Thoughts on Communion Bread

Thoughts on Communion Bread

In my lifetime, I’ve taken communion more times than I can remember or count. I’ve presided at communion tables with my Dad, with other colleagues, and by myself. I’ve served children, youth, and adults. I love the act of gathering around a table with a group of people who seek to live lives of justice and need a reminder that each of us is loved by God.

Throughout my ministry I have spent much time talking about communion, and you won’t be surprised to know that some of the conversation has contained complaints. Do you know what the number one complaint I hear about communion is? The Bread! The body of Christ (the church) spends too much time complaining about that which represents the body of Christ.

Here are some of the concerns I’ve heard and some tips for helping you navigate the difficulty of eating communion bread that is not your favorite.

Wafers-
If your church uses wafers for bread, you might have complained that they taste like Styrofoam. This leads me to wonder if all church people are eating Styrofoam or we are just imagining what Styrofoam tastes like.
I grew up with these tasty morsels. In fact, it was the tradition in my home church for each person to break the wafer in half before eating to symbolize the breaking of Christ’s body for each of us.
You have two choices with this type of bread.
FAST-The fast method is to chew it up as quickly as you can and swallow it.
SLOW-The slow method is to let it dissolve on your tongue.
If you are lucky enough to be using a wafer for intinction, take an extra second dipping the wafer into the wine/juice. Any extra liquid you can get with the wafer will help with the taste and ease of eating.

Breads-
Communion breads come in all shapes, sizes, and textures. Some churches use the same bread each time while others love to mix it up.
If you get to select the size of your piece of bread, pick it in proportion to how much you enjoy the bread. If your piece is given to you, just eat it.
If you are dipping your bread into juice/wine and some of your bread drops off in the cup, do not fish it out. Whatever is floating in the cup needs to stay in the cup.
And if you know you are going to dip your bread into a cup, please take a decent sized piece of bread. If your bread is big enough then only your bread goes into the cup and not your fingers.

This writing was inspired by a statement I heard in a church. I loved what I overheard the person sitting behind me say so much that I wrote it down. Unfortunately, I do not know who said it nor even what church I was in when I heard it. Chew on these wise words from an anonymous churchgoer.
“Remember this if you do not like the communion bread. No one is asking you to make a sandwich out of it. Just take a little!”

We are invited to this table to remember. So I invite you to remember that we are all welcome at this table because it is Christ’s table. The next time you come to this table and find your favorite bread and beverage or your least favorite, remember you are loved and forgiven. It is okay to smile and think on these words-no one is asking you to make a sandwich out of it.

 

This is the communion table at St. Giles Presbyterian Church in Raleigh, North Carolina.