Communion/Lord's Supper/Eucharist

[tntgoodwin]

Do you use grape juice? Wine? A loaf of bread that everyone picks from? Little oyster cracker things?

 

What do you call it? How often do you partake?

[Carol in Cal.]

Wafers, real wine, as often as I can get it--usually 2-3 times per month.

[petepie2]

Grape juice and unleavened cracker-type bread once a month...we're Baptist....

 

Oh, forgot to add....we call it Communion or the Lord's Supper.....

[AndyJoy]

At my Reformed Baptist church we call it the Lord's Supper, drink grape juice, and tear a piece of bread off of a homemade loaf.

[Amira]

We call it the Sacrament and we do it every Sunday, unless there is a meeting that has too many people attending to make it practical to do the sacrament (that happens around 4 times a year). We use water and a loaf of bread that is broken into pieces before anyone takes any. The teenage boys in the congregation pass the bread first, and then the water, to everyone.

 

I'm a Mormon/LDS and it's done like this throughout the world, with a few minor variations depending on local needs. Rice cakes might be used if someone is a celiac, or other types of grain-based item. Water is pretty standard though. LDS haven't used grape juice/wine in many years.

 

My family doesn't have an LDS congregration to meet with, so we do the sacrament at home. It's pretty important to us as Mormons.

[justamouse]

wine, wafers, every Mass (Catholic). We go every Sunday, I try to go every Wed at noon with the kids and we're adding in Friday (weekday Mass is only 1/2 hour and it's a 5 minute walk from my house). Eucharist.

Edited April 11, 2011 by justamouse

[Hannah C.]

At our non-denominational church, we call it the Lord's Supper. We use grape juice and bread similar to, say, French bread - in other words, not unleavened, but not the kind that comes pre-sliced in a plastic bag either. ;) We have a Lord's Supper about 4 times a year. It's preceded by a church potluck. It's a really nice time of community.

[milovany]

Wine and prosphora (bread) that was made especially for the sacrament. After the consecration of the gifts in the altar, those who are receiving go forward and the priest serves them from a common chalice (in which the consecrated gifts have been mixed).

 

We call it the Eucharist and partake at least every Sunday (at Divine Liturgy), and more if there's a midweek Liturgy for a feast or other occasion.

 

We are Eastern Orthodox.

[Diana B]

Wine & Unleavened Crackers - taken once a year on the Passover. And we call it Passover. Part of a very somber service baptized members take part in on the evening of Passover.

 

The cracker is passed around (already broken up) on a tray and the wine in little cups (very little) on a tray.

[GWOB]

Wafers, real wine, as often as I can get it--usually 2-3 times per month.

 

:iagree: Also, Jesus is present there. For real.

 

ETA: We attend a Lutheran Church (Missouri Synod).

Edited April 11, 2011 by wendilouwho

[Momling]

At our current Episcopal parish, it's wine (actually port mixed with holy water) and wafers. You can dip (intinct) it into the wine or sip from the communal chalice. It's called the Eucharist, but calling it communion is common too. At our previous parish, they used consecrated bread (made fresh for the purpose by parishioners). It was a delicious chewy sweet whole wheat loaf with a cross on it.

 

It's weekly (possibly more often, but we only attend Sunday morning services).

[Ellie]

If it's Catholic, then it's the Eucharist, and wine, and wafers (until the priest consecrates them, when they become the Body and Blood of Christ). The Eucharist is served at every Mass, although at my parish, the Blood of Christ is not served at a daily Mass.

[skirch]

Wine, homemade bread, eucharist, 3 or 4 times a month.

[....]

We're also Lutheran. It's wine and a wafer for Holy Communion and it's a Sacrament for us, too. Some congregations we belonged to offered Communion at every service, some congregations offer it every other service. Our denomination has closed Communion.

[momofkhm]

Do you use grape juice? Wine? A loaf of bread that everyone picks from? Little oyster cracker things?

 

What do you call it? How often do you partake?

 

Communion - real wine with a tiny bit of water, wafers especially made for communion.

[TravelingChris]

Presbyterian- grape juice, loaf bread, crackers for celiac patient

[Rhonda in TX]

Communion or Lord's Supper. Crackers squares that you break a piece off of (plates are passed). Grape juice. Every Sunday.

[Melinda in VT]

Lord's Supper or Communion (usually the latter). Grape juice. Bread (type varies). Intinction. Once a month.

 

I like all but the last part.

 

United Church of Christ. (Although our UCC church in a different state passed the bread and little cups of juice down the rows instead of doing intinction.)

[Melinda in VT]

Wine & Unleavened Crackers - taken once a year on the Passover. And we call it Passover. Part of a very somber service baptized members take part in on the evening of Passover.

 

The cracker is passed around (already broken up) on a tray and the wine in little cups (very little) on a tray.

 

Would you mind saying what denomination this is? I haven't heard of this practice before.

[Upward Journey]

At our current Episcopal parish, it's wine (actually port mixed with holy water) and wafers. You can dip (intinct) it into the wine or sip from the communal chalice. It's called the Eucharist, but calling it communion is common too. At our previous parish, they used consecrated bread (made fresh for the purpose by parishioners). It was a delicious chewy sweet whole wheat loaf with a cross on it.

 

It's weekly (possibly more often, but we only attend Sunday morning services).

 

Same. Anglican.

 

We file to the front and kneel at the alter rail to recieve the elements.

Edited April 11, 2011 by Upward Journey

[Chris in VA]

At our current Episcopal parish, it's wine (actually port mixed with holy water) and wafers. You can dip (intinct) it into the wine or sip from the communal chalice. It's called the Eucharist, but calling it communion is common too. At our previous parish, they used consecrated bread (made fresh for the purpose by parishioners). It was a delicious chewy sweet whole wheat loaf with a cross on it.

 

It's weekly (possibly more often, but we only attend Sunday morning services).

 

Same here. We offer it Weds at the healing service and on request (like if someone is sick and wants the priest to come, he'll bring his Communion kit). We use wafers regularly, but on retreat we use pita.

 

Like others, we believe Jesus is present in the sacrament--we don't go either the Lutheran route or the Catholic (transubstantiation) route, but we leave the mystery defined as the Real Presence. Oh, and you can take it by intinction or separately. You can receive in one kind, too, if you want. You can even come as a non-Christian and get a blessing. You can take as soon as you are baptised, even as a little child.

Edited April 11, 2011 by Chris in VA

[mytwomonkeys]

i attend a UMC church. we call it communion. we do it 1x month (first sunday). one person holds a loaf of bread & the other person holds the juice. i walk up & they tear a piece of bread & hand it to me saying, "amy, this is the body that was broken for you"...then i dip it in the cup and that person says, "amy this is the blood that was shed for you". then i can go to the altar or back to my seat.

[MaMa2005]

At our current Episcopal parish, it's wine (actually port mixed with holy water) and wafers. You can dip (intinct) it into the wine or sip from the communal chalice. It's called the Eucharist, but calling it communion is common too. At our previous parish, they used consecrated bread (made fresh for the purpose by parishioners). It was a delicious chewy sweet whole wheat loaf with a cross on it.

 

It's weekly (possibly more often, but we only attend Sunday morning services).

 

:iagree: That's how our parish offers it, too.

[ecj98]

Presbyterian

Once a month plus 5th Sundays (so roughly 15 times a year)

Wine in small cups

Wafers already broken up

Sacrament of the Lord's Supper (most often called)

[Michele B]

Anglo Catholic: Wine and a wafer of unleavened bread (the Holy Ghost is the leavening) It becomes the Body and Blood of Christ. We go every Sunday and sometimes other days during the week. We call it the Eucharist or Holy Communion. We kneel at the altar rail (unless some infirmity prevents). It is administered by the priest who stands in the place of Christ who feeds us with his own hand. Intincting is frowned upon as is having the wafer placed in one's hand to lick up. That misses the idea of Christ feeding you with his own hand and becomes you feeding yourself. Once a very old priest dripped the consecrated wine all over my toddler. I licked her clean at the altar. ;) And in case you are wondering, no one ever gets sick from drinking from the chalice. ;)

Edited April 11, 2011 by Michele B

[KnitWit]

wine/unleavened crackers which the pastor breaks up/first Sunday of the month/called Communion or the Sacrament

 

(at the request of a member, we do offer an outer ring of grape juice)

[myfatherslily]

We call it the Sacrament and we do it every Sunday, unless there is a meeting that has too many people attending to make it practical to do the sacrament (that happens around 4 times a year). We use water and a loaf of bread that is broken into pieces before anyone takes any. The teenage boys in the congregation pass the bread first, and then the water, to everyone.

 

I'm a Mormon/LDS and it's done like this throughout the world, with a few minor variations depending on local needs. Rice cakes might be used if someone is a celiac, or other types of grain-based item. Water is pretty standard though. LDS haven't used grape juice/wine in many years.

 

My family doesn't have an LDS congregration to meet with, so we do the sacrament at home. It's pretty important to us as Mormons.

 

I've been reading lately about the differences between Catholic, Orthodox, and the usual Protestant belief about communion. I'd love the hear the LDS view, if you wouldn't mind sharing. Feel free to PM me:)

 

 

:iagree: Also, Jesus is present there. For real.

 

ETA: We attend a Lutheran Church (Missouri Synod).

 

Am I correct in understanding the Lutheran belief as Christ's presence there with those partaking, but not necessarily present in the elements? I might have the details a little confused? How does it differ from other beliefs? I'd love to know! You can PM me, too, if you prefer:)

[Mrs Mungo]

Communion is once a month, the first Sunday of the month, plus holidays in every church I have ever attended.

 

Our last church did grape juice and oyster crackers.

 

Our current church uses these pre-filled communion cups with the wafer on the top. It's a huge church.

[mrsrevmeg]

Our former church (Baptist) did the Lord's Supper once every 18 months to two years. Grape juice, crackers. Currently we are on the lookout for a church but also doing a service each week with my husband's parents and his sister and her family. We have had three meetings, done Communion once, with juice and homemade unleavened bread.

[QueenCat]

United Methodist here. We call it the Lord's Supper. Usually, the grape juice is in individual little cups. You pull a piece off of the bread loaf when it is offered to you. Any Christian in attendance, whether or not they are members of our church, or even Methodist, is welcome to partake. Visitors who are not Methodist are often surprised that they are welcome to partake. We explain it with ease, it is the Lord's Table, not our church's table. We have communion on the first Sunday of the month and on certain holy days.

[LidiyaDawn]

I haven't found a specific church/denominational home yet, but as I haven't seen it mentioned in the thread, I'll give the info for the most recent place that I attended for a bit…

 

It's just known as a "Gospel Hall", and they use what appears to be actual wine, and homemade baked bread -- the wine is in one largish goblet and the loaf is whole, on a plate. The wine goblet is passed from person to person, each taking a small sip. Then the bread is passed from person to person, each tearing off a small piece and consuming it immediately.

 

This is referred to as "The Breaking of the Bread" and is done every Sunday. Only those who are actual members may take part. As far as I'm aware, it's a "remembrance" for them, not an "actual presence".

 

I'm not a member, I've just visited a few times - so if someone here IS and I've gotten something wrong, please know that I meant no offence and feel free to clarify! :)

[Spy Car]

At our local Episcopal/Anglican church congregants kneel at the rail to take communion. The "bread" is a wafer that is very similar to the host wafers used by Roman Catholics. As in current Catholic practice, some congregants receive the communion wafers directly on their tongues while others receive them in their open hands and place the wafers in their mouths themselves.

 

At this parish the common practice would be to take care not to chew the communion wafer.

 

The wine is sipped from a common chalice held by the Preist.

 

Bill

Edited April 11, 2011 by Spy Car

[Amira]

I've been reading lately about the differences between Catholic, Orthodox, and the usual Protestant belief about communion. I'd love the hear the LDS view, if you wouldn't mind sharing. Feel free to PM me:)

 

For us the sacrament is symbolic and is the way we renew the covenants we make at baptism. We drink in remembrance of the body and blood of Christ. We have a prayer (unusually for us, a rote prayer; the prayers over the bread and water are practically the only prayers we have that must be verbatim) that outlines those baptismal covenants. So the sacrament is a time of cleansing and renewing, and also remembering the atonement of Jesus Christ.

[SonshineLearner]

In my ideal church, we would use unleavened bread, broken (so fewer germs :) and wine... cuz.... I very much doubt it was unfermented. It's not "yum" lets eat... It's remember... and do it this way...

:) Communion or Lord's Supper...

[SonshineLearner]

At our local Episcopal/Anglican church congregants kneel at the rail to take communion. The "bread" is a wafer that is very similar to the host wafers used by Roman Catholics. As in current Catholic practice, some congregants receive the communion wafers directly on their tongues while others receive them in their open hands and place the wafers in their mouths themselves.

 

At this parish the common practice would be to take care not to chew the communion wafer.

 

The wine is sipped from a common chalice held by the Preist.

 

Bill

 

Germ freak as I am, I liked when I saw the Episcopal Priest, dip the wafer in the wine and give it to the person... :) I can't stand having someone else's spit in my wine... even if the "wine kills the germs"

[Celia]

I haven't found a specific church/denominational home yet, but as I haven't seen it mentioned in the thread, I'll give the info for the most recent place that I attended for a bit…

 

It's just known as a "Gospel Hall", and they use what appears to be actual wine, and homemade baked bread -- the wine is in one largish goblet and the loaf is whole, on a plate. The wine goblet is passed from person to person, each taking a small sip. Then the bread is passed from person to person, each tearing off a small piece and consuming it immediately.

 

This is referred to as "The Breaking of the Bread" and is done every Sunday. Only those who are actual members may take part. As far as I'm aware, it's a "remembrance" for them, not an "actual presence".

 

I'm not a member, I've just visited a few times - so if someone here IS and I've gotten something wrong, please know that I meant no offence and feel free to clarify! :)

 

This is precisely what my congregation does.

[Homeschooling Again]

As an Episcopalian and what I've read from the others jibes with our church. Incidentally anyone can take communion at my church -- regardless of whether you've been baptized or anything.

 

My son is going to take his "First Communion" in a few weeks. There will be a special ceremony for the kids and we're having family and friends come in from all over to celebrate afterwards.

 

As for chewing the wafer, my last priest encouraged me to chew it so that I can experience the eucharist in an active way. I do and it helps me to get my mind around the sacrifice (but I think most people sort of let the wafer dissolve on the tongue).

 

I always drink from the chalice unless I'm sick, then I dip. I love the communal feeling of drinking directly from the cup.

[Sputterduck]

Our former church (Baptist) did the Lord's Supper once every 18 months to two years. Grape juice, crackers. Currently we are on the lookout for a church but also doing a service each week with my husband's parents and his sister and her family. We have had three meetings, done Communion once, with juice and homemade unleavened bread.

 

Wow. Why so rare?

[HayesW]

Lord's Supper or Communion

Grape juice

homemade cracker type things

Every Sunday

[Sputterduck]

Do you use grape juice? Wine? A loaf of bread that everyone picks from? Little oyster cracker things?

 

What do you call it? How often do you partake?

 

We use grape juice, though I wish it were real wine, because that is what Jesus did. We use a real loaf of bread and we break a piece off as someone brings it around. We have little cups. I, too, do not want anyone's saliva in my mouth so I'm thrilled it's not a single cup. I couldn't kiss the Blarney stone, either. It freaked me out. It was worn smooth from so many people kissing over many years. Yuck.

 

We do it once a month, though I preferred when I went to a church where it was weekly. We call it communion.

 

We are a generic Protestant church. It's a missionary hub for local missionaries from different organizations, so it's non-denominational and we have all sorts of backgrounds coming together. And, yes, we all get along. :001_smile:

[SonshineLearner]

We use grape juice, though I wish it were real wine, because that is what Jesus did. We use a real loaf of bread and we break a piece off as someone brings it around. We have little cups. I, too, do not want anyone's saliva in my mouth so I'm thrilled it's not a single cup. I couldn't kiss the Blarney stone, either. It freaked me out. It was worn smooth from so many people kissing over many years. Yuck.

 

We do it once a month, though I preferred when I went to a church where it was weekly. We call it communion.

 

We are a generic Protestant church. It's a missionary hub for local missionaries from different organizations, so it's non-denominational and we have all sorts of backgrounds coming together. And, yes, we all get along. :001_smile:

 

So great that you're there :) Anyone want a teen sent to them to work for a few weeks in the summer?? Course... she doesn't know Spanish... but she knows some Church Latin :) And she's great at baking :)

[Sputterduck]

So great that you're there :) Anyone want a teen sent to them to work for a few weeks in the summer?? Course... she doesn't know Spanish... but she knows some Church Latin :) And she's great at baking :)

 

Yeah, actually we would love anyone to come help. We had a teen here for several months. She taught the kids in our school. She lived with one of the missionary families here. She was quite a blessing.

 

Really, we don't refuse help.

[justamouse]

It is administered by the priest who stands in the place of Christ who feeds us with his own hand. Intincting is frowned upon as is having the wafer placed in one's hand to lick up. That misses the idea of Christ feeding you with his own hand and becomes you feeding yourself. Once a very old priest dripped the consecrated wine all over my toddler. I licked her clean at the altar. ;) And in case you are wondering, no one ever gets sick from drinking from the chalice. ;)

 

I'm working my way up to the open mouth. :001_smile: There is a lot of talk about the old ways coming back into the Catholic Church and this is one of the things I am hearing about. No more hands because it takes away the meaning.

 

 

At our local Episcopal/Anglican church congregants kneel at the rail to take communion. The "bread" is a wafer that is very similar to the host wafers used by Roman Catholics. As in current Catholic practice, some congregants receive the communion wafers directly on their tongues while others receive them in their open hands and place the wafers in their mouths themselves.

 

At this parish the common practice would be to take care not to chew the communion wafer.

 

The wine is sipped from a common chalice held by the Preist.

 

Bill

 

I don't know what it is with the new wafers, but they just don't dissolve like the old ones. I always end up chewing a bit to get it down before i get to the wine. :blush: Bad, I know.

 

And, I'm also hearing of many Catholics wanting to kneel again, too.

[TrixieB]

Do you use grape juice? Wine? A loaf of bread that everyone picks from? Little oyster cracker things?

 

What do you call it? How often do you partake?

Wine. A loaf of bread that is baked by one of the parishoners, broken by the priest, and served by the priest and deacons.

 

We call it Eucharist and I partake every time I attend church.

[cherylw]

Lord's Supper or Communion

grape juice and unleavend crackers (currently homemade but have used bought crackers in the past)

taken every Sunday by those who have been baptized (members or visitors)

We do so in a remembrance of Christ's death, burial and resurrection

[Lovedtodeath]

Jehovah's Witnesses have it once a year. I was invited Saturday. The invitation says: Jesus Takes Away the Sin of the World. Each year, Jehovah's Witnesses gather to commemorate Jesus' death on its anniversary. This year (Nisan 14) the anniversary falls on Sunday, April 17, after sundown. Jehovah's Witnesses warmly invite you to meet with them to examine the significance of Jesus' death. The majority of people at the Memorial or Lord's Evening Meal, which is what we call it, are actually not Jehovah's Witnesses.

 

We have real wine in about 4 wine glasses and they are passed down the aisles to everyone in attendance. Many congregations use a commercial red wine (such as Chianti, Burgundy, Beaujolais, or claret) or simple homemade red wine. “This cup means the new covenant by virtue of my blood, which is to be poured out in your behalf.” (Luke 22:20)

 

The bread is home made unleavened bread and is usually broken into pieces (I imagine it would be difficult for it not to be). Such bread is appropriate because it does not contain leaven (yeast), which the Bible uses to represent corruption or sin. (1 Corinthians 5:6-8; compare Matthew 13:33; 16:6, 12.) Unleavened bread is a fitting symbol of Jesus’ human body, for he was “loyal, guileless, undefiled, separated from the sinners.” (Hebrews 7:26)1 Corinthians 5:6-8; compare Matthew 13:33; 16:6, 12.) It is on two plates and is passed to everyone in attendance.

 

Only those of the little flock partake, which is a very small percentage of those who attend. (Luke 12:32, Revelation 20:6) I am one of the other sheep. (John 10:16, Revelation 7:9) I am especially interested in confirming this before attending this year. Partaking means they would have life in themselves as the heavenly Father has life in himself and as he has granted to his beloved Son to have life in himself. (John 5:26; 6:53-57, NW)

 

Only in a very exceptional situation where one of the anointed remnant is unable to partake of the emblems on Nisan 14 may he/she wish to celebrate the Memorial the fourteenth day of the next lunar month (the day of the next full moon), in harmony with the principle found at Numbers 9:10, 11, and 2 Chronicles 30:1-3, 15, with regard to belated Passover celebrations.

Edited April 11, 2011 by Lovedtodeath

[Teachin'Mine]

Most of this has been said by other Catholics. It is a sacrament, it is done similar to how Jesus did it at the Last Supper, it is called Communion, and the host, once consecrated, is called the Eucharist. The priest starts with wine and water and bread and both become the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Christ. A miracle at every Mass. :)

 

At some Masses, notably at Holy Thursday or Easter, there is a special bread used which is made by local Sisters or even by parishioners. This is then broken into pieces before arriving at the altar. Usually wafers are used. People may receive directly on the tongue or in the hand - either way is acceptable. Almost all Sunday Masses have both the Body and Blood available, and usually at daily Mass too, but it depends on the parish.

 

I'll add some links which are fascinating!

 

On edit: I can't find the links I'm looking for. Does anyone know the name of the scientist who conducted experiments with the intent to disprove this miracle, and ended up believing? It's a series of youtube videos and they're absolutely fascinating. I'll post later if I find them.

Edited April 11, 2011 by Teachin'Mine

[CAMom]

I am in charge of communion prep at our church.

 

We use gluten free bread because we have someone in our congregation with Celiac disease. I cut that up into small cubes.

 

We use both wine and grape juice. Each tray has an inner and outer ring of cups. The inner ring is grape juice and the outer ring is wine.

 

We call it communion and The Lord's Supper interchangeably. We serve it every week and are a PCA (Presbyterian Church in America) church.:)

[mommaduck]

Do you use grape juice? Wine? A loaf of bread that everyone picks from? Little oyster cracker things?

 

What do you call it? How often do you partake?

Eastern Orthodox:

Wine with bread in it. Common cup, served by spoon. Partake every week we are prepared. Avoid during things like cycles and simply not prepared.

Edited April 11, 2011 by mommaduck

[Joanne]

Denominational heritage - Presbyterian (USA) -

 

Elements: bread cubes (most churches have had someone who made the bread) and grape juice in individual cups.

 

On some occassions, it was offered by intinction.

 

Called: Lord's Supper or Communion,

 

Frequency: offered monthly or special occassions on the liturgical calendar.

 

Open table

Symbolic

 

Currently attending: Lutheran (MS)

 

Elements: - wafer, grape juice or wine

 

Frequency: Monthly

 

ClosedReal Presence

 

I do not partake @ this church.

 

Joanne's version:I believe in the "real presence" of God anytime I ask Him to be with me. I believe Jesus said the words in the gospel, but I believe the whole idea of corporate communion as it has developed is a man-made construct. I think the elements are simply another reminder/symbolic/ritual. I feel the same way about baptisim. ;)