An Agapé or Love Feast is a way of breaking bread together as Jesus did with people in all sorts of settings. You may like to join in at home with some bread and wine or juice.
Giving Thanks
We have bread and wine, gifts of this good earth, enough for all, if we can share!
Gracious God we give you thanks for all the many blessings in our lives and ask that you would bless us now as we share your good gifts
in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Breaking Bread
Loving God, you provide enough for everyone: this earth is fertile, fruitful and abundant, but we are sometimes greedy, wasteful and selfish.
Many go hungry despite our plenty, many are left outside while we enjoy a feast.
But on the hillside, in the wilderness, with five thousand and more hungry people, Jesus took the bread that they had, broke it and gave thanks to you.
He shared the bread, so that no one should be left out, and they all ate and were satisfied.
Blessed be God forever!
Blessing Wine
Hurting God, you hurt with our pains, you weep with our tears; when you see how we struggle and suffer.
You long for our peace, yet we so often make war. You long for our healing and wholeness, yet we so often turn away from you.
But at a wedding in Cana when the wine ran out, Jesus asked them to fill the empty jars with water, and by your grace, water became wine, sadness was turned to joy, and all were able to share in the best wine of all.
Blessed be God forever!
Sharing Together
Dreaming God, you long for us to dream your dream, of a world at peace, a people made one, a feast for all; where bread is broken and shared with companions on the road, where wine is blessed and shared with all who are hurting, and all are caught up together in the Kingdom of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The bread can be shared, using the words:
Bread for the world to share.
The wine can be shared using the words:
The best wine, saved till now.
Prayer of Thanksgiving
Gracious God we thank you, for your abundant love in creation, your compassionate, healing touch in our hurting, your inspiration for our venturing. Thank you for bread, and wine to share.
Give us grace to follow in the footsteps of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Blessing
God who longs for our healing, meet us in our hurting, with your compassion.
Jesus who stands with us, touch us in our brokenness, that we may be made whole.
Spirit who anoints us with power, fill us with your grace, that we may reach out to others.
The blessing of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Be with us, now and for ever. Amen.
Chris Thorpe
Dancers and Wayfarers
Canterbury Press 2020