Why We Share Communion
Communion, which is also called the Lord’s Supper, is a central part of our worship. Jesus began this meal with His disciples the night before His death, telling them to “do this in remembrance of me” (1 Corinthians 11:24). Each time we eat the bread and drink the cup, we remember and proclaim His death until He comes again.
Why We’ve Updated Our Communion Guide
We’ve recently refreshed our Communion Guide to be clearer about what we believe. Jesus is really spiritually present to us as we take the bread and cup. We’ve seen a growing interest among younger Christians in being part of a church that is historically rooted. This update helps us express more clearly that we stand in continuity with the global and historic church. This blog post will give you a flavour of what’s inside the new guide!
What Communion Means
Communion is a gift Jesus gave to feed us spiritually. As we take the bread and cup, we are spiritually nourished by Christ through faith. The bread and wine remain bread and wine, but they point us to the body and blood of Jesus given for us. “The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a sharing in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a sharing in the body of Christ?” (1 Corinthians 10:16).
As Thomas Cranmer once wrote, “As outwardly we eat the bread and drink the wine with our mouths, so inwardly by faith we spiritually eat the very flesh and drink the very blood of Christ.”
Similarly, Augustine said, “That which you see is bread and a cup; but faith shows you more — the bread is the body of Christ, the cup his blood.”
These words remind us that Communion is a spiritual encounter with the living Christ.
Who Is It For?
This meal is for all who believe and trust in Jesus, acknowledging their need for his grace. If you’re exploring faith, we invite you to reflect on what Communion represents: Christ’s sacrifice and invitation to follow Him.
How We Share It
We usually take Communion together on Sundays. You’ll be invited to come to the table, take a piece of bread (gluten-free available) and a small cup of juice back to your seat. Sometimes we eat and drink all at once together as a congregation, sometimes in our own time as we pray. The person leading the service will lead us through a moment of reflection. It’s a shared meal that reminds us of our unity in Christ. “Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, since all of us share the one bread” (1 Corinthians 10:17).
Why It Matters
We take Communion not because we’re perfect, but because we need grace. It’s a moment to confess our sin, rejoice in our forgiveness, and remember the love that sent Jesus to the cross for us. This is Jesus’ invitation to all who under and thirst deep in their soul: this is for you, take, eat, drink.
As Thomas Cranmer wrote, “He that prepared the table is Christ himself.”
Read our Communion Guide to find out more!
You can also listen to a sermon from 2023 on Communion from 1 Corinthians 11 by Fearghal Kelly by clicking here.
