An Order of Holy Communion
for Experimental Use
in the Diocese of Iran

 
Holy Communion – Rubrics

1. The Preparation and Ministry of the Word may be read from the Prayer Desk, the Priest moving to the Table for the Ministry of the Sacrament. He may then stand behind the Table facing the people.

2. A layman may read the Old Testament Lesson, the Epistle and the Intercession.

3. In addition to the hymns included in the service, a hymn or canticle may be sung between the Epistle and Gospel and after the Creed.

4. In the ‘Thanksgiving’ the Priest shall take the paten and chalice into his hands during the words of institution, and in the ‘Breaking of the Bread’ he shall break the bread.

5. It is convenient that the Priest should clean the chalice and paten immediately after all have received Communion.

6. Communion of the Sick. When the Holy Communion is celebrated in the sickroom the service may be shortened but should always include Confession, the Gospel, and the Ministry of the Sacrament.

7. Morning & Evening Prayer. The Preparation and the Ministry of the Word may be used alone as a form of Morning or Evening Prayer.
 

THE HOLY COMMUNION – PREPARATION

Psalm 95: 1-7 may be said or sung; or a suitable hymn may be sung.

All: Almighty God, unto whom all hearts be open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid. Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of thy Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love thee, and worthily magnify thy Holy Name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Collect for the Day may be read.

THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD

Priest (standing): Our Lord Jesus Christ said: The Lord our God is one Lord; and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind and with all your strength. This is the first commandment. And the second is like it, namely this; You shall love your neighbour as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these.

People: Lord, have mercy upon us, and write these thy laws in our hearts.

(The Ten Commandments may be used in place of the above).

THE CONFESSION OF SINS

Priest (standing): Let us, who truly and earnestly repent of our sins, and are in love and fellowship with our neighbours, and intend to lead a new life, following the commandments of God, and walking from henceforth in his holy ways, make our humble confession to Almighty God.

All: Almighty Father, Lord of heaven and earth, we confess that we have sinned against thee in thought, word and deed; we have not loved thee with all our heart; we have not loved our neighbours as ourselves. Have mercy upon us, cleanse us from our sins, and help us to overcome our faults; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Priest (standing): The Almighty and Merciful God grant you pardon and remission of all your sins, time for amendment of life, and the grace and comfort of the Holy Spirit; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

ADORATION (All Standing)

Either:

Priest: O people of God, lift up your voices and glorify the living God.
People: Holy God, Holy and Mighty, Holy and Eternal, we praise thee, we glorify thee.

Priest: Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
People: As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Or:

All: Glory be to God on high, and in earth peace, goodwill towards men. We praise thee, we bless thee, we worship thee, we glorify thee, we give thanks to thee for thy great glory O Lord God: heavenly King, God the Father Almighty.
O Lord the only begotten Son Jesus Christ; O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, that takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us. Thou that takest away the sins of the world, receive our prayer. Thou that sittest at the right hand of God the Father, have mercy upon us.
For thou only art holy, thou only art the Lord; thou only, O Christ, with the Holy Spirit, art most high in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
 

THE MINISTRY OF THE WORD

(The Old Testament Lesson or Epistle, and Psalm may be omitted).

Old Testament Lesson

Psalm

Epistle

Gospel (all standing)

Before Gospel: Glory be to thee, O Lord.
After Gospel: Praise be to thee, O Christ.

Hymn or Canticle

Sermon

(A short silence may be kept)

CREED (All standing)

I believe in One God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.
And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, Very God of Very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father by whom all things were made; who for us men, and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the Virgin Mary, and was made man, and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate. He suffered and was buried, and the third day he rose again according to the Scriptures, and ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of the Father. And he shall come again with glory to judge both the quick and the dead; whose kingdom shall have no end.
And I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceedeth from the Father and the Son, who with the Father, and the son together is worshipped and glorified, who spake by the prophets.
And I believe in One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins.
And I look for the Resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.

THE INTERCESSION

(Either)

Priest: Let us pray for the universal Church of Christ and for all men according to their needs. O God, grant us thy peace.
People: And salvation to all mankind.
Priest: Strengthen thy Church;
People: And increase it day by day.
Priest: Guide all Christians in the way of unity;
People: And grant that we may grow in thy love.
Priest: Give thy grace to all ministers of thy Church, especially to thy servant, ______, our Bishop.
People: And strengthen them in the ministry of thy Word and Sacraments.
Priest: Bless, we pray thee, all those who work for the spread of thy Gospel in the world;
People: And encourage the messengers of thy Word.
Priest: Direct the minds of those who are seeking Christ.
People: And make them strong in faith.
Priest: Guide the world in the way of peace.
People: And direct the leaders of the nations.
Priest: Bring all peoples into the path of justice and harmony.
People: And into obedience to thy commands.
Priest: Grant the Shahanshah success and prosperity;
People: And health to the royal family.
Priest: Direct the officers of the government.
People: And give them the spirit of service.
Priest: May this city and province flourish.
People: For the welfare and blessing of the people.
Priest: Look with thy favour upon universities and schools.
People: That knowledge may be acquired for thy glory and the benefit of mankind.
Priest: We pray thee to heal the sick.
People: And help all those in trouble.
Priest: May those who are near death have the assurance of thy presence.
People: That they may entrust themselves to thee.
Priest: Give thy strength to those who dedicate themselves to the healing of the sick;
People: And help them to minister to all who suffer pain.
Priest: May the wants of the needy be supplied, and the hungry be fed.
People: Help us to relieve their suffering.
Priest: Grant us thy grace that we may hear thy Holy Word.
People: And help us both to receive and fulfill it.
Priest: We thank thee for thy servants who have died in faith.
People: And pray that we may follow their good examples, and share with them in thy eternal kingdom. Amen.

OR:

Let us pray for the whole Church of God in Christ Jesus, and for all men according to their needs.

Almighty God, who hast promised to hear the prayers of those who ask in faith:

(Here the Minister may pray for the Church throughout the world, and especially for the Diocese and its Bishop; for any particular need of the Church; and a short period of silence may be kept; after which he may say:)

Lord, in thy mercy
Hear our prayer

Grant that we who confess thy name may be united in thy truth, live together in thy love, and show forth thy glory in the world.

(Here he may pray for the nations of the world, and especially for this kingdom and the Shah; for all men in their various callings; and again a short period of silence may be kept; after which he may say:)

Lord, in thy mercy
Hear our prayer

Direct this nation and all the nations in the ways of justice and peace, that we may honour all men, and seek the common good.

(Here he may pray for the sick, the poor, and for those in trouble; for the needs of particular persons; and again a short period of silence may be kept; after which he may say:)

Lord, in thy mercy
Hear our prayer

Save and comfort those who suffer, that they may hold to thee through good and ill, and trust in thy unfailing love.

(Here he may commemorate the departed; he may commend them by name; and again a short period of silence may be kept; after which he may say:)

Lord, in thy mercy
Hear our prayer

Hear us as we remember those who have died in faith, and grant us with them a share in thy eternal kingdom.

Grant these our prayers, O merciful Father, for the sake of thy Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.

People: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done; on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

Priest: The grace of Our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore. Amen.

(Notices may be given out here and the collection taken)

Hymn
 

THE MINISTRY OF THE SACRAMENT

THE OFFERTORY (All Standing)

(Bread and Wine are brought forward and placed ready for use).

Priest: O God, who in Christ reconciled the world to thyself, we beseech thee to accept us and these gifts and use them for thy glory, for thine is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty.

People: All that is in heaven and earth is thine and from thy hand we give to thee.

(Those who brought forward the Bread and Wine return to their places)

THE THANKSGIVING (All Standing)

Priest: Lift up your hearts.
People: We lift them up unto the Lord.
Priest: Let us give thanks unto our Lord God.
People: It is meet and right so to do.
Priest: It is very meet, right and our bounden duty that we should at all times and in all places give thanks unto thee, O Holy Lord, Father Almighty, Everlasting God, who didst create the heavens and the earth and all that is in them, and didst make man in thine own image.

(Proper preface)

Therefore with angels and archangels, and with all the company of heaven, we laud and magnify thy glorious name, evermore praising thee and saying:

All: Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Hosts, heaven and earth are full of thy glory. Glory be to thee, O Lord most High.

Priest: All glory be to thee, Almighty God, our heavenly Father, who of thy tender mercy didst give thy only Son Jesus Christ to take our nature upon him and to suffer death upon the Cross for our redemption, who made there, by his one oblation of himself once offered, a full perfect and sufficient sacrifice and oblation for the sins of the whole world; and did institute and in his Holy Gospel command us to continue, a perpetual memory of that his precious death, until his coming again; who in the same night that he was betrayed, took bread; and when he had given thanks, be broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, Take, eat; this is my Body which is given for you: Do this in remembrance of me. Likewise after supper he took the cup; and when he had given thanks, he grave it to them saying, Drink ye all of this; for this is my Blood of the New Covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the remission of sins: Do this, as oft as ye shall drink it, in remembrance of me.

People: Thy death, O Lord Christ, we commemorate, thy resurrection we confess, and thy second coming we await. Glory be to thee, O Christ.

THE BREAKING OF THE BREAD (All Standing)

Priest: The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not a sharing of the Blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not a sharing of the Body of Christ?

People: We being many are one bread, one Body, for we all partake of the one bread and drink of the one cup.

THE COMMUNION

Priest: Let us pray.

(A short silence may be kept).

All: We do not presume to come to this thy table, O merciful Lord, trusting in our own righteousness, but in thy manifold and great mercies. We are not worthy so much as to gather up the crumbs under thy table. But thou art the same Lord, who nature it is always to have mercy. Grant us, therefore, gracious Lord, so to eat the flesh of thy dear Son Jesus Christ, and to drink his blood, that we may evermore dwell in him, and he in us. Amen.

Priest: Let us draw near and receive the Communion of the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ which were given for us and feed on him in our hearts by faith with thanksgiving.

People: We eat and drink in remembrance of thee, O Lord.

Either:

The Priest says to each communicant:

“The Body of Christ keep you in everlasting life.
The Blood of Christ keep you in everlasting life.”

Each Communicant answers: “Amen”

Or: The Priest says as he gives communion:

“The Body of our Lord Jesus Christ, which was given for you, preserve your body and soul unto everlasting life. Take and eat this in remembrance that Christ died for you, and feed on him in your heart by faith with thanksgiving.

The Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, which was shed for you, preserve your body and soul unto everlasting life. Drink this in remembrance that Christ’s Blood was shed for you, and be thankful.”

THE DISMISSAL

All: O Lord, here we offer and present to thee ourselves, our souls and bodies, to be a reasonable, holy and living sacrifice to thee. In the power of thy Spirit send us out into the affairs of the world so that all that we are, and all that we do may be to thy praise and glory. Amen.

Priest: The Lord be with you.
People: And with thy spirit.

(The Priest may add one of the following:)

The peace of God which passes understanding, keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God, and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord: And the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always. Amen.

Or: Go forth into the world in peace; be of good courage; hold fast to that which is good; render to no man evil for evil; strengthen the fainthearted; support the weak; help the afflicted; honour all men; love and serve the Lord, rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit; And the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit be among you and remain with you always. Amen.

APPENDIX

If the Bread of the Wine prove insufficient the Priest shall take more to the Table and add them to what remains, saying one of the following:

Either: We now set apart this bread/wine for the communion of his body/blood, as our Lord Jesus Christ commanded.

Or: Holy art thou, O Father, and worthy to receive blessing and honour and glory; for that thou didst send thy Son our Saviour Jesus Christ, who on the same night that he was betrayed took

(either) bread, and when he had given thanks he broke it, and have it to his disciples saying, Take, eat, this is my Body which is given for you: Do this in remembrance of me.

(or) the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them saying, Drink ye all of this; for this is my Blood of the New Covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the remission of sins; Do this, as oft as ye shall drink it, in remembrance of me.

PROPER PREFACES

CHRISTMAS DAY UNTIL EPIPHANY
PRESENTATION & ANNUNCIATION

Because thou didst give Jesus Christ thine only Son to be born for our salvation, who by the operation of the Holy Spirit was made very man of the substance of the Virgin Mary his mother, and that without spot of sin to make us clean from all sin. Therefore . . . .

EPIPHANY & SEVEN DAYS AFTER

Through Jesus Christ our Lord, who in substance of our mortal flesh manifested forth his glory, that he might bring all men out of darkness into his own marvellous light. Therefore . . . .

THURSDAY BEFORE EASTER

Through Jesus Christ our Lord, who having loved his own who were in the world loved them unto the end, and on the night before he suffered, sitting at meat with his disciples, did institute these holy mysteries, that we, redeemed by his death and quickened by his resurrection, might be partakers of his divine nature.

EASTER DAY UNTIL ASCENSION DAY

But chiefly are we bound to praise thee for the glorious resurrection of thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord: for he is the very Paschal Lamb, which was offered for us, and has taken away the sins of the world; who by his death has destroyed death, and by his rising to life again has restored to us everlasting life. Therefore . . . .

ASCENSION DAY UNTIL WHITSUNDAY

Through Jesus Christ our Lord, who after his most glorious resurrection manifestly appeared to all his Apostles, and in their sight ascended into heaven to prepare a place for us, that where he is, thither we might also ascend, and reign with him in glory. Therefore . . . .

WHITSUNDAY UNTIL TRINITY

Through Jesus Christ our Lord, according to whose most true promise, the Holy Spirit came down as at this time from heaven with a sudden great sound, as it had been a mighty wind, in the likeness of fiery tongues, lighting upon the Apostles, to teach them and to lead them to all truth; giving them both the gift of divers languages, and also boldness with fervent zeal constantly to preach the Gospel unto all nations; whereby we have been brought out of darkness and error into the clear light and true knowledge of thee, and of thy Son Jesus Christ. Therefore . . . .

TRINITY SUNDAY

Who with thine only begotten Son and the Holy Spirit art one God, One Lord, in Trinity of Persons and in Unity of Substance: For that which we believe of thy glory, O Father, the same we believe of thy Son and of the Holy Spirit, without any difference or inequality. Therefore . . .

TRANSFIGURATION

Because the divine glory of the Incarnate Word shone forth upon the Holy Mount before the chosen witnesses of his majesty, and thine own voice from heaven proclaimed thy beloved Son. Therefore . . .