Lima Eucharistic Liturgy

Upon recommendation by the Commission on Christian Worship, the 1986 synod commended the Lima Eucharistic Liturgy to the churches “as a provisional form for occasional use” (MGS 1986, R-1, p. 168). The Lima Eucharistic Liturgy is recommended for occasional use by churches, presumably in ecumenical settings and within the context of a particular congregation’s worship when the RCA’s relationship to the universal Christian church is emphasized. Therefore, approval of this liturgy for use by RCA congregations should not be understood to imply regular use or adoption of the form.

P = Presiding Minister
C = Congregation
O = Another Celebrant

Liturgy of the Eucharist

PREPARATION
O. Blessed are you, Lord God of the universe, you are the giver of this bread, fruit of the earth and of human labour, let it become the bread of Life.
C. Blessed be God, now and for ever!
O. Blessed are you, Lord God of the universe, you are the giver of this wine, fruit of the vine and of human labour, let it become the wine of the eternal Kingdom.
C. Blessed be God, now and for ever!
O. As the grain once scattered in the fields and the grapes once dispersed on the hillside are now reunited on this table in bread and wine, so, Lord, may your whole Church soon be gathered together from the corners of the earth into your Kingdom.
C. Maranatha! Come Lord Jesus! 

DIALOGUE
P. The Lord be with you.
C. And also with you.
P. Lift up your hearts.
C. We lift them to the Lord.
P. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
C. It is right to give him thanks and praise.

PREFACE
P. Truly it is right and good to glorify you, at all times and in all places, to offer you our thanksgiving O Lord, Holy Father, Almighty and Everlasting God.

Through your living Word you created all things, and pronounced them good. You made human beings in your own image, to share your life and reflect your glory. When the time had fully come, you gave Christ to us as the Way, the Truth and the Life. He accepted baptism and consecration as your Servant to announce the good news to the poor.

At the last supper Christ bequeathed to us the eucharist, that we should celebrate the memorial of the cross and resurrection, and receive his presence as food. To all the redeemed Christ gave the royal priesthood and, in loving his brothers and sisters, chooses those who share in the ministry, that they may feed the Church with your Word and enable it to live by your Sacraments.

Wherefore, Lord, with the angels and all the saints, we proclaim and sing your glory:

SANCTUS
C. Holy, Holy, Holy…

EPICLESIS I
P. O God, Lord of the universe, you are holy and your glory is beyond measure. Upon your eucharist send the life-giving Spirit, who spoke by Moses and the prophets, who overshadowed the Virgin Mary with grace, who descended upon Jesus in the river Jordan and upon the Apostles on the day of Pentecost.

May the outpouring of this Spirit of Fire transfigure this thanksgiving meal that this bread and wine may become for us the body and blood of Christ.
C. Veni Creator Spiritus!

INSTITUTION
P. May this Creator Spirit accomplish the words of your beloved Son, who, in the night in which he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks to you, broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying: Take, eat: this is my body, which is given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me. After supper he took the cup and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them and said: Drink this, all of you: this is my blood of the new covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this for the remembrance of me. Great is the mystery of faith.
C. Your death, Lord Jesus, we proclaim!
Your resurrection we celebrate!
Your coming in glory we await!

ANAMNESIS
P. Wherefore, Lord, we celebrate today the memorial of our redemption: we recall the birth and life of your Son among us, his baptism by John, his last meal with the apostles, his death and descent to the abode of the dead; we proclaim Christ’s resurrection and ascension in glory, where as our Great High Priest he ever intercedes for all people; and we look for his coming at the last. United in Christ’s priesthood, we present to you this memorial: Remember the sacrifice of your Son and grant to people everywhere the benefits of Christ’s redemptive work.
C. Maranatha, the Lord comes!

EPICLESIS II
P. Behold, Lord, this eucharist which you yourself gave to the Church and graciously receive it, as you accept the offering of your Son whereby we are reinstated in your Covenant. As we partake of Christ’s body and blood, fill us with the Holy Spirit that we may be one single body and one single spirit in Christ, a living sacrifice to the praise of your glory.
C. Veni Creator Spiritus!

COMMEMORATIONS
O. Remember, Lord, your one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church, redeemed by the blood of Christ. Reveal its unity, guard its faith, and preserve it in peace.

Remember, Lord, all the servants of your Church: bishops, presbyters, deacons, and all to whom you have given special gifts of ministry.

(Remember especially…)

Remember also all our sisters and brothers who have died in the peace of Christ, and those whose faith is known to you alone: guide them to the joyful feast prepared for all peoples in your presence, with the blessed Virgin Mary, with the patriarchs and prophets, the apostles and martyrs…

and all the saints for whom your friendship was life.

With all these we sing your praise and await the happiness of your Kingdom where with the whole creation, finally delivered from sin and death, we shall be enabled to glorify you through Christ our Lord;

C. Maranatha, the Lord comes!

CONCLUSION
P. Through Christ, with Christ, in Christ, all honour and glory is yours, Almighty God and Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, now and for ever.
C. Amen.

THE LORD’S PRAYER
O. United by one baptism in the same Holy Spirit and the same Body of Christ, we pray as God’s sons and daughters:
C. Our Father,…

THE PEACE
O. Lord Jesus Christ, you told your apostles: Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you. Look not on our sins but on the faith of your Church; in order that your will be done, grant us always this peace and guide us toward the perfect unity of your Kingdom for ever.
C. Amen.
P. The peace of the Lord be with you always.
C. And also with you.
O. Let us give one another a sign of reconciliation and peace.

THE BREAKING OF THE BREAD
P. The bread which we break is the communion of the Body of Christ, the cup of blessing for which we give thanks is the communion in the Blood of Christ.

LAMB OF GOD
C. Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, grant us peace.

COMMUNION

THANKSGIVING PRAYER
P. In peace let us pray to the Lord: O Lord our God, we give you thanks for uniting us by baptism in the Body of Christ and for filling us with joy in the eucharist. Lead us towards the full visible unity of your Church and help us to treasure all the signs of reconciliation you have granted us. Now that we have tasted of the banquet you have prepared for us in the world to come, may we all one day share together the inheritance of the saints in the life of your heavenly city, through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, ever one God, world without end.
C. Amen.

FINAL HYMN

WORD OF MISSION

BLESSING
P. The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face to shine on you and be gracious to you. The Lord look upon you with favour and give you peace. Almighty God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, bless you now and forever.
C. Amen.