Tuesday, May 17, 2016

What We Say and Do: Communion




As I look back at my call to ministry, many experiences and opportunities helped to shape me and bring to me where I am today. One of those moments I recall was at my home church in Orlando, St. Luke's UMC, during a Communion service. This was a Youth Sunday, where young people led every aspect of the service. I got to help serve Communion that day. I got to see each person's face as they received the elements of the Lord's Supper with their faith community. I got to say to the gathered people that morning, "this is the cup of salvation, poured out for you." I fought to keep back tears that morning, and serving in this way to a congregation I pastor here at Gray Memorial still has the same impact on me. It moves me.

One thing that I do when I hand someone the bread of life, the symbolic body of Christ, is look them in the face and say their name. I do this not only because our congregation is small enough to remember everyone's name, but because I think this is what Jesus does for us (if there is a visitor who's name I do not know, I ask them). Jesus calls us all by name to the Table of the Lord. He knows your doubts, your fears, your sins, your talents, gifts, and graces...Jesus knows you and calls you. The meal is for you, not for same faceless, nameless person. 

So for the next 3 weeks, I will be preaching about Communion in a series called "What We Say and Do." We will look upon Luke 22: 7-20 when Jesus spent time with his disciples, giving them the bread and wine that symbolized all that he came to do during his life and ministry. This sermon series comes on the heels of the celebration of Pentecost, where the Holy Spirit came upon the followers of Jesus and gave birth to our Church. We discovered on Pentecost Sunday that the Holy Spirit seeks to provide teaching, clarity, and understanding to what Jesus said and did in his ministry. The Holy Spirit with the Church means that what we say and do does really matter. It tells the story of history and helps to bring Jesus' life and ministry into the present day. As we at Gray Memorial move towards receiving Communion more frequently together (1st and 3rd Sundays), I pray that we truly encounter the living God through this holy practice. I pray that the Holy Spirit is with us in a way that we receive fresh clarity on how what we do matters. I pray that Jesus is alive for you and your life.


Prayer:

Come, my Joy, my Love, my Heart:
such a joy as none can move,
such a love as none can part,
such a heart as joys in love. * Amen.

*"Come, My Way, My Truth, My Life," United Methodist Hymnal 164

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