Questions about Communion?
Here is some history to help answer this:
Celebration of the Great Thanksgiving (“Eucharist” in Greek) and enjoying Communion has been one of two primary focal points of Christian worship (along with the Gospel) at least from the time of St. Paul.
Under the medieval Roman Catholic practice, ordinary Christians received communion only rarely. Many important early Protestant reformers advocated for the weekly celebration, and this became the practice among Anglicans and Lutherans.
John and Charles Wesley, founders of the Methodist movement were Anglican priests. John enjoyed communion on average 4-5 times a week. Charles wrote many powerful Eucharistic hymns still in use today. Methodists who failed to receive communion each week, where it was available, were expelled from the society.
The great revival that spread through Britain under the Wesleys had a two-fold emphasis: Evangelistic preaching of the Gospel in plain English, and distribution of communion –up to 6000 at one event.
John Wesley published (and republished later) a “Sermon on the Duty of Constant Communion,” in which he addresses all the common arguments against frequent communion, and affirmed it to be the will of Christ that we should enjoy this sacrament as often as it is possible to do so.
American Methodists continued Wesley’s requirement that clergy celebrate Eucharist. The absence of sufficient clergy led to circuit-riding clergy who were to serve communion at least quarterly in outlying areas.
During World War II, protestant chaplains were instructed to serve communion monthly, and this became the norm in many protestant churches after that war.
Beginning in the 1960’s scholarly research in most western Christian churches came to a consensus on the form of early Christian worship and the prayers of the Eucharist. Significant theological issues of the past were also resolved. New worship books put into use by many denominations in the decades since reflect the new consensus. The United Methodist Book of Worship (1992) and the UM Hymnal (1989) contain forms of this consensus Eucharist and communion, which we use at Hedding. They specify that proclamation of the Gospel and the Eucharist will be the norm in Methodist worship.
At the 2004 General Conference of the United Methodist Church, we adopted a study of the Eucharist called “This Great Mystery,” which strongly urges all United Methodist churches to celebrate the Eucharist and communion at each Sunday worship.
The United Methodist Church is now in communion with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the Episcopal Church, the Reformed Church in America, the Presbyterian Church (USA) and several other protestant denominations. The experience of common communion is an act of unity in Christ.
Want more information? Want a copy of “This Great Mystery” or Wesley’s Sermon on “The Duty of Constant Communion”? Please ask the pastor or the church office.
Jesus Christ, who “is the reflection of God’s glory and the exact imprint of God’s very being” (Hebrew 1:3), is truly present in Holy Communion. Through Jesus Christ and in the power of the Holy Spirit, God meets us at the Table. God, who has given the sacraments to the church, acts in and through Holy communion. Christ is present….The divine presence is a living reality and can be experienced by participants; it is not a remembrance of the Last Supper and the Crucifixion only.
Christ’s presence in the sacrament is a promise to the church ….Holy Communion always offers grace….
We do believe that the elements are essential tangible means through which God works. We understand the divine presence in temporal and relational terms. In the Holy Meal of the church, the past, present, and future of the living Christ come together by the power of the Holy Spirit so that we may receive and embody Jesus Christ as God’s saving gift for the whole world.
From: “This Holy Mystery” Adopted:
2004 General Conference of the UMC
Common Questions about Communion
Who may receive communion? United Methodists believe that Christ is present in and brings to each person the particular grace that person needs. Therefore, we welcome to communion those who want to turn away from sin and to be reconciled with God and other persons.
May children and handicapped receive? Yes, they may! Parents/friends may invite them to receive and to talk with or seek Jesus in their hearts.
Is this alcoholic wine? We serve non-alcoholic wine. If alcoholic wine is used, it will be announced and a non-alcoholic wine offered as well.
Leavened vs. Unleavened bread? We usually use both. Orthodox churches and some protestants use leavened bread symbolizing the fact that Christ is the new leaven of life. Other western protestant and catholic churches use unleavened bread because Jesus would have used this at the Last Supper, which was Passover. Receive as you wish.
For more information, click on UMC Teachings on Communion