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| Frequently Asked Questions about Holy Communion | | Many people have questions about Holy Communion. These questions have been compiled from questions that people have brought to our Holy Communion preparation classes over the past many years. If you don't see your question asked here, send us an e-mail so we can address it with you!
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Why do we take Holy Communion?
Jesus offered this meal to his disciples just before his death, and told them to “do this in remembrance of me.” We continue to follow Jesus’ instructions, remembering him and the ways he acted for us – dying and being raised to new life. We take communion so that we can receive the gifts God promises will come to us in the meal – forgiveness of sins, connection to God and to the rest of God’s people, and the promise of life with God forever. |
Why do we receive Communion every Sunday?
Just as we are hungry for physical food every day, we always need God’s love and forgiveness. This is the meal that unites us to each other and allows us to receive God’s love. The earliest followers of Jesus celebrated communion on the first day of the week, the day of Jesus’ resurrection. Today, some churches celebrate communion less often, but at Gloria Dei we like to include communion every time we gather as God’s people. |
What are the different names for Holy Communion?
The church has several names for communion, including the following:
· Holy Communion – God is united with us, and we are united with each other; the word communion reminds us that we have become a community with God and with each other through this meal. We can also think about this as a way God communicates with us.
· Eucharist -- a Greek word for “thanksgiving”
· Lord’s Supper -- this is a meal that Jesus gives us
· The Sacrament of the Altar – in this special act, we receive God’s presence. Before Jesus’ time, altars were the tables used for sacrifices; we believe Jesus sacrificed his life for us, and so we call our communion table, an “altar.” |
What are the Words of Institution?
Many congregations use many different prayers when they are preparing for communion, but nearly all Christians include the words Jesus used to institute or begin the practice.
“In the night in which he was betrayed, our Lord Jesus took bread, gave thanks, broke it and gave it to his disciples saying, ‘Take and eat. This is my body, given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’ After supper he took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it for all to drink, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood, shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness of sin. Do this in remembrance of me.’” |
Did God’s followers have communion before Jesus’ last supper?
Before Jesus’ time, God’s people celebrated Passover which united them to the children of Israel who had escaped slavery. Jesus used the Passover meal and changed its significance for his followers by calling the bread and the wine, his body and blood. |
Why did Jesus give this gift to his followers?
Jesus probably knew he was dying. He wanted to be with his disciples even after his death, and he wanted them to remember him. Maybe he knew that it would help us remember if we had a physical way to experience his presence. |
Is it really Christ’s body and blood? That makes it sound like we’re cannibals!
Lutheran Christians believe in the real presence of Christ. That means we believe Christ’s real body and blood are in Holy Communion. We also teach that the bread and wine are fully bread and wine, too. Just as Jesus is fully human and fully divine, so communion is both bread & wine, and Christ’s body & blood. Cannibals would kill a person in order to eat his or her flesh, and we would not do that. We eat bread and wine which Christ makes into his body and blood in a miraculous way, but not in a cannibalistic way. |
How did the disciples pass the meal on?
Not long after Jesus’ resurrection and ascension, his followers looked for ways to continue the important feeling of being connected with God through the presence of the Living Christ. They found that communion was a way to celebrate Jesus’ living presence, and they began to share in the sacrament each Sunday (a weekly anniversary of Jesus’ resurrection). Soon, the communities that called themselves Christian found the Eucharistic pattern of worship to be a unifying action for each of their gatherings. |
Does God know we are taking Communion?
Yes! The bible tells us that God is present whenever two or three people gather in Christ’s name. We pray that the bread and wine will become the living body and blood of Jesus for us, and we believe that God answers our prayer. |
What if I have trouble believing God is truly present? Does it matter if I believe or not?
None of us perfectly understands how the bread and wine can fully be the body and blood of Jesus. God is truly present in the meal because Jesus promised so, not because we make it so. Sometimes when we have doubts or can’t understand, the gift of communion can be reassuring for us. Other times, it seems to confuse us further. God understands our doubts and loves us anyway, and God’s love is bigger than our questions. If we want to receive God’s love, forgiveness, and nourishment, we are invited to receive them in the sacrament. |
Do you have to take communion to be a Christian?
No, but most Christian communities throughout the world celebrate communion. |
Do I have to take communion?
No. But God is always anxious to include and welcome you. Whenever you decide you’re ready, know that God has been ready for you for a long time! |
Who should take communion?
Baptized Christians who trust that God loves them, and that God longs to nourish them, be with them, and forgive them are welcome at the Lord’s Table. |
How do I prepare to receive communion?
Remind yourself that it is good to want God’s presence in your life, that God loves you and that God wants to live inside you.
Ask God for forgiveness for having ever lived as if God didn’t matter, and ask for God to help you live in ways which show love and care for all creation.
Thank God for creating a beautiful world, for sharing life with us, and for allowing you to know God’s love. |
How should I respond after I’ve received communion?
Some people say, “Amen,” in response. That means they agree that this is the body and blood of Jesus, and they want the gift of communion to be real for them. Others say, “Thanks be to God!” After you receive communion, you might want to pray quietly, thanking God for the gift of love, forgiveness, and the promise of eternal life. If you like, you can use the “After Holy Communion” prayer on page 7s in the front of Evangelical Lutheran Worship (red hymnal). At Gloria Dei, the assisting minister leads a post-communion prayer, and we often sing a post-communion or recessional hymn to celebrate together. |
What if I drop the bread? What if I spill the wine?
Accidents happen to all of us. If we worried too much about spilling, we would never participate in the Lord’s Supper. We know God wants us to share in this meal. If something spills or drops to the floor, do your best to clean it up, if you can. More wine or bread can be offered to you, and you can remember that this is a meal of forgiveness. |
Where does the bread and wine come from? Who sets it all up?
The bread and wine we use at Gloria Dei is just like the bread and wine you might see served in people’s homes or at a restaurant. We buy it from a bakery and from a wine store. There are many hard-working volunteers who set up communion for us for every worship service. It’s a lot of work, and we can be very grateful for their help! |
What kind of bread is used?
Jesus used the bread that was commonly used for Passover. Communion traditionally includes “normal” bread – something common and easily accessible for all people. Just as each family has special recipes for their family gatherings, individual congregations follow unique traditions for the bread that is used in communion. Some congregations make a special unleavened bread, to remind them of the bread Jesus used during the Passover celebration. Some use homemade bread the members of the congregation bake at home. The earliest followers of Jesus used ordinary, leavened bread. At Gloria Dei, we use bread that is made from whole wheat. |
Why do some congregations use wafers?
At different times in history, the church has emphasized the holiness of the bread which has become the Body of Christ. Some people believe that the bread, once it has been blessed, should never be wasted or destroyed. In order to minimize waste and to preserve bread from falling to the ground, wafers were produced. These thin, dry bites of bread do not mold or grow stale, and if they fall, they can easily be picked up.
While wafers do provide a certain amount of consistency and convenience, it is good for us to remember that Christ’s body faced the extreme disgrace when he died on the cross. The real blessing of the meal does not come because the bread is easy to handle, but because Christ is willing to become real and present for us in a form we recognize and with which we are familiar. |
What’s a “host”? Where does that word come from?
Some Christians call the bread used for Communion, especially when wafers are used, the host.
An interesting convergence of words, host means two different things for us in the Eucharist, with different roots. Originally, the word host came from the Middle English (14th century) word hoste, (oste or hoiste), which was the translation of the Latin word for sacrifice or victim. (This is the root of the English word, hostile.) Calling the bread, the “host,” reminds us that Christ suffered and died for us to receive the meal.
But we also remember that Christ is the host of the meal we share. He serves us, and we receive from him. This meaning of the word host comes from the Middle English (14th century) word hoste, which is related to the root word in Latin, hospit-, hospes, (as in hotel, hostel, or hospital). |
What if I can’t eat bread? What if I don’t like wine? Is only red wine appropriate?
We use real bread and real wine because that’s what Jesus used. We’re doing this in remembrance of him, so we want to do things the way he did it. Many churches use red wine because it reminds us of Jesus’ blood, but white wine (it actually looks almost clear) can also be appropriate. Some people can’t drink wine, and some people think that drinking any wine at all is wrong. Drinking only a sip of wine is possible for most people. For those who can’t drink wine, Gloria Dei also serves juice. Gloria Dei also offers gluten-free wafers for people who need to eat that kind of bread. If someone can’t eat the bread, but just wants to receive the wine, that’s acceptable, and if someone can’t drink wine, but just wants to take the bread, that’s acceptable, too. Christ is present in either. |
What is High Altar Communion? Why do people kneel in some churches when they take communion? What if someone can’t walk to where the pastors stand?
Adults who grew up at Gloria Dei remember when people used to walk past the choir stalls up to the very front of the chancel (front part of the worship space), and kneel in front of the white stone altar to take communion. Kneeling is a sign of humility and respect, and many people find kneeling for communion allows them to concentrate most clearly on God’s gift to them. Because there are many people who worship at Gloria Dei who cannot climb stairs, we find it more inclusive to commune on the main level of the sanctuary. For those who can’t make it up to where the pastors are serving communion, we can bring it out to their pew. God is present whether we’re kneeling, standing, or sitting! |
Why do so many churches have so many different traditions and teachings about Holy Communion?
In some ways, Communion is very abstract and even mysterious. As communities of faith evolve based on their cultural and philosophical contexts, they may find different ways of understanding and teaching about the gift of communion. Some pastors and teachers emphasize the gift of God’s forgiveness; some, the gift of unity with God and with God’s people; some, the sense of being nourished with God’s own presence. Each of these emphases may tend toward different sets of practices and traditions in the way we celebrate communion. |
Why do some churches have all of the congregation drink from the same cup? Why don’t we?
When Jesus first instituted the Lord’s Supper, he was celebrating the Jewish Passover with his friends. In the Passover, everyone who drinks from the same cup understands themselves to be sharing the same fate. “I drink this cup just as my ancestors did, and so I share the same future they were promised. We all drink together, so we are all connected to each other, and our futures are all connected to one another.” Communion connects us to each other in the same way. Some congregations continue to use the “common cup,” as a means of experiencing this connection. The alcohol in the wine is known to kill off many of the germs that would be shared by drinking from the same cup. Still, many people are concerned about sharing a cup with others. “Pouring chalices,” as we use at Gloria Dei, allow us to all receive from a common cup, without sharing germs. |
Why would some churches not have communion every Sunday?
For a time, churches emphasized the need for private, specific confession before taking communion. This was also a time when rationalism encouraged Christians to be very focused on the full meaning of the sacrament. Christians began to fear that they might be taking communion too often, thereby taking it for granted or not taking its confessional nature seriously enough. Some forms of piety thought that the mysterious nature of communion confused people, and that it was more important to use the worship service for teaching and preaching. Today, more and more congregations celebrate the gift of Holy Communion every week. The ancient church’s practice of understanding communion as the climax of every worship service is becoming more typical. |
What’s the right age to receive Holy Communion?
This is a family decision. We are never too young to experience God’s love. Just as families make different decisions about when children might attend a wedding or a funeral, or when is the appropriate age to drink soda pop or taste alcohol, so each family chooses a time that they believe is best for their children to participate in Holy Communion. Some choose to wait until 4th grade; some begin as babies. Your family knows when is best for you. |
Why don’t young children receive Holy Communion?
They do in some faith communities, and as far as we can tell, early Christians communed all baptized believers. A few hundred years ago, theologians and pastors emphasized the rational side of our faith – what we could learn and teach and understand. From their perspective, being able to fully understand the forgiveness of sins required a certain level of maturity which wasn’t reached until adolescence. A lengthy educational process preceded first communion, which often occurred at the time of confirmation.
Today, psychologists tell us that even young children understand what it means to belong or to be excluded. During the last few generations, the church has emphasized that even though we may never fully understand the gift God is granting us in the Eucharist, we are always included in God’s love. More and more churches are allowing the very young to receive the Lord’s Supper. |
Do you have to be baptized to take communion? Do you have to be confirmed?
Most churches teach that those who are baptized may prepare to take communion. Some practice that any baptized person may take communion. Some say that you should wait until you are confirmed. At Gloria Dei, we welcome baptized children to the altar when their parents say they are ready, usually by 4th or 5th grade. We are confirmed in the spring of 10th grade. If you haven't been baptized yet, but would like to recieve communion, please talk with your parents and one of the pastors so that we can help you. |
When did we separate first communion from the rite of confirmation?
Many Lutheran adults remember receiving our first communion when we were confirmed. Pastors were often frustrated that young people felt they “deserved” to have communion because they had endured the entire confirmation program! In the last 30-35 years, congregations have been separating communion from confirmation, reminding all of us that we don’t “earn” the right to receive communion by understanding something well enough or being ready. It is God who is ready, and we who long to receive. |
Why do so many churches offer first communion at so many different ages?
Each community of Christians makes decisions regarding the sacrament that are most consistent with their teaching. Some Protestant churches, as well as most Orthodox churches, offer communion to all baptized Christians, even infants on the day of their baptisms. Roman Catholics have traditionally offered first communion to 1st or 2nd graders. For the last 30 years, many Lutheran churches have used 4th or 5th grade as a typical time, because at this age students are able to understand some abstract thought. Many ELCA congregations are now offering the option to families to allow their children to come to the table at a younger age. |
I was raised in a different faith community, which offers first communion at a different age. What should I do?
Today, people don’t necessarily remain within one church body their entire lives. As members from one denomination move into a different church, their new congregations may have differing practices regarding communion. Normally, those who have been communing in their previous churches are welcome to continue receiving the sacrament in their new church. People of any age may receive training to begin participating in communion. |
How do pastors remember who takes communion and who doesn’t?
They don’t! You have to show them you wish to receive by your behavior. Raise your hand with an open palm to receive. If the pastor still doesn’t understand, speak up and explain, “Excuse me, pastor, I take communion.” |
Am I too short? Will I be able to reach?
Make sure you are noticed. You can gesture to make sure a pastor sees you. Or simply state clearly with your hands outstretched, “I receive Holy Communion, too.” |
Can only the pastors serve the bread?
Almost all Lutheran churches say that a pastor should be the one that says the prayers and reads the words of institution, but when it’s time to serve the people, there are a lot of different practices. At Gloria Dei, we normally have a pastor serve bread, and a layperson serve wine. Other churches do it the other way around. Some say that laypersons can serve bread or wine; and some say only pastors should serve either! |
Why do the pastors and other servers wear white robes?
Robes are a symbol of people who are set apart for a special role. By wearing robes, the pastors and others involved in leading worship are drawing less attention to their own clothes and showing that they are there to serve. In some congregations, the pastors do not wear robes, but dress in regular clothes. |
Will I wear special clothes on the day of my first communion?
We don’t have any special robes for our first communion, but we do offer you a special flower and name tag to wear that day. Others will notice that you’re wearing the flower and name tag, and will be excited for you. It’s up to your family what clothes you’ll wear. Some wear a special new outfit, but many others just wear nice church clothes. God will be happy for your first time taking communion whatever you wear! |
What should I do on my first communion day?
Come to church with your family. Near the bay window in the Gathering Place, find your nametag and flower, and put them on. Take the certificate that will be there for you, too. Sit with your family, and come up to communion when they do. Make sure you indicate clearly with your outstretched palms that you’re ready to receive! The pastors will be very happy to be able to welcome you to the meal. |
Do I sit someplace special for my first communion? Will I sit with my classmates? Will we come up to communion at a special time?
You will sit with your family, and come to communion when it’s their normal time to commune. There will be a few of you at several different services, or you might even be the only person who is taking communion for the first time that service. |
Can I take Communion in other churches?
At Gloria Dei, we follow a practice called, “open communion.” This means that if you take communion in your own church, you may take it here. All baptized Christians are welcome at God’s table. Some congregations practice “closed communion,” which means only members of that church body may receive the sacrament. You might find descriptions of that in the bulletin or church publications. When in doubt, ask an usher or pastor. Churches have different practices and expectations about who will take communion together. We try to respect the expectations of each congregation. |
What if I have more questions about Holy Communion?
You may continue to ask a pastor, a teacher, your parents, or others in the congregation. Learning about Communion is a life-long process. None of us will ever fully understand the mystery of Christ’s living presence in the sacrament, but all of us have been invited to share in the joy and wonder of God’s love. |
Do the pastors know everything about Communion?
Pastors have studied these topics and talked with a lot of people about them, so they have a lot of ideas and opinions. But, no, they don’t know everything. We’re all on a life-long journey. God continues to teach us new things at all stages of life. |
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