How we practice communion

[Old Union Brother]

A while back I received a PM inquiring about how Old Regular Baptist practice communion. I put together a description and sent him, now I will share it with every one:

We practice a type of closed communion. By that I mean we invite members of corresponding churches to seat with us and take communion but do not publish a general invitation. The following is a point of contention among some that don’t know or understand the Old Regular Baptist. We belief the word “ought “as used by Jesus when he said in John 13:14 If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. Means that we should. Therefore, as part of our communion service we practice feet washing as a demonstration of service, love, and humbleness towards our brothers and sisters.

The unleavened bread is prepared by the wives of our deacons the evening before the communion. The preparation is open for any one that wants to watch. We sing a few hymns and hold prayer. It is a blessing to watch these sisters prepare the bread and stripe it before it is baked. Our Deacons prepare the fruit of the vine.

We feel that the Lord instituted the Supper at the Passover and since the Passover is once a year then we celebrate the Communion service once a year at our home church. With that said this past year I visited 11 of our sister churches and took communion and feet washing with them. On the day of communion we hold our regular service and after it is over we break for the deacons to prepare the table. At the beginning of the service we have a brother preach and hold prayer. Our moderator (leader of the flock) then seats the church and invites our corresponding visitors to seat with us. He often reads the scripture of the Lords supper. Then he and the assistant moderator will uncover the table. All ordained authority in attendance is invited to come around the table. The bread is blessed and then broken. The fruit of the vine is then blessed and poured. The deacons then serve. After the supper is ended the Moderator will read or quote from John 13: 4-10. He will lay aside his coat and tie and take a pitcher and pour water in a basin and wash the assistant moderato’s feet. Then the deacons will take basins of water around to the different pews and the members will wash each other’s feet. Brother washes brother and sister washes sister. It is a glorious time in the house hold of God. It has been a blessing for me to tell you about our communion.

 

[convicted1]

A while back I received a PM inquiring about how Old Regular Baptist practice communion. I put together a description and sent him, now I will share it with every one:

We practice a type of closed communion. By that I mean we invite members of corresponding churches to seat with us and take communion but do not publish a general invitation. The following is a point of contention among some that don’t know or understand the Old Regular Baptist. We belief the word “ought “as used by Jesus when he said in John 13:14 If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. Means that we should. Therefore, as part of our communion service we practice feet washing as a demonstration of service, love, and humbleness towards our brothers and sisters.

The unleavened bread is prepared by the wives of our deacons the evening before the communion. The preparation is open for any one that wants to watch. We sing a few hymns and hold prayer. It is a blessing to watch these sisters prepare the bread and stripe it before it is baked. Our Deacons prepare the fruit of the vine.

We feel that the Lord instituted the Supper at the Passover and since the Passover is once a year then we celebrate the Communion service once a year at our home church. With that said this past year I visited 11 of our sister churches and took communion and feet washing with them. On the day of communion we hold our regular service and after it is over we break for the deacons to prepare the table. At the beginning of the service we have a brother preach and hold prayer. Our moderator (leader of the flock) then seats the church and invites our corresponding visitors to seat with us. He often reads the scripture of the Lords supper. Then he and the assistant moderator will uncover the table. All ordained authority in attendance is invited to come around the table. The bread is blessed and then broken. The fruit of the vine is then blessed and poured. The deacons then serve. After the supper is ended the Moderator will read or quote from John 13: 4-10. He will lay aside his coat and tie and take a pitcher and pour water in a basin and wash the assistant moderato’s feet. Then the deacons will take basins of water around to the different pews and the members will wash each other’s feet. Brother washes brother and sister washes sister. It is a glorious time in the house hold of God. It has been a blessing for me to tell you about our communion.

Here!! Here!! Kuddos!! :thumbs: :thumbsup::thumbsup:

 

[BobinKy]

Thank you for sharing how Old Regular Baptists practice communion.

...Bob

 

[North Carolina Tentmaker]

Thank you so much for sharing your tradition brother.

Most of my life has been in Baptist churches and most communion services done with little cups of grape juice and little square crackers. A few years ago I celebrated communion the first time by Intinction. Since then communion itself has become much more meaningful to me whichever methods we use.

Yes, Intinction is an approved way to administer communion within the Catholic church so those paranoid of Catholicism may hate it, but just because Catholics do it that way don’t make it wrong. It has become my favorite method.

 

[Salty]

... Intinction is an approved way to administer communion within the Catholic church ...but just because Catholics do it that way don’t make it wrong. ...

I had no ideal what "intinction" was, so I goggled.
and I do agree with you on "Just because Catholics..."

 

[North Carolina Tentmaker]

Thanks Salty. Intinction uses a common cup and loaf. Each participant walks by, rips a piece off of the loaf and then dips it in the common cup before consuming.

I love the idea of a common cup and loaf, but passing a cup around always scared me as being unsanitary. This way one minister holds the loaf but each person removes their own piece. Then with the piece of bread dipped there is no contamination to the cup. I like it.

“Remember that we celebrate the Lord’s supper as a way of remembering Jesus Christ and the sacrifice he made to secure our salvation. As each of you rips a piece of bread from the loaf I want you to remember that it was your sin that broke and tore the body of our savior. As you dip that piece in the cup remember that it was his blood that washes us and makes us justified in the sight of God.”

If you really remember and think of that as you rip your piece from the loaf and dip it in the cup, it has to mean something. At least it always does for me. For some reason it always means more to me than a sanitary little cup and cracker.

 

[gb93433]

A while back I received a PM inquiring about how Old Regular Baptist practice communion. I put together a description and sent him, now I will share it with every one:

I always thought that "communion" came from the Roman Catholic Church. So I find it interesting that they call it communion. In my Bible I do not find that word but rather the Lord's supper/banquet/main meal.

 

[sag38]

Sorry, but I have no desire to drink from the same cup as others even if it is communion. It's easy enough to catch a cold without drinking from the same cup as others. Dipping the bread does seem to eliminate that problem. However, has everyone washed their hands before tearing off a piece of bread? I can't tell you how many times I've been in a church bathroom and observed someone who has relieved himself, bypass the sink, and walk out the door. Can anyone say "gross"?

 

[gb93433]

Sorry, but I have no desire to drink from the same cup as others even if it is communion. It's easy enough to catch a cold without drinking from the same cup as others.

I would not think that would be a problem if wine is used as Jesus did.

 

[glfredrick]

We practice communion weekly. It is the altar call from the sermon for us. The lost are called to "take Christ" (and can visit with a campus pastor) and the church is called to the table of the Lord.

We practice intinction with a common cup and loaf. The only difference is that we offer a choice of wine or juice, as one's conscience allows.

The congregation comes to the stations where church members (usually married couples) hold the elements. The words of the Supper are spoken to each person as they tear off a piece of the bread and dip it into the cup.

We have generally have 4-6 stations set up in the worship auditorium to speed the process. With 500+ per service it could take a long time otherwise.

 

[sag38]

Has wine been proven to kill the rinovirus?

 

[Tom Butler]

The words of the Supper are spoken to each person as they tear off a piece of the bread and dip it into the cup.

Could you be specific? What words do you speak?

Also, out of curiosity--why speak anything at all?

I think I can live with intinction as a way of observing the Supper, as long as the symbolism is biblically correct, and no sacramental value is attributed to the elements.

Being a hidebound traditionalist, I still am more comfortable with the way we do it. That is, the distribution of the bread, giving thanks and the repeating of the Lord's words "Take, eat." Same for the cup, with "drink ye, all of it."

But I see no biblical prohibition with your method.

 

[North Carolina Tentmaker]

Well I don’t know about glfredrick Tom, but when we use intinction the minister holding the bread usually says something like, “the body of Christ which was given for you,” and the one holding the cup says something like, “the blood of Christ which was shed for you.”

It is a different method than most Baptist Churches use, and of course few churches like anything different, but I would advise you to go observe it somewhere and see what you think. I like it, but probably would not have ever tried it if I had not seen it done elsewhere first.

 

[jaigner]

I always thought that "communion" came from the Roman Catholic Church. So I find it interesting that they call it communion. In my Bible I do not find that word but rather the Lord's supper/banquet/main meal.

I grew up in a Baptist church calling it both.

Catholics as well as many mainline Protestants usually call it the "eucharist," if I'm not mistaken.

 

[Old Union Brother]

I grew up in a Baptist church calling it both.

Catholics as well as many mainline Protestants usually call it the "eucharist," if I'm not mistaken.

We actually call it both.

 

[gb93433]

I grew up in a Baptist church calling it both.

Catholics as well as many mainline Protestants usually call it the "eucharist," if I'm not mistaken.

When I was in the RCC we called it communion. The Eucharist seemed more formal in language.

 

[glfredrick]

Well I don’t know about glfredrick Tom, but when we use intinction the minister holding the bread usually says something like, “the body of Christ which was given for you,” and the one holding the cup says something like, “the blood of Christ which was shed for you.”

It is a different method than most Baptist Churches use, and of course few churches like anything different, but I would advise you to go observe it somewhere and see what you think. I like it, but probably would not have ever tried it if I had not seen it done elsewhere first.

Exactly... :thumbsup:

 

[glfredrick]

Could you be specific? What words do you speak?

Also, out of curiosity--why speak anything at all?

I think I can live with intinction as a way of observing the Supper, as long as the symbolism is biblically correct, and no sacramental value is attributed to the elements.

Being a hidebound traditionalist, I still am more comfortable with the way we do it. That is, the distribution of the bread, giving thanks and the repeating of the Lord's words "Take, eat." Same for the cup, with "drink ye, all of it."

But I see no biblical prohibition with your method.

We're Baptist. No sacrament.

I'd suggest that our "tradition" pre-dates yours... :laugh:

But, in my lifetime, I've done communion so many ways that I've seen just about everything.

I ABHOR those little pre-packaged plastic things that everyone has to tear open. We easily serve 1500+ (in multiple services) on every Sunday and do it with real bread and real wine or juice, and still finish within the time it takes for one worship song.

 

[Tom Butler]

We're Baptist. No sacrament.

I'd suggest that our "tradition" pre-dates yours... :laugh:

But, in my lifetime, I've done communion so many ways that I've seen just about everything.

I ABHOR those little pre-packaged plastic things that everyone has to tear open. We easily serve 1500+ (in multiple services) on every Sunday and do it with real bread and real wine or juice, and still finish within the time it takes for one worship song.

We've tweaked things over the years, so our observance of the Lord's Supper is not the same as it was years ago. Similar, but not the same. Maybe I'm not the traditionalist I thought it was.

We've never used those packets. We did try those wafers one time. Yuk!

We've always been a grape-juice kinda church, but I could live with fermented wine. I won't have to worry about making that choice as long as I'm a member in my current church.

I'm also closed-communion, but I'm in the minority about that in my church.

 

[glfredrick]

There is some validity to closed communion if one sees the local church as THE expression of the body of Christ.

Others choose to see that the table is the Lord's Table, and that He would not deny those who have biblical faith from coming to that table, even if held in another congregation. In fact, I anticipate that the Apostles who instituted the practice of communion throughout all the churches they planted saw the activity as a great reminder of the prayers of Christ for the entire body to be one body.

We leave the onus of the Table on the individual, not the church. We remind those hearing the call to the Table of the biblical admonitions and let people know that the table is for those who are "in Christ" only.

In a sense, those who close the practice make it more akin to "sacrament" than "ordinance" for they seem to place more importance on the actual elements than is perhaps necessary for what they and the celebration is intended to be -- a reminder of Christ.