I am continuing to post on my blog some liturgical resources I have published elsewhere. This is a version of the Great Thanksgiving which can be sung to HYMN TO JOY (commonly sung with "Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee").
A version set to music may be much easier to read and sing. You may find it published at the General Board of Discipleship Worship Website. Here is the text:
May the Lord our God be with you.
May God also be with you.
Let us lift our hearts and voices.
Yes, we lift them to the Lord.
Let us give our thanks and praise to God Almighty, Lord of love.
Hearts unfold like flowers before thee, opening to the sun above.
We give thanks to you, Creator, maker of the heavens and earth.
You have formed us in your image, breathed into us holy breath.
With your people on the earth and all the company of heav’n,
Now we lift your holy name and join in their unending hymn:
Holy, holy God of power, heav’n and earth are full of you.
Blessed is the one you sent. Hosannah in the highest praise!
Holy are you, and most blessed is your Son, Lord Jesus Christ.
Through your Spirit you anointed him to be our saving grace.
By baptism of his suffering, death, and resurrection life
You gave birth to Christ’s new body, Spirit-born and water-blessed.
You delivered us from evil, from our slavery to sin,
And have made of us new creatures, now the Church with faith professed.
(Words of institution may be spoken here, followed by the congregationally sung response below. Or the celebrant may continue singing.)
On the night that Jesus gave his heart for us, he took the bread,
Offered thanks to you and broke it, gave it to his friends and said:
"Take and eat, this is my body I am giving up for you.
As you eat it in remembrance, you will taste of life anew.”
When the holy feast was over, then he took the cov’nant cup,
Lifted it in thanks, and shared it, gave it to his friends to sup:
“Drink this, all of you, this is the blood of life poured out for you,
Every time you drink, remember I’ve poured out forgiveness, too.”
In remembrance of these acts, we give ourselves in thanks and praise.
Holy, living sacrifices, we proclaim faith’s mysteries:
“Christ has died and Christ is risen, Christ will come again one day.”
Pour your Holy Spirit on us, gathered in this place today.
Breathe your Spirit on these gifts of breaking bread and pouring cup,
Make them be for us the body and the blood of Jesus Christ.
By your Spirit, we become Christ’s body given for the world,
‘Til he comes in final victory and we feast forevermore.
Through your Son, Our Savior, Jesus, with the Holy Spirit’s power,
May the Church that you created honor you in every hour.
Yours the glory, yours the kingdom, all who live in love are thine,
Teach us how to love each other, lift us to the joy divine.
Adapted by Stephen P. West, copyright 2007 Stephen P. West
