Anabaptists and Communion Questions

[JohnL]

I realize that not every group will do exactly the same so I'll just ask what each of you do in your group if you don't mind.

1.Does your group celebrate communion?

2.Do you call it communion or something else?

3.How often do you do communion in your particular group?

4.Do you use grape juice or wine?

5.What do you use for the bread?

6.Is your communion service open to others who aren't part of your group but are Christian?

[JohnH]

1. All Anabaptists observe communion.

2. It is called communion (in English).

3. Plain groups are twice or once a year. More liberal groups are more often.

4. Less conservative groups use grape juice. The more conservative groups are more apt to use wine. German Baptist May use wine someone typically brews themselves, with a goal of a strong, striking vinegar taste to remind of the bitter taste offered to Jesus on the cross.

5. Bread is used for the bread.

6. Liberal groups are more open. The most liberal open it up to unbaptized people. More conservative groups restrict communion to those from other, similar groups, and may require a recommendation from a visitor’s home congregation.

[Neto]

1.Does your group celebrate communion?
Yes

2.Do you call it communion or something else?
"Communion", or "The Lord's Supper"

3.How often do you do communion in your particular group?
Spring and Fall

4.Do you use grape juice or wine?
Grape juice

5.What do you use for the bread?
Home baked flat bread (with no yeast). I'm told that it is half cut into squares before baking, then broken up before the service. (I personally always break it myself just before eating it, as a personal reminder of the broken body of Christ. In the MB church, the men assisting the pastor broke the bread - more or less unsalted crackers - as the pastor read the pertinent passage.)

6.Is your communion service open to others who aren't part of your group but are Christian?
Originally it was only for members in good standing. The first step toward open communion was when they made it open to other attending believers who had made special advanced arrangements to participate. It has gradually become even more open, I suspect now without the person speaking to any of the ministers. (Before we became members, we were not invited, even though we were missionaries who were already being supported by the congregation. I was fine with that, and I would prefer it be more cautiously applied.)

[barnhart]

1.Does your group celebrate communion?
Yes

2.Do you call it communion or something else?
The Lord's supper

3.How often do you do communion in your particular group?
Aim for once per month.

4.Do you use grape juice or wine?
Grape juice

5.What do you use for the bread?
Usually crackers but sometimes homemade flat bread

6.Is your communion service open to others who aren't part of your group but are Christian?
Yes. We announce it is for believers who have been baptized for their own faith, not the faith of parents and are walking with God. Participation is not guarded but a member of the leadership team tries to follow up with unknown participants afterward. We take participation as an invitation for openess to inquiry about spiritual journey.

[MattY]

I realize that not every group will do exactly the same so I'll just ask what each of you do in your group if you don't mind.

1.Does your group celebrate communion?

2.Do you call it communion or something else?

3.How often do you do communion in your particular group?

4.Do you use grape juice or wine?

5.What do you use for the bread?

6.Is your communion service open to others who aren't part of your group but are Christian?

1. Yes

2. We call it Communion.

3. Twice a year

4. Wine

5. We used to use regular bread, but just this year we began using unleavened bread...I don't know the specific type or what it's called. The ministers had to tear it off while distributing it.

6. No

[the-real-steve]

1.Does your group celebrate communion?
Yes.

2.Do you call it communion or something else?
Lovefeast.

3.How often do you do communion in your particular group?
Spring and fall.

4.Do you use grape juice or wine?
Grape juice.

5.What do you use for the bread?
The deacon ladies make it the day before.

6.Is your communion service open to others who aren't part of your group but are Christian?
Not to my knowledge. In the Dunkard Brethren circles, if you were in good standing at your home congregation you could commune with another congregation without issue. In out former COB congregations, not sure.

[Heirbyadoption]

1.Does your group celebrate communion?
Yes.

2.Do you call it communion or something else?
"Communion." We eat a common meal together prior to formally partaking of the wine & bread, and we call that meal the Lord's Supper.

3.How often do you do communion in your particular group?
Each congregation holds a Lovefeast one weekend annually (including the Lord's Supper and Communion during the Saturday evening service) .

4.Do you use grape juice or wine?
Wine, except for at our annual conferences when we meet at universities who prohibit alcohol on campus - then we use non-alcoholic wine.

5.What do you use for the bread?
Baked unleavened bread, cut into strips, about 1" wide and 1/4" thick. Each person breaks off an inch or two to the person beside them as the bread is passed down the line.

6.Is your communion service open to others who aren't part of your group but are Christian?
We are free to commune at any of the other congregations in our conference (and vice versa) as long as we are in good standing with our own congregation, but otherwise participation is limited to the members of our conference at this time.

[seinetsodumm]

1.Does your group celebrate communion? Yes

2.Do you call it communion or something else? We call it Communion. In our congregation we also practice feetwashing at the same service. It all falls under the broad term "Communion."

3.How often do you do communion in your particular group? 2x a year in the spring and fall.

4.Do you use grape juice or wine? Grape Juice

5.What do you use for the bread? Bread, in the same homemade style we would make for daily usage. Traditionally made by the preacher's wife.

6.Is your communion service open to others who aren't part of your group but are Christian? Yes, there is usually a criterion, but we do allow those who are not members of our congregation to commune.

[Bootstrap]

1.Does your group celebrate communion? Yes

2.Do you call it communion or something else? We call it Communion.

3.How often do you do communion in your particular group? Monthly. Twice a year, it includes foot washing.

4.Do you use grape juice or wine? Grape Juice. Wine would be more authentic, but we have people who were previously alcoholics, and wine would also offend the people who build our building, so we do not allow alcohol on the grounds of our church. I don't think anyone in our church is offended by a church that does use wine.

5.What do you use for the bread? It varies - bread, matzohs, or flatbread, which are sometimes homemade but not always. We used to have homemade bread, but some members are gluten-intolerant.

6.Is your communion service open to others who aren't part of your group but are Christian? Yes, for baptised believers. We do not have a way of policing this for guests.

[Wesleyb]

1.Does your group celebrate communion? Yes

2.Do you call it communion or something else? Communion

3.How often do you do communion in your particular group? Twice a year

4.Do you use grape juice or wine? Grape Juice

5.What do you use for the bread? Usually regular homemade bread, several times there was unleavened bread

6.Is your communion service open to others who aren't part of your group but are Christian? Yes