Dear Friends,

Lisa and Dorothy have asked me to speak with the children on Sunday morning about Communion. Why do we do this sacrament (ritual) each and every week? What is the real and symbolic meaning of the elements – bread and wine/juice? To state the obvious, a chance to speak to our children is a chance to speak to children of all ages.

Rituals matter. They look back to important historical moments, evoke significant memories, awaken the imagination, and remind us of deep and essential truths. Communion looks back to Jesus’ Last Supper. He was clearly aware that his violent execution was imminent. He could have avoided it by running for the hills. He could have dodged it by compromising his truth. But he didn’t. He faced the rulers of the world, and the worst of human nature. He gathered with his disciples. He declared that God was still present and at work. He thanked God for the bread (sustenance from God’s hand). He thanked God for the wine – a symbol of sacrificial love and the possibility of redemption. He offered the fullness of his life and teachings to his disciples. He declared that Communion was ‘what the world most needed’.

So here we are every Sunday at our little church re-creating the experience of the Last Supper.

We are reminded that food is essential and comes from a Source greater than ourselves. To eat consciously is to be more humble.
We are reminded to say THANK YOU. Thank you, God, for our daily bread. Grateful people are infinitely more fulfilled. Hunger is no joke.
We are reminded that the life/death of Jesus is the embodiment of non-violence, sacrificial love, and forgiveness … which are, without a doubt, humanity’s best chance for a brighter future.
We are reminded that communion is about community, and we are absolutely lost (or at least in greater danger) without our community of faith.

I love experiencing Communion with our church family. It makes me feel connected to you in a very intimate way. I feel God’s presence. And always, the ritual points beyond itself to a way for each of us to bring the Holy Spirit to every table where we might find ourselves.

See you on Sunday.

Warmly,

Carter