OPENING PRAYER:

ALL: **O God, you who desire our healing and transformation, be with us at this table as we seek your will and your vision for ourselves and for one another and for our church and world. Soften the hard places in our hearts as we are fed by your love. Strengthen our resolve to let go of hurt and anger as we feed each other. Open us to the energy of your compassion and hospitality. We count on your grace and mercy. Amen.**

OPENING PRAISE: Songs and Prayers from Taizé<sup>14</sup>

*(Sharing: Congregational songs need to be easy and simple to sing together. Global music such as Taizé and other international music such as Korean or African traditional song is recommended. I chose Taizé for this liturgy because that music is short, easy to remember, and comfortable to sing with others due to its repetitive nature.)*

Bless the Lord (*Songs & Prayers from Taizé* #9)

Laudate Dominum (Taizé Chant: *Songs & Prayers from Taizé* #35)

Magnificat (*Songs & Prayers from Taizé* #45)

WORD I: Eucharistic Blessing of the Meal and the Meal Community

Leader: The Lord be with you.

**People: And also with you.**

Leader: Lift up your hearts.

**People: We lift them up to the Lord.**

Leader: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

**People: It is right to give our thanks and praise.**

*(Flexibility: The prayer continues on the basis of the liturgical theme related to God's justice and healing conflict. It would be desirable for persons of all generations to prepare prayers in advance as that will help them develop materials that relate directly to the theme.)*

#### **Children and Teens:**

We are grateful because God is always with us.

From the beginning, God made the world and all its creatures.

God made us to live for God's justice and for one another.

**Adults:**

Jesus came as one of us,

first an infant, then a child,

later a youth, then an adult.

He rejoiced with those who rejoice and wept with those who wept.

To the despairing, he spoke a word of hope.

To the sick, he gave healing.

To the suffering, he was a friend.

Still, people turned away from him.

They betrayed Jesus and nailed him to a cross.

But you lifted him from the grave and restored him to life,

that he might be with us and we with him, alive forevermore!

Therefore, we join our voices

with the whole creation to praise the glory of Your name:

**ALL: Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might**

H**eaven and earth are full of your glory.**

H**osanna in the highest.**

B**lessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.**

H**osanna in the highest.**

*(The Word of Institution for Bread: If the church by its rules or tradition designates certain persons such as ordained people to only preside the administration of the Word of Institution, participants, who belong to that tradition, need to respect that arrangement. If the church is free from such regulations, any generation can read it as a story.)*

*We gather at this table to remember that on the night before he died, Jesus ate with his friends, he took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it, he broke it and gave it to them, saying: "Take, eat. This is my body, given for you. Each time you do this, remember me."*

PRAISE: "*Eat This Bread/Drink This Cup*" UMH 628

*(While signing, the first course of the meal, bread, and salad, is served family-style)*<sup>15</sup>

#### MEAL SERVED ABD EAT

WORD II: *Sharing and Holistic Artistry: The congregation will engage this part of the service after eating. The pastor and/or persons of any generation can freely share the meaning of eating and drinking from the Bible. There are great stories of God's justice and healing from conflicted relationships related to eating and drinking in the Bible, such as the story of Manna and Quail, the* *tale of the two fish and five loaves, the wedding at Cana, the Last Supper, eating with tax collectors, and sinners, or eating with Zacchaeus. The pastor and/or people of any generation can share its meanings and life applications with images, music, films, poetry, dance, body language, or any other visual arts. People can share any real-life stories, local and global news, related to the issue of eating and drinking with participants (Byars 2011, pp. 183–307).*<sup>16</sup>

PRAISE: *Confitemini Domino* (*Give Glory to the Lord: Songs & Prayers from Taizé* #28)

*(While signing, the main course of the meal is served, family-style)*

#### MEAL SERVED ABD EAT

## WORD III:

*(Ubiquity and Sharing: This part of the service will take place while the congregation eats. All generations share their reflections, feelings, and thoughts/concerns with one another at each table on the particular liturgical theme of the day*<sup>17</sup> *and they may suggest the life applications with each other. They can talk freely while they eat.)*

PRAISE: Ubi Caritas (*Songs & Prayers from Taizé* #49)

*(While signing, the last course of the meal, tea and dessert, is served)*

#### CONTINUING WORD

*(The Word of Institution for the cup: If the church by its rules or tradition designates ordained people to only preside the administration of the Word of Institution, participants, who belong to that tradition, need to respect that policy. If the church is free from such regulations, any generation can read it as a story.)*

**That same night, Jesus also took a cup, and after giving thanks, passed it to his friends, saying: "Drink. This cup, poured out for you, is the promise of God. Whenever you drink it, remember me."**

*A small serving of grape juice can be placed in their cups for the blessing and sharing of the cup.*
