Covenant

Introduction:

This communion-style service, inspired by Frank Anderson's book ‘Eucharist’, was originally put together for a Year 12 class where only 30% of students were Catholics, at the conclusion of a study of the Book of Exodus.
For wine, grape juice may be used. Ordinary bread may be used.
Those taking part should bring a stone (fist sized should be specified). The setting could be: a cloth on a table, a tray on which to build the "altar of stones" (and catch the poured wine), a container of wine/juice, plate(s) of bread in pieces, empty glasses to receive the wine, and paper serviettes to wipe them.
Other hymns may be substituted, but the opening Monica Brown hymn is a centre piece. If unavailable, read from one of the synoptic gospels but make it clear the reader is not playing at being priest.
What happens in our own hearts in this prayer is what really matters.

Entrance hymn ‘Holy Ground’ ~ Monica Brown or 'Gather us O Lord' ~ Monica Brown

Leader:

We gather today to recall the covenant God made with his people in the time of Moses, and the New Covenant which Jesus made with his followers.
This celebration is not just a remembering a Covenant – Old or New. It is not an empty celebration of events which took place long ago. Today we are invited to renew our own covenant with God, the agreement between us and God. We are faithful to God’s law of love, and God promises to care for us.
Let us hear from the Old Testament of Covenant celebrations:
First of all one involving bread -

First Reader: A reading from the Book of Exodus, 13: 3, 6 - 10

Leader:

And now an Old Testament Covenant involving blood. We will act out the ceremony of Moses and I invite you all to say the underlined words together at the indicated points.

Second Reader: A reading from the Book of Exodus 24: 3 - 8

R/ Moses came and told the people all the words of the Lord and all his laws. The people responded with one voice,
‘Everything the LORD has said we will do.’

R/ He got up early the next morning and built an altar at the foot of the mountain and set up twelve stone pillars representing the twelve tribes of Israel.

(Pause while those present place stones to make an altar on the table)

R/ Then he sent young Israelite men, and they offered burnt offerings and sacrificed young bulls as fellowship offerings to the LORD. Moses took half of the blood and put it in bowls,

(pause while the leader or other person pours some wine/grape juice into the glasses )

R/ and the other half he sprinkled on the altar.
(The rest of the wine is poured over the stones forming the altar)

R/ Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it to the people. They responded,
"We will do everything the LORD has said; we will obey."

R/ Moses then took the blood, sprinkled it on the people and said, "This is the blood of the covenant that the LORD has made with you in accordance with all these words."

Leader:

We will not be sprinkled on the outside with the ‘blood’. We will wait to see that Jesus used this ancient ceremony to give us a new action which would become for us what we call Eucharist, or Holy Mass, or Communion.
The Last Supper, which was also a celebration of Passover (‘passing over the Red Sea from death to new life’), by the actions of Jesus around the table became our way of celebrating the new Passover. Jesus, by his death on the cross has won New Life for us. We remember this again, as the Hebrews of old did, using bread and wine (blood).

During the song which follows, the leader, or other person takes the bread (Verse 1) and the wine (Verse 2) and holds it up in blessing so that the presence of God in it can be sensed.

Song: ‘In Memory of You’ ~ Monica Brown

Leader:

As a sign of being One Covenant Community before God we recite the prayer which is common to all Christians of all churches throughout the world.
(If appropriate, hold hands to symbolise the unity which this prayer indicates.)

All:
Our Father…..

Leader:

We are now invited to share in the bread and the cup.
As we take the bread we reflect how we humans so often use a shared meal to show unity and friendship.
We are not sprinkled with blood as in the time of Moses. Instead as we take the cup let us be aware of washing internally in the life giving "blood" . Let us renew our commitment to God in this action.

Song: ‘One Bread One Body’ ~ John Foley, SJ

Leader:

As we leave let us once more make our commitment to God in the words of the Moses story.

All: Everything the Lord has said , we will do.

Leader:

Jesus by his death and resurrection has won for us New Life. Let us celebrate this Life.

Song: ‘He Rose’ ~ Monica Brown or 'Companions on the Journey' ~ Carey Landry

Brother Trevor Gibbons (Holy Spirit Province, PNG)