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Communion As it is stated in the preface to the current edition of the Book of Common Prayer, The Holy Communion (is) the principal act of Christian worship on the Lords Day (Sunday) and other major feasts. For the first 1500 years of the Churchs existence Christians knew no other form of worship as they gathered on Sundays other than Holy Communion. Our Communion service in its structure is very much like the service used since the 300s AD. It has only been since the Reformation that some Christians replaced Communion with other forms of worship as the principal act of worship on Sundays. Holy Communion is one of the Sacraments of the Christian faith. A Sacrament is an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace as the Book of Common Prayer states. The outward and visible signs in Communion are bread and wine. The inward and spiritual grace which Christ gives to us is spiritual union with him and strengthening in his love and service by the power of the Holy Spirit. Communion with Christ is central to our Christian life as individuals and as a community. It is the distinctive thing which Christians do together. Through it Christ assures us that we are in him, and he in us. For this reason at Trinity Church all services on Sundays, apart from exceptional circumstances, are Communion services and, in addition, there are Communion services offered on other days as well. Sometimes people want to know if the Episcopal Church teaches the doctrine of transubstantiation. The answer is No. Transubstantiation is a hypothesis developed in the 13th century using the writings of the ancient Greek philosopher Plato to explain a Christians experience of Christ in Holy Communion. It was once a popular mode of explanation in the Roman Catholic Church. However, both the Anglican and Eastern Orthodox Churches hold to the ancient doctrine that Jesus Christ is really, truly, and objectively present, in a spiritual way, in Holy Communion. Jesus is, of course, really, truly, and objectively present at all times and in all places. Holy Communion (co-union) enables us to come to live more fully in the experiential knowledge of this moment-to-moment reality each time we participate. The Real Presence of Christ in the context of Holy Communion has seven interrelated aspects: (1) when two or three (or more) Christians are gathered together in his Name; (2) through the sacramental office of the presiding priest (by way of the transmission of authority from Christ through the Apostles); (3) through the reading of Scripture, the Word of God, in the context of the Community of Believers; (4) through preaching congruent with Scripture and the historic teachings of Christian faith; (5) through the offering by the People of God of their own hearts and lives (because by so doing they are joined to the living reality of Christ); (6) through the consecrated elements of Bread and Wine, and finally, (7) through the continuing presence of Christ the living Word received in the hearts of Believers, which then goes with them from the church service into the world. The authority of the office of bishop flows from the High Priesthood of Christ. When the bishop or priest is acting in and of his office, in communion with the Church as the Body of Christ, we can have confidence in the spiritual efficacy of those actions in Christs Name. These acts are primarily rites of the Church, but include preaching the Gospel, which some of the ancient Church Fathers regarded as of a sacramental nature. There are two major rites for the Holy Communion in the present Prayer Book: Rite I which is written in traditional Elizabethan style and Rite II which is more contemporary in language. While the language is different, the structure and theology of both rites are the same. It is important to remember that the Communion service is a spiritual process, not only a making present (which is what remembrance means) of the Last Supper which Jesus celebrated with his disciples on the night before he was crucified, but a making present of Jesus Christ in our own lives as well. In the service we go through a process in which we hear the Word of God, receive teaching on the Scriptures, pray for others, repent of our sins, receive the Lords forgiveness, offer the Peace of Christ to one another, and participate in the Sacrament of union with Christ. You are not in an audience, but a key participant in the Congregation of the People of God. Communion is not something that is done to or for you, but with you as an important part of the whole. It is something which everyone does together, a spiritual offering of praise and thanksgiving to God. We strive for excellence in our services, expressing our praise and thanksgiving to God by beautifying our worship. We offer our best and most beautiful to God in liturgy, vestments, music, architecture and interior design. These are a fitting offering to one who has given us all we have, and serve to show others the honor due Gods Name. The function of the three orders of ordained clergy (Bishop, Priest, Deacon) are not to stand between you and God, but to facilitate and strengthen your personal relationship with God in Christ. When you receive Communion, Christ gives himself to you, because you have given yourself to him. Your clergy are there for you to speak with, to pray with, work with, and to help you grow as a Christian. When we participate in the service, the objective for each of us individually and as a Body is to draw a close as possible to God through Christ. It is an ancient pious custom to prepare for Communion before actually going to Church by reading from Scripture and prayer. Some people dont eat breakfast before going to Church on Sunday morning, though today this practice is somewhat rare. When you arrive on Sunday morning and take your seat, take time to collect your thoughts and pray that the Holy Spirit will teach you and unite your heart with Christ through Communion. Sometimes people stay at home on Sunday if they are not in the right mood. No one can hide anything from God, ever. Come to Church with whatever feelings you have, good or bad and present them to the Lord. The following is provided as an aid to help you understand and participate more fully in the Liturgy of Holy Communion. The Opening Acclamation In the Acclamation, which begins the service, we praise God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as Christians baptized in the Name of the Trinity. It has its roots in the beginning of the ancient Jewish prayer service. During the seasons of the Church Year different acclamations are used, setting forth the special themes of these seasons. The Acclamation underscores the truth that as Christians, what we do in our lives is done in Gods Name, and to his glory. We begin by praising God. Collect for Purity (Rite I p. 323 Rite II p. 355) A Collect (accent on first syllable) is a prayer which collects the desires and requests of the people at worship. This collect, which we often use, is one of the oldest and most beautiful in the Church. It reminds us of our need to have a right intention for our worship so that we may truly love God, and asks God, to purify our thoughts and inspire our hearts. Gloria in Excelsis Deo - Glory to God in the Highest (Rite I p. 324 Rite II p. 356) This hymn of praise is based on the song of the angels at our Saviors birth (Luke 2:14). Its author and age are unknown, but it first appeared in Christian worship about the 4th century. It is part of the preparation for what follows. Through this hymn we establish in our minds the relationship which exists between us and Almighty God. (During Lent and Advent it is not used.) The great antiquity of the hymn shows that our worship is done in the historic community of the saints in every age. During Advent (the 40 days before Christmas) and Lent (the 40 days before Easter), when the theme of the season is more penitential, we do not sing the Gloria. From time to time another hymn of praise may be sung or said in place of the Gloria. The Liturgy of the Word (Rite I p. 325 Rite II p. 357) Christian life is guided by Scripture, Gods Holy Word. The first reading is from the Old Testament. The second reading is from one of the epistles or letters of the New Testament. These letters contain the primary teachings of Christianity from the Apostles. The Gospel lesson and the Sermon are part of this section of the service. The Old Testament reading is chosen to amplify the theme of the Gospel reading. All of our Bible readings are on a three year cycle. The Gospel (Rite I p. 326 Rite II p. 357) From the time of Jesus himself, the Good News has been proclaimed to the whole world. In every service of Holy Communion a Deacon or Priest proclaims the Good News by reading from the Gospel according to Matthew, Mark, Luke or John. There is a prescribed reading for every celebration of Communion. The Deacon or Priest, led by the cross, carries the Gospel Book in procession into the midst of the people, symbolizing the taking of the Gospel to the world. It is a devout custom to make with the right thumb a small cross on the forehead, the lips and the heart to show we accept the Gospel with our mind, preach it with our mouth, and live it in our heart. We say Glory to You at the beginning, and Praise to You at the end. The Sermon follows the Gospel. It is intended to be a teaching about the Good News of Jesus Christ in practical spiritual terms, relating to the daily life of the Believer, not a scholarly dissertation or a secular speech. The Creed (Rite I p. 326 Rite II p. 358) The Nicene Creed is the Churchs confession of faith. It grew out of the First Ecumenical Council of Nicea in the 4th Century, and was the first universal summary of the Christian faith, enacted by a Council of the Bishops, to which, though the human mind cannot ever truly comprehend the totality of Gods mysterious greatness and plan, all of the faithful were expected give credence. Today, in an age in which faith is very individualistic, the Creed reminds us that it matters very much what we believe. The Creed expresses the basics of Christian conviction, and we recite the Creed as our profession of faith as the Body of Christ. The Creed is divided into three major parts, each of which begin We believe . . . The first speaks of God, the Father, who is Creator; the second of God, the Son, The Redeemer; and the third of God the Holy Spirit, the Sanctifier. Traditionally it has been the custom of Christians to genuflect or bow low at the waist at the recitation of the words, He became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, and was made man. This is done to show our reverence and thanksgiving for the mystery of the incarnation, of God becoming one of us in Jesus Christ. It is also traditional to sign oneself with the sign of the cross at the end of the Creed as an acknowledgment of eternal life received through the cross of Christ. Prayers of the People (Rite I p. 328 Rite II p. 383-393) The Prayers of the People are just that: Our intercessions and petitions pleading before God on behalf of: a. The Universal Church -all Christians everywhere, the Bishops, Clergy and Gods people, and their love and service to Christ and their neighbors. b. Our country and world leaders, and those responsible for government. c. The welfare of the world and its people. d. The concerns of the local community. Those who are sick or suffering in body, mind, or spirit. The remembrance of those who have died, who rest in the Lord and await Christs coming in glory. The remembrance of the Saints and their holy lives as examples to us. The Celebrant sums up all the petitions with a closing collect in Rite II, p. 394-395. Confessions of Sin (Rite I p. 328 Rite II p. 359-360) The Confession is our corporate admission of our falling short before God, despite being saved. All have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God (Romans 3:23). This includes the Church. As a corporate body, we ask to be forgiven for that and to amend our lives. Then as a corporate body we receive the assurance of Gods forgiveness, pronounced by the Priest. As the Priest makes the sign of the cross, we make the same sign on ourselves. It is through the cross of Christ that we have received forgiveness and acceptance as Gods beloved children. It must be remembered that this General confession does not take the place of the Christians own self-examination and regular personal accounting before to God, either privately or in the presence of another. It is absolutely essential that every Christian engage frequently in a self-examination and ask Gods forgiveness for the wrongs we have done. By doing so we constantly keep in mind our need to always rely on the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and to keep in mind that each of us needs to walk with Christ in our lives one step at a time. The Peace (Rite I p. 332 Rite II p 360) From the earliest times in the Churchs history the exchange of Christs Peace has been a part of the Holy Communion service. Today it is still a part of the liturgies of many churches. It reminds us that if we would relate to God, we must also relate to other people. The First Letter of John say, how can you love the God you dont see if you do not love the person you do see? When you exchange the peace, offer your neighbor your love, and the peace of God you want that person to have and enjoy. Dont interrupt your godly devotion to talk about anything except the peace of God. The Offertory (Rite I p. 333 Rite II p. 361) Contrary to popular opinion, the essence of this part of the service is not the giving of money (though, of course, every church treasurer would want you to remember that, too), but the offering of ourselves. As the bread and the wine, products of the earth and human labor, are offered to God, we offer ours lives as well. Saint Augustine of Hippo fifteen hundred years ago said during a sermon as he pointed to the wine and bread on the altar, There you are in the Chalice. There you are on the Altar. We are the gift offered to God to be sanctified. We are to be consecrated along with the bread and wine. Once again, keep in mind that we are participants and not observers. The Great Thanksgiving (Rite I pp. 333 Rite II p 361) The Great Thanksgiving is the heart of the Communion service. Here the priest, by the authority received from Christ through his Apostles, recalls the saving acts of God in history, and recites the account of the Last Supper and the words of institution. The priest holds up the Host (the bread), and the in some services a bell rings. This is done so you remember that Jesus is truly and spiritually present for you in the Sacrament. Look up, make the sign of the cross, and pray, My Lord and My God! When the celebrant says, This is my Blood, he lifts up the Chalice, and the act of remembrance is repeated. Some people think that when Jesus said do this in memory of me he meant merely remember. However, the Greek word for memory, or remembrance, is anamnesis, which means more like to make present than it does to mentally recall something which happened in the past. The ancient Church always taught, as does the Anglican Church today, that Christ is truly and objectively present in a spiritual way in the sacramental elements of bread and wine. As we have already offered up bread, wine, and our gifts of money, which can be understood to be symbols of our lives, we offer up ourselves to God, sanctified and made holy by Gods sovereign Grace through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This is the ultimate act of worship. Nothing else we can give to God can be equated with this most sacred, solemn offering, as we approach the Lords own table. The Breaking of the Bread (The Fraction) (Rite I p. 337 Rite II p. 364) This is one of the most ancient ceremonies in Holy Communion. The breaking of the host or wafer signifies both the breaking of Christs body for us on the cross and our unity as all are broken from the one true bread, which is Christ. In the words of St. Paul, When we break the bread, is it not a means of sharing in the body of Christ? Because there is one bread, we, as many as we are, are one body; for it is one bread of which we all partake. (I Corinthians 10:16-17) Silence is kept during this time in order to give us an opportunity to contemplate these truths. This was such a central part of the Communion of the early church that the entire service was known as The Breaking of the Bread. The Communion (Rite I p. 338 Rite II p. 365) Christ comes to us in many ways at all times. But in the Holy Communion he comes to us in a special and unique way. His Body and Blood His Reality comes to us. This is a reverent yet supremely joyful moment. We should be most reverent in our outward actions, but doleful solemnity is neither customary nor helpful. We should talk to no one unnecessarily when we leave our pew, genuflect or bow to venerate Christs presence in the Sacrament, and proceed to the altar rail. Receive the Sacrament either kneeling or standing. Make the sign of the cross. Place your open right palm over your open left palm. When the priest gives you the Host say Amen. Bring the Host, unmoved, with both hands to your mouth, and consume it. To receive from the cup, place yourself so the Chalice bearer can put it to your lips with ease. Grasp the cup by the base and assist the Chalice bearer to put it to your lips. Take a sip and let go of the chalice, and again say Amen. To receive by intinction, leave the Host on your hand untouched. The Chalice bearer will take it, dip it into the chalice and place it on your tongue. From time to time people wonder if receiving Communion from a common cup is sanitary. Over the years many medical studies have been done on this subject. Every study has shown that red wine, drunk from a metal cup, is very sanitary. That is because the phenols and tannins in the wine kill almost all bacteria and viruses, and a metal cup does not retain contaminants when wiped. From New Testament times the Church has always administered Communion from a common cup in obedience to Christs example and the practice of the Apostles and their successors. Some people feel uncomfortable about allowing their young children to receive Communion because children might not understand. However, if we think about this more carefully, no one really can comprehend the unfathomable depths of our union with Christ in Holy Communion. We are all ignorant children who are fed by the Lord. All we can do is approach his table with faith in his merciful love. God does wonders with an open, faithful heart. All people who sincerely seek to know and follow Jesus Christ are most welcome to receive communion. Thanksgiving and Dismissal (Rite I p. 339 Rite II p. 366) How can words express our gratitude at what God has given us in this sacrament new sanctified lives and the Body and Blood of our Lord as spiritual nourishment for our souls? We must remember that the most meaningful way to show our thanks is how we live our lives when we leave the church. One of the most fitting ways to serve Christ is to serve others out in the world. Will it be business as usual or will we seek to walk in the Holy Spirits light and become new in Christ? Will our Lord make a difference in the way we live? If not, weve missed the point and gained little. Then, as we are sent out, we received Gods blessing from the priest and the service is ended. Once Gods people have received the sacrament of Communion with Christ receiving, they are to take Him out into the world to share with everyone. We dont hide the Christ that dwells within us, we share him, as lights to the World. Epilogue This is just a brief outline. There is much more that can be learned. If you have any questions, talk to the priest or a knowledgeable lay person. They will gladly be of whatever help they can. There have been innumerable books written on the subject, but the most important thing you can do to deepen your understanding is to receive Communion every Sunday. This is intended to be a simple introductory guide to the Episcopal Church and its chief service of worship, Holy Communion (also called Holy Eucharist, the Lords Supper, or the Mass). We hope it will be of help to both newcomers and longtime members of the Church. The Episcopal Chruch Briefly, the Episcopal Church is the American Branch of the Anglican Communion, which has around 75 million members worldwide, and is, after the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches, the third largest Christian body. While our origins are in the Church of England, most Anglicans now live outside of Europe and North America, in Africa, Asia, and South America. The churches of the Anglican Communion are those which liturgically, spiritually, and historically have their roots in the Church of England, and recognize the Archbishop of Canterbury, England, as their spiritual leader. The Church of England traces its history back to when Christianity first came to the British Isles in the 3rd Century, AD. We became affiliated with the See of Rome in the 600s AD, and although the Church of England during the Reformation in the 16th century terminated its ties with the Bishop of Rome, its historical and sacramental continuity with the ancient undivided Church has remained unbroken. The Anglican Communion and the Episcopal Church in the USA is both Catholic and Protestant. We are Catholic because we maintain the historic doctrine, discipline, and worship of the ancient Universal Church which can be traced back to the Apostles day. We are Protestant because we have attempted to reform the abuses which from time to time have crept into the Churchs life over the passage of time, and because we place great emphasis on the importance of each individuals personal relationship with Christ. As a result, the Anglican Church is often called the bridge church because of what we have in common with both Catholicism and Protestantism. The Book of Common Prayer The most readily identifiable feature of the Anglican Church is the Book of Common Prayer. No theological treatise or confession of faith expresses the essence of Anglicanism more than the Prayer Book, and with the King James Bible (another Anglican gift to the world) and Shakespeares writings, it is one of the three primary documents which shaped the modern English language. The Book of Common Prayer, first published in 1549, was largely the work of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Cranmer. Out of the many rites and ceremonies of the medieval Church, Cranmer produced a book for public worship in the language of the people. The Prayer Book contains the liturgy for the Holy Communion, prayer offices for various times of day, rites of Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Matrimony, Visitation of the Sick, Burial, rites for the Ordination of Bishops, Priests, and Deacons, as well as material for certain other occasions. In the Book of Common Prayer all the essentials of worship according to the historic ancient Church are present. Since 1549, the Book of Common Prayer has undergone many revisions and adaptations to suit it to the time, locale, and culture in which it is being used. The services in use now at Trinity Church are taken from the Book of Common prayer as ratified in 1979 by the Episcopal Church. Trinity Church, Nevada City is a Christ-centered parish desiring to make the Liturgy relevant to the daily lives of people. Our worship life together is centered on the conviction that all we do as individuals and as a Christian community must begin with Christ and be sustained by the life-strengthening food of Word and Sacrament, especially the Sacrament of Holy Communion. Worship, however, is not an end but a beginning; we go forth from the Altar renewed to be living witnesses to what we have personally experienced. We hope that you and your family will enter into the life of the parish. The increasing sense of fulfillment and ever-deepening inner growth which comes from church membership is in direct proportion to a persons interest and involvement. May your association with Trinity Church be a meaningful and joyful experience, and may our Lord continually dwell in your heart. All rights reserved, Anno Domini 2000. © 2000 Christopher Seal |