On Thursday, January 29, Bette and I drove to the Fountains to bring Communion to four people. Bette was having vision problems so I was elected to read the ritual.
I could not know the emotional impact this would have on me! I had heard the words thousands of times in my life.
How could the words affect me so?
“Mighty acts of love,”
“embodied in the death..,”
“This is my body..”
“forgiveness of sin”
The words rolled through my brain and struck my heart. My eyes watered. The people we ministered to were weak and old. The words “that you may be strengthened through our communion in the Body of Christ” struck me poignantly.
The Confession of Sins and the Assurance of grace have so much meaning. “We have followed too much the desires of our own hearts. We have left undone those things which we ought to have done and we have done those things which we ought not to have done.” This can cover a whole lifetime, can’t it? And the assurance that “anyone who is in Christ is a new creation. The old life has gone; a new life has begun. Know that you are forgiven and be at peace.”
I then read favorite scripture including the 23rd Psalm and we said the Lord’s Prayer together.
(We then presented the bread and the cup)
The bread (Bread of Life, given for you)
And Cup “of blessing, poured out for you.”
Lastly we prayed thanking God for the gift of Christ and the Sacrament of Communion. The last phrase grants peace as it does when we have services in our sanctuary.
Anyone who has been ordained as a Deacon or Elder and has the opportunity should take time to serve this home Communion. As my Jewish friend expressed it to me, “Do you think the Holy Spirit came to you during this service?” I believe that is what I experienced.
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