Pew Communion
On Sunday, I asked people to do something that I was afraid may have been outside their comfort zone. During our Communion time, I asked them to make sure that nobody was taking communion alone. I asked them to share the bread and the cup with at least one other person, looking them in the eye while they ate, drank, and prayed together. I asked for a hands-on communion experience and I was blown away.Before I could even finish the thought, I saw at least five people get up and move next to a person who was sitting alone. By the time the bread was passed, people were huddled together in groups, touching and loving each other. Hands were held, arms were put around others, and we all shared the meal as a family.
There are times, especially lately, that I get very frustrated with my church. (I know it isn't MY church, but you know what I mean when I say that.) We bicker too much. We focus on the wrong things. We don't appreciate others like we should. We look inward far more than we look outward. And on and on and on. But the heart of the people there, the spirit of love that pervades the place, never fails to give me hope and never fails to lift me up.
posted by Thurman8er @ 10:04 AM
4 Comments:
I think that is wonderful and that has been practiced by some churches. If you notice some pews do have holders for communion cups so it can be taken all together. I think what you did on Sunday builds unity and commonness. I have fond memories at the church were I grew up at, of the lights being dimmed during communion. It made it feel sacred and specail.
Great post.
What a powerful idea. Perhaps I can convince our "church leaders" to try it as well?
Why is grace so important in churches? Well, for about a million reasons, but one near the top of the list is that it allows us to take risks. I risk putting people out of their comfort zone at my home congregation because they know I am well-intentioned and I know they will have mercy on me if I am wrong.
If you can't take that risk, you miss things like the experience you describe.
God is good.
I remember taking Communion in groups once when we were at College, with the elders and their wives serving, so it wasn't a complete novelty, but still outside of the comfort zone of many. I have a hard time sitting in solitary during Communion - it's a horizontal feast (between people) as well as vertical (between us and God, in remembrance.)
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