Communion elements with candles by Lars Hammar

A Great Thanksgiving for Christmas
A Great Thanksgiving is also known as a Eucharistic Prayer or Prayer for Holy Communion. It is used to consecrate the bread and the wine/grape juice.

ONE:
Holy One, Eternal and Blessed

ALL:
We lift up our hearts to You.

ONE:
You call the wonder of creation into being
And fill the world with beauty and goodness

ALL:
Receive our thanks and praise

ONE:
We join the heavens,
Your angels, prophets, apostles,
and Your faithful down through the ages
in declaring Your glory and good news

ALL:
Holy, holy, holy, Lord
God of power and might.
Heaven and earth are full of Your glory.
Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed is the One who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest!

ONE:
When the fullness of time had come
Your Creative Word, Your Glorious Good News
Became flesh
Humble, human, frail- yet fully divine
Conceived of the Holy Spirit
Nurtured and nourished by our sister Mary
Protected and mentored by our brother Joseph

ALL:
Come, O come, long awaited One

ONE:
The demands and burdens of the day left no place for Your birth.
The poor and the animals made room.
The proud sought Your power and Your death.
Wise Ones sought Your presence, brought You gifts.
The world despised and rejected You.
You responded with grace, forgiveness and new life.

ALL:
Jesus, I am poor of soul and spirit.
I confess my eternal need of You.
Enter in and make me whole.

ONE:
On the night in which he gave himself up for us,
Jesus took bread, gave thanks to You, broke the bread,
gave it to those gathered around the table, and said:
“Take, eat; this is my body which is given for You.
Do this in remembrance of me.”

When the supper was over, he took the cup,
gave thanks to You, gave it to those gathered and said:
“Drink from this, all of You;
this is my blood of the new covenant,
poured out for You and for many for the forgiveness of sins.
Do this, as often as You drink it, in remembrance of me.”

ALL:
We remember You, and welcome You,
and proclaim Your power:
Christ has died.
Christ is risen.
Christ will come again!

ONE:
Come Holy Spirit,
Abide with us and in us
And on these gifts of bread and wine
Make them be for us the body and blood of Christ
that we may carry Your welcome to all people
and be useful to You in Your saving work

ALL:
Holy One- Father, Son, Spirit
Your Kingdom come, Your will be done
All to the glory and honor of Your Name. Amen.

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For more work by today’s featured artist, Lars Hammar, click here

A Great Thanksgiving for Christmas © 2012 Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia
You are welcome to use this work in a worship setting with proper attribution.
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