[Flatliner]

As I'm feeling quite jumbled about my faith, I decided to visit a different church on Sunday. During the service, I realised the congregation was a very diverse bunch of people (which I think is a plus). The minister paid particular attention to the 'invitation' to communion, that ALL were welcome at the Lord's Table. It was very genuine and I felt moved (and welcome) to participate and receive communion for the first time in two years. I had not set out with that thought or intention that morning.

For a range of reasons (personal and external) I have not taken communion. On Sunday, I received communion and as I stood there (it seems so bizarre to say) but I wept. I didn't sob, and no one else really noticed but I was surprised at my reaction and depth of feeling, AND that it moved me to quiet tears. It was very painful, yet wonderful. It felt quite suddenly, that I was part of the past, the present and the future - right at that moment, through taking the bread and wine.

I felt very 'present' in that moment and although it was a personal and solitary experience, the shared cup somehow joined me to the eclectic bunch who stood at the altar. I felt somehow part of the moment WITH them, even though I didn't know them.

As the wine (in particular) warmed my chest, I felt tied to the past, strangely fused to thousands of others who have shared in the eucharist for centuries. It tied me/joined me to Jesus, John, Henry VIII, Luther, etc etc and dare I say Judas. It was a strange moment.

It also gave me hope for the future. It was a bizarre moment. Lovely, disturbing, tender, painful, confusing and unforgettable.

[Kay]

Quote

It felt quite suddenly, that I was part of the past, the present and the future - right at that moment, through taking the bread and wine.

Beautiful.

As I read this, I could almost see an invisible line reaching into the past, connected to you, and then another line reaching out from you towards the future. (If you've seen Donny Darko, you'll know what I'm saying a bit better.)

[October's Autumn]

Interesting because I do not take communion. I used to attend Synagogue (for about 2 years) and after the Torah Service on Saturday morning they had Oneg which including a special prayer over the halllah (bread) and wine. The prayer combined with a better understanding of what Jesus was doing duirng the "last supper" has led me realize that the way in which we take communion today misses too much of the original meaning (versus the meaning put on it by Early Christians).

I understand some churches do the communion service differently and would potentially take communion at a church like that, but it seems unlikely. Although I'm not completely closed to the idea.

[Flatliner]

October, on Sep 9 2006, 04:19 PM, said:

Interesting because I do not take communion. I used to attend Synagogue (for about 2 years) and after the Torah Service on Saturday morning they had Oneg which including a special prayer over the halllah (bread) and wine. The prayer combined with a better understanding of what Jesus was doing duirng the "last supper" has led me realize that the way in which we take communion today misses too much of the original meaning (versus the meaning put on it by Early Christians).

I understand some churches do the communion service differently and would potentially take communion at a church like that, but it seems unlikely. Although I'm not completely closed to the idea.

Hi OA,
do you not take communion, or is the eucharist not a part of your current church service?
What was the prayer like? What are we missing today - from the original meaning of the last supper (rather than the early interpretation). Sorry - don't mean to grill you, just intrigued.

[October's Autumn]

Flatliner, on Sep 9 2006, 03:19 AM, said:

Hi OA,
do you not take communion, or is the eucharist not a part of your current church service?
What was the prayer like? What are we missing today - from the original meaning of the last supper (rather than the early interpretation). Sorry - don't mean to grill you, just intrigued.

I choose not to take it.

While many of us in the West will eat with a total stranger and not think twice about it in the middle east one was very careful whom one ate and drank with. Eating with a person meant making a covenant with them. The covenant was to forever be bound to them, to protect them. There is great significance to eating with another person that we lose in the West. When Jesus dipped his bread in the sop with Judas there is also a signficance. Jesus, by making this special covenant with Judas should be interpreted as Jesus forgiving Judas for betraying him.

Today in Israel there are groups of people seeking to make peace between those waring. One way they do it is by bringing together people from different religions (Primarily Islam and Judaism) to meet. Eventually the goal is to have them share a meal together.

The stories in the bible are incredibly rich but because we (Christians) spend so little time trying to understand them in context we lose a great deal of their meaning.

[des]

One thing I REALLY like about Anne Rice's book. It presented a very Jewish Jesus. I think you're right about not telling the same stories and so on. I don't think most, at least mainline white churches emphasize the Hebrew Bible too much, perhaps the Psalms some and various things that seem to foretell Jesus' birth, etc.

My old church back in Chicago did communion as a totally communal service with almost all the service around the communion. We stood around a table and it was very meaningful. (Since it was the whole service the elderly would go up and sit in the front pews so no one was made to walk up to participate.) I find the current and more typical way that most protestant services do it, of passing out the wine (grape juice) cups and the bread much less meaningful. And I find I dislike the more Catholic or Episcopal going up and being passed little wafers dunked in wine. Just find it so rote or something. Every once in awhile someone will talk about doing a different type of communion service which would actually be a meal. I think it is a very good idea but I have also never really worked to get it done either.

I do take communion but I did nto go when they decided to do a communion via can't think of the term but was more the Catholic/Episcopal model. I try to salvage some meaning out of it, but I really miss what we did in that church in Chicago, which would stay with me all week (and then some).
I don't personally find it all so meaningful as it is done. But every once in awhile I might pick up a genuine
transcendent experience. It does happen. So I'm happy for you that it did.




--des

This post has been edited by des: 09 September 2006 - 10:13 PM

[Kay]

Quote

While many of us in the West will eat with a total stranger and not think twice about it in the middle east one was very careful whom one ate and drank with.

Makes the significance of Jesus eating and drinking with publicans, prostitutes, Romans, gentiles and women all the more significant. Cool stuff.

"Upon this rock ... " What were Jesus and the disciples that were with him looking at when he said 'upon this rock I will build my church?' The "Gates of Hades" - a pagan shrine and altar found upon a large rock mound, dedicated to Pan, where they worshipped with prostitutes and orgies.

[October's Autumn]

Kay, on Sep 9 2006, 10:40 PM, said:

Makes the significance of Jesus eating and drinking with publicans, prostitutes, Romans, gentiles and women all the more significant. Cool stuff.

I thought so when I learned it. Incidentally, while traveling in Israel over 10 years ago! There is HUGE significance (again, missed when we read the bible through 20th/21st Century eyes) of Jesus eating with all those you mention. Explains why the Pharisees are so ticked off about it, too!