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Communion

Discussion in 'General Baptist Discussions' started by Salty, Oct 6, 2010.

  1. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
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    When your church serves communion, should those not in the auditorium be afforded the opportunity. For example nursery workers, junior church and ect.

    I could see a nursery worker who is located adjacent to the auditorium and possibly even with a viewing window.
    How about junior church. Suppose the class is on a different floor? But also, should an usher bring down the elements for only the teacher (assuming no child is a church member) Would she interrupt her class to partake?
    If so, would the pastor wait on the usher to come back upstairs?

    Should the pastor have a communion in his office for those who were not able to participate during the regular service?

    Comments are welcomed!
     
  2. NaasPreacher (C4K)

    NaasPreacher (C4K) Well-Known Member

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    We avoid all that. We have a Lords Table service before the morning service every Sunday.
     
  3. preachinjesus

    preachinjesus Well-Known Member
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    We have multiple services and the children's ministry is open during all. So we provide something for the volunteers who staff it in a break area.

    It's pretty logistically challenging when you're at this size. That's obvious, we also provide two or three special evening communion services during the year where we only staff birth through preschool in childcare and have everyone else in the worship center.
     
  4. StefanM

    StefanM Well-Known Member
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    I think that distributing the elements to those working outside of the service is a positive thing.
     
  5. annsni

    annsni Well-Known Member
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    Well, the way our "mother" church does it is that anyone who works in any of the ministries that take them out of the church service are expected to attend the other service. We have services at 9 and 11 so they can attend the one that they are not working in.

    As for the kids, if they have been baptized, they can receive communion. We do communion during the time of the service where children from grades 1+ are still in the service (we do worship, prayer, communion then the children are released for Sunday School). So the children are able to take communion when they are ready.
     
  6. sag38

    sag38 Active Member

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    One of the deacons or servers simply takes the bread and juice to those in the nursery.
     
  7. Zenas

    Zenas Active Member

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    We don't distribute the communion elements to nursery workers, etc. However, like others have mentioned, we have communion service in the evening about half the time and this enables everyone to participate at least some of the time.

    Whenever we have communion service, we designate two deacons to go out and serve it to our shut-ins and people in nursing homes. They really seem to appreciate this.
     
  8. Dr. Bob

    Dr. Bob Administrator
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    Same with us. When we had a church that divided children from families (we don't have that any more - we are in one room and children/infants with parents) we tried to be sure to have it offered to nursery, children's church workers, etc.

    Now, the father is responsible to distribute it to the family as he judges best. One father hands the plate (we have a one-plate system with tiny wine cups around the edge and matzo in the middle) to another and so around the room. An elder makes certain anyone without husband/father present is served.
     
  9. SBCJen

    SBCJen New Member

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    One of the Deacons who is serving takes it down to the nursery worker and the children's church teacher. But, we're a really small church. And, if there is no one in the nursery, I tell the children's church teacher to listen to the speaker and come upstairs to the back of the door when it's time, that way they don't have to walk all the way downstairs.
     
  10. tinytim

    tinytim <img src =/tim2.jpg>

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    We bring our children from children's church, and the nursery to the sanctuary.
     
  11. glfredrick

    glfredrick New Member

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    In our church, people come to the table instead of the table coming to them (as when deacons or other servants carry the elements to the people). We also celebrate Communion in each service, every Sunday. That means that people who miss one time have other opportunities to come to the table during another service or on the next Sunday when they may not be scheduled to work.

    In earlier churches, where Communion was only celebrated once a month or once a quarter, missing it meant a long time before the next chance. Timing of the service of Communion is something that I have now changed the way I think about -- I would have argued earlier that serving it every service would make it mundane and rote, but that has not proven to be the case, especially when the people come to the table. The elements are served to each person, and each person has the words of Scripture spoken over them as they partake. It is a meaningful way to celebrate and the pastoral staff do a great job of tying the "remembrance" of the table into the message. What it is that we do in and for the gospel is all because of what Christ did for us, and remembering His broken body and shed blood impacts the way we hear and live the gospel message.
     
  12. Gwyneth

    Gwyneth <img src=/gwyneth.gif>

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    On the first Sunday of the month, we have communion in the morning service, which means that the Sunday school teachers miss it, as they are upstairs with the children. On every other Sunday of the month, communion is held in the evening service.
     
  13. FR7 Baptist

    FR7 Baptist Active Member

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    That must be so nice to have Communion every week. I wish my church did that.
     
  14. Soulman

    Soulman New Member

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    The ordinance was given to the church. Aside from Christ the Pastor is in charge. No right or wrong way. It's however the Pastor decides.
     
  15. Dr. Bob

    Dr. Bob Administrator
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    Now THAT is scary. Assume you don't really mean that the way it came out.

    Managawd is the one in charge. NOT!!
     
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