The Lord's Supper

I don't think Christ gave any alternative (exciting or not) to Communion.

I'm not sure what could be more blessed than a Communion service on Christmas eve. We have ours by candlelight.

 

On Christmas Eve, we have our church come to the table by families, or small groups, and they are served that way. The bottm line is that all are served, and we remember the Lord 'til He comes.

 

Are you looking for something to do to take the place of a communion service?

If so, what about at "gift of the word" exchange.

This is where people draw names, but instead of buying the person a gift, they give them something with a Bible verse on it that they have prayerfully chosen to bless the recipient.

IOWS, I choose your name, and I prayerfully try to find a verse that will edify you as my Christian Brother.

You could do the drawing now, and then exchange the gifts publically on Christmas eve, during the special service... This could also be done along with communion.

God gave us His Word on Christmas, maybe we can give others the written Word to bless them.

Imagine it is Christmas eve, you have just been called to the front of the church to give away your present. You announce who it is, and then give the present to them. I bet there will be tears flying.

 

Just curious, why would you want an alternative?

 

It isn't exciting enough.

What about ice-water baptisms?

 

Been there.... Done that....
It is NOT what it is CRACKED up to be!!!!

http://tinytim.wordpress.com/2006/11/05/brrrrrrr/

But it was stimulating...
Hey Channon, what about a baptism, in the Gauley River?

 

Hey Pastorchanon,

By alternative I assume you're looking for a creative way to avoid "vain repetition" in celebrating the Lord's Supper. Here's what we did in our mid-week time the week of Thanksgiving. You could probably adapt this to Christmas eve without too much trouble.

I found a recipe for unleavened bread that was real simple - just flour and wheat germ, milk, honey, and oil. I set up a small convection oven at the front and as I mixed the ingrediants I made each one represent something. The flour, being white, represented purity; the oil represented the Holy Spirity; the milk represented our daily provision; and the honey represented all the good things that God gives us. I mixed everything up, flattened out the dough and popped it in the oven. While the bread was baking we went back over each of the items and what they represented and opened the floor for testimonies. The bread cooked for 20 minutes and when it was done we were just about finished with the testimony time. While the bread was cooling I tied it all together by talking about the blood of Christ and how it was only because of Christ's sacrifice on the cross that we could enjoy all the blessing we had just finished sharing with each other. Then I cut up the bread (which smells wonderful as it is baking) and had families come up to the front one at a time. I prayed with each family and shared the Lord's Supper with each one. It was a pretty awesome time.

We had 35 - 40 there for our mid week service, and one batch of the bread recipe was plenty for that many. It's not an alternative to remembering the body that was broken nor the blood that was shed, but definately an alternative to quickly swallowing stale crackers and juice from a thimble.

 

Recipe please?
That is a great idea!!

 

1 Cup flour
1 Cup wheat germ
1/4 Cup milk
1/4 Cup corn oil
1/8 Cup honey.

Mix it all together, roll out (I just used my hands to flatten it out) and bake for 20 minutes at 375 degrees.

It's actually not half bad. I made a test batch at home to make sure it would turn out okay, and the wife and I ate over half of it. Okay, she had a small piece and I ate over half of it :laugh:

 

Didn't mean to seem spiritually aloof or anything. The Lord's supper means a great deal to believers, at least it should. To those of us who have been forgiven much, perhaps it means more. I wouldn't like to think that I would ever have that 'here we go again' look when it comes to reflecting on the body of the Lord that was broken for me. But I think I understand what you are saying. It just sounded strange when you asked about an exciting alternative... Personally, my conviction is that it should be a solemn moment of reflection, I can't help but be saddened by the thought of Christ's suffering. Although I am certainly grateful that He did it!

 

That's one of the best things I've read all week!!

 

I don't see a problem with looking for creative ways to observe the Lord's Supper, with the aim of bringing the full meaning to the fore.

But I do think we modern Baptists and other evangelicals have succumbed to the idea that everything we do as a congregation has to be exciting.

As an old-fogey, I submit that of all that we do, the Lord's Supper is one thing that definitely should not be exciting.

As I take the bread, the image in my mind of a stripped and naked Savior being whipped to a bloody pulp is not exciting.

The image in my mind of a beaten and bloody Savior, trying to lug a heavy cross through the streets to the jeers of the crowd is not exciting.

The image in my mind of spikes being driven through his hands; of the jarring pain when the cross is dropped into its hole; the suffering Servant slowly being suffocated is not exciting.

As I take the cup, it calls to mind that the stripes on his back are still bleeding. The speak jammed into his side; the blood flowing from the wound; the Savor's sense of being abandoned by the Father and his followers; none of those images excite me.

There is a solemnity and sadness that we cannot avoid; indeed, we should not want to avoid such feelings. In fact, if we want to look for creative ways to intensify those reactions, by all means go for it.

 

Can I use that!!!!!



Pastorchanon, it is sad that so many Christians just see the communion table as another "church event" instead of a worship experience. I understand completely what you are saying.

But I am afraid that for most it will take the Holy Spirit to awaken them out of a sleep that Satan has put them in by rocking them to sleep by the comforts of this world.

I like the way we did maundy Thursday services at Sutton.
We would watch a short movie on the crucifixtion.
Then we would go back to the fellowship hall, and have a candlelit time of reflection. With certain people taking turns reading the various accounts of the Crucifixtion.

Then the pastor would have a bowl of water set up. Then we would have a time of silence where we examined ourselves... if there was something in our life that was either a sin or obstacle, (well a sin is an obstacle) we would come up, dip our hands in the water and let the water drip away.
This signified forgiveness.

After this we would have communion.
It was very spiritual, and humbling. If each of us looks close enough we will find a sin... if you don't --- look closer! No one is perfect... even though some pretend they are holy, none are. They just like to make it harder on the rest of us that know we aren't.

Now I know I will probably get blasted here for posting the above....but I don't care. As long as God is pleased, I don't worry about pharisees!

 

Thanks guitarpreacher, I've printed it out and put it in my file!

 

..................

 

Could get cases of real wine and force the members to drink ye all of it.

Was it here where someone spoke of an Episciol communion where this was done?

I can't see the communion as being fun per se as it is to remember the death and suffering of our saviour. What might be different is to have an actual supper then close the meal with the communion. Like Jesus did...