Messy Church January 29 2023 – An Exploration of Holy Communion
Full service outline.
Little Current United Church Pastoral Charge
www. littlecurrent-sheguiandah-unitedchurch .org
Box 254, Little Current ON P0P 1K0 368-2941
Minister: Rev. Whitney Bruno
Music Ministry: Judith Mosher, Ruth McDonald & Choir
** an invitation to stand in body or spirit in the service
~ BOLD PRINT- Congregational Participation
10:00 am at Little Current United Church
Messy Church January 29 2023
– An Exploration of Holy Communion
WELCOME: a special welcome to guests worshiping with
us today. Please sign the guest book at the
back of the church.
Gathering & Prelude
PLAN FOR THE DAY
–Service with singing
–Communion blessing
–After blessing, we’ll move. Everyone is welcome to get food and drink. Rev. Whitney will be serving communion in 8 different ways. You are invited to do as many or as few as you’d like. Please eat and drink, commune and socialize, while distribution is happening.
–Rev. Whitney will announce which style she is leading so you may come at that time.
–When we have all partook, we’ll pray together
–Then we’ll keep reflecting, socializing, communing, and being community until 11
Announcements – The Life & Work of the Church
FREE WILL OFFERING AT ENTRY WAY
LIGHTING OF CHRIST CANDLE
This is a symbol reminding us of the love-light of Christ, the flame of the Great I Am revealed to Moses on a burning bush, the lamp of wisdom that guides our feet, and the spark of creation that spoke – Let There Be Light.
- Light the candle
LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
We are gathered at home and digitally on Treaty 94, the Manitoulin Island Treaty. And Treaty 45, the Manitowaning Treaty. And Treaty 61 – The Robinson-Huron Treaty. These lands are the traditional territory of the Anishinaabe people: the Ojibwe, Odawa and the Potawatomi. I acknowledge today the harm my own traditions have caused. I acknowledge the baby steps our government takes towards restoring the language, culture, and wholeness of the First Peoples. I pray and hope and dream and dedicate myself to learning how to live in respect and gratitude for all my relations beginning right here, with the people of Mnidoo Mnising and its neighbors.
METHODS
Common Cup – This is a chalice, a large cup, that everyone takes turns drinking from after receiving bread. It is usually silver to try to prevent germs. We all share one cup, faith, baptism, Lord, etc.
Intinction – this is dipping the bread into the drink. In some churches, you do this. In others, the Priest does this and places the bread and drink into your open mouth or open hand. We all share… with less germs.
Spoon – bread is placed on a spoon, dipped in wine, and then fed into your open mouth by the priest. We are fed, cared for.
Kneeling – you kneel at the altar and the pastor or priest comes by and places the bread and wine into your mouth or hand. We are humble, receiving.
Circle – each person serves the next person the bread and juice before passing it on. We are all called to minister to each other.
Coming Forward – You come forward to the altar but stand to receive bread and drink from the pastor, priest, or their helpers. We are called to come to Jesus.
Served in Pews – Individualized portions are brought to you in your pew by the pastor, priest, or helpers. Jesus finds us wherever we are.
Spiritual – No bread or drink is used. We commune even if we cannot physically eat or drink.
Open Communion – communion is for everyone who would like to join. This is Jesus’ table and all are invited.
Close or Closed Communion – communion is only for those who have fulfilled the church’s rules for being educated and purified enough to participate. This is a serious affair and not for the unprepared
Blessing – churches with communion that is limited often offer a blessing of grapes, hand gesture, or prayer over those who can’t take communion. This is so that none are left out or excluded.
Which methods have you tried? Which would you like to try?
COMMUNION HYMN “Eat This Bread and Never Hunger” VU 471
Refrain: Eat this bread and never hunger,
drink this cup and never thirst;
Christ invites us to the table
where the last become the first.
1.Asking for a cup of water,
Jesus touched forbidden ground;
and the woman with the question,
told the world what she had found. Refrain
2.Walking down a desert highway,
Jesus healed a man born blind;
soon the man became a witness
to the truth we seek and find. Refrain
3.Weeping for his friend at graveside,
Jesus felt the pain of death;
yet he knew God’s power to waken:
living water, living breath. Refrain
HOLY COMMUNION
Jesus said: I am the bread of life. All who come to me shall not hunger, and all who believe in me shall not thirst. With Christians around the world and throughout the centuries, we gather around these symbols of food and drink—simple elements that speak of nourishment and transformation.
Let us pray:
Loving God, we thank you that you are as close to us as breath, that your love is constant and unfailing. We thank you for all that sustains life, and especially for Jesus Christ, who teaches us how to live out an ethic of justice and peace, and for the promise of transformation made manifest in his life, death and resurrection. Forgive us where we have missed opportunities to do good. Forgive us where we have purposefully or accidentally caused harm. We ask you to bless this food and this drink. Through this meal, make us the body of Christ, that we may join with you in promoting the well-being of all creation. This we pray in the name of our Saviour, Jesus, who taught us this meal and who taught us to pray …
We remember on the night when Jesus and the disciples had their last meal together, Jesus took the bread, gave thanks, and gave it to the disciples, saying “This is my body, which is broken for you. Take and eat it, and as often as you do, remember me.” In the same way he took the cup, and after giving thanks, he gave it to the disciples, saying: “Drink this, all of you. This cup is the new covenant, poured out for you and for many Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”
In the broken bread, we participate in the life of Christ and dedicate ourselves to being his disciples. In the cup of blessing, we participate in the new life Christ brings. Let us go now to the table with the method of communion you’d like to receive. When we conclude, we will all pray, and then resume our time of fellowship and learning.
Distribution of the Elements
Let us pray. We give thanks, loving God, that you have refreshed us at your table. Strengthen our faith; increase our love for one another. As we have been fed by the seed that became grain, and then became bread, may we go out into the world to plant seeds of justice, transformation, and hope. Amen.
FEAST, FELLOWSHIP, AND REFLECTION
Scripture pages: Matt 26:17-29, Mark 14:12-25,Luke 22:7-20,
John 13:13-17, 1 Corinthians 11:20-34
| Matthew 26 | Mark 14 | Luke 22 | John 13 | 1 Corinthians |
| 17On the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Where do you want us to make the preparations for you to eat the Passover?” 18He said, “Go into the city to a certain man, and say to him, ‘The Teacher says, My time is near; I will keep the Passover at your house with my disciples.’” 19So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them, and they prepared the Passover meal. 20When it was evening, he took his place with the twelve; […]26While they were eating, Jesus took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it he broke it, gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” 27Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you; 28for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29I tell you, I will never again drink of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.” | 12 On the first day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb is sacrificed, Jesus’ disciples said to him, “Where do you want us to go and make the preparations for you to eat the Passover?” 13 So he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, “Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you; follow him, 14 and wherever he enters, say to the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher asks: Where is my guest room where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ 15 He will show you a large room upstairs, furnished and ready. Make preparations for us there.” 16 So the disciples set out and went to the city and found everything as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover meal.17 When it was evening, he came with the twelve. […] 22 While they were eating, he took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it he broke it, gave it to them, and said, “Take; this is my body.” 23 Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to them, and all of them drank from it. 24 He said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. 25 Truly I tell you, I will never again drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.” | 7 Then came the day of Unleavened Bread, on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. 8 So Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover meal for us that we may eat it.” 9 They asked him, “Where do you want us to make preparations for it?” 10 “Listen,” he said to them, “when you have entered the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you; follow him into the house he enters 11 and say to the owner of the house, ‘The teacher asks you, “Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?” ’ 12 He will show you a large room upstairs, already furnished. Make preparations for us there.” 13 So they went and found everything as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover meal.14 When the hour came, he took his place at the table, and the apostles with him. 15 He said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer, 16 for I tell you, I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” 17 Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he said, “Take this and divide it among yourselves, 18 for I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” 19 Then he took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 20 And he did the same with the cup after supper, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood. | 13 Now before the festival of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. 3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands and that he had come from God and was going to God, 4 got up from supper, took off his outer robe, and tied a towel around himself. 5 Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was tied around him. 6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” 7 Jesus answered, “You do not know now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” 8 Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no share with me.” 9 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” 10 Jesus said to him, “One who has bathed does not need to wash, except for the feet, but is entirely clean. […]12 After he had washed their feet, had put on his robe, and had reclined again, he said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? 13 You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for that is what I am. 14 So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you. 16 Very truly, I tell you, slaves are not greater than their master, nor are messengers greater than the one who sent them. 17 If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them. | 20 When you come together, it is not really to eat the Lord’s supper. 21 For when the time comes to eat, each of you proceeds to eat your own supper, and one goes hungry and another becomes drunk. 22 What! Do you not have households to eat and drink in? Or do you show contempt for the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What should I say to you? Should I commend you? In this matter I do not commend you! 23 For I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took a loaf of bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way he took the cup also, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. 27 Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be answerable for the body and blood of the Lord. 28 Examine yourselves, and only then eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For all who eat and drink without discerning the body eat and drink judgment against themselves. 30 For this reason many of you are weak and ill, and some have died. 31 But if we judged ourselves, we would not be judged. 32 But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world. 33 So then, my brothers and sisters, when you come together to eat, wait for one another. 34 If you are hungry, eat at home, so that when you come together, it will not be for your condemnation. |
~ What similarities and differences do you see among the scripture
passages?
~ John hasn’t a meal, but a foot washing!
~ Acts briefly mentions the early Christians gathered to break bread
in each other’s homes and pray sincerely. Would that have been
communion?
TERMS
Eucharist: from the Greek eucharistia for “thanksgiving”
The Lord’s Supper: from Lord Jesus initiating this or being the host of it.
The Great Thanksgiving: from giving thanks for the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus
Holy Communion: from the idea people are in communion, in unity with one another sharing holy thoughts and actions
Mass: from the concluding words of the Roman Rite Mass in Latin:
Ite, missa est ‘Go, dismissal it is.’ Officially translated as ‘Go forth, the mass has ended.’
Agape feast / love feast: from the Greek word meaning self-giving or sacrificial love.
Which term do you like? Why?
HISTORY
Scholars are certain this ritual meal has been among Christians for millennia. Church tradition says it began with Jesus and is still hosted by Jesus. Scripture says Jesus adapted the Passover Seder meal. Historical scholars note that the Seder meal we know today is not the one Jesus knew; and this may have been a regular meal before the holiday instead of a special meal. The jury is still out!
In 1 Corinthians we read that the early Christians met daily or weekly to share their food and drink. These potlucks were to be sure no one was hungry in the community. Everyone had access to good food. And everyone socialized together. Paul is angry in the letters that the potluck begins while others are still working and not yet here – and that people bring food only for themselves and not to share. Some early sources call this an agape meal, a love-feast.
As we see in Paul’s 1 letter to Corinth, and in early church writings, these love feasts had issues with people abusing them and using them as a time to get really drunk, or have a loud party. In Greek culture, a way to remember someone was to have a party in their name. You’d eat bread, then drink wine, and then have a celebration of their life.
Rather than remembering the life of Grandpa or the last Emperor, these churches would honor the life of Jesus. And, just like at other memorial feasts, people would party. Bit by bit, churches banned or discouraged feasts. Just a little bread and a little wine was sufficient, they argued.
Over time, the Western church formed rituals around the meal such as it had to be done with unleavened bread, based on the Jewish seder, and it had to be grape wine, based on Jesus’ words about himself being the grape vine. But the Eastern church has a different understanding and uses fluffy, leavened bread.
There was extensive debate on what Jesus meant by saying this is my body, this is my blood. Did he mean it literally? Some believe so. The Roman Catholic Church teaches that the bread and wine become the literal body and blood of Jesus during the ritual, and so, protect the communion elements and call them the “host.” They have Jesus in them, hosting him. Other churches like the Salvation Army don’t do a communion at all. It is seen as a complicated and unnecessary ritual that grew out of a regular meal that was seen in hindsight as Jesus’ last but which we weren’t ordered to continue. Between these two stances are the belief the bread and wine are symbols of Jesus much like a cross is; or are consecrated and made holy by the Spirit of God; or are the visible side of the invisible reality of Jesus.
Where do you land on this spectrum?
Do you have different view of where Jesus is in communion?
In recent history, the Methodist were concerned about living a holy, healthy life. Alcohol, they argue, is not holy or healthy. While they led the prohibition era and developed food sciences for healthier foods, they also developed a method to pasteurize and store grape juice. Now communion could be held in a non-alcoholic way.
Even more recently, doctors and scientists have learned how many people carry the gene that makes it hard for them to digest gluten. Gluten-free communion breads are possible with rice or corn breads. But they are not accepted by all churches because they lack wheat.
In the 1970s and 1980s, the Jesus Movement recovered the understanding of communion as a love-feast. Communion became understood by some groups as the time to remember Jesus at a meal – any meal. So youth groups were famous or infamous for communion with pizza and pop.
Before COVID, very, very few churches would permit communion if people were not physically gathered together. The idea was to “commune” people MUST be present and gathered. During COVID, some churches recovered the understanding of communion as the “company of Saints” – the ritual where we stand outside of time, space, and location to unite with all Christian who were, are, and will be. Therefore, when and where we communed wasn’t important. The intention and the prayers were the important part.
How do you feel: Is it still communion if it isn’t wheat bread and grape wine? What about bread and juice? Pizza and pop? Why?
Does it matter when or where people do communion?
With love, our Creator God calls us to this table.
Not the table of the LCUC, nor of the UCC,
but the table of God where all are welcome to partake.
God invites us to break bread, share the cup,
delight in these good gifts of Earth,
and be renewed by God’s sustaining love.
MESSY CHURCH
JAN. 29, 2023
Pastor Whitney Bruno Sermons 