What is means to take Communion
This short act of worship has been prepared for you. I invite you to share in a few moments with God, knowing that other people within Paulton, Trinity and Chew Stoke Methodist Churches are sharing this act of worship with you.
Revd Martin
THE GATHERING OF THE PEOPLE OF GOD (P185)
* 1 The presiding minister reads a sentence of scripture.
Psalm 111 - Praise for God’s Wonderful Works
1 Praise the Lord!
I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart,
in the company of the upright, in the congregation.
2 Great are the works of the Lord,
studied by all who delight in them.
3 Full of honour and majesty is his work,
and his righteousness endures for ever.
4 He has gained renown by his wonderful deeds;
the Lord is gracious and merciful.
5 He provides food for those who fear him;
he is ever mindful of his covenant. Holy and awesome is his name.
10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;
all those who practise it have a good understanding.
His praise endures for ever.
2. Hymn – StF 107 – I sing the almighty power of God
1 I sing the almighty power of God,
that made the mountains rise,
that spread the flowing seas abroad,
and built the lofty skies.
2 I sing the wisdom that ordained
the sun to rule the day;
the moon shines full at his command,
and all the stars obey.
3 I sing the goodness of the Lord,
that filled the earth with food;
he formed the creatures with his word,
and then pronounced them good.
4 Lord, how your wonders are displayed
where’er I turn mine eye,
if I survey the ground I tread,
or gaze upon the sky!
5 God’s hand is my perpetual guard,
he guides me with his eye;
why should I then forget the Lord,
whose love is ever nigh?
Isaac Watts (1674–1748)
The readings for today talk about eating Christ’s body and blood in the form of bread and wine, what we might now call Holy Communion, Eucharist or the Lord’s Supper. Jesus’ words in John’s gospel are challenging, so today, we are going to be thinking about what we believe is happening as we eat bread and drink wine in a Communion service. I therefore thought it would be appropriate to use the full set Communion service for this time of year from the Methodist Worship Book. We will begin on page 185.
3 Let us pray.
Almighty God,
to whom all hearts are open,
all desires known,
and from whom no secrets are hidden:
cleanse the thoughts of our hearts
by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit,
that we may perfectly love you,
and worthily magnify your holy Name;
through Christ our Lord. Amen.
4 The presiding minister says:
Let us confess our sins to God.
Most merciful God,
we confess that we have sinned against you
in thought and word and deed.
We have not loved you with our whole heart.
We have not loved our neighbours as ourselves.
Silence
In your mercy,
forgive what we have been,
help us to amend what we are,
and direct what we shall be;
that we may delight in your will
and walk in your ways;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
If we confess our sins,
God is faithful and just
and will forgive our sins,
and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Amen. Thanks be to God.
* 5 The collect of the day, or this or some other prayer:
God of the nations, to whose table all are invited and in whose kingdom no one is a stranger: hear the cries of the hungry and mercifully extend to all the peoples on earth the joy of your salvation;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
THE MINISTRY OF THE WOR
Either two or three readings from scripture follow, the last of which is the Gospel.
7 Old Testament reading
Proverbs 9:1-6 - Wisdom’s Feast
9Wisdom has built her house,
she has hewn her seven pillars.
2 She has slaughtered her animals, she has mixed her wine,
she has also set her table.
3 She has sent out her servant-girls, she calls from the highest places in the town,
4 ‘You that are simple, turn in here!’
To those without sense she says,
5 ‘Come, eat of my bread
and drink of the wine I have mixed.
6 Lay aside immaturity, and live,
and walk in the way of insight.’
11 A reading from the Gospel according to John.
Hear the Gospel of Christ.
Glory to Christ our Saviour.
John 6:51-58
[Jesus says]51I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live for ever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.’
52 The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, ‘How can this man give us his flesh to eat?’ 53So Jesus said to them, ‘Very truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day; 55for my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink. 56Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. 57Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me. 58This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like that which your ancestors ate, and they died. But the one who eats this bread will live for ever.’
This is the Gospel of Christ.
Praise to Christ our Lord.
12 Reflection
Back in the time of Proverbs, wisdom was personified as a woman, encouraging passers-by to come and share a meal. In doing so, they “set aside immaturity, live, and walk in the way of insight”. Written about 1000 years before Christ, there are illusions here to the words Jesus also uses, as recorded by John.
Jesus refers to himself as the bread which came down from heaven in this well-known “I am” saying found in John’s gospel, which links into the Proverbs understanding of God as Wisdom, who prepares the bread for the feast. But his Jewish audience is confused about what he means, and asks, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” As we share in this communion service, you might also be asking the same question.
As Methodist’s we do not prescribe what you must believe as you share in bread and wine, which means that there will be a wide variety of understandings between us this morning. But there are a number of theological doctrines which you need to think about, and I will try to explain a complex teaching as simply as I can.
The Catholic view is called transubstantiation, where in the consecration of the bread and wine (the epiclesis), it’s total substance is changed into body and blood but yet its appearance remains that of bread and wine. It looks like bread and wine, but it is actually now the body and blood of Christ.
A wider view, held since the reformation is called consubstantiation, where again at its consecration the bread and wine becomes also the body and blood of Jesus, and these two different states exist alongside each other.
As the elements in both of these cases are understood to be changed into the actual body and blood off Christ, they have to be consumed by the Priest and no elements are left. When I was at college, one of the other students was deeply upset that at the end of a Methodist communion service, the elements were covered in a cloth and just left.
At the other end of the scale, the bread and wine are understood to be purely symbolic, a representation of the events of the last supper, and are not changed in any way. This symbolically places us at the table, alongside the disciples, and with Christians across 2000 years, as we repeat Jesus’ actions.
I am not going to tell you want you have to believe, but I would be interested to hear your thoughts. However, I do want to leave some thoughts with you, which I think are central to our understanding of communion, whichever doctrine we believe in.
- The sacrifice of Christ’s body and blood for us is the ultimate confirmation of God’s love for us, a gift of immeasurable value, yet in sharing bread and wine, Jesus uses the simplest of food to reflect the greatest of gifts.
- Bread and wine were readily available household commodities, and so anyone was able to join in this feast, regardless of status or wealth.
- We gather around the table as equals, with the disciples, and all Christians since. I have purposely arranged the church differently today as a sign that we can all approach this table, it is not set apart for the priest or for anyone else. That is why I don’t like communion rails, as they separate the congregation from the elements, creating a special place that only I can enter. It is also why I always receive communion last and not first. I hold a special office, but am equally in need of God’s love and forgiveness.
- As we receive the bread and wine, they are absorbed into our bodies and become part of who we are. As we consume the body and blood we take Jesus into ourselves, to our very core, and he becomes part of who we are.
- Holy communion is both a physical and spiritual experience, giving us strength for the day, food for the journey.
As we receive the elements later, may we all experience that personal connectedness with God, in this shared meal, for all are welcome, and all may receive.
Amen
14 These or some other prayers of intercession:
Let us pray.
God, most gracious and most holy,
grant us the help of your Spirit
as we pray for the Church and the world.
We pray for the Church in every land . . .
for this church and for other local churches . . .
that we may worship and serve you
with reverence and joy.
for the North East Somerset & Bath Circuit, of which we are a part, for it’s ministers, lay workers, churches and congregations – especially this week we join with the Circuit as we pray together for Stratton House and for our church in Timsbury, and their minister, David Winstanley.
as Churches Together in Radstock & Westfield we pray for our brothers and sisters at the Bath City Church.
Silence
Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.
We pray for the peoples of the world . . .
and for the leaders of the nations . . .
our thoughts turn to the Olympics as an example of how nations can come together in peace,
we pray for Afghanistan and other areas of the world at war with each other and with themselves
we pray for Greece and California being ravaged by wild fires, and for the victims of the earthquake in Haiti
we pray for the COP26 meeting, and for selfless wisdom to prevail in the face of dramatic climate change
we pray that all may work together for justice and peace.
Silence
Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.
We pray for those who are ill or distressed . . .
for the lonely and the bereaved . . .
and for those in any other need or trouble . . .
that they may be comforted and sustained.
we pray for the victims of the gun attack in Plymouth
Silence
Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.
Father, we remember before you
all your servants who have died in the faith of Christ . . .
We pray that we too may lead faithful and godly lives in this world, and finally share with all the saints in everlasting joy; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
15 The Lord’s Praye
We say together the prayer that Jesus gave us:
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your Name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial
and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours,
now and for ever. Amen.
16 The Peace
All stand.
We are the Body of Christ.
In the one Spirit
we were all baptized into one body.
Let us therefore keep the unity of the Spirit
in the bond of peace.
The peace of the Lord be always with you.
And also with you.
THE LORD’S SUPPER
THE PREPARATION OF THE GIFTS
18 Hymn – StF 581 – Come, my table is a meeting place
1 Come, my table is a meeting place,
here I'm waiting ready for you,
come and share, you are invited,
come, belovèd, I chose you.
2 Come, my table is a feeding place,
bread, my body broken for you,
wine, my blood poured out to save you,
given eternally for you.
3 Come, my table is a touching place,
hands to greet you span time and space,
see my arms stretched out in welcome,
this for you a holy place.
4 Come and meet me in this moment,
taste and see this gift of my grace,
here, the feast spread out before you,
come, my child, and take your place.
Clare Stainsby (b. 1959)
19 The offerings of the people are presented. Bread and wine are brought to the table (or if already on the table are uncovered). The presiding minister takes the bread and wine and prepares them for use.
20 Lord and Giver of every good thing,
we bring to you
bread and wine for our communion,
lives and gifts for your kingdom,
all for transformation through your grace and love,
made known in Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen.
THE THANKSGIVING
*21 All stand.
The presiding minister leads the great prayer of thanksgiving:
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
We praise you, gracious Father,
our Maker and Sustainer.
You created the heavens and the earth
and formed us in your own image.
Though we sinned against you,
your love for us was constant,
and you sent your Son Jesus Christ
to be the Saviour of the world.
Sharing our human nature,
he was born of Mary
and baptized in the Jordan.
He proclaimed your kingdom, by word and deed,
and was put to death upon the cross.
You raised him from the dead;
you exalted him in glory;
and through him you have sent your Holy Spirit,
calling us to be your people,
a community of faith.
And so, with angels and archangels
and all the choirs of heaven,
we join in the triumphant hymn:
Holy, holy, holy Lord,
God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessèd is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
Holy God, we praise you
that on the night in which he was betrayed
our Saviour Christ took bread
and gave you thanks.
He broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying,
‘Take, eat. This is my body, given for you.
Do this in remembrance of me.’
After supper, he took the cup of wine,
gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying,
‘Drink from it, all of you.
This is my blood of the new covenant,
poured out for all people
for the forgiveness of sins.
Do this in remembrance of me.’
Remembering, therefore, his death and resurrection,
and proclaiming his eternal sacrifice,
we offer ourselves to you in praise and thanksgiving,
as we declare the mystery of faith:
Christ has died.
Christ is risen.
Christ will come again.
Send down your Holy Spirit
that these gifts of bread and wine
may be for us the body and blood of Christ.
Unite us with him for ever
and bring us with the whole creation
to your eternal kingdom.
Through Christ, with Christ, in Christ,
in the power of the Holy Spirit,
we worship you in songs of everlasting praise.
Blessing and honour and glory and power
be yours for ever and ever. Amen.
THE BREAKING OF THE BREAD
*22 The presiding minister breaks the bread in the sight of the people in silence, or saying:
We say together:
Lord, we come to your table,
trusting in your mercy
and not in any goodness of our own.
We are not worthy
even to gather up the crumbs under your table,
but it is your nature always to have mercy,
and on that we depend.
So feed us with the body and blood
of Jesus Christ, your Son,
that we may for ever live in him
and he in us. Amen.
THE SHARING OF THE BREAD AND WINE
*25 The presiding minister, those assisting with the distribution, and the people receive, according to local custom.
The presiding minister may say these or other words of invitation:
Jesus said: ‘I am the bread of life.
Those who come to me shall not hunger
and those who believe in me shall never thirst.’
Draw near with faith.
The elements that remain are covered with a white cloth.
PRAYERS AND DISMISSAL
Silence
30 Let us pray.
We thank you, Lord,
that you have fed us in this sacrament,
united us with Christ,
and given us a foretaste of the heavenly banquet
prepared for all people. Amen.
31 Hymn: StF 596 – Now let us from this table rise
1 Now let us from this table rise
renewed in body, mind and soul;
with Christ we die and live again,
his selfless love has made us whole.
2 With minds alert, upheld by grace,
to spread the Word in speech and deed,
we follow in the steps of Christ,
at one with all in hope and need.
3 To fill each human house with love,
it is the sacrament of care;
the work that Christ began to do
we humbly pledge ourselves to share.
4 Then grant us courage, Father-God,
to choose again the pilgrim way
and help us to accept with joy
the challenge of tomorrow's day.
Fred Kaan (1929–2009)
32 The presiding minister says:
The blessing of God,
the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit,
remain with you/us always. Amen.
*33 The presiding minister says:
Go in peace in the power of the Spirit
to live and work to God’s praise and glory.
Thanks be to God. Amen.