Thomas A. Langford - Communion Meditation (October 3, 1971)
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| (organ music) | 0:04 | |
| (choir singing) | 0:11 | |
| - | Jesus said, | 0:53 |
| "Behold I stand at the door and knock. | 0:55 | |
| If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, | 0:59 | |
| I will come into him and eat with him, and he with me." | 1:04 | |
| "'What no eye has seen, nor ear heard," | 1:11 | |
| the apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians, | 1:15 | |
| "Nor the heart of man conceived | 1:19 | |
| what God has prepared for those who love him,' | 1:22 | |
| God has revealed to us through the spirit. | 1:26 | |
| For the spirit searches everything, even the depths of God." | 1:29 | |
| The Lord be with you. | 1:37 | |
| Let us pray, | 1:41 | |
| joining heart and voice together. | 1:43 | |
| Almighty God, unto whom all hearts are open, | 1:47 | |
| all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid, | 1:51 | |
| cleanse the thoughts of our hearts | 1:56 | |
| by the inspiration of thy Holy Spirit, | 1:58 | |
| that we may perfectly love thee | 2:01 | |
| and worthily magnify thy holy name through Christ our Lord. | 2:04 | |
| Amen. | 2:09 | |
| Our father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. | 2:11 | |
| Thy kingdom come, thy will be done | 2:15 | |
| on earth as it is in heaven. | 2:18 | |
| Give us this day our daily bread | 2:21 | |
| and forgive us our trespasses | 2:24 | |
| as we forgive those who trespass against us. | 2:26 | |
| And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, | 2:30 | |
| for thine is the kingdom and the power | 2:34 | |
| and the glory forever. | 2:37 | |
| Amen. | 2:39 | |
| (organ music) | 2:41 | |
| (choir singing) | 2:49 | |
| - | Beloved, hear the invitation which we extend to you | 4:40 |
| on behalf of Jesus on this worldwide communion Sunday. | 4:44 | |
| Ye that do truly and earnestly repent of your sins, | 4:50 | |
| and are in love and charity with your neighbors, | 4:54 | |
| and intend to lead a new life | 4:58 | |
| following the commandments of God | 5:00 | |
| and walking from henceforth in his holy ways, | 5:03 | |
| draw near with faith and take this holy sacrament | 5:06 | |
| to your comfort, and make your humble confession | 5:12 | |
| to Almighty God. | 5:15 | |
| Now, may we pray together the prayer of general confession. | 5:22 | |
| Almighty God, father of our Lord Jesus Christ, | 5:26 | |
| maker of all things, judge of all men, | 5:31 | |
| we acknowledge and bewail our manifold sins and wickedness, | 5:35 | |
| which we from time to time most grievously have committed | 5:39 | |
| by thought, word, and deed, against thy divine majesty. | 5:43 | |
| We do earnestly repent and are heartily sorry | 5:48 | |
| for these, our misdoings. | 5:52 | |
| The remembrance of them is grievous unto us. | 5:54 | |
| Have mercy upon us. | 5:57 | |
| Have mercy upon us, most merciful Father. | 5:59 | |
| For thy son, our Lord Jesus Christ's sake, | 6:03 | |
| forgive us all that is passed | 6:06 | |
| and grant that we may ever here after | 6:09 | |
| serve and please thee in newness of life | 6:11 | |
| to the honor and glory of thy name | 6:15 | |
| through Jesus Christ our Lord, amen. | 6:18 | |
| Almighty God, our Heavenly Father, | 6:24 | |
| who, of thy great mercy, has promised forgiveness of sins | 6:27 | |
| to all them that with hearty repentance and true faith | 6:32 | |
| turn to thee, have mercy upon us. | 6:35 | |
| Pardon and deliver us from all our sins, | 6:39 | |
| confirm and strengthen us in all goodness, | 6:43 | |
| and bring us to everlasting life | 6:46 | |
| through Jesus Christ Our Lord. | 6:49 | |
| Amen. | 6:52 | |
| Hear what comfortable words of scripture say | 6:54 | |
| to all that truly turn to the Lord. | 6:58 | |
| "God so loved the world that he gave his only son | 7:03 | |
| that whoever believes in him should not perish, | 7:07 | |
| but have eternal life." | 7:11 | |
| Now let us pray for the whole state of Christ Church | 7:15 | |
| using the Litany Prayer on page 13. | 7:20 | |
| Most merciful Father, | 7:26 | |
| we humbly beseech thee to receive these our prayers | 7:28 | |
| for the Universal Church, | 7:32 | |
| that thou will confirm it in the truth of thy holy faith, | 7:35 | |
| inspire it with unity and concord, | 7:39 | |
| and extend and prosper it throughout the world. | 7:43 | |
| We beseech thee also so to guide and strengthen | 7:47 | |
| the witness of the church to those in authority | 7:50 | |
| in all nations, that they may maintain | 7:53 | |
| the justice and welfare of all mankind. | 7:56 | |
| Give grace, oh Heavenly Father, | 8:03 | |
| to all ministers of the thy church, | 8:05 | |
| that both by their life and doctrine | 8:08 | |
| they may set forth thy true and lively word, | 8:10 | |
| and faithfully administer thy holy sacraments. | 8:13 | |
| And to all thy people, give thy heavenly grace | 8:17 | |
| that, with willing heart and due reverence, | 8:21 | |
| they may hear and receive thy holy word, | 8:24 | |
| truly serving thee in holiness and righteousness | 8:27 | |
| all the days of their lives. | 8:30 | |
| And we most humbly beseech thee of thy goodness, oh Lord, | 8:36 | |
| to support and strengthen all of those who, | 8:40 | |
| in this transitory life, are in trouble, | 8:42 | |
| sorrow, need, sickness, or any other adversity. | 8:45 | |
| We remember with Thanksgiving those | 8:53 | |
| who have loved and served thee in thy church on earth | 8:55 | |
| who now rest from their labors, | 8:59 | |
| especially those most dear to us, | 9:02 | |
| whom we name in our hearts before thee. | 9:04 | |
| We remember, especially, | 9:09 | |
| our former Trinity College student, Steve Price, | 9:11 | |
| killed in an automobile accident. | 9:15 | |
| We pray especially thy blessings and comfort and of guidance | 9:18 | |
| to those who loved him. | 9:23 | |
| Keep us in fellowship with all thy saints, | 9:30 | |
| and bring us at length to the joy of thy heavenly kingdom. | 9:33 | |
| Amen. | 9:46 | |
| - | Let us pray, in the name of The Father, and of The Son, | 10:07 |
| and of The Holy Spirit, amen. | 10:12 | |
| October 3, | 10:19 | |
| 1971. | 10:23 | |
| October, | 10:28 | |
| autumn, | 10:30 | |
| 1971. | 10:32 | |
| Fall. | 10:36 | |
| That fresh death time | 10:39 | |
| when coolness pushes aside heat, | 10:43 | |
| and stark lines replace the soft fullness of growth. | 10:48 | |
| Fall, | 10:55 | |
| when much is lost. | 10:58 | |
| The humid torpor of summer, bare backed sensuality, | 11:00 | |
| and running to water, and laughter, and long evenings | 11:07 | |
| and trips. | 11:15 | |
| Trips away, | 11:18 | |
| and trips back home, | 11:20 | |
| then fall. | 11:24 | |
| Fall too is incarnation. | 11:28 | |
| Not only does spring embody flesh and life, | 11:34 | |
| death involves bone and skin of mortal body, | 11:39 | |
| and hope is act in the midst of dying. | 11:46 | |
| There are signs of embodied fall, | 11:54 | |
| molecular wind pushing against resistant substance, | 11:58 | |
| the intrusive force of hurricane, | 12:04 | |
| brown fields and the sight of Goldenrod. | 12:09 | |
| The chill of dawn seems even cooler | 12:16 | |
| when one remembers the hot days of weeks ago. | 12:19 | |
| The world, | 12:24 | |
| soon to belong to jays and crows, | 12:27 | |
| now harbors for a last moment, summer birds. | 12:32 | |
| And one can see black red sumac, | 12:39 | |
| autumn's first scarlet, | 12:44 | |
| gum leaves turning new hues, | 12:47 | |
| and the dull green red of dogwood. | 12:52 | |
| Fall is incarnation. | 12:58 | |
| Deep blue sky, | 13:02 | |
| grass rising fresh grown, | 13:05 | |
| and wheat, | 13:10 | |
| and daylilies beginning again. | 13:12 | |
| Tender green appears next to brown, | 13:18 | |
| and looks the greener for it. | 13:22 | |
| Alongside death, there is offer of hope for life. | 13:25 | |
| For fall is a time of crossing, | 13:34 | |
| a movement from heat to cool, | 13:38 | |
| from slack to busy, | 13:42 | |
| from free to engaged, | 13:46 | |
| from ripe fruiting to exposed seed. | 13:50 | |
| All summer's are past, even that of 42, | 13:57 | |
| and newness forces its way into our world. | 14:04 | |
| A time of crossing from death to life, | 14:10 | |
| then to death with the promise of life, | 14:15 | |
| but only promise and cautious hope. | 14:21 | |
| A time of transposing, | 14:27 | |
| a setting aside and a gathering. | 14:30 | |
| New places, new anxieties, new wonder, | 14:35 | |
| and the anguish of loss and passing by, | 14:43 | |
| and leaving behind a time of hurt. | 14:49 | |
| The falling of leaves reveals the crossings, | 14:58 | |
| a reciting of the intersection at the corner, | 15:03 | |
| and wooden crosses of bare limbs in angular relation, | 15:07 | |
| which stand against a graying sky. | 15:12 | |
| And one is reminded of other crosses. | 15:19 | |
| October, autumn, 1971. | 15:29 | |
| Fall. | 15:35 | |
| That fresh death time | 15:38 | |
| when coolness pushes heat aside | 15:42 | |
| and stark lines replace the soft fullness of summer. | 15:46 | |
| Fall, | 15:52 | |
| when much is lost | 15:54 | |
| and man is reminded of his incarnate mortality, | 15:57 | |
| the way of all flesh. | 16:01 | |
| And man is reminded of human lossness and crosses. | 16:04 | |
| Crosses of trees, which bore flesh and blood | 16:14 | |
| and paraded despair. | 16:19 | |
| Crosses, bleak against a graying sky, | 16:23 | |
| standing on grassless ridge worn by human walking. | 16:26 | |
| A transposition. | 16:33 | |
| A setting aside and a gathering. | 16:35 | |
| New anguish and new hope. | 16:39 | |
| New foreboding and new expectation. | 16:44 | |
| Fall is incarnation. | 16:51 | |
| Grass rising fresh grown, | 16:55 | |
| and wheat, | 16:59 | |
| and daylilies beginning again. | 17:02 | |
| Tender green appears next to brown | 17:06 | |
| and looks the greener for it. | 17:09 | |
| And even in death, there is offer of hope for life. | 17:12 | |
| And so they reached a place called Golgotha, | 17:23 | |
| that is a place named after a skull, | 17:27 | |
| and crucified him. | 17:33 | |
| Another fall. | 17:36 | |
| This is my body, | 17:40 | |
| this is my blood, | 17:43 | |
| fall, 1971. | 17:47 | |
| A falling down and lifting up, | 17:53 | |
| a fall of crosses, and crossings, | 17:57 | |
| and hope. | 18:04 | |
| Amen. | 18:07 | |
| (organ music) | 18:17 | |
| (choir singing) | 18:41 | |
| (soft organ music) | 20:45 | |
| (choir singing) | 22:32 | |
| (organ music) | 23:37 | |
| (choir singing) | 23:56 | |
| - | Almighty God, we pause now to dedicate these symbols | 28:51 |
| under thy service and unto our good. | 28:55 | |
| The money, which symbolizes our toil, our effort, | 28:58 | |
| and our planning, we dedicate to the good of Christ | 29:02 | |
| and his people around the world. | 29:07 | |
| This bread and this wine, | 29:09 | |
| the symbol of the broken body and the shed blood of Christ, | 29:11 | |
| we dedicate to our own fellowship and communion | 29:15 | |
| with the Lord himself. | 29:18 | |
| In his name, amen. | 29:20 | |
| Lift up your hearts. | 29:35 | |
| Let us give thanks unto the Lord. | 29:40 | |
| Be seated, please. | 29:49 | |
| It is very meek, right, and our bounded duty, | 30:00 | |
| that we should at all times and in all places | 30:04 | |
| give thanks unto thee, oh Lord, Holy Father, | 30:07 | |
| Almighty Everlasting God. | 30:11 | |
| Therefore, with angels and archangels, | 30:13 | |
| and with all the company of heaven, | 30:16 | |
| we laud and magnify thy glorious name, | 30:18 | |
| evermore praising thee and say. | 30:21 | |
| (choir singing) | 30:26 | |
| Almighty God, our Heavenly Father, | 30:54 | |
| who of thy tender mercy did'st give thine only son, | 30:56 | |
| Jesus Christ, to suffer death upon the cross | 31:00 | |
| for our redemption, who made there, | 31:03 | |
| by the one offering of himself, | 31:06 | |
| a full, perfect, and sufficient sacrifice | 31:08 | |
| for the sins of the whole world | 31:11 | |
| and did institute, and in his holy gospel, command us | 31:14 | |
| to continue a perpetual memory of his precious death | 31:18 | |
| until his coming again. | 31:23 | |
| Hear us oh merciful Father, we most humbly beseech thee, | 31:27 | |
| and granted, we receiving these thy creatures | 31:31 | |
| of bread and wine, according to thy son, our savior, | 31:34 | |
| Jesus Christ's fully institution, | 31:37 | |
| in remembrance of his passion, death, and resurrection, | 31:40 | |
| may be partakers of the divine nature through him | 31:44 | |
| who, in the same night that he was betrayed, took bread. | 31:48 | |
| When he had given thanks he broke it | 31:55 | |
| and gave it to his disciples saying, | 31:57 | |
| "Take, eat. | 32:00 | |
| This is my body which is given for you. | 32:02 | |
| Do this in remembrance of me." | 32:06 | |
| Likewise, after supper, he took the cup. | 32:09 | |
| And when he had given thanks, he gave it to them saying, | 32:13 | |
| "Drink ye all of this, | 32:17 | |
| for this is my blood | 32:21 | |
| of the new covenant, which is shed for you and for many, | 32:22 | |
| for the forgiveness of sins. | 32:25 | |
| Do this as oft as you shall drink it in remembrance of me." | 32:28 | |
| Amen. | 32:33 | |
| Now let us all join together in our prayer of humble access. | 32:35 | |
| We do not presume to come to this, | 32:40 | |
| thy table oh merciful Lord, | 32:42 | |
| trusting in our own righteousness, | 32:45 | |
| but in thy manifold and great mercies. | 32:48 | |
| We are not worthy so much as | 32:51 | |
| to gather up the crumbs under thy table, | 32:53 | |
| but thou art the same Lord whose property | 32:56 | |
| is always to have mercy. | 32:59 | |
| Grant us, therefore gracious Lord, | 33:01 | |
| so to partake of this sacrament of thy son, Jesus Christ, | 33:04 | |
| that we may walk in newness of life, | 33:09 | |
| may grow into his likeness, | 33:12 | |
| and may evermore dwell in him, and he and us. | 33:14 | |
| Amen. | 33:19 | |
| (organ music) | 34:50 | |
| - | Jesus said, "I am the bread of life. | 37:49 |
| He who comes to me shall not hunger." | 37:53 | |
| Arise, and going peace, | 37:57 | |
| and may the bread of heaven nourish you. | 37:59 | |
| Amen. | 38:02 | |
| Jesus said, "I'm the way, the truth, and the life. | 39:45 | |
| Without that way, there is no going. | 39:50 | |
| Without that truth, there is knowing. | 39:53 | |
| Without that life, there is no living." | 39:56 | |
| Go and may Christ go with you. | 40:01 | |
| Amen. | 40:05 | |
| (choir singing) | 41:42 | |
| Arise, and go in peace, | 41:59 | |
| and in Christ's service may you find perfect freedom. | 42:03 | |
| Amen. | 42:08 | |
| (choir singing) | 42:13 | |
| Where there is love, there is peace, | 43:47 | |
| where there is peace, there is God, | 43:51 | |
| and where there is God, there is no need. | 43:55 | |
| Arise, and go with him. | 44:00 | |
| Amen. | 44:04 | |
| (choir singing) | 44:07 | |
| Jesus said, "If any man would come after me, | 46:09 | |
| let him deny himself and take his cross and follow me. | 46:13 | |
| For whoever would save his life, must lose it. | 46:18 | |
| And whoever loses his life for my sake, will find it." | 46:22 | |
| Go with Christ. | 46:28 | |
| Amen. | 46:32 | |
| (choir singing) | 46:35 | |
| We taste thee, oh thou living bread, | 48:41 | |
| and long to feast upon the still. | 48:44 | |
| We drink of thee, the fountain head, | 48:47 | |
| and thirst our souls from the to fill. | 48:50 | |
| Arise, and go in peace. | 48:54 | |
| Amen. | 48:58 | |
| (choir singing) | 49:01 | |
| Arise, and go in peace, | 50:53 | |
| and may the true light shine into your mind | 50:55 | |
| with the knowledge and love of God, | 50:58 | |
| and of his son, Jesus Christ, our Lord. | 51:00 | |
| Amen. | 51:04 | |
| (choir singing) | 51:09 | |
| One with the living bread divine, | 53:00 | |
| which now by faith, we eat. | 53:03 | |
| Our hearts and minds and spirits join | 53:07 | |
| and as all in Christ do meet. | 53:10 | |
| Arise, and may the peace of God go with you. | 53:15 | |
| Amen. | 53:20 | |
| (choir singing) | 53:24 | |
| Jesus said, "I am the good shepherd. | 55:20 | |
| I know my own, and my own know me." | 55:24 | |
| Arise, and go in peace, | 55:29 | |
| and may the voice of the good shepherd be your guide. | 55:32 | |
| Amen. | 55:37 | |
| (choir singing) | 55:40 | |
| (piano music) | 57:07 | |
| The bread is always consecrate, | 57:29 | |
| which men divide with men, | 57:32 | |
| and every act of brotherhood | 57:34 | |
| repeats this feast again. | 57:37 | |
| Arise, and go in love for one another. | 57:42 | |
| Amen. | 57:46 | |
| (choir singing) | 57:52 | |
| (organ music) | 59:07 | |
| Oh master, through these symbols | 59:44 | |
| share thine own dear self in part, | 59:46 | |
| that in our daily life may flame | 59:49 | |
| the passion of thy heart. | 59:52 | |
| Arise, and may this passion fill your life | 59:56 | |
| with grace, with love, and with peace. | 59:59 | |
| Amen. | 1:00:05 | |
| (choir singing) | 1:00:08 | |
| (organ music) | 1:01:39 | |
| The Lord's table is large enough for all the world to eat, | 1:02:00 | |
| and our heart should be large enough | 1:02:04 | |
| to include all men in our love. | 1:02:06 | |
| Arise, and go in peace, | 1:02:11 | |
| and may Christ go with you. | 1:02:14 | |
| Amen. | 1:02:17 | |
| (soft organ music) | 1:02:24 | |
| Jesus said, "I come that they may have life, | 1:03:55 | |
| and have it abundantly." | 1:04:01 | |
| Arise, and go in peace, | 1:04:04 | |
| and may your abundant life in Christ. | 1:04:07 |