Would you like to make a difference in the life of someone else? Consider the joy you could experience as you bring communion each month to fellow members who are unable to join us for worship. This is an amazing way to share the care and presence of the church and of Christ himself with our sisters and brothers at St. Luke’s. Training for this ministry will take place in the Library of the Famly Life Center on Wednesday, February 1st, at 1PM.
What is Communion?
Holy Communion is a meal for the baptized (the Holy Community of God’s family) that we celebrate every time we gather for worship. We refer to it as a foretaste of the great Feast to come one day when we are reunited in the resurrection with Christ our Lord. We believe that the presence of our Lord Jesus is in, with, and under the elements of bread and wine as we share in Christ’s supper. Not only did Jesus host this meal with his disciples before he went to the cross, calling it his body and blood, but he told them to do this as often as they gathered, for in it they proclaimed his death for their sakes and his promise to return.
In the early church, the meal of Holy Communion was shared around dinner tables in people’s homes as they gathered for worship, prayer, scripture, and singing, and we take it at each worship service at St. Luke’s as well. It is a meal that shows our unity with one another in this holy community, as we are gathered together around one table, sharing one food and one drink. It’s also a meal that proclaims Christ’s presence to homebound members in our church family who are unable to be with us in person. And just as Christ did not simply stay in a temple, but went out to greet the people in the world, we too bring this meal of the baptized to people where they are in their places of need and brokenness, whether they are at home, in nursing homes, or even in the hospital. With this bread and wine, we proclaim the presence and the unending love of God for them wherever they are.
Why is Communion Important?
Christ Commands It, And It Helps Us Remember “Do this in remembrance of me…” Luke 22:19
Through it, We Receive Forgiveness “This is my blood, poured out for the forgiveness of sins.” Matthew 26:28
It is A Sign of The Unity of All Believers “Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.” 1 Corinthians 10:16-17
It is Our Proclamation of Christ’s Death And His Promise to Return “For as often as you eat of this bread and drink of this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s Death until he comes.” 1 Corinthians 11:26