The African American Lectionary

Worship Resources

HOLY COMMUNION

WORSHIP & MUSIC RESOURCES

Sunday, February 1, 2009

Edythe Poole, Guest Lectionary Liturgist
Minister of Music, Sacred Zion Full Gospel Baptist Church, Baltimore, MD

Worship Planning Notes
This is not only communion Sunday in many churches, but it is also the beginning of Black History month-long activities. Plan your worship accordingly. This Sunday, instead of the usual white cloths that typically adorn communion tables and the typical falls that adorn lecterns, adorn the tables and pulpit lecterns with Kente cloth and other African traditional patterns and colors. Today’s liturgy can be seen as a framework rather than as an unyielding structure.

Just as white represents purity for many, and is the preferred color for altar coverings on communion Sundays, Kente cloth represents our unwillingness to ever forget our homeland, just as Jews will never forget Israel. So, if during no other month, in February, congregations may want to consider engaging in acts of worship, using instruments, and using colors, banners, songs, and drama activities that bespeak our heritage as both Africans and Americans.

Help your congregation prepare for this change. Place announcements in your bulletin and on bulletin boards in January announcing that February will be a great month of celebration. Indicate any planned activities—such as whether persons can expect new instruments to be played during the service, new colors on communion tables or altars, or special dramas. Put history blurbs in the bulletin throughout the month and advertise special services that will be held at other times than Sunday mornings, etc. Be sure to include activities for children, youth, and young adults that involve them in more than a cursory fashion.

Communion Ideas for Small Churches:

Invite worshipers to come forward—all together or in groups, depending on the number of worshipers—to stand in a circle around the communion table. Each worshiper passes the bread and the wine with appropriate words: “The body of Christ, given for you,” or “The blood of Christ, shed for you,” with the receiver responding, “Thanks be to God,” or “Amen.” Passing the bread and wine from one to another emphasizes community as people share the communion meal.

Read Scripture during communion. If you usually sing hymns while people are coming forward for communion, ask someone to read Scripture in place of one of the hymns. This is particularly appropriate if you do not have enough people in the congregation to sing while another group is up front.

Bring children into the communion circle. If children are elsewhere during the service, bring them in to join the communion circle with their families to reinforce the sense of community. If they are too young to receive communion, children should at least receive a blessing from the pastor as professing members receive the bread and wine around the circle. Bringing children back into the service also allows nursery volunteers or teachers to join the circle to receive communion. (This information was taken from Reformed Worship at www.reformedworship.org/magazine, accessed 7 October, 2008.)

Before or after communion, those who work with children may want to create communion stickers—pictures of bread and wine will do—to help children learn what communion is all about in your church.

1. Litany

Holy Communion (The Lord’s Supper)

As we prepare throughout this service to partake of the Lord’s table, let us come with a spirit of humility, repentance, and thanksgiving.

Compassionate God, have mercy on us we pray.

Let us examine our thoughts, our actions, our motives, and our attitudes toward others.

O Holy God, have mercy and forgive us for our shortcomings.

Help us to remember our responsibility to our families and our neighbors, our stewardship to you, and the work you have given to our hands. Guide us. Awaken us. Energize us for the massive tasks that lay ahead.

O Living God, we stand in need of your grace, strength, and mercy.

As we eat of the bread, which represents your body, which is the True and Living Bread, open our eyes to recognize the intimacy that you yearn to share with us.

O Loving God, teach us to love you above all else, even above our ambitions.

As we drink the cup, which represents Christ’s blood shed for us, we thank you for the new covenant, “Love ye one another,” which is written on our hearts. Help us to live it out. Let us rejoice because our names are written in the book only you can open and close.

Tender Father and Mother, may your great sacrifice of redeeming love renew us for loving service and for sacrifice for others. Let us worship here and leave refreshed to serve. Let us not take of this bread and wine if we do not intend to serve others.

May this Lord’s Supper energize every area of our lives and enable us to transcend our circumstances, our inadequacies, and our enemies.

God who sees us fully, touch and empower us so that our lives will be remarkable testimonies of your presence.

We praise you, O God, who made us your people through the death and resurrection of your Son, our Lord.

Abide in us, and throughout this service, our Savior and Redeemer. Fill us with the life-giving power of the Holy Spirit, so that when we leave this place, we will be forever changed. Amen.

2. Hymns or Anthems
(a) Nothing but the Blood of Jesus. By Robert Lowry. Tune, (Plainfield) Arr. by Nolan Williams

(b) He Will Remember Me. By Eugene Bartlett

(c) I Am Thine Oh Lord. By Fannie J. Crosby. Tune by William H. Doane

3. Traditional Songs
(a) I Know It Was the Blood. Traditional

(b) Down at the Cross. By Elisha A. Hoffman

(c) Come and Dine. By Charles Widmeyer

4. Gospel Songs for Choirs, Ensembles, or Praise Teams
(a) All the Way to Calvary. By Alfred H. Ackley

(b) For Every Mountain. By Kurt Carr

(d) Forever You’re My King. By James Mitchell

5. Liturgical Dance Music
(a) Praise Jehovah. By Vernon Chappell

(b) Lord Prepare Me. By Randy Scrugg and John W. Thompson

(c) Sound of Praise. By Rick Robinson

6. Modern Songs
(a) Calvary Came Through. By Barbi Franklin and Terry Franklin

(b) Just for Who You Are. By Victor Johnson

(b) High in All the Earth. By Andrea Clayton

(c) Highest Praise. By Joseph Pace, II

8. Song or Instrumental for the Period of Prayer
(a) Jesus Medley: Always Remember/There Is Something about That Name. By Andraé Crouch, Gloria Gaither, William Gaither, and Frederick Whitfield

(b) Praise the Name of Jesus. Traditional

(c) How Great Is Our God. By Ed Cash, Jesse Reeves, and Chris Tomlin

9. Communion Songs
(a) A Communion Hymn. By Nolan Williams, Jr.

(b) In Remembrance. By Ragan Courtney. Tune, (Red) by Buryl Red

(c) Let Us Break Bread Together. Traditional. Tune, (Break Bread Together) Arr. by Jimmie Abbington

(d) More about Jesus (Would I Know). By Eliza E. Hewitt

10. Sermonic Selection
(a) Great Is the Lord Medley: Great Is the Lord/How Great Thou Art. By Stewart K. Hine and Joseph Pace II

(b) We Offer Praise. By Rodney Bryant

11. Invitational Song or Instrumental
(a) Jesus, Jesus, Jesus. By Betty J. Wright and Timothy Wright

(b) He’s Working It Out for You. By Michael E. Matthis

(c) Just as I Am. By Charlotte Elliot. Tune, (Woodworth LM) by William B. Bradbury

12. Benediction Song or Music
(a) God Be with You. By Thomas Dorsey

(b) As You Go, Tell the World. Anonymous

(d) Amen. Traditional

13. Audio Visual Suggestions
Since this is the beginning of Black History Month, place banners and other items that represent black history throughout the church. This could include pictures of black leaders, poets, athletes, and artists. Be sure to include pictures of current and deceased persons.

For a website with images for Black History Month go to www.Google.com and type in the search phrase, “Black History Month images.”

Also visit www.biography.com/blackhistory/.

Cites and Additional Information for Music and Material Listed

1. Litany
Location:

“Holy Communion (The Lord’s Supper).” African American Heritage Hymnal. Chicago,
IL: GIA Publications, 2001. #74. Used with permission. Adapted by Edythe Poole.

2. Hymns or Anthems
(a) Nothing but the Blood of Jesus. By Robert Lowry. Tune, (Plainfield) Arr. by Nolan Williams, Jr
Location:

African American Heritage Hymnal. #262

African Methodist Episcopal Hymnal. Nashville, TN: AME Publishing House, 1998. #405

National Baptist Publishing Board. The New National Baptist Hymnal. Nashville, TN: National Baptist Pub. Board, 1981. #147

The New National Baptist Hymnal 21^st Century Edition. Nashville, TN: Triad Publications, 2001. #141

(b) He Will Remember Me. By Eugene Bartlett
Location:

African American Heritage Hymnal. #240

African Methodist Episcopal Hymnal. #475

Jackson, Irene V. Lift Every Voice and Sing: A Collection of Afro-American Spirituals and Other Songs.
New York, NY: Church Hymnal Corp., 1981. #34

The New National Baptist Hymnal. #93

The New National Baptist Hymnal 21^st Century Edition. #149

African American Heritage Hymnal. #387

African Methodist Episcopal Hymnal. #283

The Baptist Standard Hymnal with Responsive Reading. Nashville, TN: National Baptist Convention, 1985. #263

Boyer, Horace Clarence. Lift Every Voice and Sing II: An African American Hymnal.
New York, NY: Church Pub., 1993. #129

The New National Baptist Hymnal. #329

The New National Baptist Hymnal 21^st Century Edition. #202

3. Traditional Songs
(a) I Know It Was The Blood. Traditional
Location:

Trinity United Church of Christ Mass Choir. Chicago Sings: Back to Church.
Indianapolis, IN: Tyscot, 1998.

(b) Down at the Cross. By Elisha A. Hoffman
Location:

African American Heritage Hymnal. #248

African Methodist Episcopal Hymnal. #243

Lift Every Voice and Sing II. #28

The New National Baptist Hymnal. #191

The New National Baptist Hymnal 21^st Century Edition. #136

Speer, Alison Durham. Unclouded Day. Arden, NC: Crossroads, 2007.

4. Gospel Songs for Choirs, Ensembles, or Praise Teams
(a) All the Way to Calvary. By Alfred H. Ackle
Location:

Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir. God Is Working. Pasadena, CA: M2 Communications, 2000.

(b) For Every Mountain. By Kurt Carr
Location:

The Very Best of Praise and Worship. New York, NY: Verity, 2006.

Ricky Dillard and New Generation. Seventh Episode: Live in Toronto. Hermitage, TN:
NuSpring Records, 2007.

(d) Forever You’re My King. By James Mitchell
Location:

Pearson, Carlton D. Azusa Praise Jubilee. New York, NY: Atlantic/WEA, 2000.

5. Liturgical Dance Music
(a) Praise Jehovah. By Vernon Chappell
Location:

Beverly Crawford. Jesus, Precious King. New York, NY: Warner Alliance, 1995.

(b) Lord Prepare Me. By Randy Scrugg and John W. Thompson
Location:

The West Angeles Church of God in Christ Mass Choir. No Limit. London, United
Kingdom: EMI, 2007.

T.D. Jakes and the Potter’s House Mass Choir. Grace: Live in Kenya. Claremont, CA: Rhino/Dexterity, 2007.

6. Modern Songs
(a) Calvary Came Through. By Barbi Franklin and Terry Franklin
Location:

Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir. Favorite Songs of All. New York, NY: Warner Brothers, 1996.

(b) Just for Who You Are. By Victor Johnson
Location:

Earnest Pugh. A Worshiper’s Perspective. Detroit, MI: Crystal Rose, 2006.

Treasure: Greatest Hits of the Florida Mass Choir. Jackson, MS: Malaco, 1999.

7. Offertory Songs
(a) Cry Holy. By Brent Jones
Location:

Brent Jones and the T.P. Mob. The Ultimate Weekend. Indianapolis, IN: Tyscot, 2007.

(b) High in All the Earth. By Andrea Clayton
Location:

Jakes, T.D. Praise and Worship. North Richland Hills, TX: Legacy, 2008.

Joe Pace and the Colorado Mass Choir. Joe Pace Presents: Shake the Foundation. New York, NY: Sony, 2002.

8. Song or Instrumental for the Period of Prayer
(a) Jesus Medley: Always Remember/There Is Something about That Name. By Andraé Crouch,
Gloria Gaither, William Gaither, and Frederick Whitfield
Location:

Joe Pace and the Colorado Mass Choir. Joe Pace Presents: Shake the Foundation. New York, NY: Sony, 2002.

(b) Praise the Name of Jesus. Traditional
Location:

Byron Cage. An Invitation to Worship. Inglewood, CA: Gospocentric, 2005.

Battle, Freda. Here Is Our Praise. New York, NY: Axiom, 2006.

9. Communion Songs
(a) A Communion Hymn. By Nolan Williams, Jr.
Location:

African American Heritage Hymnal. #682

(b) In Remembrance. By Ragan Courtney. Tune, (Red) by Buryl Red
Location:

African American Heritage Hymnal. #685

African American Heritage Hymnal. #686

African Methodist Episcopal Church Hymnal. #530

Church of God in Christ. Yes, Lord! Church of God in Christ Hymnal. Memphis, TN:
Church of God in Christ Pub. Board in association with the Benson Co., 1982. #30

(d) More about Jesus (Would I Know). By Eliza E. Hewitt
Location:

African American Heritage Hymnal. #565

African Methodist Episcopal Church Hymnal. #210

Yes, Lord! Church of God in Christ Hymnal. #361

10. Sermonic Selection
(a) Great Is the Lord Medley: Great Is the Lord/How Great Thou Art. By Stewart K. Hine and Joseph Pace II
Location:

Joe Pace and the Colorado Mass Choir. Joe Pace Presents: Shake the Foundation. New York, NY: Sony, 2002.

(b) We Offer Praise. By Rodney Bryant
Location:

Copeland, David M. The Worship Experience. Leuven, Belgium: JJ Records, 2005.

Dannie Eason and Abundant Life Youth Crusade Choir. The Beginning. San Francisco,
CA: Temple Music Group, 1998.

11. Invitational Song or Instrumental
(a) Jesus, Jesus, Jesus. By Betty J. Wright and Timothy Wright
Location:

Wright, Timothy. Jesus, Jesus, Jesus. New York, NY: Koch Records, 2007.

(b) He’s Working It Out for You. By Michael E. Matthis
Location:

Shirley Caesar: Greatest Gospel Hits. Clairmont, CA: World Entertainment/Curb/Rhino, 2003.

African American Heritage Hymnal. #345

African Methodist Episcopal Church Hymnal. #258

The Baptist Standard Hymnal with Responsive Reading. #265

Lift Every Voice and Sing II. #137

The New National Baptist Hymnal. #145

The New National Baptist Hymnal 21^st Century Edition. #167

12. Benediction Song or Music
(a) God Be with You. By Thomas Dorsey
Location:

African American Heritage Hymnal. #639

Lift Every Voice and Sing II. #234

(b) As You Go, Tell the World. Anonymous
Location:

African American Heritage Hymnal. #633

African American Heritage Hymnal. #638

(d) Amen. Traditional
Location:

The Angels Choir, Zion Harmonizers and One A-Chord. Holy Voices: The World’s Greatest Gospel Songs.
Detroit, MI: Galaxy Sound of Jazz Label, 1999.