Communion

[PuppyforChrist]

As a Lutheran, my church does communion, but I was wondering what you all think about it?

Do you do it at your church? What do you make of it if you do? If you don't do it, how come?

 

[Momzilla]

I attend a methodist church, and we have communion on the first of the month, using leavened bread and grape juice. Frankly, it doesn't do it for me. After seeing the eucharist at an Orthodox church--at which the priest named each person as he/she received the sacrament--the way we do it in my church seems a little empty.

 

[Riddick]

I'm a Seventh Day Adventist, we do communion every quarter.

 

[Andrew]

As a Lutheran, my church does communion, but I was wondering what you all think about it?

Do you do it at your church? What do you make of it if you do? If you don't do it, how come?

Hi Puppy,

This is what my church and I think Communion is about.

http://sg.geocities.com/saltandlight5/communion.html


We also do it every Sunday now. I take it at home with my wife every morning b4 we leave for work.

 

[ZiSunka]

We do communion every week. At first I had to get used to it, because I came out of a mennonite church where we had communion every few months, but now that I have communion every week, I like it, because I think about the other Christians all over the world having communion at the same time and it bonds my heart together with theirs. I really feel like part of a world communion of saints, a world family of Believers.

 

[TrueCreation]

As a Lutheran, my church does communion, but I was wondering what you all think about it?

Do you do it at your church? What do you make of it if you do? If you don't do it, how come?

--Speaking of communion, Catholic doctrine has it that you must first believe in transubstantiation and have recently been to confession (not completely accurate, albeit a sufficient paraphrasal for now). I am not so sure about these beliefs. I don't see an adequate scriptural basis for either. Any thoughts?

Cheers,
-Chris Grose

 

[Arikereba]

I attend a methodist church, and we have communion on the first of the month, using leavened bread and grape juice. Frankly, it doesn't do it for me. After seeing the eucharist at an Orthodox church--at which the priest named each person as he/she received the sacrament--the way we do it in my church seems a little empty.

I like that idea--my church basically comes from a liberal methodist tradition, but when the minister says my name as I'm up there, it just gives me shivers. It feels somehow intimate and personal.

Communion is once a month. Most of the time it's at the rail at the front of the church; you are given a small thin wafer than you dip into a common cup of grape juice. Sometimes communion is at our seats, with grape juice in plastic shot glasses.

One of the things about my church that's unusual is that communion is completely open. Anyone who believes can receive communion, regardless of whether they've been baptized; and while I can see the reasoning behind closed communion, especially if you have a sacramental understanding of communion, I appreciated that when I first started going to church.

 

[JVAC]

Speaking of communion, Catholic doctrine has it that you must first believe in transubstantiation and have recently been to confession (not completely accurate, albeit a sufficient paraphrasal for now). I am not so sure about these beliefs. I don't see an adequate scriptural basis for either. Any thoughts?

Hey Chris,

The Lutheran Church practices this same thing only in another way. We do believe in "Real Pressence" that is, Christ's body and blood are in the Sacrament that we recieve. Yet the process (transubstantiation/Consubstantiation) are not rigorously enforced, that is to say, one may believe what one wills, as long as one believes that Jesus is truly present in the Sacrament.

On the note of confession, we do feel it necessary that we come to this Sacrament with a contrite heart. We do confession before the Sacrament to remind us of our failings and of our need, as St. Ambrose said, to take the medicine. Confession is admonished in of itself, yet it is used in conjunction with the Sacrament not only to Conform to 1John but also to St. Paul's epistle to the Church of Corinth.

-James

 

[Phoebe]

Hey Chris,

The Lutheran Church practices this same thing only in another way. We do believe in "Real Pressence" that is, Christ's body and blood are in the Sacrament that we recieve. Yet the process (transubstantiation/Consubstantiation) are not rigorously enforced, that is to say, one may believe what one wills, as long as one believes that Jesus is truly present in the Sacrament.

On the note of confession, we do feel it necessary that we come to this Sacrament with a contrite heart. We do confession before the Sacrament to remind us of our failings and of our need, as St. Ambrose said, to take the medicine. Confession is admonished in of itself, yet it is used in conjunction with the Sacrament not only to Conform to 1John but also to St. Paul's epistle to the Church of Corinth.

-James

I'll build on what James said.
We don't have to have a one- on- one confession with the pastor. We use the Brief Order for Confession and Forgiveness early in the church service. (ELCA)

 

[PuppyforChrist]

Exactly what James and Phoebe said.

We also use grape juice for those who don't want to or can't have wine. Since the wine burned my chest the last time, I take grape juice.

 

[ByzantineDixie]

I like that idea--my church basically comes from a liberal methodist tradition, but when the minister says my name as I'm up there, it just gives me shivers. It feels somehow intimate and personal.

My pastor does this and it is exactly as you say--makes it intimate and personal. HOWEVER, he also struggles with this practices because he says communion is not a "God and me" sacrament--it is a "God and us" sacrament--the communion of the body of saints, past, present and future. While he is aware of the theology of the sacrament--he still does not forego the personal touch. I think he does a good job maintaining the balance.

One thing I'll throw out for consideration...our church offers both the little individual cups and the common cup. You take what you prefer. I used to be an individual cup person until I studied more on communion. I encourage everyone who has the opportunity to be a common cupper. It really enhances participation in the sacrament.

Peace

Rose

 

[citygirl]

I attend a Presbyterian church, and we have communion every week. Always in our seats with grape juice.

 

[puriteen18]

I'm a Reformed Baptist, but I attend a Presbyterian Church and a Calvinistic Southern Baptist because where I am at school there aren't any real Reformed Baptist Churches.

At the Presby we have communion quarterly and in the morning because they only have morning services. At the Southern Baptist, I think it is quarterly too. At both we have the elements (grape juice and unleaven bread)passed around.


At the Reformed Baptist Church back home, they have communion the first Sunday in the month, and always in the evening. There are a couple of rows of pews at the front of the church on each side of the Table facing it. They go opposite of the other pews, which face foward toward the pulpit.

At communion (which is always at the end of the service) the part of the congregation that are unable or feel that they should not take communion at that time are dismissed. After that the inner doors of the sanctuary are shut and those who are able and have prepared to take the supper go and sit in the pews on either side of the Table.

After a hymn or psalm, the Table is prepared by the deacons, the Pastor reads the Words of Institution, and he comes around to each of us saying to each some words about the Body and Blood of Christ, and then gives us the element (first the bread and then the wine.) We end by singing another hymn or psalm.

I think this way dates from a 17th century puritan litury book, but am not sure.

anyhow, we believe that Christ is only spiritually present in the Supper.