Holy Communion: How important is it really?

[Albion]

Recently, two experiences struck home with me. One was a telecast of a supposed worship service which consisted of singers on stage with a band singing something about Jesus being their friend, accompanied, of course, by a light show and an audience of young people looking somewhat star struck.

The other concerned a clergyman who made the point to me that lots of the people who have come to his congregation were refugees from other churches who felt that the most important worship--what is alternately called Mass or the Divine Liturgy or the Lord's Supper--was so seldom observed/celebrated in their churches--and that it was a perfunctory thing when it did happen--that these people were looking for it to be celebrated regularly and reverently (as it is in that cleric's own church).

These two situations may be extremes, but what do you think about this issue? Is the first of them just as much worship as the second type? What governs whether the service is worship, organized worship, rather than instruction, fellowship and/or inspiration, none of which is unimportant?








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[psalms 91]

Depends but yes worship by music is worship entered into in the right way rather than as a stage show.

 

[Albion]

Well, there are very few Christians who are opposed to music. There is a long history of powerful church music, including such well-known hymns as Amazing Grace that have virtually become mainstays of the larger society. So the question seems to me to be whether or not music and song by itself is sufficient.

 

[psalms 91]

Depends, it can be just as prayer can be. Depends on the leading of the spirit

 

[NewCreation435]

Recently, two experiences struck home with me. One was a telecast of a supposed worship service which consisted of singers on stage with a band singing something about Jesus being their friend, accompanied, of course, by a light show and an audience of young people looking somewhat star struck.

The other concerned a clergyman who made the point to me that lots of the people who have come to his congregation were refugees from other churches who felt that the most important worship--what is alternately called Mass or the Divine Liturgy or the Lord's Supper--was so seldom observed/celebrated in their churches--and that it was a perfunctory thing when it did happen--that these people were looking for it to be celebrated regularly and reverently (as it is in that cleric's own church).

These two situations may be extremes, but what do you think about this issue? Is the first of them just as much worship as the second type? What governs whether the service is worship, organized worship, rather than instruction, fellowship and/or inspiration, none of which is unimportant?








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I think both can be worship. the church I go to has both more traditional service and more contemporary. I go to the contemporary service most of the time. It is loud, but not as over the top as other churches I have been to. I felt a little lost at first because I didn't know the words to most of the songs they were singing, but after four months of going there now I am more comfortable with it.
I would like to have the Lord's Supper more often though also

 

[Albion]

Psalms 91,

Those are valid points, I would say, so I thank you for what you've contributed. But one more thing, if I may. If we agree with the points you've already made, and that there is no serious objection to considering all of that to be as much worship as what the liturgical churches emphasize, is there some reason for OMITTING the Communion service in many of those churches or else making it really infrequent? After all, Christ did seem to be making that an important thing, if we believe the Bible's accounts of the Last Supper







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[Lamb]

Where 2 or 3 are gathered...that gives us a clue about worship. But it shouldn't end there. God wants us to be fed. He wants to feed us on His Word and He wants to feed us with His body and blood, shed for us on the cross. God isn't sitting around just waiting for us to praise Him, He is active in worship giving to us what we don't deserve.

 

[Josiah]

Seems a bit like asking, "Do I HAVE to kiss my wife?" "CAN I do it just 4 times a year?" *


But.... I guess.... if it is seen as some really weird, inconvenient ORDER from God that we just gotta do cuz He commanded it.... then there might be some discussion of "how often is often? How often MUST we do this for God?" But if it is seen as God hugging us, God expressing His love and presence and mercy to us.... well... the question might be "how often MAY we do this?"



* I briefly thought of another marital activity but this is a "G" rated site...



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[psalms 91]

Psalms91,

Those are valid points, I would say, so I thank you for what you've contributed. But one more thing, if I may. If we agree with the points you've already made, and that there is no serious objection to considering all of that to be as much worship as what the liturgical churches emphasize, is there some reason for OMITTING the Communion service in many of those churches or else making it really infrequent? After all, Christ did seem to be making that an important thing, if we believe the Bible's accounts of the Last Supper

To me communion is very important and not to be taken lightly, we serve it once a month and while I appreciate time constraints I would like to see more explanation of communion and also more introspection by people

 

[Albion]

I am not one who thinks every service must be a Communion service, and semi-monthly or monthly celebrations seem logical enough to me, depending on the emphases of the denomination involved. It is the many that have it only on the first Sunday of each quarter that I cannot figure. And many of them are what might be called mainline denominations.

 

[Josiah]

In my Lutheran parish, it is a part of every Sunday worship. Our Lutheran Confessions actually state this is the practice in Lutheran congregations although not always today.

 

[Albion]

It's part of mine also, but I do not fault churches that have it every other week or even once monthly, because there is a place for Morning Prayer which is very edifying in the estimation of many people I know. Of course, if the church/congregation is large, everybody can be accommodated through multiple services each Sunday. I just have not belonged to such a parish recently.

 

[Albion]

No one is opposed to Holy Communion, but the frequency wasn't actually the question. Rather, the OP meant to ask if a concert and a sermon or pep talk of some sort really does amount to worship.

Or does it matter? Maybe there is no reason to attend church on Sunday morning at all????? We all own a Bible and probably do also have some albums of religious music.

 

[MennoSota]

Where 2 or 3 are gathered...that gives us a clue about worship. But it shouldn't end there. God wants us to be fed. He wants to feed us on His Word and He wants to feed us with His body and blood, shed for us on the cross. God isn't sitting around just waiting for us to praise Him, He is active in worship giving to us what we don't deserve.

That phrase is directly tied to church discipline. It has nothing to do with worship.

 

[MennoSota]

Communion is important to the elect saints because it calls us to remember the passionate sacrifice of our savior, which placed us fully into Christ so that our sins are entirely paid. It is a time of reverent memorial.
Communion is not a mystical alchemy, required to maintain or renew God's grace. We must stop trusting in a ceremony to grant us grace, when God has chosen to fully grant us amazing grace when he elected to save us.