zia Dee-O] (Italian) We offer thanks for worship in many forms.
Sin isiyeo gamsahabnida (Korean)
(Shin Ni Ye O Gamshab nit ha) We thank God for Jesus, whose compassion fills us, so we might share whenever we see brothers and sisters in need, whether next door or on the other side of the globe.
All are welcome at this Table. It extends from this sanctuary all around the globe, and there is bread and juice for all who will feast with Christ.
Come! The feast is prepared, and you have a place.