Orthodox6 Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 I'll make a note to ask our cousin, who is an Orthodox chaplain in the Navy for many years now. He is required to be a resource for people of all backgrounds, of course. Holy Communion, he would consecrate only in the Orthodox way, and make it available only to Orthodox Christian service people. Maybe he travels with a supply of frozen prosphora?? I never thought about it before! He has spent months at a time on carriers, too. people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sdel Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 Interesting. I'd never heard of these before - my dh (a Lutheran pastor) has a small communion case that holds a small container of wine and wafers and some small cups, and that's pretty standard in our denomination. (They are unconsecrated - he consecrates them when he gives communion.) Well, to be honest, I am/raised baptist and we only do communion once a quarter. My DH is Church of Christ and they do communion every Sunday. For the record, it was me/us that were hospital bound out of our area and received the prepackaged communion. DH knew people in one of the local Church of Christ groups from church camp and they brought us those and had communion with us. To me, it wasn't all that different than usual....just packaged to go for non-standard communion circumstance. For some denominations there is much more symbolism attached to all the parts and for others the symbolism is confined to the act more so than the ingredients. Stefanie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audrey Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 I read the website of a non-denominational enormous church and it said something like this: "If you feel the need for communion, please go to the table at the back of the worship center and help yourself to communion." Like a communion buffet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
umsami Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 i actually bought some around early 92 or 93? They had a little cup with either grape juice or wine (your choice) and then a little round communion wafer on top. I bought them at I think the Family Christian bookstore chain, but I'm not sure. Might have been a local Christian bookstore in Orlando. I was really enjoying the ritual of communion…reading from the Book of Common Prayers….and I made communion at home part of that ritual. May not have been "allowed" but it had meaning to me and I enjoyed it. While I could have pulled out the Welch's and broken off some bread or matzo… I liked that this was special…set aside for just that purpose. My friend and I used to joke that there should be holiday flavored communion wafers (she was Catholic). So…chocolate covered for Easter….maybe a cinnamon/sugar for Christmas…etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
umsami Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 ETA: I may be mistaken about the square wafers or round being offered by this same vendor. There were a couple of sites and I might have conflated their offerings. We used to always call the square kind, communion chiclets. :) I actually find the differences in communion practices fascinating/cool. I remember visiting an LDS church with my friend growing up, and they did water and kind of just torn bread. She told me that at one time in their history somebody poisoned the grape juice or wine, so that's why they switched. (Not sure if that's true or not.) A friend used to go to an Orthodox church and there were women in the church who would bake the actual communion bread. To me, fresh baked communion bread from scratch sounds just fab. At my friend's Catholic church, there was a group of nuns who used to make the wafers. I always thought that must be a wonderful job/vocation to have… a very sacred one. So says the Muslim. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinder Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 Drive-in church? Or drive-thru church? Dh wondered, "Why not just mail 'em out?" There was an article in our local paper about a drive-in church; can't remember which town it was in. But I googled and found several. Here's one. Aha! I found this (quoted below) on their FAQ page. Note the mention of pre-packaged communion. :laugh: **edited out. you can see the FAQ's at the link** Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
myfunnybunch Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 I hope the giant picture didn't cause you all to overlook the link. McMunion indeed. They've got some zingers. My favorites were "Repentos, the faith maker" and "friggin Protestants." Also, I'm now picturing the more devout frat boys crunching these on their heads. I liked Jeez-Its too. :lol: :lol: :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reefgazer Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 Far Out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IsabelC Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 There was an article in our local paper about a drive-in church; can't remember which town it was in. But I googled and found several. Here's one. Aha! I found this (quoted below) on their FAQ page. Note the mention of pre-packaged communion. :laugh: "A Drive In Church!? How does that work? Well, it's really a simple concept! We have three entry points onto the church property that we refer to as "gates". There, you will be greeted by a member of the congregation who will give you a bulletin as well as a pre-packaged communion set. They will also help you locate 88.5FM on your radio dial, which is the station that we broadcast our services on. From there, you simply select where you'd like to park and participate in worship. Amazing - I have never even heard of this. I wonder why somebody would want to drive to an actual church and not go in, when they could watch a church service on television / internet at home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 Our church uses them. Greeters or older students stand in the hallways with small baskets full for people can grab as they enter into the sanctuary. With 200-300 people per service, it drastically reduced the overall communion time compared to passing around traditional trays or walking to the front alter in a large church. Afterward, the ushers go down the aisles with buckets to collect the trash. I promise, I'm not picking on you, or attacking you, but several people now have posted this same kind of answer and I admit, I'm just not understanding it. If it is important to do, a commandment and/or sacrament, depending on your outlook, , isn't it worth a bit of time? Is faster better? The catholic churches I've been too have over 500 at each service, but communion doesn't take that long, they have a few people on each side, everyone leaves the pew, recieves, and goes back in an orderly fashion, recieveing from someone's hand. And even that I don't think is great....in churches previous to that we always went to the front and kneeled at the altar rail. It was still fairly quick, and the time you spend waiting is wonderful for contemplation. I can't imagine just popping a top like on a soda can or a can of pringles, so I guess I just can't understand this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 I'm now scared to google, but am wondering, how far does this go. Is there some church somewhere doing communion with grape soda and cheezits? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted September 10, 2014 Author Share Posted September 10, 2014 I'm now scared to google, but am wondering, how far does this go. Is there some church somewhere doing communion with grape soda and cheezits? That's WHY they make the tiny soda cans. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathryn Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 I'm now scared to google, but am wondering, how far does this go. Is there some church somewhere doing communion with grape soda and cheezits? I do church tours for our Greek festival and last year a man asked me if we use wine for communion and then told me his church uses grape koolaid and saltines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brehon Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 I do church tours for our Greek festival and last year a man asked me if we use wine for communion and then told me his church uses grape koolaid and saltines. The mind...it boggles... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
countrygal Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 Never seen them but I like the sanitary aspect :) Do they make gluten free? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 I think I've shared this, but it cracks me up every time-- Once, dh was doing a wedding with another minister. Dh asked if the Protestant minister if they used grape juice for Communion. The minister said no, they didn't want to take the chance of it spilling on the bride's dress, so they just used water. Dh paused, and said, "I'm good, but I'm not that good." (Referring, of course, to changing the water into wine...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
umsami Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 I do church tours for our Greek festival and last year a man asked me if we use wine for communion and then told me his church uses grape koolaid and saltines. Well, although I've never been to a church that did this, the churches I grew up in (Presbyterian) and went to as a young adult (Disciples of Christ, Assemblies of God) all used grape juice. Wine was not used either because of children, or potential alcoholics, or some other reason. Grape juice can be expensive. Perhaps his church couldn't afford to offer grape juice to everybody. Something tells me that a loving God accepts/honors a Kool-Aid saltine communion too…but then again, I happen to belong to a faith where having a good intention is a really big thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted September 10, 2014 Author Share Posted September 10, 2014 Ya know, I've seen moms at the at the playground with juice boxes and goldfish and I always thought it was just a snack. I'm not so sure now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 Never seen them but I like the sanitary aspect :) Do they make gluten free? I don't get how it is more sanitary? I mean, someone hands it to you, putter their germs on the container. You touch the container, getting those germs on you. You then touch the "bread" and get those germs on the bread. Not to mention, most germs are not spread orally, but from touching nose/eyes with germy hands. In all truth, you are more likely to catch something shaking hands than from communion, I would think. Not to mention all the BPA or whatever that juice is sitting in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TechWife Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 We use them in our non-denominational church, which had several services with 500-1000 people. We'd be there all day if we walked to the front or passed a plate. A friend calls them "communion Lunchables". Traditional, "pass the plate" communion takes 10 - 15 minutes in our church. We have about 800 people per service and have three services on Sunday morning. Time isn't an issue, it's just logistics. But then, I wouldn't have a problem being in church all day, either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 Traditional, "pass the plate" communion takes 10 - 15 minutes in our church. We have about 800 people per service and have three services on Sunday morning. Time isn't an issue, it's just logistics. But then, I wouldn't have a problem being in church all day, either. Yeah, i don't think our "empty out of the pew, file down to a person distributing, receive in the hand or on the tongue, and then go back to your seat way takes any longer than 10 minutes, tops...probably less. And that's for abut 600 people. We just have well trained people, everyone knows where to go and what to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ananda Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 I have, in fact, seen goldfish crackers used for communion. It was at a baby dedication for a family member, so I was in the very front row reserved section. I'm non-Christian so I don't take communion out of respect. The pastor gave the typical protestant "every one is encouraged to take communion" speech. Then my husband & I immediately refuse communion. It felt awkward. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 "Do this in remembrance of me. " Breaks bread, hands it around. Pours wine, passes it from person to person. Dude, aint nobody got time for that! Just pop the top and get'r done! Sigh. If we don't have time for this, what DO we have time for? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsMommy Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 "Do this in remembrance of me. " Breaks bread, hands it around. Pours wine, passes it from person to person. Dude, aint nobody got time for that! Just pop the top and get'r done! Sigh. If we don't have time for this, what DO we have time for? I totally agree. We shouldn't be looking at the clock during church, hoping it's over soon. That should be the one place we're happy to spend as much time as possible, especially during the Sacrament! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
albeto. Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 KungFuPanda is cracking me up. +1 for Capri Son. Have any of you read Raney by Clyde Edgerton? A small town teatotal baptist girl marries an episcopalian. She explains to her husband that her church elders teach that Jesus actually turned the water into grape juice in the Bible bc it didnt have time to ferment into wine. Because everyone knows, miracles are subject to the laws of physics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ottakee Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 I can see the use of these in special circumstances---hospitals, nursing homes, shut ins, jail/prison, etc. but I would hate to see this was a "way of life" for the church as a whole. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 I can see the use of these in special circumstances---hospitals, nursing homes, shut ins, jail/prison, etc. but I would hate to see this was a "way of life" for the church as a whole. I don't know, I mean, I know every church I've gone to has had people take communion to the sick or homebound, without needing this. Now prison, I can almost understand, because it would be easier to determine that the person isn't sneaking some other substance in. But again, I don't think it's been a problem so far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-rap Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 Wow, I've never seen those! But, whatever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LucyStoner Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 In hospital and hospices. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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