The Eucharistic Prayer for the Feast of St. Peter and St. Paul, Apostles

 P: It is truly right and a good and joyful thing 

that we should at all times and in all places, 

offer our thanks and praise to you, Holy

God through Christ our Lord. 

You fill our hearts with joy as we honor

your great apostles: 

Peter, our leader in the faith,

and Paul, the fearless preacher. 

Peter raised up the Church from the

faithful flock of Israel. 

Paul brought your call to the nations, and

became the teacher of the world. 

You made them shepherds of the flock to continue the work of your Son. 

Each in his chosen way gathered into unity the one family of Christ. 

Both shared a martyr’s death and are praised throughout the world. 

And so with the Church on earth, 

with Peter, Paul, and all the hosts of heaven, 

we praise your name and join their unending hymn:

The Sanctus is said or sung.

P: You are indeed holy, O God,

and blessed is your Son Jesus Christ. 

He is the eternal Shepherd who never leaves the flock untended. 

He chose Simon as his disciple,

the rock on which he would build Your church. 

On the Damascus Road he called Saul

to turn from a life of persecution and your Spirit rested upon him. 

By the baptism of his suffering, death, and

resurrection, 

you gave birth to your church, 

delivered us from slavery to sin and death, 

and made with us a new covenant by water

and the Spirit.

On the night before he suffered death, 

our Lord Jesus gathered his friends around

the table and as he took bread, he offered thanks to you; 

breaking it, and giving it to all of them, saying: 

“Take and eat; this is my body, given for

you. Do this for the remembrance of me.” 

After all of them had eaten, 

he again took the cup and offered thanks to you, 

and gave it for all to drink, saying: 

“This cup is the new covenant in my blood,

shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness

of sin. Do this for the remembrance of me.”

And so, in remembrance of these your mighty acts in Jesus Christ, 

we offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving 

as a holy and living sacrifice, 

in union with Christ’s offering for us, 

as we proclaim the mystery of faith: 

C: Christ has died. Christ has risen.

Christ will come again.

 

P: Pour out your Holy Spirit on us gathered here 

and on these gifts of bread and wine. 

As they are the body and blood of Christ for us, 

so may we be for the world the body of

Christ, redeemed by his blood. 

Illumine our lives, O God, with the radiance of Christ’s love, 

and inspire us to shine in faith and witness as his holy disciples. 

By your Spirit bind us to Christ,

one to another, 

together in ministry to all the world, 

until Christ comes in final victory and we

feast at the heavenly banquet. 

Through your son Jesus Christ, 

with the Holy Spirit in your holy church,

all honor and glory is yours, 

Almighty God, now and forever. 

C: Amen

P: And now, as God’s confident children,

we boldly pray:

C: Our Father in heaven...

Prayer for the Summer Solstice

Great Light, come and illume and guide us today. Shine forth with radiance and power into the darkness that covers this land. Let not the days of our destruction overcome us, let not the darkness have its way, leave us not to our own evil devices and immoral ways, but come and shine with brilliance over this nation, rise us again into that which we have been and can be again.

Light of the world, shine within me today, shine from within me today and all days hence forth, let naught but you be indwelling in me and naught but you stand out in me.

Great Light, be my guide and hold me fast that I may be the light upon a hill which cannot be hidden.

Shine forth and ever more!

Amen

(from The Community of Aidan and Hilda)

The Eucharistic Prayer for the Feast of St. Barnabas, Apostles

P: It is truly right and a good and joyful thing

that we should at all times and in all places,

offer our thanks and praise to you,

Holy God through Christ our Lord;

Throughout the ages you have been a God of second chances,

ever willing to forgive your children who hesitate or fall short of your expectations.

We glorify you for Jesus,

who after his resurrection sent forth his apostles

to preach the gospel and teach all nations,

and promised to be with them always,

even to the end of the age.

And so with the Church on earth,

with Barnabas and all the hosts of heaven,

we praise your name and join their unending hymn:

The Sanctus is said or sung.

P: You are indeed holy, O God, and blessed

is your Son Jesus Christ.

Your never failing love for your children has been revealed in him

as he lived and died to reconcile us to you.

By the baptism of his suffering, death, and resurrection,

you gave birth to your church,

delivered us from slavery to sin and death,

and made with us a new covenant by water

and the Spirit.

On the night before he suffered death,

our Lord Jesus gathered his friends around

the table and as he took bread, he offered thanks to you;

breaking it, and giving it to all of them, saying:

“Take and eat; this is my body, given for

you. Do this for the remembrance of me.”

After all of them had eaten,

he again took the cup and offered thanks to you,

and gave it for all to drink, saying:

“This cup is the new covenant in my blood,

shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness

of sin. Do this for the remembrance of me.”

And so, in remembrance of these your mighty acts in Jesus Christ,

we offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving

as a holy and living sacrifice,

in union with Christ’s offering for us,

as we proclaim the mystery of faith:

C: Christ has died. Christ has risen.

Christ will come again.

P: Pour out your Holy Spirit on us gathered

here and on these gifts of bread and wine.

As they are the body and blood of Christ for us,

so may we be for the world the body of Christ,

redeemed by his blood.

May we, like Barnabas, be ready to freely give of our own

to maintain what you have established.

By your Spirit bind us to Christ,

one to another,

together in ministry to all the world,

until Christ comes in final victory and we

feast at the heavenly banquet.

Through your son Jesus Christ,

with the Holy Spirit in your holy church,

all honor and glory is yours, Almighty God,

now and forever.

C: Amen

P: And now, as God’s confident children,

we boldly pray:

C: Our Father in heaven...

The Eucharistic Prayer for the Commemoration of The Martyrs of Uganda (June 3)

Better a day late than a dollar short--wait, I am more than a dollar short these days. Anyway, Uganda has been in the news lately, as its government seeks to officially persecute its GLBT citizens. It's not as though Uganda has been a safe place before. In 1886, the African nation of Uganda was ruled by a pedophile named Mwanga. When young Christians began to refuse his advances, he arranged for the murder of almost three dozen or so boys, mostly Roman Catholic and Anglican, by being burned alive. It is said that many of these martyrs went to their death singing the hymns of their faith, often even as the flames sought to engulf them as they were being burned at the stake alive. Less than a century later, another tyrant sought out those who opposed his rule and many Christians perished during the reign of Idi Amin Dada. Uganda is often considered the most Christianized nation on the continent.

P: It is truly right and a good and joyful thing
that we should at all times and in all places,
offer our thanks and praise to you,
Holy God through Christ our Lord.

You gave the martyrs the courage to lay down their lives in Christ’s service
and in faithful witness to your steadfast love.

And so with the Church on earth, with Charles Lwanga and all the martyrs of Uganda and all the hosts of heaven,
we praise your name and join their unending hymn:
The Sanctus is said or sung.

P: You are indeed holy, O God,
and blessed is your Son Jesus Christ.
He is the Good Shepherd who willingly laid down his life for his sheep.

By the baptism of Jesus’ suffering, death,
and resurrection,
you gave birth to your church,
delivered us from slavery to sin and death,
and made with us a new covenant by water and the Spirit.

On the night before he suffered death,
our Lord Jesus gathered his friends around
the table and as he took bread,
he offered thanks to you; breaking it, and
giving it to all of them, saying:
“Take and eat; this is my body, given for
you. Do this for the remembrance of me.”

After all of them had eaten,
he again took the cup and offered thanks to
you, and gave it for all to drink, saying:
“This cup is the new covenant in my blood,
shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness
of sin. Do this for the remembrance of me.”

And so, in remembrance of these your
mighty acts in Jesus Christ,
we offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving
as a holy and living sacrifice,
in union with Christ’s offering for us,
as we proclaim the mystery of faith.
C: Christ has died. Christ has risen.
Christ will come again.

P: Pour out your Holy Spirit on us gathered here
and on these gifts of bread and wine.
As they are the body and blood of Christ for us,
so may we be for the world the body of Christ,
redeemed by his blood.

Inspire us to give our lives in service to you
even though it may not mean that we share in the
suffering of your holy martyrs.

By your Spirit bind us to Christ,
one to another,
together in ministry to all the world,
until Christ comes in final victory and we
feast at the heavenly banquet.

Through your son Jesus Christ,
with the Holy Spirit in your holy church,
all honor and glory is yours, Almighty God,
now and forever.
C: Amen

P: And now, as God’s confident children,
we boldly pray:
C: Our Father in heaven...

The Eucharistic Prayer for the Commemoration of Blandina and Her Companions, Martyrs

There is a tendency to think that persecution of the early Christians happened only in places like Rome or Jerusalem. Sadly, the ugly part of the Roman Empire stretched to the north where, in 177, persecution of believers began in Lyons, France, and elsewhere. Christians first experienced social ostracism until the government became involved when being a Christian became grounds for detainment. Slaves in Christian households were taken into custody and tortured. Persecution knew no boundaries. In this year, civil unrest was nurtured among the citizenry and those especially chosen included an elderly Bishop, Pothinus, a deacon, Sanctus, a new convert, Maturus, and a slave, Blandina all of whom suffered death because of their faith and the false allegations made against the church. After their torturous deaths, their remains were casually tossed into the Rhone.

P: It is truly right and a good and joyful thing
that we should at all times and in all places,
offer our thanks and praise to you,
Holy God through Christ our Lord.

Throughout the ages, you stood by those
who witnessed to your love,
even to the point of offering up their very lives.

And so with the Church on earth,
with Blandina, Pothinus, Sanctus, Maturus,
and all the hosts of heaven,
we praise your name and join their unending hymn:
The Sanctus is said or sung.

P: You are indeed holy, O God,
and blessed is your Son Jesus Christ.
Fully God and fully human,
no vile was done by him
yet he took upon himself the sins of the world.

By the baptism of Jesus’ suffering, death,
and resurrection,
you gave birth to your church,
delivered us from slavery to sin and death,
and made with us a new covenant by water
and the Spirit.

On the night before he suffered death,
our Lord Jesus gathered his friends around
the table and as he took bread,
he offered thanks to you; breaking it,
and giving it to all of them, saying:
“Take and eat; this is my body, given for
you. Do this for the remembrance of me.”

After all of them had eaten,
he again took the cup and offered thanks to you,
and gave it for all to drink, saying:
“This cup is the new covenant in my blood,
shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness
of sin. Do this for the remembrance of me.”

And so, in remembrance of these your mighty acts in Jesus Christ,
we offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving
as a holy and living sacrifice,
in union with Christ’s offering for us,
as we proclaim the mystery of faith.
C: Christ has died.
Christ has risen.
Christ will come again.

P: Pour out your Holy Spirit on us gathered here
and on these gifts of bread and wine.
As they are the body and blood of Christ for us,
so may we be for the world the body of Christ,
redeemed by his blood.

May we be fully rooted in your love that we
might withstand any sufferings that come our way.

By your Spirit bind us to Christ,
one to another,
together in ministry to all the world,
until Christ comes in final victory
and we gather at the River with the white robed martyrs
and feast at the heavenly banquet.

Through your son Jesus Christ,
with the Holy Spirit in your holy church,
all honor and glory is yours, Almighty God,
now and forever.
C: Amen

P: And now, as God’s confident children, we boldly pray:
C: Our Father in heaven...