Holy Communion 

     "Jesus took bread, and blessed, and broke it and gave it to the disciples and said: 

 'Take, eat; this is my body...'" -- Matthew 26:26

At St. Paul Church we observe an "Open Communion."  You do not have to be a formal member of our congregation to share in Holy Communion.  What is simply asked of all who partake of the bread and cup is that they seek to walk more closely with Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. 

Commonly asked questions about Holy Communion: 

What is the meaning of Communion?

As a sacrament, Holy Communion, like Holy Baptism, is a time in which we draw closer to God and gain a special sense of spiritual intimacy with Jesus Christ, remembering how Jesus Christ lived and died for us.  As we partake of the communion meal we have a keen sense of being a community gathered in the servant spirit of Jesus Christ.  In breaking the bread and in the drinking of the cup we also celebrate the fact that God in his gracious and forgiving love, proclaimed through Jesus Christ, always seeks to spiritually nourish us for the challenges of daily Christian life. 

How did the sacrament of Holy Communion originate?

The origins of Communion can be traced to the life and ministry of Jesus, which included frequent fellowship over a shared meal.  On the day before his death, during the celebration of Jewish Passover, Jesus joined with his disciples for a last supper in an upper room in Jerusalem.  At that poignant meal, which may have been a Passover Seder, Jesus identified himself with the bread which he broke and with the wine that he poured as he offered each to his disciples.  He called upon his disciples to participate in a similar meal as a remembrance of his life and sacrifice when he was no longer among them.  After his resurrection, Jesus appeared to his disciples and shared additional meals with them (Luke 24:13-35; John 21: 1-15).  These occasions reinforced for the disciples the spiritual power and significance of sharing a meal in Christ's name.  In his first letter to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 11) the Apostle Paul provides the earliest account of Holy Communion as observed within the early Christian church.  In some respects it was a potluck affair:  church members brought their own dishes to be eaten after the more ritual part of the meal.  Responding to meal-time conflicts, however, the Apostle Paul recommended that the practice of celebrating communion in the midst of a regular supper should be discontinued.  Paul's advice, which was taken seriously, laid the basis for our present-day observance of the sacrament of communion within a strictly worship setting. 

I have heard different names used for Holy Communion.  Do they all mean the same thing?

Yes.  Depending upon the particular Christian church, the communion  sacrament is called "The Lord's Supper," "Eucharist," or "Holy Communion."  Each of these designations has a basis in the New Testament and highlight a particular aspect of the sacrament and its meaning.  The term "Lord's Supper," for instance, reminds us that Jesus is the host who invites us to his table.  "Eucharist" is the Greek word for "thanksgiving."  Churches which use this expression are underscoring that the sacrament is a feast of gratitude and thanksgiving for all that God has done for us.  Meanwhile, "Holy Communion" emphasizes our experience of unity with God and our community with others as we share in the sacred meal instituted by Christ.  Though the particular terms used for communion may vary, they all name the same thing--a cherished and divinely blessed meal initiated by Jesus Christ to help nourish and sustain us in faith.