Reformed Communion

[HiredGoon]

Are there any reformed denominations which follow Calvin's teaching by observing the Lord's Supper weekly and using wine instead of grape juice?

 

[Jon_]

We celebrate communion weekly at our church (non-denominational), but we use grape juice instead of wine--for a number of reasons. Mainly, I think the paster doesn't want to offend anyone. Since it is a non-denominational church, you have a lot of different people with a lot of different backgrounds. Many churches have a no alcohol doctrine anymore (I can't imagine why). But I don't personally see anything wrong with taking wine. I have no compunction against consuming alcohol in moderation (read: never in excess, or anywhere approaching it).

 

[Imblessed]

I also go to a non-denominational church, that follows the reformed view--but we practice communion 1'st wednesday of each month, and use grape juice. Tim explained the reason we use grape juice instead of wine 1) not to put a stumbling block in front of any recovering alcoholics 2)his belief that wine back in Jesus' time would be alot mcloser to grape juice anyway-something like fermented grape juice!--I'm not sure how he put it, but it was something about the process of winemaking in Jesus' day.

I'm not sure why we practice communion monthly, but I think it may be because the act of communion at our church pretty much takes up the whole hour, and it wouldn't leave time on Wednesdays for bible study. We do communion on Wednesdays because that is where the highest concentration of christian are. Tim practices open communion, but warns that you HAVE to be a christian to participate, and since our weekend services have alot more non-christians at them, we do it on Wednesday nights, which are geared toward maturing christians...

communion for us involves quite a bit of prayer and "getting prepared". Tim teaches that you should not take communion with "unsolved issues",etc....
That is when we also have the prayer time with the elders of the church. Anyone with special prayer requests can approach the elders at the front of the church at the end of service so the elders can pray for them. Of course, the elders will pray for you anytime else, but it's nice to have an open prayer time once a month.

 

[Bulldog]

Are there any reformed denominations which follow Calvin's teaching by observing the Lord's Supper weekly and using wine instead of grape juice?

I think we do it all but one week a month at my church, but we do use wine.

 

[Cajun Huguenot]

Are there any reformed denominations which follow Calvin's teaching by observing the Lord's Supper weekly and using wine instead of grape juice?

A number (perhaps all) of the Churches in Louisiana Presbytery (PCA) have weekly celebration of the Lord's Supper and we use wine. I whould think (hope) most Reformed Churches follow this pattern. Don't we believe, as Calvin did, that the Supper is a means of grace? If it a means of grace then we should partake of that means often.

In Christ,
Kenith

 

[Cajun Huguenot]

Grape Juice? Wine is only proper . All the church used wine before the temprance movement began and Dr. Welch figured out how to keep the juice from ferminting.

That was a sad day.

Kenith

 

[HiredGoon]

I think we do it all but one week a month at my church, but we do use wine.

I figured that's how it would be in a reformed episcopal church.

A number (perhaps all) of the Churches in Louisiana Presbytery (PCA) have weekly celebration of the Lord's Supper and we use wine. I whould think (hope) most Reformed Churches follow this pattern. Don't we believe, as Calvin did, that the Supper is a means of grace? If it a means of grace then we should partake of that means often.

Wow, that's great! Count your blessings brother, its not like that in the rest of the country. The PCA church I used to go to in NY obserevd the Lord's Supper once a month and used grape juice. In fact every protestant church I've been to, reformed or not, obsereves the Lord's Supper only once each month (some of them less often) and uses grape juice instead of wine.

Even before I read Mathison's "Given for You: Reclaiming Calvin's Doctrine of the Lord's Supper" I felt that more protestant churches, especially reformed ones, should be using wine and observing the Lord's Supper more often. I think the reason a lot of churches do otherwise is from a fear of appearing too Romish, and the lasting effects of that dang temperance movement.

 

[Cajun Huguenot]

Wow, that's great! Count your blessings brother, its not like that in the rest of the country. The PCA church I used to go to in NY obserevd the Lord's Supper once a month and used grape juice. In fact every protestant church I've been to, reformed or not, obsereves the Lord's Supper only once each month (some of them less often) and uses grape juice instead of wine.

Even before I read Mathison's "Given for You: Reclaiming Calvin's Doctrine of the Lord's Supper" I felt that more protestant churches, especially reformed ones, should be using wine and observing the Lord's Supper more often. I think the reason a lot of churches do otherwise is from a fear of appearing too Romish, and the lasting effects of that dang temperance movement.

I read Mathison's Book last year. It is GREAT.

We did not always celebrate the Lord's Supper every week or use wine, but over the last decade many of our Churches here (I don't know about all) in Louisiana Presbytery have made the switch to weekly Communion and wine. Reading Mathison's book only reconfirmed that we had moved in the right direction.

Coram Deo,
Kenith

 

[bliz]

The Reformed Presbyterian churches in my area celebrate communion quarterly, at an evening service, where only members and those approved by the elders may participate and aften churches switch pastors for the event. Naturally, it's grape juice. Most interesting!