I'm currently trying to abstain from drinking for a while(possibly forever). See my other recent post for more information if you are interested where I make reference to taking communion. It is something I'm worried about as it involves drinking alcohol. I believe they have a non alcoholic version available but if I asked for that people would start talking. I don't particularly like wine. Beer is what I drink mainly so it may not be an issue if I have a sip of wine once or twice a month at communion. However it is not technically abstaining. I know some denominations don't have alcohol at communion at all but my church does and I like my church. I'm comfortably there and even though I'm fairly new I have been made to feel very welcome. I'd rather not change churches. Anybody else had this problem?
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Taking Communion
- Thread starter UKChristian
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madison1101
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- Sep 17, 2004
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My church does not offer wine at communion. That being said, I have known AA members who still participated in the 'cup' part of the communion service, only during communion did they have that wine.
I suggest you make an appointment with the pastor of you church, and discuss it with him/her. Pastors usually take an oath of confidentiality, so that anything said to them in confidence stays confidential.
You could always say that you need to drink the juice, instead of the wine, for health reasons. Diabetics are not supposed to have alcohol. Same for other health issues. Being concerned about possibly being an alcoholic is definitely a health reason. You need not elaborate as to the nature of the health concern.
By the way, I would never suggest you withdraw from the kind of social support you receive at your church.
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I've been going to the local Anglican church recently, and when communion occurs I just sit out at the back.
I use a zero tolerance policy towards alcohol - even 1 sip of wine is too much!
no one seems to notice really so I think that's fine.
so, if it means avoiding communion then so be it, as sobriety comes before everything - God agrees with me here I'm sure.
btw: I know some churches use grape juice instead so perhaps that is the way?
I use a zero tolerance policy towards alcohol - even 1 sip of wine is too much!
no one seems to notice really so I think that's fine.
so, if it means avoiding communion then so be it, as sobriety comes before everything - God agrees with me here I'm sure.
btw: I know some churches use grape juice instead so perhaps that is the way?
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Some churches do use grape juice. I think you could ask privately. Some people just have that as a preference and that is okay. If people want to talk, that is between them and God. You have to do what is best for you.
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Luna1991
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The main time this is a issue for me is when I go to one of our more formal 'high church' services with my parents, usually only on special days and occasions throughout the year (we just use grape juice at the youth/young adults orientated service).
We usually have a tray set up with grape juice at these formal services, which you just point to as the verger comes by with the goblet, to indicate you would prefer not to drink the wine.
If I can't see it or forget to point to it, I just put my lips to the goblet but don't swallow any. That's not a big deal to me.
I'm not a red wine drinker, so I can appreciate what you mean by saying that it wouldn't really harm you to have a sip every so often. I suppose that's true. But I just don't like to on principal. Even if it's not my particular usual drink, I still have very negative associations with alcohol in general, so I just don't like to bring that into the picture when taking communion. And I don't like to compromise my sobriety date at the the time, either.
We usually have a tray set up with grape juice at these formal services, which you just point to as the verger comes by with the goblet, to indicate you would prefer not to drink the wine.
If I can't see it or forget to point to it, I just put my lips to the goblet but don't swallow any. That's not a big deal to me.
I'm not a red wine drinker, so I can appreciate what you mean by saying that it wouldn't really harm you to have a sip every so often. I suppose that's true. But I just don't like to on principal. Even if it's not my particular usual drink, I still have very negative associations with alcohol in general, so I just don't like to bring that into the picture when taking communion. And I don't like to compromise my sobriety date at the the time, either.
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