Communion

by Josh English

The word "Communion" is used in many ways in the Episcopal Church. We talk about the Anglican Communion, which is the world-wide organization of Anglican and Episcopal Churches. "Communion" is another word for "Eucharist" which also used in different ways. The BCP has two services called "Holy Eucharist I" and "Holy Eucharist II." These are essentially the same services with different language. In the service called Holy Eucharist there is a section called Holy Communion. What most people think about when they hear the world "communion" is the sharing of the bread and the wine.

The bread is called "the body of Christ" but this doesn't mean we're cannibals! Here is a question from one of our visitors, followed by one of our answers:

I know that as an Episcopalian you believe in the Presence of Our Lord in Holy Communion. I also know that you don't believe in Transubstantiation, is there a consecration of the bread and wine? Do you believe that at some point Our Lord places Himself into the bread and wine and is united with the communicant when Holy Communion is received? I, as a Catholic, understand a mystery, I'm just trying to understand your belief in the Real Presence, I believe that Jesus is present in the Eucharist as part of my faith also.

We believe that Christ is present, but we make no attempt to explain how it works. For me, personally, I believe that God is immanent and transcendent, and for me the eucharist is a 'thin place' where I can feel the holy spirit. It increases my sensitivity to the movement of the spirit.

Episcopalians use the phrase "real presense" but it can have individual meanings for each of us. For some the bread and the wine become the physical body and blood of Christ, for others the bread and the wine carry the spirit of Christ. We let the mystery stand. After all, isn't it all about a personal relationship with God?

This is the sort of thing you get when you ask an informed and enthusiastic Episcopalian a loaded question. To be fair, I'm not sure I answered all of her questions well enough. There is a consecration of the bread and wine, a point where the priest states:

Sanctify them [the bread and wine] by your Holy Spirit to be for your people the Body and Blood of your Son, the holy food and drink of new and unending life in him. Sanctify us also that we may faithfully receive this Holy Sacrament, and serve you in unity, constancy, and peace; and at the last day bring us with all your saints into the joy of your eternal kingdom

Once again, if you ask an Episcopalian what they believe, they will most likely answer "come and worship with us." This is an honest invitation, because how we worship is how we believe. This also brings up other questions:

I wasn't baptized at all, can I receive communion?

Technically, no. Baptism is a requirement to participate. Pastorally, many parishes invite everyone to the table. This is a problem for some, not for others.

I was bapized as a (Catholic|Baptist|Methodist|...), can I receive communion?

Yes! We recognize one baptism. If you have been baptized in any Christian church, you are welcome.

The Service

Years ago the Episcopal Church worshipped on Sunday mornings with the Morning Prayer service, with once a month Eucharist. This changed with the 1979 BCP, and Sunday mornings are now both Morning Prayer and Holy Communion in one. The communion portion (sometimes called the "second half") starts with the Great Thanksgiving, which starts with a prayer called sursum corda: The Lord be with you. And also with you. Lift up your hearts. We lift them to the Lord. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is right to give Him thanks and praise.

We raise our hearts to God, listen to the story of the last supper, pray the Lord's Prayer, and then the bread is broken. We keep a period of silence after this. This is when the "thin place" becomes noticable for me. We sing or say the Agnus Dei, which is usually some form of "Behold the Lamb of God" or "Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world...". We share the bread and wine. We thank God for His gifts and for His food, and usually we are dismissed.

It seems simple, and there are many variations of this service. There are two forms of the Great Thanksgiving in Rite 1 and four forms in Rite 2.

I've already mentioned the conversations going on in the Church about "open communion." You can join in the discussion here.