Without question, the pandemic has disrupted our life together as a community of faith in many ways.  Among the most prominent and challenging has been the change to our pattern for receiving God’s grace through the sacrament of communion.  The communion liturgy has always been central to our worship life as the one Lord Jesus Christ offers himself to us from the altar table in one bread, one cup … each of us together, when presented with the bread and wine, being filled with God’s grace when hearing and trusting the sacramental promise:  the body of Christ, given for you … the blood of Christ, shed for you.

For a period of time, as a community health precaution at the onset of the pandemic, we refrained from distributing and receiving communion at all, appreciating still the grace of God that also comes to us through God’s word in scripture and proclamation along with the Christ-filled care, support and concern we were showing for each other.

Later, when perceiving it was health-safe enough for the congregation to do so, we resumed communing together in a new way that we use yet today.  Distributing individual kits of communion elements, we consecrate that bread and wine in worship together, then hearing and trusting the promise together all at one time:  the body of Christ, given for you … the blood of Christ, shed for you.

Still, we are eager to resume the regularly appointed blessing and distribution of one bread and one cup from the altar, with everyone receiving the elements and hearing the promise directly.  To that end, Council has discerned, within a wide variety of perspectives shared by the Worship Advisory Team, Parish Health Team, Staff and persons across the congregation, a plan to do so on Maundy Thursday next spring.  Until then, we will continue communing together in worship at our seats with individual kits of elements through this fall and winter, given ongoing health considerations as we emerge from the pandemic.

At the same time, Pastor Steve and Vicar Jaren remain available at other times to share communion with anyone who would like to receive the bread and wine directly.

Thanks be to God for the grace we receive through this blessed sacrament and the way it forms us as the body of Christ, receiving and trusting its promise together:  the body of Christ, given for you … the blood of Christ, shed for you.