Communion rules

[Guest]

A friend decided to come to our church. She is open to believing but has never regularly attended. I was delighted. So i got her to sit with me, guided her through the service. 

It was a full communion service and as i got up to take bread and wine, i said come up and just copy me. To my delight she did. I just wanted her to have a good positive experience and hopefully want to come again. My attitude is all are welcome. So we had tea and chats afterwards. I hope so much she will be encouraged to begin a good faith. 

This week one of the regular congregation criticized me. She says as this newcomer is not confirmed, she had no right to take communion. That she says is the rule. 

Was i wrong? Maybe. But i just wanted to make this soul welcome and begin her walk to Jesus Christ. Now i feel angered and sad. 

 

 

[BeauJangles]

10 minutes ago, Melinda12 said:

This week one of the regular congregation criticized me. She says as this newcomer is not confirmed, she had no right to take communion. That she says is the rule. 

Was i wrong? Maybe. But i just wanted to make this soul welcome and begin her walk to Jesus Christ. Now i feel angered and sad. 

Some churches do have a 'congregants only' status on their communion. More churches are open than not, and that's been my personal experience. It's kinda sad to have such stengency of exclusiveness. Almost seems snobby in a way. I think your friend owes no one a confirmation of faith. If there was a problem with that, clergy should have stepped in and not some other church member.  

[Kristin]

The only thing I would advise about taking communion is that the one who partakes fully understands the meaning of it. It must be one who accepts the blood and body sacrifice we are partaking in. 

I brought my sister and brother-in-law to church, but didn’t invite them for the communion because they were visitors and I’m not sure what they believe. 

[ayin jade]

You mentioned that the person was open to believing. If she is NOT a Christian, then she should not be participating in communion. That is for believers only.

[createdequal]

I didn't know the Lutherans had the same policy re Communion as Catholics

Catholics do not allow non-Catholics to take Communion for at least 2 reasons:

them taking Communion means they are in unity w/ the Catholic faith and obviously, they are not, so it's a form of dishonesty but more important than that is this:

Catholics are the only ones who really ingest Jesus Christ, not just a symbolic bread wafer (see John 6:20-) 

And in 1 Cor 11:22 or thereabouts it speak of taking Communion unworthily. Bad consequences can ensue, according to that biblical passage. If you are in mortal sin, whether Catholic or not, you CANNOT accept Communion, ergo my utter disgust at priests giving Communion to pro-abortion politicians.. assuming they are still doing that? I certainly hope not.. not doing anyone any favors

Edited September 25, 2019 by createdequal

[AnOrangeCat]

Yeah, the need to understand the purpose and meaning behind Communion is very important.

[Coliseum]

It is not for the world to participate in.

27 Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy way will be guilty of sin against the body and blood of the Lord. 28 So a man should examine himself; in this way he should eat the bread and drink from the cup. 29 For whoever eats and drinks without recognizing the body, eats and drinks judgment  on himself. 30 This is why many are sick and ill among you, and many have fallen asleep.  31 If we were properly evaluating ourselves, we would not be judged, 32 but when we are judged, we are disciplined by the Lord, so that we may not be condemned with the world.

[JustPassingThru]

I don't remember Jesus stating any rules...

And He took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is My body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.  Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you. Luke 22:19-20

Our pastor always told the congregation before Communion that it was only for believers.

My wife and I take Communion here in our house with whatever elements we have at hand, Communion is a Spiritual transaction between the Saint and their Lord, ...the elements are just a point of contact.

[GreyJay]

Who knows what God will use to draw a person to Himself? Maybe your friend's desire to experience communion is something God will use to connect with her in a way that's uniquely meaningful to her. Maybe that tactile experience will somehow be part of forming her understanding of God's redemption that He offers her. Don't worry about people telling you what the "rules" are, man. Sometimes worrying too much about what we think the "rules" are or aren't can blind us to the work that the Spirit is doing right in front of our eyes, so just let God do His thing. Whatever God chooses to use to draw a person to Himself, we have no right to say He can't use that thing.

I don't mean that we should be flippant about communion, so please don't take this that way. Ideally, yeah, there would have been a chance there to explain what communion is to your friend, who and what it's for, etc, then let her make up her own mind about it. I guess what I mean is that we don't actually know what's going on in her heart between her and God, and maybe we should be looking for ways the Spirit is working more than looking for ways rules are being broken.

Edited September 25, 2019 by GreyJay

[Deborah_]

Different churches have different rules. You should be aware of the rules of your own church, so as not to cause anyone embarrassment.

It would be wrong, I think, to 'interrogate' visitors to know where they stand before allowing them to take communion. It's a matter for one's own conscience. But most churches that I have been involved with have had the practice of inviting "all who love Jesus" (whether or not members of that particular church or denomination) to share communion, to make clear that it is for believers only.

Communion isn't just a little bit of ritual. Taking it is a personal statement of faith (like baptism). Ideally, one should be baptised before taking communion, but not all churches insist on that.