Lotsa Communion

My home church is changing the communion schedule to weekly communion. I don't have any theological questions about this, but I wonder how I'll feel about it and I wonder how it will affect our congregation. The pastor and worship committee have done a good job with explaining the change in the newsletter, bulletin, and orally in church. We have previously been on a twice/month communion schedule. Our pastor is working on streamlining the service so that the important parts of the service are done in full, but the parts that some pastors make a show of are streamlined. We have a lot of children attending our church, so I think it is fitting to consider those people how have to contend with squirrelly kids in their laps.

In past blog posts, I have written about expecting to receive communion and not being offered it. I've also had communion when I didn't expect it and found that to be a blessing. My adult children all expressed disappointment when there wasn't communion one Sunday when they were home. Two of them don't attend church all that often, so they wanted the Meal. Every week communion can be a blessing to those whose work schedule keeps them away from church when there is only periodic communion.

A few weeks ago, I was away from home. I don't quite get ambitious enough to drive 12 miles to attend church with my relatives when I visit that place. I could have driven one mile to attend at the church where I was baptized, but I know that that synod would wish to exclude me from the Lord's Supper even though my beliefs about what the Bible has to say doesn't differ from their views at all. If I'm not welcome at the table, I don't want to go there. I don't think that communion is only for the members of the "club."

On that Monday, I drove my Aunt to visit her sister in the nursing home. While we were there, in walked the pastor of those sisters. He is also my Mother's pastor. Although he was there to serve communion to the resident Aunt, he offered to serve all three of us. What a joy to receive the Lord's body and blood with these beloved Aunts, who also love me.

Six days later, I had the honor of attending two special church services on Sunday morning. They were almost identical services, but in two different buildings. Communion was served at both. It crossed my mind during the second service that I didn't need to receive the elements, for I had already gone forward earlier, but there were issues of how that might look to the regular members there. Thinking more theologically, I also realized that one can never have too much of our Lord, so I received communion again. The Peace of the Lord be with you always. And a piece of the Lord is given for you.