Why Your Family Should Celebrate Communion Together
"Do you ever feel like you want to get closer to God and to other people in the church? If this is a desire of your heart, there is no better way to draw near to God and to other believers than communion, especially Brethren communion. In the service we take the time to slow down and reflect on the most important truths of our Christian faith: God's expression of love toward us; our expression of loving service toward others; the past, present, and future significance of Christ's sacrifice on our behalf. Share with other brothers and sisters in the faith in this rich service of remembrance and spiritual renewal." - Dale Stoffer
The Common Table
This upcoming Sunday evening, Oct. 5, is our Three-fold Communion service at Park Street. As Brethren, we uniquely remember the love Jesus displayed to his disciples during their last meal together by sharing a meal together, serving each other through washing one another's feet, and finally sharing in the bread and the cup (the symbols of Christ's body and blood given for us). In recent years, we have attempted to do more to educate our youth about the significance of this event. This is more than just a strange tradition we preserve for fun. Sharing in the common meal, the humble service of footwashing after Jesus' example, and the remembrance of his gift for us forms us as a people when we engage in this together.
In our meal together, we celebrate the abundance of God's provision in love and the joy of his presence with us. In the service of footwashing, we enact the same servant love that bound the twelve together in that upper room. In the sharing of the bread and the cup, we remember Christ's body given and blood shed as a reminder of the love that compels us together to give up our lives as well in favor of a love still greater.
Our Role
In past years, we have done several things in effort to include our young believers in the communion service. No doubt, as we approach the night, some young'uns will not feel entirely compelled to come to a service they know little about. To parents, I want to stress the importance of using this night as an opportunity to show your children and teens how important and beautiful it is for them to experience deep community with others in the church. For teens, this is your reminder that you are loved and you are part of something much bigger than you even understand. You are growing up in the midst of a story that has been going on for a long time, and the best chapters are still ahead. Communion night is about reengaging in that story together.
I hope to see you all at our Three-fold Communion service Sunday night! May the family come together to tell the story once more.
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