Monday, August 22, 2005
"Don't Go Changing"
I need some input if you can help. We tried something different at Central yesterday during the Lord’s Supper. As the men passed out the bread and the wine (southern for grape juice) we played a C.D. of an acapella song. Most of the comments afterwards were positive but we had a few negative ones as well.
The folks who were upset actually believe that we disrupted our communion service with the playing of the tape. Furthermore, they believe that our usual method of observing the Lord’s Supper has been handed down since the first century, never mind the air-conditioned building and some of our guys wearing ties. (that’s another blog.)
I have a question. Are any of you aware (through personal experience or reading) of how our method of observing the Lord’s Supper came about? Maybe you have personal memories that differ from the guys standing behind a table in the front of the building. If you do, please comment. I’m curious. Thanks.
The folks who were upset actually believe that we disrupted our communion service with the playing of the tape. Furthermore, they believe that our usual method of observing the Lord’s Supper has been handed down since the first century, never mind the air-conditioned building and some of our guys wearing ties. (that’s another blog.)
I have a question. Are any of you aware (through personal experience or reading) of how our method of observing the Lord’s Supper came about? Maybe you have personal memories that differ from the guys standing behind a table in the front of the building. If you do, please comment. I’m curious. Thanks.
Comments:
<< Home
I tried to get my wife to walk down the aisle to The Imperial March (Darth Vader's theme) but she drew the line.
My CofC is very non-traditional, but has had plenty of growing pains. When I was growing up there, we had two men presiding and all of the men who were passing the emblems lined up on either side of the table. Over time, changes were made. Two men became one. The "passers" sat down on the front pew. Then they moved to the back.
We've tried different things. Songs during communion. Taking the bread and the cup at different points in the service. Taking them all at once as a family. Walking up to the servers instead of having them come to you. And even, get this, having husbands and wives serve together.
Each of these changes has caused debate, criticism, and even anger. But over time, more ways of worshiping God through the celebration of Communion have been accepted, and they have kept the freshness and importance of the event. We haven't been changing for the sake of change. Our hearts' desire is to focus the minds of the church on the resurrected Christ.
I think that some people are truly afraid of offending God. My feeling is that they just don't get it...that God didn't write an instruction book. But then, a lot of my kids don't get fractions either. Doesn't mean I'm not going to keep trying to teach 'em...remediate. LOL
Keep stretching people. It's worth the effort.
My CofC is very non-traditional, but has had plenty of growing pains. When I was growing up there, we had two men presiding and all of the men who were passing the emblems lined up on either side of the table. Over time, changes were made. Two men became one. The "passers" sat down on the front pew. Then they moved to the back.
We've tried different things. Songs during communion. Taking the bread and the cup at different points in the service. Taking them all at once as a family. Walking up to the servers instead of having them come to you. And even, get this, having husbands and wives serve together.
Each of these changes has caused debate, criticism, and even anger. But over time, more ways of worshiping God through the celebration of Communion have been accepted, and they have kept the freshness and importance of the event. We haven't been changing for the sake of change. Our hearts' desire is to focus the minds of the church on the resurrected Christ.
I think that some people are truly afraid of offending God. My feeling is that they just don't get it...that God didn't write an instruction book. But then, a lot of my kids don't get fractions either. Doesn't mean I'm not going to keep trying to teach 'em...remediate. LOL
Keep stretching people. It's worth the effort.
Thanks for the insights. I pray that one day our church will be able to try something like you did with the husbands and wives.
I once heard about a story about a church that was having a debate over the subject of women serving the Lord's Supper. Supposedly according to the story, an older lady in the congregation made a comment that if women were forbidden to serve the Lord’s Supper, it would be the only meal in the church that women didn’t have to serve. :)
Post a Comment
I once heard about a story about a church that was having a debate over the subject of women serving the Lord's Supper. Supposedly according to the story, an older lady in the congregation made a comment that if women were forbidden to serve the Lord’s Supper, it would be the only meal in the church that women didn’t have to serve. :)
<< Home
