Obviously, plenty of options in hymnals. This page is for a selection to keep ‘on hand’ for reference. Please ensure you register usage with the relevant copyright agency.
* Singing from the Lectionary and the collation labelled ‘service music’ including the communion liturgy. (Thank you Natalie Sims – so many new songs introduced over the years).
*Carolyn Winfrey Gillette’s Hymns for Communion
Music for communion
O Bread of Life
This is a meditative song by Kathy Douglass. O Bread of Life is inspired by words by Henri Nouwen – taken, blessed, broken given. Could be used for the season of Lent. It could be played using the Soundcloud file during communion (could be on a loop if longer is needed).
O Bread of Life, feed our hungry souls
Come satisfy the emptiness we know
Take and bless us,
Break and give away
This Bread of Life
This Bread of Life
Take and Eat
A MIDI audio track is on this website, and includes the words by Phil Bates. Beautiful!
1. Take and eat, come have your fill now.
Take this bread, come as you will.
For the life of the world, be, be not afraid.
2. Take this cup, take and be filled now.
Take and drink, come as you are.
For the life of the world, be, be not afraid.
3. Take my song, come be refreshed now.
Take and live, take and be free,
For the life of the world, be, be not afraid.
© Phil Bates 1985.
As we gather round your table (Elizabeth Smith)
(vv 1-3 could lead into communion; vv4-5 could follow communion)
1 As we gather round your table,
wipe away the tears we’ve shed.
Share your gifts of love and laughter,
pour the wine and break the bread.
Christ our Wisdom, Christ our Justice,
feast with us till all are fed.
2 We have heard your call to service,
seen forgiveness in your face.
In your heart you hold our future:
clothe us with your shining grace.
Christ our End and our Beginning,
make us strong to run this race.
3 You gave up your place of honour.
Stripped of human pride, you came
touching lepers, blessing children,
loving all who bear your name.
Christ of kindness, Christ of welcome,
teach us how to do the same.
4 To the dusty world you send us,
with the trusted friends you choose
as your apostolic people,
slaves with nothing left to lose.
Christ for outcasts, Christ for sinners,
make us rich in your Good News.
5 In your Spirit’s power we travel:
be our guide till journey’s end.
Give us courage, joy, endurance,
feet to wash, and hearts to mend,
Christ our Teacher, Christ our Vision,
healer, helper, servant, friend.
words: © Elizabeth J. Smith
suggested music: ST HELEN (TiS 520)
may be reproduced with reporting to CCLI or One Licence
CCLI song # 5148392
One Licence song # 127239
Here is Bread, Here is wine (Graham Kendrick)
Here is bread, here is wine
Christ is with us, he is with us
Break the bread, drink the wine
Christ is with us here
Here is grace, here is peace
Christ is with us, he is with us
Know his grace, find his peace
Feast on Jesus here
In this bread there is healing
In this cup there’s life forever
In this moment, by the Spirit
Christ is with us here
Here we are, joined in one
Christ is with us, he is with us
We’ll proclaim, till he comes
Jesus crucified
(See website for copyright; UMC info about the song; lyric version on Youtube)
Wisdom’s Feast
(Music: Ellacombe 1, TiS 361)
Now Wisdom’s feast continues,
her well-aged wine still slows,
the bread of heaven fills us,
and love of learning grows.
When faithful people listen,
when hopeful people pray,
when loving people flourish,
they show us Wisdom’s way.
Through books and prayers and silence,
in company, alone:
O Holy Wisdom, feed us
and form us for your own.
And give us joy in learning,
and help us in our turn
to hand on what you give us,
so others, too, may learn.
For you are God our Teacher
and, drinking in your Word,
we take to heart true wisdom
and your whole church is stirred
to show the world your kindness,
to teach the world your grace,
to bring the world, rejoicing,
to greet you face to face.
(Words: Elizabeth Smith)
Come to the table (communion hymn) — Stephen Best, Wales UK
Tune: Blessed Assurance 9.10.9.9.
Come voice your struggles, come shed your tears,
Come calm your anger, come lose your fears.
Here we encounter the Living Lord
Through bread that’s broken, in wine that’s poured
Refrain:
Come to the table, join in the song,
This is the place where all shall belong.
Voices in chorus, seeking Christ’s ways,
To become God’s living stones of praise.
Come voice your laughter, come show your joy,
We’ll be a temple the world won’t destroy.
Founded on caring, compassion and love,
Strength of lion, peace of the dove. Refrain
Come voice your outrage, come right what’s wrong,
Working for justice, together we’re strong.
More than the sum of each separate part,
Seeking and sharing the way of the heart. Refrain
(Source: Stephen Best ordination and induction service, on Worship Words)
Music: What Shall I pour?
The lyrics ask the questions – What are we searching for? and What can we do to make room for the Spirit? The words also remind us that, in our hurry to find God, we may need to slow down, be open, and wait for God’s “newness” in our life
What shall I pour out to make some sacred space?
What might I let go?
What sweet or bitter taste?
What shall I give up to give my God-Self place?
I listen, I open, I wait.
What do I yearn for that truly lifts me up?
Where can I drink deep to fill my Spirit up?
Surely comes the grace to pour my healing cup!
I listen, I open, I wait.
As we break the bread that shares to make us kin
As we pour the cup that drinks the Spirit in
As we take the time to venture deep within
We listen. We open. We wait.
(Source: James McGowan and Ellie Barrington, Gathering 2019, p.62)
Come to God’s table
Come to God’s table, for all is prepared,
The bread we have offered is broken and shared,
Christ’s presence among us is food for the soul,
reviving, renewing, and making us whole.
Come to God’s table, and drink of the wine,
the blood of the Saviour, in mystery divine,
The cup of salvation both priceless and free,
transforming God’s people to all we can be.
Come to God’s table, we come as we are,
we bring all the burdens we’ve carried so far,
in body, in spirit, in soul, mind and heart,
to feed on the grace only God can impart.
Come to God’s table, then go in that grace
to hold all the earth in a heav’nly embrace,
Sent out in the Spirit to tend and to care
in thought, word and action, our life is our prayer.
(Tune: Slane; Words © Ally Barrett /Jubilate Hymns Ltd copyrightmanager@jubilatehymns.co.uk)
