Breaking Bread

First, the invitation. We had great discussion, but even better dinner together. Why not plan to join us next week? Discussion at 5:30, dinner at 6:30 so those of us who sing in the choir can make 7:00 rehearsal. Come on, it's fun! And it means one less dinner to plan and prepare!

We started out last week by looking at the sacraments, learning what a sacrament is, and this week we moved on to focus on one of the sacraments. So why do we celebrate communion? What's with the different names for it - The Lord's Supper, Holy Communion, Eucharist. And as United Methodists, what are some of the key points in which we believe?

Nuts and bolts - we learned that the name Lord's Supper references 1 Corinthians chapter 11:20, the last supper Jesus celebrated with the Disciples. Thank you, Paul, for the name. Holy Communion emphasizes the coming together in community of people with people and the people with God. And, finally, Eucharist is from the Greek for thanksgiving, or gratitude. Luke 22:17-19 describes Jesus giving thanks at The Last Supper. United Methodists need an ordained elder or commissioned local pastor to bless the elements and to pray the epiclesis - the invocation of the Holy Spirit in the liturgy. That would be the part that goes, "Pour out your Holy Spirit on us gathered here, and on these gifts of bread and wine. Make them be for us the body and blood of Christ, that we may be for the world the body of Christ, redeemed by his blood..." And we settled on the thought that Jesus chose common elements, bread and wine, because they would be consumed regularly by everyone. That makes communion and relationship with God open and available to everyone.

But is there a danger in using common elements? Does regular celebration with common elements lead to a mundane, rote ceremony? The United Methodist Church moved the liturgy from the back of the old hymnals to the front of the new hymnals and even created a document - This Holy Mystery: A United Methodist Understanding of Communion - to highlight and emphasize the importance and significance of Holy Communion. Part of me has to wonder what spurred the creation of that document. I know that I sometimes just go through the motions, having memorized the congregational part of the liturgy some time ago. It becomes an act, a work of man, something we "should" do. And therein lies the benefit for me of this study. It is renewing my awe, understanding, and wonder that Jesus died for my sins, that he loved me enough to do that. Really? Me?! I grew up in a hell-fire-brimstone church and internalized the message very early on - I was not and am not worthy, never will be. So really, there is a mistake. That "everyone" reads "everyone except you" on my pages.

As United Methodists we celebrate an open table, a table that is open even to children. That means you don't have to be United Methodist, you don't have to be a member of our congregation, you don't have to be "good enough" in order to come to the table. Our liturgy says, "Christ our Lord invites to his table all who love him, repent of their sin and seek to live in peace with one another." His table. That is the most important point for me, remembering that it is the Lord's table and He says who is welcome. And if God finds me good enough to die for my sins, to work in my life, to offer me undeserved grace that on my own I could never earn, then the least I can do is use the physical act of communion to remember all that.

For next week's class we will start by thinking this week on another part of the liturgy of communion. It is:

"And so, in remembrance of these your mighty acts in Jesus Christ, we offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving as a holy and living sacrifice, in union with Christ's offering for us, as we proclaim the mystery of faith."

What does it mean and how do we offer ourselves as a holy and living sacrifice?

Please be sure to check in here for notices about possible time changes for the class. In this very busy season there is a great demand on our facilities, and we may have to dance quickly. We will post any changes to our regular schedule as quickly as possible.