I'm a new churchgoer, communion question

by pennycandy 23 Replies latest jw friends

  • pennycandy
    pennycandy

    Thanks Else, I was waiting to see what you had in store for me. You never disappoint. Love ya.

    Midget, I'll have to admit that I'm ignorant of about half the words you used in your post: IIRC, genuflect, host, ine hand . . . This church is non-denominational and very casual, so I doubt there will be any genuflecting going on, but this shows me I don't know much about the roman catholic faith : )

  • jgnat
    jgnat

    At my church, I keep a sharp eye out for the pastor and eat when he eats, drink when he drinks. Often there is a bunch of talking in betweens.

  • Sirona
    Sirona

    BTW, I hope noone misconstrued my comments about bread and wine. That *is* what we do. I fully respect the other way of doing bread/wine aswell.

    Just to clarify.

    Sirona

  • bebu
    bebu

    Hi Penny,

    The RC church offers communion to Catholics. If you are not a Catholic, you aren't supposed to go up. However, if you do, very likely no one would know that you aren't Catholic and would give you communion there anyway. (When people are formally received as Catholics, there is usually a baptism-type ceremony and "First Communion" for them.)

    But, you are not attending a Catholic church, and it sounds like yours is an "Open Table" arrangement. At our church, for example, the minister usually says that anyone, whether belonging to our denomination or not, is invited to participate if that person has repented and trusted Christ. (He then adds that even if someone's been a member all his life here, s/he should not eat it if those requirements are not met.)

    Actually, our minister also enjoys changing how communion is served: sometimes we go up and dip bread into wine, and sometimes it gets passed around. When we go up, we eat it right there; when we are served in our chairs, we wait until everyone has been served and the minister leads us to partake together.

    Elsewhere, I've never seen communion like that!... But I guess it must be very helpful for folks who bring communion to shut-ins.

    bebu

  • LittleToe
    LittleToe

    Ozzie:
    No, the Ministers do the whole thing. There are usually at least two visitors, to share the extra preaching that goes on during the preparatory services.

    There's plenty of opportunity to share the prayer at the various prayer meetings that go on during the weekend, though, as well as during meals and at evening family worship in various homes.

    It can last from Thursday night through to the Monday night Thanksgiving services, with supper (?) being on the Sunday morning.

  • Elsewhere
    Elsewhere
    Elsewhere, I've never seen communion like that!... But I guess it must be very helpful for folks who bring communion to shut-ins.

    Yes... they are meant for shut-ins, people in the hospital, people in prison, etc....

    I could also see them being tossed off a parade float along with some candy for the kids.

  • Elsewhere
    Elsewhere

    Sorry... Bad Elsewhere! Bad! Bad! Bad!

  • Mulan
    Mulan
    I think "grace" is a good word for what I'm seeing.

    Did you know the NWT renders that word as Undeserved Kindness? I basically like the word, but everytime I hear it, I make that connection and I cringe.

  • Billygoat
    Billygoat
    I think "grace" is a good word for what I'm seeing.
    Did you know the NWT renders that word as Undeserved Kindness? I basically like the word, but everytime I hear it, I make that connection and I cringe.

    I don't cringe when I hear grace, but I still cringe when I hear Undeserved Kindness. And there is a huge difference in my mind. Grace is administered with love and compassion. Undeserved Kindess is administered with a superiority complex.

  • Elsewhere
    Elsewhere

    I too have always preferred the word "grace" to the phrase "undeserved kindness".

    Grace implies a gift to someone in need... something to relieve suffering.

    Undeserved Kindness implies that one is not deserving of anything and results in feelings of guilt which in turn cause self-destructive thoughts, feelings and actions.

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