Frequency of Communion

Christian ethics and theology with an Anabaptist perspective
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gcdonner
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Re: Frequency of Communion

Post by gcdonner »

Sudsy wrote:
KingdomBuilder wrote:
Sudsy wrote: But if the referral in scripture 'to break bread' means 'to celebrate the Lord's Supper' then a text like Acts 20:7 would suggest this practise was weekly.
My church (and I'm sure others that practice weekly communion) would agree.
The elders in my congregation will cite "..in remembrance of me" as the reason for weekly communion. We don't remember Jesus and his deeds just one service a year, it's every time. This also ensures that the birth, death, life, and resurrection will be preached each and every week, which is good if a visitor is passing through.
Very interesting to me. Is this an Anabaptist church ? Also, would this be a practise at the end of each sermon or when in the service does it take place ?

And another question for all, do any of your churches use real wine rather than grape juice ?
One of the things I appreciate about the Lutheran church that I attend (no I am not an infant baptizer...) is the fact that they use real wine. The bitter aftertaste reminds me that it was a bitter cup that Jesus drank for me. Grape juice (which I like to drink) is too sweet to fill the meaning for me, and the often used soup crackers don't convey the idea of unleavened bread, that Jesus was without sin.
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KingdomBuilder
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Re: Frequency of Communion

Post by KingdomBuilder »

gcdonner wrote:One of the things I appreciate about the Lutheran church that I attend (no I am not an infant baptizer...) is the fact that they use real wine. The bitter aftertaste reminds me that it was a bitter cup that Jesus drank for me. Grape juice (which I like to drink) is too sweet to fill the meaning for me
I like wine better too, for the same reason. It's funny, though, that for many churches in my area, wine was hardly an option. In many areas (especially the South) alcohol sales have been/ are banned on a county by county basis. Grape juice it is!
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Sudsy
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Re: Frequency of Communion

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Well, now they we are into more of the practice than frequency, how many here have communion from a common cup ?

Also Soloist mentioned water being mixed with wine. Here is an explanation for this -
As early as the fourth century, catechists explained that the water represented humanity and the wine, divinity. Once you put the water into the wine, it's impossible to take it out again. Because of Jesus, humanity can never again be separated permanently from God.
And here I thought it was to weaken the amount of alcohol being consumed like my wife putting ice cubes in a glass of white wine. Duh. :? Learn something new every day. And with a deteriorating memory as I get older, I meet new people every day. :lol: Getting old has it's pluses.
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gcdonner
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Re: Frequency of Communion

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Sudsy wrote:Well, now they we are into more of the practice than frequency, how many here have communion from a common cup ?

Also Soloist mentioned water being mixed with wine. Here is an explanation for this -
As early as the fourth century, catechists explained that the water represented humanity and the wine, divinity. Once you put the water into the wine, it's impossible to take it out again. Because of Jesus, humanity can never again be separated permanently from God.
And here I thought it was to weaken the amount of alcohol being consumed like my wife putting ice cubes in a glass of white wine. Duh. :? Learn something new every day. And with a deteriorating memory as I get older, I meet new people every day. :lol: Getting old has it's pluses.
I always considered that it was representative of the blood & water that flowed from Jesus' side when he was pierced by the Roman spear.

I have experienced common cup in the past, but the present place we attend uses individual cups. BTW. I prefer to have communion at least once a month. My view of communion informs that desire.
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Re: Frequency of Communion

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We use wine (perhaps with water added, I don't know) and a common cup. We are taught that the alcohol in wine prevents the spreading of germs with the common cup.
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gcdonner
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Re: Frequency of Communion

Post by gcdonner »

Hats Off wrote:We use wine (perhaps with water added, I don't know) and a common cup. We are taught that the alcohol in wine prevents the spreading of germs with the common cup.
Alcohol is used as a disinfectant after all.
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Re: Frequency of Communion

Post by Soloist »

For perspective, Bleach is a intermediate level sterilizer and it takes about 10-20 minutes to effectively kill norovirus completely on a surface. Drinking Alcohol is considered a intermediate sterilizer at 70% and above.
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Valerie
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Re: Frequency of Communion

Post by Valerie »

It was good for me to read why the infrequency of communion among Anabaptists & how they arrived at this- (connection to Passover).

Recently, a friend went through "Behalt" (Amish & Mennonite Cultural Center in Berlin OH) and learned some things about the Anabaptists- they have a Q & A period after the tour & communion came up. I think the thing that seemed to upset them, was the infrequency of communion- that the most important aspect of what Christ did for us, and His body & blood- was only done once or twice a year- and because people don't get along in some communities, they even skip it (I had Amish friends tell me about this)

Anyway, it seemed to perplex our friend that something so important as Communion- 'seemed' to be diminished by the infrequency- perhaps it was a wrong conclusion they drew about it- nor understood why- but to them it seemed to imply that Jesus giving His body & blood on the Cross wasn't all that important by how little it is done- especially in light of the fact that the early church did it so frequently- at least once a week, on the Lord's Day-
It's quite a mixture of understandings in Christendom at large isn't it?
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Re: Frequency of Communion

Post by Neto »

In the congregational group of my up-bringing (MB), it was practiced each quarter. Sometimes it was as a part of the Love Feast (Leibensmal, or something like that), but generally it was just added to a regular service, and there was no footwashing as a part of it. But the Amish will pretty much make a day of it, and our congregation takes two services for communion, twice a year. So there are two ways to compare the seriousness with which the Communion of Christ is observed, emphasis by frequency, or emphasis by focus. I do really think that when Jesus said "Do this in my memory, every time you drink this cup" he was referring to the cup of atonement, as a part of Passover, which was basically a 10-day-long observance, the central feast of Judaism. (In my understanding of OT Law.)
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Sudsy
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Re: Frequency of Communion

Post by Sudsy »

I found this interesting as it gets into both frequency and purpose. Our care group is currently studying spiritual warfare and point # 4 referred to this observance as an act of war. This does cross over with the thread on the purpose of communion and I'm pondering what is said in this link as to waging war.

http://jamedders.com/why-we-now-take-th ... very-week/
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