every once in a while, i get to assist with communion. i think this is one of the coolest things i can do at church. it’s such an active and tangible way of blessing people, many whom i don’t even know. last night was one of those nights, and it was especially cool because people were wearing name tags so i could say, “this is the blood of Christ shed for you, cathy.” so personal. here is some of the liturgy used in communion…
“in the night in which He was betrayed, our Lord Jesus took bread and gave thanks; broke it and gave it to His disciples, saying: take and eat; this is my body, given for you. do this for the remembrance of Me. again, after supper, He took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it for all to drink, saying: this cup is the new covenant in My blood, shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness of sin. do this for the remembrance of Me. as we recall the one, perfect sacrifice for our redemption, Father, by your Holy Spirit, lead us to accept these gifts of your creation, that we as the body of Christ, may be united in love and charity.”
and then, all these people with different lives and who knows what going on in their heads and hearts come forward to receive communion. to take the bread and drink the wine, to hear the words, “this is the body of Christ, broken for you… the blood of Christ, shed for you.” it really is a unifying moment. not just in that small chapel, but everywhere people remember Christ in this way. the communion we take reminds us not only of our communion with one another, but most importantly our communion with God.
after receiving the communion, the pastor blesses the people saying, “the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ strengthen you and keep you in His grace. amen.” for me, this is a very real reminder that God is in me and God’s light shines through me. so, yeah. i think communion is cool.
lauren laughs 