September 23, 2024

On October 6, Cumberland Presbyterians (along with lots of other churches in lots of other denominations across the globe) celebrate World Communion Sunday.

Since its beginnings in a Presbyterian Church in 1933, it's been an annual reminder that the "ties that bind" us in Christ are far stronger than anything (nationality, race, politics, language, culture, denominational or doctrinal differences, physical distance) that might keep us apart.

If we don't remember that at church, when will we?

The Cumberland Presbyterian Directory of Worship calls the sacrament "The Lord's Supper," but it is also referred to in some churches as "Communion" or "Eucharist." Each of those names is rooted in scripture--and each one can help us understand a different aspect of the sacrament.

HOLY COMMUNION: Remembering Relationships.

Is the bread that we bless not a communion (koinonea) in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a communion in the body of Christ? Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.  (1 Corinthians 10:16-17)

As we prepare our hearts to receive the bread and cup, we confess the sins that have separated us from Christ and from other people.

Communion reminds us that when we enter into relationship with Jesus, we are drawn into relationship with other people, too. We gather at the Table as equals--because, in Christ, that is what we are!

THE EUCHARIST: Saying Thanks for God's Gift.

Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks (eucharisteo) he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you..." (Matthew 26:27)

As Christ gave thanks for the bread and cup during the last supper, so we give thanks for those gifts--and for the saving sacrifice of Jesus Christ--as we observe the sacrament.

Calling the sacrament "eucharist" reminds us that what we receive is truly a gift. We don't deserve it, can't earn it or purchase it, and can't give it to ourselves.

The bread and cup are gifts of God for the people of God. Thanks be to God!

THE LORD'S SUPPER: Not Yours, Mine, or even Ours...

So then, when you come together, it is not the Lord’s Supper you eat, for when you are eating, some of you go ahead with your own private suppers. As a result, one person remains hungry and another gets drunk. (1 Corinthians 11:20-21)

The Table does not belong to the denomination, the congregation, the preacher, or the session.

It is the Lord who established this sacrament, the Lord who invites us to partake of the bread and cup, and the Lord who nourishes us when we do.

We are guests at the Lord's Supper, not hosts.

"The sacrament is to be offered freely to all who express personal faith, but all who are to partake were to be encouraged to confess their sins, to be reconciled to each other and to all human beings, and to come in humility and hope to Christ's table."

--from the Cumberland Presbyterian Directory of Worship

The Lord's Supper is something we can easily take for granted: a monthly or quarterly routine that we tack on to the end of a worship service "just because we're supposed to."

It should never be that way. Our Directory of Worship uses words like "central" and "integral" to describe the Lord's Supper. It is a distinctively Christian act of worship: one that is worthy of the minister's careful and prayerful attention.

Yes, it is the Lord's Table, but as a Minister of Word and Sacrament, your words, your prayers, your scripture choices, and your attitude "set the table" (and the tone) for those who will partake. It is an awesome and humbling responsibility.

This week, spend some time reflecting on the most meaningful Communion services you've experienced. How did you experience the presence of God--and the mystery of Christ's sacrificial, life-giving love--in that moment? What did that experience nourish within you? How might that experience shape the way you officiate at the Lord's Table next time?

***

A tiny wafer and a half-teaspoon of juice are no substitute for lunch, but they nourish us in ways that a slice of pizza never can. At the Table, the Good News we've talked about and sung about becomes something we can see, touch, and taste, too.

As we pass the trays with the elements to people sitting beside us, or walk up front to receive them from church elders, we are reminded of Jesus' sacrificial love: not just love for ME, but for US...here in this room and across time and around the globe.

Simple gifts.

Profound impact.

Thanks be to God.

Watch J.I. Packer's reflection (2 minutes) on the importance of the Lord's Supper in the life of the believer. What can you do, dear preacher, to help your congregation better understand the importance of this sacrament?

The family of Cumberland Presbyterians stretches around the world. That's something to celebrate, especially on a day like World Communion Sunday.

According to our 2024 yearbook, we have churches, church plants, and/or mission work in 20 countries:

How can your congregation celebrate the global community and communion of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church on World Communion Sunday?

Check out the Ministry Council website for World Communion Sunday resources. Written by Cumberland Presbyterian ministers, these resources can help you plan a meaningful communion service that celebrates our unity in Christ.

The Louisa Woosley Preaching Initiative is a grant-funded program of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Our goal is to equip ministers and candidates for ministry to preach compelling sermons to today's diverse and often divided world. 

For more information about the initiative and our programs, visit our website.