The Fellowship Meal not only goes back to the early days of the church; it was brought into the church from the parent-faith, Judaism. The meals enjoyed by Jewish religious fraternities, the meals described in the Gospel stories, the meals in Jewish homes today on Sabbath Eve or Festival and other meals recorded in early Christian writings all help us to understand what an Agape is. In modern times the Agape was revived by the Moravians, and through them by the Methodists, under the name “Love-Feast”.
THE LIGHTING OF THE EVENING LAMP
- The household members gather in the darkness.
- Quiet music is being played.
- A member of the household lights a candle.
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
We give you thanks, O God,
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord;
for in his face
we see the light of the knowledge of your glory;
and in him
you have called us out of darkness
into your marvellous light.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen.
A HYMN TO THE RISEN CHRIST (APBA, p6)
1 Christ our Passover has been sacrificed for us:
so let us celebrate the feast.
2 Not with the old leaven of corruption and wickedness:
but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
3 Christ once raised from the dead dies no more:
Death has no more dominion over him.
4 In dying he died to sin once for all:
In living he lives to God.
5 See yourselves therefore as dead to sin:
and alive to God in Jesus Christ our Lord.
6 Christ has been raised from the dead:
the first fruits of those who sleep.
7 For as by one man came death:
by another has come also resurrection of the dead.
THE READING OF THE GOSPEL
A member of the household reads Luke 24:13-49
A PRAYER BEFORE EATING
Be present, be present, Lord Jesus,
as you were in the midst of your disciples;
and make yourself known to us in the breaking of the bread:
(Here the bread is broken)
for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit,
one God, world without end.
Amen.
(The bread is then passed around, each person in turn breaking off a piece.)
THE MEAL
Towards the end of the meal, these intercessions may be used:
Jesus, light of the world,
bring the light and peace of you gospel to the nations.
Jesus, Lord of life.
in your mercy, hear us
Jesus, bread of life,
give food to the hungry
and nourish us all with your word.
Jesus, Lord of life.
in your mercy, hear us
Jesus, the way, the truth, the life,
be with us and all who follow you in the way.
Deepen our appreciation of your truth
and fill us with your life.
Jesus, Lord of life.
in your mercy, hear us
Jesus, Good Shepherd who gave your life for the sheep,
recover the straggler,
bind up the injured,
strengthen the sick
and lead the healthy and strong to new pastures.
Jesus, Lord of life.
in your mercy, hear us
Jesus, the resurrection and the life,
We give you thanks for all who have lived and believed in you
Raise us with them to eternal life.
Jesus, Lord of life.
in your mercy, hear us,
accept our prayers, and be with us always. Amen.
(Silence)
THE CONCLUSION
Lord, we thank you
for making yourself known to us
through Your Son in the Scriptures.
We look forward to that day
when we shall gather again as your body
to share in your supper and proclaim your praises.
May the God of peace,
who raised to life the great shepherd of the sheep,
make us ready to do His will in every good thing,
through Jesus Christ,
to whom be glory forever and ever.
Alleluia! Amen.
Abbreviated from An Agape for Easter, 1974, prepared by The Ecumenical Liturgical Centre, Kew. The intercessions are taken from New Patterns for Worship, Copyright The Archbishops’ Council 2002.
