Holy Communion, Eucharist, Mass, The Lord’s Supper – are all names for the same service. Each name emphasised a particular aspect of the service, but, primarily, describes the same thing.

Jesus only actually told us to do three things – to love God, to love one another and to “do” communion. Holy Communion is the way Christians respond to this last commandment.

The Church of England (Anglican Church), along with most other mainstream denominations, plan a service of hole communion in the same four sections (though they may have different titles and emphases)

• The Gathering or Introduction
• The Liturgy of the Word
• The Liturgy of the Sacrament
• The Dismissal

The Gathering is a time to come consciously into the presence of God and to apologise to God for anything we have done which has saddened him, others or ourselves. We receive God’s forgiveness, and then are ready for the next section of the service. There may be one or more songs/ hymns in this section.

The Liturgy of the Word is the time when we listen to, read or sing Bible passages and hymns/ songs. A talk or sermon develops the issues in the readings. A declaration of faith or response to the readings follows and leads into the prayers (intercessions) and then there is time to share God’s peace and grace with each other.

The Liturgy of the Sacrament follows, as the bread and wine are brought forward, and the long prayer which follows is called the Eucharistic Prayer. The text largely from the Bible [Mark’ Gospel 14 vv 12-26] and uses bread and wine to symbolise and represent the body and blood of Jesus, which he allowed to be broken and shed when he died on the Cross, thus bridging the gap between humankind and God for ever.

The Dismissal is where we are Blessed and take the strength received from Communion back into our lives for the week ahead.