The Preparation

If you wish, open with a song/s.

The leader says

Grace and peace to you from God
God fill you with truth and joy.

We say together:

Almighty God,
to whom all hearts are open,
all desires known,
and from whom no secrets are hidden;
cleanse the thoughts of our hearts
by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit,
so that we may truly love you
and worthily praise your holy name:
through our Saviour Jesus Christ.
Amen.

The Confession

The leader says

Happy are those whose sins are forgiven,
whose wrongs are pardoned.
I will confess my sins to the Lord,
I will not conceal my wrongdoings.

We keep silence

God forgives and heals us.
We need your healing, merciful God:
give us true repentance.
Some sins are plain to us;
some escape us,
some we cannot face.

Forgive us;
set us free to hear your word to us;
set us free to serve you.

The leader says

Hear the word of God to all.
God shows love for us
in that while we were yet sinners
Christ died for us. Amen.

The Readings

We encourage you to use the Gospel reading from the Lectionary for today. Feel free to add in other readings as you wish.

An online version of the Lectionary can be found right here

You may wish to take turns reading portions of the Scripture with your group.

Teaching and Reflection

Your local Parish may have provided some resources such as a printed sermon or video content for today. You can read or play this now, and then enter a short time of discussion based on the following questions:

• What stood out for you in today's scripture and reflection?

• In the context of our present reality, what is God calling you to do?

Prayer

We encourage you to enter a time of prayer for our world, our communities and for each other - which can conclude together with:

God of mercy,
you have given us grace to pray with one heart and one voice;
and have promised to hear the prayers
of two or three who agree in your name;
fulfil now, we pray,
the prayers and longings of your people
as may be best for us and for your kingdom.
Grant us in this world to know your truth,
and in the world to come to see your glory.
Amen.

The Peace

We encourage you to share the peace with one another, using creative non-contact ways of doing so!

Our Thanksgiving

The leader says

Let us give glory to God, our Creator, Redeemer and Sanctifier.
Glory to God in the highest.
Glory to God in the highest.

God our Creator, we thank you for the world you have made;
we thank you for your loving care watching over all creation;
we thank you for entrusting part of your world to us to tend,
to care for and to develop.
Glory to God in the highest.

You made us to know you and to be near you,
our hearts are restless until we come to you.
To bring us nearer to you when we were still far off,
you sent your prophets and teachers
to show us the glory of your steadfast love.
Glory to God in the highest.

The wonder of your redeeming love was fully shown
in Jesus the Christ, who walked among us as one of us,
meeting us face to face,
person to person, God in human form.
Glory to God in the highest.

Yet we did not value him and sent him to death,
a death he freely accepted,
stretching out his arms on the cross
to embrace the whole human race
and to bear our sin in himself.
By his death and resurrection,
death is destroyed and we are delivered from sin
to share his risen life.
Glory to God in the highest.

You sent your Holy Spirit upon your Church
so that, in Jesus, we are united to you, Father,
with all the redeemed.
Glory to God in the highest.

We thank you that we can worship you
with prayer and praise as one with all your people.
Above all we thank you for the sacrament
of the body and blood of Christ.
Glory to God in the highest.

Sharing the Eucharist

The leader continues

E te whānau, we are the body of Christ.
By one Spirit we were baptised into one body.

God, creator of time and space,
may the love and faith which makes
this bread the body of Christ
enfold us now.
We thank you for the blood of Christ
that covers us as we put our trust in Him.
Make us one with
the whole body of Christ.
May Christ’s Holy Spirit
bring to us in the sacrament
the strength we need,
and an abiding trust
in your gift of eternal life.
Amen.

As we give the bread, we say to each other

The body of Christ given for you.
Ko te tinana o tō tātou Ariki, i tukua nei mōu.