Breaking of the Bread

We were talking last week at church about communion. Just like there are many different ways to serve a meal, there are many different ways to serve communion. Wafers? Pita bread? A loaf of bread? I've even heard of communion served using goldfish crackers. When we went to Ichthus last year, communion was served as "take out" containers. The juice was in a sealed plastic thimble-like cup topped with a wafer sealed in plastic. It was distributed by passing plastic bags down the row, and everyone taking one.

If we use a loaf or flatbread, do we tear it ourselves or have it broken for us?

I was reading an article today on the United Methodist Reporter about how ministers are using blogs to help with their sermon prep and in their ministry. Beth Quick said that blogging had changed the way she served communion.

Last year, Ms. Quick blogged about watching people take bread from the Communion loaf. “Some people would take huge chunks, and some would take teeny-tiny pieces. I wondered on my post if this correlated to how we feel about taking grace offered to us by God.

“I got several responses from other pastors and lay folks who emphasized the celebrant tearing the bread and giving it to each parishioner. Like grace, the bread is a gift to be given, not something a person should have to take. I immediately started serving Communion in this way. I found the change to be powerful and significant.”

I like this, and experienced it the last time I served communion. I never would have made this connection or expected the power of it.

Image: Sunset on the way home today.