Sunday morning I managed to visit another congregation across town. Having heard much about it, I was excited to see what great things they were doing. I confess that I was slightly biased against them. Nevertheless, I knew that they were doing some thing right.
I entered the space and was immediately greeted by folks. They gave me a gift bag (with nice travel mug, magnet, and church information), introduced me to some ladies, and pointed out the differnet information stations around the hall. They even escorted me into their worship space and helped me get situated. I wasn't embarassed to sit by myself, so I plopped down between other young adults and prepared to worship. The music was professional caliber, the congregation was engaged, and the leadership was enthused. Despite the lack of prayer and other congregational participation, I was enjoying myself.
Then, they announced that we would be gathering "around the Lord's table". "Great!," I thought. "This will be neat. I've never had communion in a church like this." Well, folks, let me tell you. For all of the imagery and story telling they gave, there was no table to gather round. There was no scripture read. There was no cup or bread. No breaking or pouring. Instead, ushers came down the aisles and passed baskets down the rows. We reached into the baskets and pulled out PRE-PACKAGED COMMUNION!!! Underneath a layer of plastic, there was a small wafer. The wafer lay on top of another plastic layer that covered the small juice cup. (about a thimble) The outer layer of plastic had the words "This is my body which is broken for you. Take, eat. Do this is remembrance of me." My jaw hit the floor.
Is this communion? If someone packages stale crackers in a factory far, far away, is it the body of Christ? If wine is never poured, if Scripture is never read, is this communion? If no one ever prays, if the community is never gathered (in some way: prayer, music, common words as you pass it to your neighbor), is it communion?
I have been mightily troubled by this aspect of worship. It is calling my theology into question. Am I becoming one of those uptight Presbyterians? What do you think?
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5 comments:
teehee! I took a class one time with a Pentecostal pastor who came to CTS just for the one class...and he did this in his church. We called it McJesus. scary. (he was nice and he too called it McJesus and mocked it, so I'm not sure why they did it, besides convenience....)
nooo. you're not being an uppity presbyterian. I cringe with you at that story on many levels. 1. That's not a community exercise (unless you count the chorus of unwrapping sounds) where we as the church gather at the table.
That is a very complacent communion...it asks nothing of the participant...so much of the Eucharist is about the Physical - kneeling, taking, ingesting food...your experience there seems to cheapen the importance of the physical in our spirituality in favor of a convenient "rememberance". hm. thanks for gettin' me thinking, too.
(speaking of communion - here's a new one that gives me that same icky feeling... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZ6KWt49wIA&feature=related )
I concur with everyone here. You are by no means overreacting or becoming an uptight Presby. I've seen these things somewhere and I too was appalled. Anytime our faith becomes a matter of convenience, efficiency, and/or instant gratification, it's time to check ourselves against scripture, beg forgiveness, and humble ourselves before the God we ought to spend ALL of our time worshiping.
There is always something to be said for (1)tradition, (2)reverence, and (3) avoiding processed food.
Jesus called the disciples together and got their attention, this is reference. But, communion is an attitude from the heart, a brokenness before God. A remembering of Jesus and what he truly did for us and what he means to us personally. The plastic is irrelevant but the attitude of one's own heart is. This is not so much an act of worship but away to remember the brokenness you had before Jesus when you first believed and confessed Jesus as your Savior and to forever maintain this attitude before God.
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