How often does your church conduct Holy Communion?

[SemperFiDawg]

My church conducts it yearly on the Thursday before Easter Sunday. I'm really looking forward to it this year though I don't know why I'm feeling this way more over any other year. Anyway, just curious as to how often other denominations practice it.

 

[Jdmb123]

We do it probably 3-4 times a year.

 

[4HAND]

3 or 4 times a year.

 

[WaltL1]

From what I remember, in Catholicism, Holy Communion was conducted at every Mass. However you had to be "qualified" to receive it -

In the Catholic faith, Communion is the central part of the Mass. To receive the Eucharist, you must, among other requirements, be a Baptized Catholic, and be in a state of grace. At Communion, you may receive the Body and the Blood of Christ.

There wasnt anybody checking your qualiifications, it was up to you to follow the rules.

 

[Headshot]

Every Sunday at each service.

 

[groundhawg]

Before we moved from Newnan, GA. the church we attened had communion the first Sunday of each month. The church we attend now offers communion only 2 or 3 times a years. Would rather it be more often.

 

[Ruger#3]

Every Sunday…….

 

[GeorgiaBob]

Before the United Methodist Church broke itself, communion at my church was first Sunday of every month plus special occasions. Now my family attends a formerly united, currently just, Methodist church and the leadership is not settled on the schedule.

Not stealing the thread, but are any communion participants also experienced in a Last Supper/Passover Seder? It wasn't until I had participated in one of those (many, many years ago) that I truly recognized what communion means.

 

[BeerThirty]

Mega Baptist church attender here. We don't do communion and often I've wondered why. I grew up Catholic and it was done at every mass, but there were prerequisites (can't remember what they were?) Then converted to evangelical free and it was done once per month, no prerequisites.

 

[brutally honest]

Every Sunday.

 

[brutally honest]

Mega Baptist church attender here. We don't do communion …

Never?

 

[Ruger#3]

Before the United Methodist Church broke itself, communion at my church was first Sunday of every month plus special occasions. Now my family attends a formerly united, currently just, Methodist church and the leadership is not settled on the schedule.

Not stealing the thread, but are any communion participants also experienced in a Last Supper/Passover Seder? It wasn't until I had participated in one of those (many, many years ago) that I truly recognized what communion means.

GB, I’m not sure what you’re looking for. Our communion service explains the meaning of the sacrament. The Jewish folks gather and tell the story of the journey out of Egypt.

 

[Deerhead]

In the Lutheran Church every week. You just have to be a baptized Christian. Yes as WaltL1 posted the Catholic church you had to be in good standing to receive communion.

 

[GeorgiaBob]

GB, I’m not sure what you’re looking for. Our communion service explains the meaning of the sacrament. The Jewish folks gather and tell the story of the journey out of Egypt.

On Thursday evening before Easter it is not unusual for Christians to gather at sunset (the beginning of Friday by Jewish timekeeping) for a Passover meal ("seder"). My first experience was with a small group of Christian Jews, but anyone can do it. The purpose is to step a little closer to the life of Jesus and share with fellow Christians a meal that remembers, recalls, and recreates the Last Supper. It is in that meal Jesus first shared the bread and the cup explaining that it was His Body and His Blood.

The Passover Seder is a familial gathering, a religious event, a fun meal, and an historical recreation. There are entire books written to explain how to do a Seder, including the liturgy, the table settings, and even how to prepare the foods. It can be a moving experience. For someone who has shared a "Last Supper" Passover Seder with Christian friends, the Holy Communion becomes even more meaningful.

 

[Ruger#3]

On Thursday evening before Easter it is not unusual for Christians to gather at sunset (the beginning of Friday by Jewish timekeeping) for a Passover meal ("seder"). My first experience was with a small group of Christian Jews, but anyone can do it. The purpose is to step a little closer to the life of Jesus and share with fellow Christians a meal that remembers, recalls, and recreates the Last Supper. It is in that meal Jesus first shared the bread and the cup explaining that it was His Body and His Blood.

The Passover Seder is a familial gathering, a religious event, a fun meal, and an historical recreation. There are entire books written to explain how to do a Seder, including the liturgy, the table settings, and even how to prepare the foods. It can be a moving experience. For someone who has shared a "Last Supper" Passover Seder with Christian friends, the Holy Communion becomes even more meaningful.

Interesting, I was invited to a Jewish Passover Seder. Had nothing to do with Christ.

 

[gordon 2]

I have sometimes been forced to take into account the many occasions, besides the Passover, where it is historical that food and wine meals are part of spiritual and cultural practice for the Jews. Jews are covenant keepers because God is a covenant maker. They mark covenant with sacrifice and meals of celebration.

When I think of the Eucharist I think of the Jewish exiles returned from Babylon, how on the broken walls of Jerusalem they read scripture, vowed a new beginning and sacrificed to the Lord. They ate their portions of the sacrifice but also distributed it to those not at the sacrifice itself.

Sacred meals were important to the Jews and the King of Persia somehow knew or understood that it was very important to return the Jews back to Jerusalem with their sacred utensils:

"Cyrus king of Persia had them brought out by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer, who counted them out to Sheshbazzar the prince of Judah. 9This was the inventory: 30 gold dishes, 1,000 silver dishes, 29 silver utensils, 1030 gold bowls, 410 matching silver bowls, and 1,000 other articles.…"

So for me, the Eucharist is more of a new beginning as per the return from Babylon. It is a rite of covenant that is perhaps older than Eden where the fruit of the tree of life was the food of life...

The Eucharist is celebrated and consumed every day in my assembly.

 

[formula1]

I am also at a Mega Baptist church, we do communion 4 times a year.