A Covenant Service at The Anglican Centre

One of the joys of Rome is the lively presence of The Anglican Centre. Its primary mission
is to strengthen the bonds between the Anglican Communion and the Roman Catholic Church, while it also works for wider Christian unity, promotes ecumenical service, and serves up educational offerings attended by learners from around the world. 

I particularly enjoy the weekly Eucharist. It’s an opportunity to worship with visitors from around the Communion and friends from other branches of “The Jesus Movement.” Today, the pastor of the local English-speaking Methodist congregation presided over a Covenant Service and Communion.

The Covenant Prayer spoke deeply to me. It was beautiful. It was frightening. It was freeing. It is who I endeavor to be and fail at consistently, but continue, with God’s help to offer to God. I share with you this Covenant Prayer in the hope that you too may find comfort and peace in the total commitment we are invited into as followers of Christ.

I am no longer my own but yours.
Put me to what you will, rank me with whom you will;
put me to doing, put me to suffering;
let me be employed for you, or laid aside for you,
exalted for you, or brought low for you;
let me be full, let me be empty,
let me have all things, let me have nothing:
I freely and wholeheartedly yield all things
to your pleasure and disposal.
And now, glorious and blessed God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
you are mine and I am yours.
And the covenant now made on earth, let it be ratified in heaven. Amen.

Methodist Worship Book, page 290.
© 1999 Trustees for Methodist Church Purposes.