Lord's Supper

I have often asked this same question. I would prefer to celebrate the Lord's Supper at least once a month. I believe we miss out on the Spiritual Blessings that accompany obedience to the commands of the Lord. (No, I do not think those blessings are salvific, but they are blessings nevertheless)

Maybe we are afraid someone will confuse us with the Catholics or another denomination?

 

i have also asked this question. the chuch we have been 'vistiting' the last few months celebrate it once a month, alternating between sunday am and pm services, but only if it does not interfere with anything else.

i would perfer to celebrate it weekly...

 

The Church I attend, celebrates the Lord's supper each and every Sunday after the service.


Jamie

 

Its frustrating because ours is often in the PM service or Wed. service. But as far as I can tell there is no schedule, it is just a suprise and only a few times a year. Evenings are difficult for us to make since I work at nights. It was a couple of years since my wife was baptized before she was able to celebrate a Lords supper, she has only been to one. I know this is frustrating to her. I thought for sure there would be Lords Supper on Easter?

 

My church (SBC) takes communion every two months.

 

Of the people that are posting, and the church is not doing it regualarly enough for you, or at the wrong times, or without posting a schedule maybe,

Have you dicussed this with your Pastor and Decons?

What do they say to this?

Have you volunteered to setup a small group of people to help setup/break down/clean up after?

I am just curious with what the Church has said about this, it seems that if the church wanted it more often or on a schedule, then maybe they would listen?

I don't know.. My church already has it every Sunday morning, so I haven't been faced with this problem. I was just curious with what they have/would say if you asked about it.

Jamie

 

I have considered discussing this with my pastor. But to be honest, I hate to be the complainer, and I am somewhat shy. I guess I should at least ask how they decide when to have the Supper and if I could get some advance notice so I could make arangements.

 

I believe you should at least ask. If you're feeling this way, there could be others... Also, maybe you could suggest that you would help them with posting/up-keep of the schedule?

This would make it easier for them since they don't have to 'handle' anything extra AND you would always know when it would be since you're helping maintain the schedule.


Wishing you a good discussion with your Pastor!

Jamie

 

Since it is a special time of worship, doing it too often could run the risk of it becoming to mundane.

That said, I feel we can do better.

 

i attended a church that celebrated weekly for many years-- it was NEVER 'mundane', it was ALWAYS a 'special time of worship'.

i asked the pastor of the church i've been visiting, he said that we are not told from the bible how often. i asked the pastor of the church i'm leaving (they celebrate once a month) and he said 'tradition'.

i would gladly volunteer to set up, clean up, serve... i'd even buy the wine (which niether church serves, btw)...

 

I will have to ask my Pastor again why we have it every week, I did ask when I first joined the church, but I can't remember now.

As far as it getting mudane, I suppose it could happen, but it doesn't seem to happen at my church. They people are very reverent<sp> and the "look" on their faces always seem like one of great devotion. But, that said, you are right it *could* get mudane.

Jamie

 

Under our previous pastor, we had The Lord's Supper twice in 20 months. I suggested we have it more often, but was greeted with ambivalance by other members. They will gladly have a church-wide dinner on the 5th Sunday. Now we have a supply pastor and did observe The Lord's Supper on October 30th. We observed twice in one year, may be a record for us.

 

What type of elaborate remembrance are you talking about? We have always had it on the first Sunday morning of every month, at the end of the service. All it entails are the trays filled with those little glasses of grape juice, and trays of little pieces of bread. These are prepared and set up by female deacons - it only takes 15 minutes or so. Clean up involves collecting the plastic glasses and throwing them away, and putting the trays away after washing, if necessary. That's all.

 

That sounds about how ours goes too, I just mentioned it for one of a couple of reasons.

One, the deacons/pastor would be more receptive if there was no added work to them. If they knew someone would be there to help, even if it only took 15 minutes. (Some churches still use the glass cups that have to be washed)

Also, there was mentioned a schedule to the Lord's Supper, this would include someone to set up a schedule, or keep it posted etc.

The way I see it, when I ask for something, I am always willing to help with what I am asking for. That is why I said maybe they could help setup/break down/clean up. It may only be a 15 minute job, but it's still 15 minutes someone has to have to do it.

It wasn't meant to say that it's a laborous job, just one that needed to be done, and if she is asking for it to happen more often, then maybe they would see it as "more work" but if she volunteered to help out, then it wouldn't seem like "more work".

Jamie

 

For years, I attended a Church of Christ that staunchly held Communion every Sunday (and ONLY Sunday). When I became Baptist, the lack of frequency in partaking really took me by surprise. While I miss the frequency of taking the Supper in the Churches of Christ, I am glad that the Baptists don't err, as they do, in making it doctrine to partake every Sunday.

Michael

 

Because the Lord's Supper is supposed to be a time of reflection when Christians really stop to search their hearts, and to remember what Jesus Christ did for us, turning it into a "routine ritual" runs a very high risk of taking away the importance and signifigance of it.

If you attend other denominations you will often see them treating communion like passing the offering plate or the last prayer. It becomes something that some people want to get done so they get to the restaurant early. It becomes something that children see as just another part of church.

By setting it aside, making it a rare and special thing, people are much more likely to treat it like the rare and special moment it is.

 

I agree, TexasSky. I have attended churches that observed the Lord's Supper every Sunday, and those that observed only quarterly. Frankly, every Sunday became so routine that I didn't really reflect on the reason for it after a while. Observing quarterly, tho, was much more meaningful.