How Do You Feel About...Prefilled Communion Cups?

[Michele B]

Mmmmm.... Nothing says "sanctified" like antibacterial wipe juice along with your wine. :lol:

 

 

That cracked me up!:D

 

People don't get sick from the chalice! Someone explained something about the alcohol and the metal the chalice is made from - I don't know. But I drink from the chalice after different people every week - old people, teenage girls who have probably been kissing boys and sometimes even MommyLawyer! I promise you, after the beautiful prayers and scripture readings and hymns - germs are the last thing on my mind!!

 

The more convenient it is made to be the more it loses something. The more it is made to please US...... The more the church service is about US ...

 

Michele

 

 

Michele

[Michele B]

And if you are creeped out about drinking from the chalice, you can always just receive in one kind - just receive the bread. Dipping, or intincture, is frowned on in many places. The idea is that the priest represents Jesus, and Jesus feeds us with his own hands (I cannot remember the words to that hymn). By taking the bread and dipping it yourself , or even having the priest dip for you and them you lick it up out of your hand - is you feeding you. That may seem like semantics or niceties to you -and that is your own business:D- but many aesthetics are there to inform you of the enormity of the occasion. Like kneeling to receive, but obviously there are many people who can not because of infirmity or they are just to big and pregnant to haul themselves up again (that was me a couple o times:D). So these things are not required, but the do serve a purpose - to subtly inform you that this is something different.

 

Michele

[Michele B]

In my first post, I meant sometimes I receive the cup after Mommylawyer, not that the teenage girls have been kissing her! Are you still speaking to me, Angela?:tongue_smilie:

 

 

And also the difference in the vocabulary is interesting - do you receive communion or do you take it?

 

Michele

[Robin Hood]

The church we attended quite a while ago used this once. It was kinds of like taking communion Taco Bell style. We didn't like it.

[Mrs Mungo]

And if you are creeped out about drinking from the chalice, you can always just receive in one kind - just receive the bread. Dipping, or intincture, is frowned on in many places. The idea is that the priest represents Jesus, and Jesus feeds us with his own hands (I cannot remember the words to that hymn). By taking the bread and dipping it yourself , or even having the priest dip for you and them you lick it up out of your hand - is you feeding you. That may seem like semantics or niceties to you -and that is your own business:D- but many aesthetics are there to inform you of the enormity of the occasion. Like kneeling to receive, but obviously there are many people who can not because of infirmity or they are just to big and pregnant to haul themselves up again (that was me a couple o times:D). So these things are not required, but the do serve a purpose - to subtly inform you that this is something different.

 

Michele

 

I've never attended a service in which it wasn't stated explicity that dipping is fine. I've never attended a service which included kneeling, either. I'm sure they do serve a purpose to those who practice in this manner.

[JumpedIntoTheDeepEndFirst]

Sorry, I wouldn't appreciate these showing up at my church. Part of the point is that the priest/minister blesses all the wine and host that is to be used that day (often saving a little extra to be kept for shut ins and hospital visits). Then as a community we partake together of the body and blood.

 

I grew up in a pass the grape juice in little cups and pass plates of cubed wonder bread (no joke). I even still have my little silver first communion cup. But it just never seemed the same as a common communion, to approach the altar and receive the host from the priest/minister.

 

Perhaps the cups are an attempt to improve sanitation or perhaps they are there because it is too hard to get volunteers to fill cups these days.

[*anj*]

I've never attended a service in which it wasn't stated explicity that dipping is fine. I've never attended a service which included kneeling, either. I'm sure they do serve a purpose to those who practice in this manner.

I know.

But Michele is Catholic, so a lot of what she's saying comes from that perspective. For example:

 

 

Dipping, or intincture, is frowned on in many places.

I've never heard Protestants call it intincture, and there is no prohibition.

The idea is that the priest represents Jesus,

Among Protestants the priest/minister does not represent Jesus.

and Jesus feeds us with his own hand

That's not part of our belief system.

By taking the bread and dipping it yourself , or even having the priest dip for you and them you lick it up out of your hand - is you feeding you.

We have no problem with the individual feeding herself. Jesus said "Take, eat..." So we take and eat.

but many aesthetics are there to inform you of the enormity of the occasion.

Like kneeling to receive,

I've never been to a Protestant church where people knelt during communion. Maybe Episcopalians and Lutherans do though.

 

 

I'm not discounting her thoughts, I just wanted to clarify that they aren't necessarily universally held beliefs among all Christians. :001_smile:

[Mrs Mungo]

I know.

But Michele is Catholic, so a lot of what she's saying comes from that perspective.

<snip>

I'm not discounting her thoughts, I just wanted to clarify that they aren't necessarily universally held beliefs among all Christians. :001_smile:

 

Yes, I know. :) Or maybe you were clarifying for the benefit of others? In which case :iagree:.

 

As I said, I've been a serious member of at least 4 churches. There have been a few others that we've attended that were more casual or we were casual attendees. I have no idea how many churches we've tried on for size or attended due to weddings, funerals and the like. Some of those have been Methodist or Episcopalian. I've never received communion in a Catholic church. I was just trying to find a way to convey (as you did, and did a much better job than I!) that what she describes is not common practice or thought among all denominations.

[swellmomma]

My church does apple juice in wee little shooter glasses, and mini ritz crackers for communion, I don't see this as much different. I could not imagine being the one to fill the 700 communion glasses we have now (They hold like a 1/2 oz) without a terrible mess, these would be pretty handy to have. Also they would be great when visiting shut in's, the sick etc that can not make it to church for communion.

[Vida Winter]

I can see how a large congregation would benefit from the prefilled cups. At my church we have a common chalice and as much as possible, I bake bread for communion on Sundays. We rarely have more than 20 attending a service. I generally dip bread into the wine but some choose to sip the wine directly. I would think that if someone were ill they would not drink from the chalice directly. At any rate, I don't worry about it.

 

~dana

[*anj*]

Yes, I know. :) Or maybe you were clarifying for the benefit of others? In which case :iagree:.

 

 

Yes, that's what I was trying to do. Sometimes I give a short answer and then I think "Now someone else will read this and they'll wonder why I said xyz" so then I try to anticipate their questions. I do it in real life sometimes too. It's an annoying habit. I actually thought about it this morning and planned to come back and delete what I'd posted, but I guess I'll leave it up now.

 

Ho hum.

 

What lucky kids I have, eh? I'm getting all geared up to bore them with my verbosity when school starts next week! :lol:

[Tammyla]

Expensive option....

[Oak Knoll Mom]

Oh, come on! Where's your sense of adventure? Don't they use a little cloth to wipe the edge of the cup after each sip? Doesn't that make you feel safe and germ-free? :lol:

 

When we lived in MI we went to church at the Univ. Lutheran Chapel in Ann Arbor for a while (dh went there during college). The pastor there was so funny. He had wine and grape juice (you never know who might be struggling with alcohol abuse, so he didn't want to pose a temptation to anyone), bread and wafers, community chalice and individual cups. He wanted anyone who came in to take communion to be comfortable, and not put off that they couldn't take communion in the manner to which they were accustomed. I thought that was very nice. Excessive, but nice.

 

Our church is pretty similar. We have individual grape juice, common glass of wine for drinking, and another glass of wine for intinction. (They started out with a common cup for the grape juice until people pointed out that they were ok drinking wine out of a common cup b/c of the alcohol, but not the grape juice.)

[abbeyej]

I've never been to a Protestant church where people knelt during communion. Maybe Episcopalians and Lutherans do though.

 

Yes. Kneeling is common in Anglican/Episcopalian churches. They say "intinction" too. ;)

[Melinda in VT]

Yes. Kneeling is common in Anglican/Episcopalian churches. They say "intinction" too. ;)

 

The two UCC churches I have attended have called it intinction also.

[Remudamom]

I grew up with a common Chalice with wine in an Episcopal church. Now we're Presb. and use shot glasses with wafers and juice. (Blech)

 

My fav is the CRE church we get to visit sometimes. The head of the family goes up and brings back a big ol cup o wine and a hunk of bread and distributes it to his/her family.

 

I think those would be great for hospital visits.........maybe. I've helped fill the communion shots before, and we have a funnel thingy with a release valve so you squirt, squirt, squirt it in the shots. It's not too much trouble.

[*anj*]

I grew up with a common Chalice with wine in an Episcopal church. Now we're Presb. and use shot glasses with wafers and juice. (Blech)

 

 

The church we attend now uses pieces of matzoh. But my former church used these awful little Chiclet shaped things. They looked and tasted like the kind that many Catholic churches use, but they were shaped like little squares. I'll have to try and find a picture.

 

OH, and that CRE setup sounds great! I like that idea. ;)

[*anj*]

Okay, here they are. I don't like them. They're hard to pick up and they don't taste like anything.

 

[Jami]

The church we attend now uses pieces of matzoh. But my former church used these awful little Chiclet shaped things. They looked and tasted like the kind that many Catholic churches use, but they were shaped like little squares. I'll have to try and find a picture.

 

OH, and that CRE setup sounds great! I like that idea. ;)

 

Chiclets! :lol: I've been in churches that used them.

 

Our old church was my favorite for communion. It was every week. The congregation formed a circle around the sanctuary. And we passed a common loaf and common cup (tray of individuals cups too for the germaphobes ;) ) from person to person. And many would say "the body of Christ broken for you" "the blood of Christ shed for you" as they passed the element. I can't quite see saying that passing chiclets and little foil-sealed cups.

 

And someone mentioned using apple juice.:confused: I can see using grape juice, but where's the fruit of the vine if you're using apples! There's an important metaphor lost there with no VINE.

[Michele B]

Well, no. And they wouldn't work theologically either because you have to have the comingling of the bread and the wine. You know how the priest breaks off a little piece and then sprinkles it into the chalice? It represents the idea of the body and blood being two parts of a whole. :D

 

Yep, that is the "Merchant of Venice" thing...can't take a pound of flesh without blood. Good old Shakespeare!:D

 

I realize most of the posters on this thread are not Catholic so I was just giving the catholic viewpoint - since we like to learn from each other, right? ;)

 

If my statement about aesthetics informing theology did not make sense, I can TRY to clarify.

 

From the Catholic viewpoint (see I wrote it before you could this time ;) ), the bread and wine actually become flesh and blood at the consecration. To further drive home (inform) the communicant that this is Jesus' flesh and blood "indeed" as the Bible says, there are different aesthetics employed. At high masses you will actually see them hold this little plate under your chin (what is it called, MommyLawyer?) to catch crumbs or the host itself if it falls. (some priests are old and cannnot see, their hands shake - or my personal favorite - your toddler decides to headbutt you right as you are about to receive. ) The host is to be handled reverently at all times. I actually licked my daughter once because a priest slopped wine all over us. He did not notice so I licked my daughter as reverently as possible in front of -quite literally - God and everyone! The bread and wine are not supposed to be touched with the communicants' hands, see, just the tongue!!!. You can search YouTube for bloopers about what happens when a priest drops a communion wafer down a woman's shirt!!! Kneeling is to further impress upon you that you are coming to the throne in humility. Incidently, the Orthodox do not kneel on Sundays. They do not believe kneeling is appropriate on Sundays - The Feast Day of the Lord.

 

So that is what I meant, if it makes any more sense. If it does not make anymore sense, at least you got a funny story and something to search on YouTube! ;)

 

Michele

[Michele B]

Oh, and I meant intinction. Don't know where intincture came from. Sounds like a medical procedure.:001_huh:

 

Michele

[GailV]

Btw..."we just use water?" :001_huh: What's up with that? What about white wine or white grape juice? Water? Why not milk then? Yikes.

 

White grape juice or white wine or milk would eventually show up as a stain. Surely you've had a kid dribble these things down their shirts and not tell you about it until it went through the laundry, and SURPRISE, big ol' brown blotch. Over time any of the above would start to show up as a stain, laundered or not.

 

Anyway, back on subject ...

 

We are Protestant. Our current church does intinction (or, as our family refers to it, rip-and-dip) except for the gluten-free communion, which gets the little individual cups and special gluten-free bread (because the common cup everyone else is dipping in would be glutinous, and probably the gluten-free bread wouldn't stand up to being dipped). We go up to the front, receive communion, then kneel (if able) afterwards.

 

Our previous church passed out the trays of cups and Chiclets (oh, I love that term for those little squares!) while we sat in the pews, then we all partook at once. Then baskets were passed around to pick up the plastic cups, except my kids always took a bunch of them OUT of the basket because they're the perfect size for dolls.

 

In reading back over what I've written so far, we come across as rather warped and maybe not the most reverent crowd to be discussing communion. Having pondered that issue, the pre-filled cups in the original post remind me of something that you could throw out a drive-through window. Oooooh, drive-through communion, wouldn't that be a time saver? "Don't have time to ponder God's grace? No problem -- take your communion TO GO!"

[Jami]

Having pondered that issue, the pre-filled cups in the original post remind me of something that you could throw out a drive-through window. Oooooh, drive-through communion, wouldn't that be a time saver? "Don't have time to ponder God's grace? No problem -- take your communion TO GO!"

 

 

:lol: :auto:

[Peek a Boo]

.... the pre-filled cups in the original post remind me of something that you could throw out a drive-through window. Oooooh, drive-through communion, wouldn't that be a time saver? "Don't have time to ponder God's grace? No problem -- take your communion TO GO!"

 

and don't forget drive through confessionals:

:auto:

 

"Toot 'n' Tell or go to Hell"

 

i know, i know, that's NOT the way it works, but it sure rolls off the tongue....

[Michele B]

the pre-filled cups in the original post remind me of something that you could throw out a drive-through window. Oooooh, drive-through communion, wouldn't that be a time saver? "Don't have time to ponder God's grace? No problem -- take your communion TO GO!"

 

 

Exactly!

 

Michele

[abbeyej]

Having pondered that issue, the pre-filled cups in the original post remind me of something that you could throw out a drive-through window. Oooooh, drive-through communion, wouldn't that be a time saver? "Don't have time to ponder God's grace? No problem -- take your communion TO GO!"

 

That was exactly my thought. Can't you just see them piled up at the condiment counter at Chick-fil-a? Ketchup, mayonnaise, hot sauce, Communion cups, salt...

[*anj*]

I realize most of the posters on this thread are not Catholic so I was just giving the catholic viewpoint - since we like to learn from each other, right? ;)

 

If my statement about aesthetics informing theology did not make sense, I can TRY to clarify.

 

It's good that you clarified that point. I totally understand the whole concept because I used to be Catholic, but you're right that one of the great things about this board is that we can talk and share and learn about all kinds of things. :001_smile:

 

Oh, and that little plate is called a paten. :D

[GailV]

Can't you just see them piled up at the condiment counter at Chick-fil-a? Ketchup, mayonnaise, hot sauce, Communion cups, salt...

 

Feed your spirit AND your body, all in one quick, tasty stop! Now in your choice of white or purple grape juice!

[mommylawyer]

I feel as though I need to respond to the comments that address the cup sharing involved in some communion services...

 

First, with regard to the word itself: communion. Can you think of other words that share a similar root? Common, community. In my Church, we drink from one cup - we are community of brothers and sisters in Christ, drinking the blood of Christ from a common vessel.

 

Second, at the Last Supper, the model for the communion service, Jesus, "took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it..." Matthew, KJV. I don't think that meant take a prepackaged communion thimble of grape juice (or, apple juice, or milk, or water) and everyone has their own sip. Jesus passed the cup of wine and the disciples drank from it and, at least in the Catholic church (which, BTW, catholic means universal), that's the way we do it, too.

 

Obviously each denomination has their own beliefs as to the proper way to receive communion, and the foregoing reflects mine. By the way, I was raised Pentecostal - and I always looked forward to communion - I wished we had done it more often because it was such a special occasion.

[Rebecca in GA]

If my heart's in the right place, I'll take it whichever way it's passed to me, even if I have to take it out of the wrapper first. :)

[Sputterduck]

Not my preference, but I've been to churches with 10,000 and 13,000 people. I can't imagine the logistics on that. In that case, it's such a huge undertaking that I wouldn't blame anyone.

 

The 8,000 cup package is 1,300 dollars. Whoa nelly. I wonder how much money is spent for communion in the large churches I've been to... I guess a little bit of juice/wine and bread adds up rather quickly if you have enough people.

Edited January 27, 2012 by Sputterduck

[Mrs Mungo]

A communion cup adbot!? That is hilarious.

[GailV]

A communion cup adbot!? That is hilarious.

 

:iagree: Who'd've guessed it existed!

[ereks mom]

The prefilled cups with communion wafers are often used in places where outside food items are not allowed, such as prisons and nursing homes. My dh worked for several years as a prison chaplain, and in order to serve communion to inmates, he had to use the prepackaged communion supplies. The institution did not allow ANY opened food or drink to be brought in for use with/by inmates.

[mommaduck]

I do believe I've seen it all now. Individually packaged cups of grape juice and each one has a little wafer enclosed too. Perfect for camping and outdoor events!

 

I guess I didn't realize it was so difficult to fill little cups and break up a matzoh. Okay, I'm done now. Please opine.

They lost me on three counts...prepackaged, individual, and grape juice. Nope, it must spend time at the alter, must be in one common cup, and must be wine. We don't do communion "for camping" :glare:

[mommaduck]

The prefilled cups with communion wafers are often used in places where outside food items are not allowed, such as prisons and nursing homes. My dh worked for several years as a prison chaplain, and in order to serve communion to inmates, he had to use the prepackaged communion supplies. The institution did not allow ANY opened food or drink to be brought in for use with/by inmates.

What do they do with Catholics and Orthodox??? :confused:

[Parrothead]

What do they do with Catholics and Orthodox??? :confused:

It probably depends on the institution. I know our deacons go as EMs and are allowed to use consecrated (otherwise why bother) hosts.

 

Did anyone report the ad bot that resurrected this thread?

[mommaduck]

It probably depends on the institution. I know our deacons go as EMs and are allowed to use consecrated (otherwise why bother) hosts.

 

Did anyone report the ad bot that resurrected this thread?

I did. Others may have.

[QueenCat]

I didn't know that the common cup was not common! I just assumed that was the way communion was taken.

 

I've seen it both ways in every Lutheran and Methodist church I've attended or been a member of. Usually, the common cup was on special days, the little cups on "regular" Sundays.

[extendedforecast]

and don't forget drive through confessionals:

:auto:

 

"Toot 'n' Tell or go to Hell"

 

i know, i know, that's NOT the way it works, but it sure rolls off the tongue....

 

I didn't know this was an old thread. I'm usually good about noticing the date.

Edited January 27, 2012 by extendedforecast

[Mrs Mungo]

I did. Others may have.

 

I did too.

[Shellydon]

Our church did this a few times during one of the flu scares. They normally do small cups on a tray and small crackers on a tray. I've never attended a church that does a single cup nor one that uses wine.

[Rhonda in TX]

I've only used these once. It was at a special event that was at a hotel. There were probably close to 1000 people getting communion. It made it very easy for the church hosting the event and did not impact my attitude at all. (We pass plates, btw. We don't go up to the front and receive communion like other denominations do.) I wouldn't want to use them every week, but they have their place.

[Spy Car]

A communion cup adbot!? That is hilarious.

 

Unbelievable!

 

Bill

[AmericanMom]

I think it depends on what you think the Communion/Eucharist actually is. If it is truly the body and blood of Christ, it is not going to make you sick. If it is just a community/unity/spiritual thing, why not? Or if it is the Spiritual but not the physical Presence...

[Violet Crown]

Nm. Old thread.

[mommaduck]

Our church did this a few times during one of the flu scares. They normally do small cups on a tray and small crackers on a tray. I've never attended a church that does a single cup nor one that uses wine.

It's usually the liturgical churches that do these two things.

[In the Rain]

What is the difference between an adbot and a spammer like the furniture person last week?

[YaelAldrich]

Just your local Jew dropping to tell you I went to the site on the link -- here's a hint, buy your matzo at Passover time with the rest of the Jews, you'll save a ton of cash! ;)

[mommaduck]

Just your local Jew dropping to tell you I went to the site on the link -- here's a hint, buy your matzo at Passover time with the rest of the Jews, you'll save a ton of cash! ;)

hehehe! I learn so much from my Jewish friend and those on here as well.

 

It's not a problem with our communion though...we have leavened bread, broke up, and intinctured in the wine. The bread has to be baked fresh every week. Different families take turns baking it.