We are a United Methodist Church that is reaching out into our community telling the story of Jesus Christ.  We believe in living out our faith each day. Come check us out and find ways that you too can participate in the Greatest story ever told.

Communion

The question of how we conduct communion has been brought up recently, so I decided to give some input into why we are doing communion by intinction (in-tink-shan).  Intinction is defined as "a dipping in, baptising" or "the act of dipping the Eucharistic bread into the consecrated wine, so that the communicant received both together". 

Holy Communion is one of the two sacraments of the United Methodist church.  It is in this sacrament that we remember the sacrifice of Christ on the cross, celebrate his continuing presence with the church, and anticipate the heavenly banquet where we will be joined together in Christ.  It’s a big deal and we should take communion very seriously.

There is no single "right" way to celebrate communion, but growing out of the theological and educational currents that have been flowing through many seminaries, communion has been done by intinction for many, many years.

Some of the reasons are:

Biblical:  It is consistent with the Biblical witness about the way Jesus may have celebrated the Last Supper. (Matthew 20:23-27)

Traditional:  The method we now use has more historical ties to the longer history of the Christian faith and the apostolic church.

Ecumenical:  In the long-standing United Methodist tradition of fellowship with other denominations (like having an open table at Communion). Intinction is more like the celebrations in other branches of the Christian faith.

Symbolic:  The symbolism of the loaf and cup speak to our theological understandings of the unity of the two natures of Christ and the unity of the Body of Christ in the church Practically speaking, communion by intinction is more sanitary than individual crackers on a plate, and it allows for more flexibility as people are free to kneel and pray at the altar if they want or they can simply pray back at the pew.

What we like in worship is usually a product of personal experience, how you were brought up, or what you are used to. Folks who have been here awhile have decided how they feel about communion this way. For new people in our church, it’s mostly not an issue; it’s just the way we do communion.  But, I understand how tough such a transition can be because our worship is very important to us.

My reason for writing this was to assure you that much thought was given to the historical, theological and liturgical meaning of the sacrament that led us to the way we do communion.

When we gather at the Lord’s Table we partake of a grace that is so deep that it overcomes our human differences and binds us together in the unity of the spirit that is too deep for words. We feel the love and community of being the body of Christ. That’s the heart of communion and the heart of worship. And when we get to heaven and sit around the Messiah’s table together, I’m sure we can have it any way we want it.

In addition, because I truly do believe that there is no one RIGHT way to do communion (although I believe there are wrong ways) we will be using communion cups … once a quarter starting in the fall.

Communion, like our other Sacrament Baptism, is not about us, instead it is about what God is doing and has done for us.  It is a time to remember these precious and might acts and to give thanks for them.  As your pastor I take my responsibility to administer the sacraments very seriously.  I choose the ways in which I perform the sacraments not from some whim but taking taken all the factors mentioned above into account.  It is a responsibility that I cherish.