Reaffirmation of the Baptismal Covenant
This liturgy for the Reaffirmation of Baptism, including the celebration of the Lord’s Supper, was used by
the Worship and Spiritual Renewal Committee of the 218th General Assembly (2008) of the Presbyterian
Church (U.S.A.), in San Jose, California. This was the committee that discussed and approved the overture
for solemn assemblies.
SCRIPTURE SENTENCES
Hear these words from Holy Scripture:
Just as the body is one 1 Cor. 12:12-13, 17
and has many members
and all the members of the body, though many,
are one body,
so it is with Christ.
For in the one Spirit
we were all baptized into one body—
Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—
and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.
Now you are the body of Christ
and individually members of it.
God has told you what is good: Micah 6:8
and what does the Lord require of you?
To do justice, and to love kindness,
and to walk humbly with our God.
OPENING HYMN Behold the Goodness of Our Lord (Psalm 133) PH 241
AMAZING GRACE
(1) Behold the goodness of our Lord, how blest it is to be
a company of God’s beloved, in holy unity.
(2) Like precious oil upon the head, a healing for our strife,
it flows throughout our common bond, refreshing all of life.
(3) As dew on Zion’s mountaintop brings freshness to our door,
Our Lord commands this in our midst and brings life evermore.
C
ALL TO CONFESSION AND REAFFIRMATION OF BAPTISM
Sisters and brothers in Christ,
BCW 465
our baptism is the sign and seal
of our cleansing from sin,
And of our being grafted into Christ.
Through the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Christ,
the power of sin was broken
and God’s kingdom entered our world.
Through our baptism we were made citizens of God’s kingdom,
and freed from the bondage of sin.
Let us celebrated that freedom and redemption
through the renewal of the promises made at our baptism.
I ask you, therefore,
once again to reject sin,
to profess your faith in Christ Jesus,
and to confess the faith of the church,
the faith in which we were baptized.
CONFESSION OF SIN—A LITANY
Sovereign God, BCW 474-475
in baptism you called us to turn from sin
and to turn to Jesus Christ;
but we stray from his ways
and do not heed your call.
Silence.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
In baptism you joined us to Christ in his death
that we might be raised with Christ in new life;
but we cherish old ways
and fail to embrace the risen life
of righteousness, justice, and love.
Silence.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
In baptism you united us with all the baptized
who confess your name;
but we foster division in the church.
We refuse to live as one people,
and so fail to witness to your reconciling love before the world.
Silence.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
In baptism you call us to ministry
in all realms of life,
but we refuse the struggle to know your will;
we do not nurture the ways of peace;
we allow enmity and hatred to grow among us,
putting neighbor against neighbor,
and nation against nation.
We abuse the earth you entrust to our care,
and life in discord with all you have made.
Silence.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
In baptism you sent us to serve with compassion
all for whom Christ died;
but we ignore the suffering of the oppressed
and the plight of the poor.
We take bread from the hungry,
and will not listen to cries for justice.
Silence.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
In baptism you gave us the Holy Spirit
to teach and guide us,
but we rely on ourselves,
and refuse to trust your direction.
We spurn your eternal wisdom,
preferring the luring ways of the world.
Silence.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Remember the promises you made to us in our baptism,
forgive our sinful ways
and heal our brokenness.
Set us free from all that enslaves us,
and raise us to new life in Jesus Christ,
that we may be your faithful servants,
showing forth your healing love to the world,
to the glory of your holy name.
Amen.
DECLARATION OF FORGIVENESS
Hear the good news!
In baptism you were buried with Christ. BCW 476; Col. 2:12; 2 Cor. 5:17
In baptism also you were raised to life with him,
through faith in the power of God
who raised Christ from the dead.
Anyone who is in Christ is a new creation.
The old life has gone; a new life has begun.
I declare to you in the name of Jesus Christ,
you are forgiven.
Amen.
If you have been raised with Christ, Col. 3:1
seek the things that are above,
where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.
PEACE
Since God has forgiven us in Christ, let us forgive one another.
The peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.
And also with you.
SPIRITUAL I’ve Got Peace Like a River
(1) I’ve got peace like a river, I’ve got peace like a river, PH 368
I’ve got peace like a river in my soul.
I’ve got peace like a river, I’ve got peace like a river,
I’ve got peace like a river in my soul.
(2) I’ve got joy like a fountain ...
(3) I’ve got love like an ocean ...
PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION
Holy Spirit, who hovered over the waters at creation’s birth, BCW 476
who descended in the form of a dove at Jesus’ baptism,
who was poured out under the signs of fire and wind at Pentecost:
Come to us, open our hearts and minds,
so that we may hear the Word of life
and be renewed by your power,
for you live and reign with the Father and the Son,
now and forever.
Amen.
S
CRIPTURE Mark 1:4-11
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
MEDITATION
RESPONSE I’ve Got Peace Like a River (verse 3)
PROFESSION OF FAITH
With the whole church,
let us confess our faith.
Do you believe in God the Father? Apostles’ Creed
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
Do you believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God?
I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and he will come to judge the living and the dead.
Do you believe in God the Holy Spirit?
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.
THANKSGIVING FOR BAPTISM
The Lord be with you. BCW 469-470
And also with you.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
Eternal and gracious God, we give you thanks.
In countless ways you have revealed yourself in ages past,
and have blessed us with signs of your grace.
We praise you that through the waters of the sea
you led your people Israel out of bondage,
into freedom in the land of your promise.
We praise you for sending Jesus your Son,
who for us was baptized in the waters of the Jordan,
and was anointed as the Christ by your Holy Spirit.
Through the baptism of his death and resurrection
you set us free from the bondage of sin and death
and give us cleansing and rebirth.
We praise you for your Holy Spirit,
who teaches us and leads us into all truth,
filling us with a variety of gifts,
that we might proclaim the gospel to all nations
and serve you as a royal priesthood.
We rejoice that you claimed us in our baptism,
and that by your grace we are born anew.
By your Holy Spirit renew us,
that we may be empowered to do your will
and continue forever in the risen life of Christ,
to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit,
be all glory and honor,
now and forever.
Amen.
REAFFIRMATION OF BAPTISM
Remember your baptism and be thankful.
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
INVITATION TO THE LORD’S TABLE
Friends, this is the joyful feast of the people of God!
They will come from east and west,
and from north and south,
and sit at table in the kingdom of God.
According to Luke,
when our risen Lord as at table with his disciples,
he took the bread, and blessed and broke it,
and gave it to them.
Then their eyes were opened
and they recognized him.
This is the Lord’s table.
Our Savior invites those who trust him
to share the feast which he has prepared.
G
REAT THANKSGIVING
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them up to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
It is truly right and our greatest joy to give you thanks and praise,
eternal God, our creator.
You have given us life and second birth in your Spirit.
Once we were no people, but now we are your people.
You raised up the church as a witness to the resurrection,
breathing into it your life and power.
From worlds apart, you gathered us together.
When we go astray, you welcome us home.
Always, your love has been steadfast.
Therefore we praise you, joining our voices with the choirs of heaven
and with all the faithful of every time and place
who forever sing to the glory of your name:
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
You are holy, O God of majesty,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord.
In love with you and in compassion for all,
Jesus healed and taught, challenged and comforted, welcomed and saved.
He formed a new community,
promising to be with his disciples wherever two or three were gathered,
and sending them on his mission of hope and healing in the world.
Jesus trusted his life to you, and went freely to his death,
so the world might be set free from suffering and sin.
You raised him from death and raise us also to live a new life with him.
In the power of the Holy Spirit,
you send us out to make disciples as he commanded.
Remembering all your mighty and merciful acts,
we take this bread and this wine from the gifts you have given us
and celebrate with joy the redemption won for us in Jesus Christ.
Accept this our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving
as a living and holy offering of ourselves,
that our lives may proclaim the One crucified and risen.
Great is the mystery of faith.
Christ has died,
Christ is risen,
Christ will come again.
Gracious God, pour out your Holy Spirit upon us
and upon these your gifts of bread and wine,
that the bread we break and the cup we bless
may be the communion of the body and blood of Christ.
By your Spirit unite us with the living Christ
and with all who are baptized in his name,
that we may be one in ministry in every place.
As this bread is Christ’s body for us,
send us out to be the body of Christ in the world.
O God, today you have called us together to be the church.
Unite us now at your table and make us one in Christ Jesus.
Let your Spirit empower the life we share and enliven our witness in the world.
With all the saints who have gone before us, keep us faithful to the gospel.
Give us strength to serve you until the promised day of the resurrection,
when with the saints of all the ages we will feast with you in glory.
Through Christ, all glory and honor are yours, almighty God,
with the Holy Spirit in the holy church, now and forever.
Amen.
LORD’S PRAYER
And now, with the confidence of the children of God,
let us pray as Jesus taught us:
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name,
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our debts,
as we forgive our debtors;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory, forever.
Amen.
BREAKING OF THE BREAD
The Lord Jesus, on the night of his arrest, took bread,
and after giving thanks to God,
he broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying:
Take, eat. This is my body, given for you.
Do this in remembrance of me.
In the same way he took the cup, saying:
This cup is the new covenant sealed in my blood,
shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.
Whenever you drink it,
do this in remembrance of me.
Every time you eat this bread and drink this cup,
you proclaim the saving death of the risen Lord,
until he comes.
COMMUNION OF THE PEOPLE
The gifts of God for the people of God.
Thanks be to God.
PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION
God of grace,
you renew us at your table with the bread of life.
May this food strengthen us in love
and help us to serve you in each other.
We ask this in the name of Jesus the Lord.
Amen.
CLOSING HYMN In Christ There Is No East or West
MCKEE
(1) In Christ there is no east or west, in him no south or north; PH 440
but one great fellowship of love throughout the whole wide earth.
(2) In Christ shall true hearts everywhere their high communion find;
his service is the golden cord close-binding humankind.
(3) Join hands, disciples of the faith, whate’er your race may be.
All children of the living God are surely kin to me.
(4) In Christ now meet both east and west, in him meet south and north;
All Christly souls are one in him throughout the whole wide earth.
CHARGE
Lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called,
BCW 477; Eph. 4:1-2
with all humility and gentleness,
with patience, bearing with one another in love,
making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit
in the bond of peace.
BLESSING
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ,
2. Cor. 13:13
the love of God,
and the communion of the Holy Spirit
be with you all.
Alleluia! Amen.