Methodists & the Eucharist (Communion)

[Laurasia]

Hello everyone.

I'm looking to get a question answered regarding Methodist services. Do Methodists have Communion (the Eucharist) on every Sunday like the Catholics do?

I ask this because I am trying to find a church that I fit into. I used to attend a Methodist church as a child, but only seem to remember having Communion very rarely. I am trying to find a church that has the Communion at every Mass/service, as I feel a very strong need for it. I thank everyone for any help that can be given.

Sincerely,
Laurasia

 

[AngelAmidala]

At my particular Methodist church, we have it the 1st Sunday of every month.

I have heard (I think it was an article posted here in this forum but I'm not entirely sure) that there are some UMC's that are moving to having Communion every Sunday. But I don't think it's a widespread thing quite yet.

 

[herev]

AA is right, we are (as a denomination) trying to get back to Wesley's ideas more here. He tried to have communion every day! Different churches do it differently. the church I pastor celebrated communion a couple of times a year. Now we do it about 8 times a year--working towards once a month. So I'd advise trying different churches and asking the pastor

 

[gtsecc]

Find an Anglican or Lutheran parish and they will have communion every Sunday. I think there are some Methodist that also have it every Sunday. I bet you could find out by making a few telephone calls.

 

[Laurasia]

Thank you everyone, for all of your responses. It seems as though I will, indeed, need to start calling around to the local churches & see how each one does things. Thank you again everyone. It was very much appreciated.

Sincerely,
Laurasia

 

[seeking.IAM]

I've been doing some visitng around this year. I have visited Lutheran Church, Missouri Synod and Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, as well as the Episcopal Church. Of the three in my town, only the Episcopal Church as communion every Sunday. The church is the middle way between the Protestant Church and the Roman Catholic Church. You might consider it.

Of course, I also invite you to visit a United Methodist Church and see for yourself.

Best wishes,
seeking.IAM

 

[Gwynne]

My UMC has communion once a moth, although with the pastor leaving I'm not sure if that will keep up. I would like to have communion weekly, however I'm just grateful to be at a church that has it at all. The last church I went to didn't even mention communion in the year that I was there!

 

[Laurasia]

Hello Gwinn & seekingIam.

There was a new Epsicopalian church built in town last year. I was thinking about trying them out as well. Perhaps I should consider it further. LOL! I used to attend a Methodist church when I was a child. However, they only had communion about once a year. I haven't been able to reach anyone at the Methodist church that's in town to see if they have it.

I couldn't imagine attending a church that did not have communion every Sunday. I just have such a strong yearning for communion. I feel that it is very important.

Sincerely,
Laurasia

 

[ClementofRome]

I have the strongest desire to partake of the body and the blood weekly. We presently do this first Sunday of each month....tradition, I guess. It is high time we took this most gracious of sacraments more seriously.

 

[msturek]

I couldn't agree with you more, ClementofRome.

The Methodist church I'm a member of now is my second. Between the 2, I've had 5 (I think) senior pastors, and they've all served Communion on the 1st Sunday only. I grew up in the Catholic church, so I was used to participating each week. I didn't realize the significance of it at the time, but now as my relationship with Christ has deepened and I realize more what Communion makes us remember, I think serving it every week would be better.

 

[Celticflower]

I didn't realize the significance of it at the time, but now as my relationship with Christ has deepened and I realize more what Communion makes us remember, I think serving it every week would be better.

As long as you don't lose the significance with weekly communion. I attend a non-denom. Communion is given weekly and is just a blip in the service before the offering is collected. I miss the service of the table from the Methodist church. I have nothing against weekly communion as long as the meaning doesn't get lost in the interest of fitting everything into the service.

Celtie

 

[Laurasia]

I hold the Communion in the highest of regards. This is why I have been so adament about attending a church which has it every week. When I first came back to the Christian faith, I was determined to not attend a Catholic church because of some really bad experiences that eventually caused me to leave the faith altogether.

However, many of my misconceptions about the Catholic church have since been cleared up for me & now I attend a Catholic church & receive Communion every week.

I attended a Methodist church as a child & it was great. It was, in fact, the first church to introduce me to the Christian faith. However, when I was a bit older I started attending a Catholic school, & thus, a Catholic church. I felt very drawn to the Catholic church & very comfortable, until the unfortunate things happened. But, I know understand why I needed to go through those things. I was never able to see it before, but the Lord has shown it to me now.

So, with the help of an absolutely amazing priest & some of the wonderful members here, I was able to see past my misconceptions & am again comfortable in the Catholic church. Thank you to everyone that has helped me through this.

Sincerely,
Laurasia

 

[TexasCatholic]

I'm glad you found your way back. Sometimes we do have to go through things in life. I grew up Baptist, but I'm in the process of entering the Catholic Church now. I am anxiously looking forward to taking Communion!

-Michael "RCIA Candidate"

I hold the Communion in the highest of regards. This is why I have been so adament about attending a church which has it every week. When I first came back to the Christian faith, I was determined to not attend a Catholic church because of some really bad experiences that eventually caused me to leave the faith altogether.

However, many of my misconceptions about the Catholic church have since been cleared up for me & now I attend a Catholic church & receive Communion every week.

I attended a Methodist church as a child & it was great. It was, in fact, the first church to introduce me to the Christian faith. However, when I was a bit older I started attending a Catholic school, & thus, a Catholic church. I felt very drawn to the Catholic church & very comfortable, until the unfortunate things happened. But, I know understand why I needed to go through those things. I was never able to see it before, but the Lord has shown it to me now.

So, with the help of an absolutely amazing priest & some of the wonderful members here, I was able to see past my misconceptions & am again comfortable in the Catholic church. Thank you to everyone that has helped me through this.

Sincerely,
Laurasia

 

[Laurasia]

That's great news Michael! I am also an RCIA Candidate, I'll be celebrating my Confirmation next Easter.

Sincerely,
Laurasia

 

[loveall]

I'm glad you found where you belong. BTW, my local UM church (in a small college town) offers the once a month communion within the regular church service, but they also offer a chance to take communion in the chapel during the other three weeks of the month.

 

[DiscipleOfIAm]

My experience with a UMC, we had communion every Wednesday Evening Service and the Sunday Evening Service. The church was too large to have it Sunday Mornings, it would have taken 2 hours to do it that way.

I think each one is different in the way the do it.

God Bless

 

[RevRJB]

As a minister I would love to be able to preside every week with all of my congregations but there is an elememt of availability to consider - in the uk meth church there only the ordained minister or (rarely) authorised person can preside and therefore can onlky be in one place at a time. If like me you have more than one church, or 3, then one in 3 sundays is all you can do... there is also the elememt of the congregations to consider... many have 'traditions' which they stick to and would be unhappy if they were changed. i.e. once a month/every third of the month etc...
However I don't want to discourage and so I will leave on this (what I hope is) a positive note - most ministers would be happy to talk to you about this and many would even arrange to have extra/smaller groups where communion is shared. Talk to them and se whether they can accomodate you and your needs...(",)

 

[MParedon]

The last church I went to didn't even mention communion in the year that I was there!

This got me thinking...are you sure they might have had communion on a weekday service or another service that you might not have been at?

I just ask because I've heard of services that have communion in the evening but not in the morning or on a Wednesday night instead of Sunday.

 

[Jadis40]

The UMC church I attend has it the first Sunday of every month, and also other occasions too.

Calling around would probably be a very good idea.

I know the Episcopals have communion every Sunday As a side note - The Methodist church is an off-spring of the Episcopal Church - from John and Charles Wesley.

Outside of the Episcopals, the other denomination that I know of that also celebrates communion every Sunday would be the Christian (Disciples of Christ) Church.