Gathered with the Saints
Service Prayers for All Saints Day  
November 1, 2014

LECTIONARY TEXTS 

Revelation 7:9-17, Psalm 34:1-10, 22, I John 3:1-3, Matthew 5:1-12

GATHERING RITUAL

Place votive candles on a table in an accessible and visible location within the worship space.  If your Communion Table/Altar is large enough to include at least as many candles as you will have people in attendance and serve Communion from as well, then this would be the ideal place for the candles.  Place the Paschal candle, or other large candle on or near the table.  Invite people to come forward and light one of the votive candles in memory of a loved one who has died and place it back on the table.  The candle’s light will symbolize the presence of those who have gone from our sight but not our hearts.

As people are coming forward invite your musician play a meditative piece, or invite the congregation sing a simple repetitive chant or a round like: 
Gathered Here, New Century Hymnal # 742 or 
Gather Us, O God, Sing! Prayer and Praise # 45.

SOLEMN DECLARATION

One:		+In the name of the Creator, the Christ and the Holy Spirit.
Many: 		Amen.

OPENING SENTENCES

Bless the Sovereign at all times.
Salvation belongs to our God.
The Sovereign heard our cry and delivered us from our fear.
Salvation belongs to our God.
No one who takes refuge in the Sovereign will be condemned.
Salvation belongs to our God.
			
OPENING HYMN – Shall We Gather at the River, New Century Hymnal # 597

OPENING PRAYER

Sovereign of Creation, 
all that we have comes from you.
When we turned away, 
you called us home and patiently waited our return.
We gather in your presence, 
surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, 
people from every tribe and nation, 
every kindred and tongue, 
to lift our voices in praise, 
to be transformed into your saints, 
to be sent out to gather others to share the eternal banquet.
Hear the praise we offer, 
work in us and through us.
You alone are holy, 
you alone are the Most High, 
you alone are worthy of our praise. 
Glory to you O God, 
and to the Lamb that was slain 
and to the Spirit that unites us all, 
today and ever more. 
Amen.

RESPONSE – chorus from Adeste Fideles, New Century Hymnal # 135 in English or Latin.  
You may also consider using the words:

		For you alone are worthy,
For you alone are worthy,
For you alone are worthy,
Christ the Lord.
				
READING SACRED TEXTS

SERMON

HYMN OF THE DAY – I Sing a Song of the Saints of God, New Century Hymnal # 295

CONFESSION OF SIN

The chorus of an old hymn asks,
“Are you washed in the blood,
In the soul cleansing blood of the Lamb?
Are your garments spotless? Are they white as snow?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?”
We may not use that particular imagery any more, but the truths of the questions remain.  
Can you stand without the mark of sin upon you?  
Have you surrendered to God all that you have done or left undone that would separate you from God or God’s creation?  
Have you been forgiven?  
I invite you to take these moments of quiet reflection to cast your cares upon God.  Let the river of life refresh you and carry your sin as far from you as the east is from the west.  Let God wipe the tears from your eyes and welcome you home.
Let us pray.

Time for personal reflection and confession.

Salvation belongs to you, O God.  Forgive us our sin.  Renew us, refresh us and help us rebuild our lives so that they are reflections of your love for all people.  We pray in the name of the Lamb that was slain.  Amen.

ASSURANCE OF PARDON

Salvation belongs to our God.  
Our sins are forgiven. 
 
RESPONSE 

Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.	(Rev. 7: 12b)

And/or

Gloria, New Century Hymnal # 756

STATEMENT OF FAITH

MORNING PRAYERS – See General Prayer in Book of Worship: United Church of Christ (BOW) p. 507

OFFERTORY INVITATION

Our mission is to engage in God’s mission to 
feed the hungry, 
give something to drink to the thirsty 
and to wipe the tears from every eye.
This is accomplished through our gifts of time, talent and treasure. 
Give generously so that God’s will might be 
done on earth as it is in heaven. 

OFFERTORY DEDICATION

Living God, 
we are your people, we carry your presence.
Use us and our gifts to accomplish your mission in the world.
Multiply our effort to meet every need.
This we pray in the name of Christ, 
whom with you and the Holy Spirit, 
reign in our hearts and lives, 
one God now and forever. Amen.

HOLY COMMUNION

		Come; gather around the throne of grace with a song of praise!

Stand and Sing: Holy, Holy, Holy v. 1-3, New Century Hymnal # 277.  Use the fourth verse in place of a Sanctus, where I have placed verse 4 below.

The congregation may remain standing

God be with you.				And with your spirit.
	Lift up your hearts				We lift them up to God.
Give thanks to God.	It is right to give God thanks and praise.
	
Communion Prayer – See BOW 45

Preface

We remember all who have gone before us into your eternal splendor especially those in memory of whom we lit candles at the beginning of our worship and those of our faith community who have died in the last year . . . (You may include here the names of members of the congregation that died in the past year).

We join them and all the angels and saints of heaven to sing the hymn of unending praise.

Sing Holy, Holy, Holy, v. 4, New Century Hymnal # 277.  

The congregation may be seated.

The Words of Institution/Remembrance (see BOW p. 47)

Prayer of Consecration

Holy God, descend your Spirit upon these gifts of grain and grape that they might be for us the presence of the living Christ and pour out your Spirit upon us so that we might be reflections of your likeness in a hurting world so that others might know the blessings of living in communion with you and one another.  
Through Christ, with Christ and in Christ, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor are yours Almighty God, now and forever.  
Amen.

Breaking and Pouring
	
The Prayer of Our Savior

The Distribution

The Blessing

One:	May the presence of Christ, Body and Spirit, keep and preserve you to everlasting life.

Thanksgiving

	One:	Let us pray.
All:	Thank you most Holy God, for meeting us here in this simple meal.  May your presence within us ripple beyond us with ever expanding implications until the day when you gather all your saints from the four winds to share in your eternal banquet.  In all our words and actions may your name be praised now and forever more.  Amen.

SENDING HYMN – For All the Saints, New Century Hymnal # 299
				
SENDING

Go forth from this place 
as a flowing stream in the midst of a parched desert, 
pouring the love of God upon the hearts and lives 
of all you meet so that hope might take root and blossom.
		As you go, know that the
+ 	God who created you, 
the Christ who redeems you 
and the Spirit who empowers you 
is with you today and ever more.
Amen. 

+ You may make a sign of the cross.

Written by the Rev. Dr. Bob Gross, OCC, designated minister at First Congregational Church of Akron, OH. Rev. Gross is a member of the Order of Corpus Christi, (OCC), which is an ecumenical covenantal community that seeks to be a contemporary expression of the Mercersburg Tradition.

Copyright 2014 Local Church Ministries, Faith Formation Ministry Team, United Church of Christ, 700 Prospect Avenue, Cleveland, OH  44115-1100.  Permission granted to reproduce or adapt this material for use in services of worship or church education.  All publishing rights reserved.