Last year, we introduced a new resource to help you prepare for the time of giving and taking communion in your Hope Avenue. These are meaningful formational practices that we can plan with care and intentionality.
The Communion and Offering Starters are posted a month ahead, like the sermon resources. Below are the December starters. In case you missed it: November Starters are here.
How to Use This Resource
An outline is provided for you to use as a guide, followed by a sample script. Both the offering moment and communion can be presented as a short reflection before the congregation participates. Here’s how to use it effectively:
- Scripture Reflection: Include the relevant Scripture to root the offering and communion in biblical teaching.
- Key Point and Invitation: Briefly highlight the theme’s key point and offer an invitation that connects the theme to the practice.
- Prayer: Include a short prayer that aligns with the theme. Invite God to bless the gifts and the givers. Ask God to bless the bread and the wine and the partakers.
- Logistics: Explain the process; this helps everyone know how they can participate. For giving, indicate whether baskets will be passed, if there are designated offering boxes, or if digital options like text-to-give or web giving are available. Clearly explain how the communion elements will be shared and that participation is voluntary.
- Encouragement: For the giving moment, invite congregants to reflect on their role in supporting the church’s mission, reminding them that their gifts impact both local and global ministry. For communion, encourage congregants to express gratitude for Jesus’ love poured out for us and the unity present in the body of Christ.
For more information, see Church Hack: Offering and Church Hack: Communion
Offering Theme: Participating in the Greatest Story
Scripture Focus: Luke 2:10, 16, 20 NRSVA
Key Point: Mary, Joseph, Elizabeth, Zechariah, the shepherds, the disciples and you and I have all been invited to participate in the greatest story,
Invitation: May the support of our missions and ministry show our desire to continue to participate in the great announcement to the greatest story of all time.
Sample Script
Oh, to have been a shepherd in the fields the night Jesus was born. Aside from the fear and anxiety at the sight of the angel, imagine the excitement of the announcement!
“Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people.” Luke 2:10 NRSVA
They must have thought, “Why us?” Similar to the question we sometimes ask, “Why have you chosen us to participate with you, Lord? What do we have to offer?”
So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph and the child lying in the manger. Luke 2:16 NRSVA
They went with haste — they were enthusiastic. “Let’s see what this is all about.”
The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. Luke 2:20 NRSVA
What a great response. Can you believe what we just witnessed? Can you believe we’re invited to see this? How amazing it is to be among the first to witness this great news, to see this child! I can hardly wait to tell everyone what I saw. God is amazing!
Like the shepherds, we’ve been invited to participate in the triune God’s missions and ministries as part of his body. May we do so with haste, with enthusiasm and excitement. May the support of our missions and ministry show our desire to continue to participate in the great announcement to the greatest story of all time. And may we share his love and life by sharing our individual and collective stories on how God has reached through our hardened hearts and turned them into hearts that glorify and praise him for everything we hear and see.
Prayer
Communion Theme: He Comes and He Gathers
Scripture Focus: Luke 2:30–31
Key Point: We participate in communion remembering we have seen the Lord’s salvation, which he has prepared for all.
Invitation: May we participate in the sharing of the body of Christ, knowing the broken bread symbolizes not only his broken body, but why it was broken: so that all could be made whole. May we participate in the sharing of the cup, knowing his shed blood cleansed not only us, but all. And we experience that cleansing when we realize that through it, we have received the salvation he has prepared for all.
Sample Script
The Holy Spirit told Simeon he would see the Messiah before he died. This same Spirit led him to the temple the day Jesus was to be blessed. Simeon thanked God for fulfilling the promise to see Jesus, and said,
“for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.” Luke 2:30–32 NRSVA
How long have we prayed, “Lord Jesus, come!” It’s easy to forget that he has already come, and he lives in you through the Holy Spirit. Yes, he will come again, but you get to taste and see salvation every day.
Every time we take the bread, we remember that Jesus’ body was broken so that ours could be made whole. By taking the bread — Jesus — we are acknowledging that he is the bread of life we all need and he is in us. It’s just one way we see the salvation God has prepared for us, and for all people.
Whenever we take the cup, we remember that Jesus’ blood is what cleansed us from all our sin and reconciled us to the Father. When we participate in the Lord’s table, we realize that his salvation will heal all our hurt, stop all our pain, end all our suffering, and we can live in his peace — a peace that surpasses understanding.
Communion reminds us that Jesus’ sacrifice was a light for revelation to all people, male and female, slave and free, Jew and Gentile. Come see the salvation of the Lord.
Prayer
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