Speech and action in the Eucharist

Submitted by Rebecca Prichard, Pastor of Tustin Presbyterian Church, Tustin, California and Adjunct Professor of Theology and Worship at SFTS/So Cal

I once had a conversation with Paul Westermeyer (Lutheran Church musician and liturgist) about the placement of the Verba [Institution Narrative]. He suggested that including them in the prayer focuses on Christ's death; placing them at the fraction focuses on the resurrection. Of course, the Book of Common Worship, as always, gives us options. I most often say the words of institution as I break the bread and pour the cup, this way the words are united with the visual drama of breaking and pouring. I try to teach this drama to my students at SFTS/So Cal, making sure they know their lines and can speak and act at the same time.

At times I use an Iona Community liturgy from the Wee Worship Book. They use "the story of the last supper" as a kind of invitation. As the bread is broken (right after the Lord's Prayer) the celebrant says "Look! The bread of heaven is broken for the life of the world." I like to add these words as I pour out the cup: "See! God's grace flows freely for us." One of my strongest memories of the Iona liturgy was in Iona Abbey in 1991. Allie Newell was celebrating. It was Saturday evening, candles blazing, we were gathered around a long table. Our heads were bowed for the Lord's Prayer. When she said "Look!" we all turned and watched as she broke the bread. It was very moving. I think the cup is also something to "see," so I added those words. By the way, I also use four sentences in that liturgy as a kind of memorial acclamation; I ask the whole congregation to repeat these words when we use this liturgy:

We cannot take bread and forget those who are hungry.
We cannot take wine and forget those who are thirsty.
We cannot hear your words of peace and forget the world of violence.
We cannot celebrate the feast of your family and forget our divisions.

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