What Do You Do in Your Church?

[Imalive]

I advertise on Facebook and I contacted an evangelist I know from Facebook, who gives Bible school. He works in the other side of the country and he knows a lot of people. He'd tell the ones who live here about it. Yay! I have a Facebook ministry! LOL

 

[tango]

That's when I was still married. My wife and I put all the communion wafers into the paten, arranged the Bible stand and the Bible on the Altar ( after we put the altar cloth on the altar just so.. the details were a little harrowing for me, but important to our supervisor), squirted the wine into the Communion cups and put some of that wine into the chalice. After the service, I'd go out and pour the wine onto the ground, we'd collect the Altar supplies, roll up the cloth and put everything away for the following service was Communion would be distributed.

I thought some of the emphases on the detail were a little pedantic and the pastor pretty much said that all he cared about was making sure things were where they were supposed to be for the service, but the lady who headed the guild insisted that everything be properly presented to the very last detail. It was actually very educational for me. A lot of energy and effort goes into making sure a Divine Service has everything the liturgy needs and that everything be presentable.

Pour the wine onto the ground? I thought it all had to be consumed?

 

[Confessional Lutheran]

Pour the wine onto the ground? I thought it all had to be consumed?

I was told to pour it out and pour it out I did, onto the grass, outside of the church ( or, outside of the office building we were using as a church at the time).

 

[Albion]

Pour the wine onto the ground? I thought it all had to be consumed?

In some denominations (such as mine), the practice is for the priest to consume the unused wine (which is usually not much), but it is indeed the Lutheran practice to respectfully dispose of the wine. Sometimes there is a place inside the church building, but pouring it onto the ground is also commonly done.

 

[Josiah]

Pour the wine onto the ground? I thought it all had to be consumed?

[MENTION=62]tango[/MENTION]

Maybe I can help, a tiny bit... maybe

In Lutheranism, there is no official or dogmatic polity regarding the disposal of Consecrated elements. Nothing appears in Scripture or our Confessions about this. Throughout Sacramental faith traditions that hold to Real Presence, it's a bit of an open question exactly WHEN (if ever) Christ is no longer present. As I understand it (and I don't think this is REAL solid), in the Orthodox and Roman traditions, what happens when it is consumed is left open, but what happens to what is NOT consumed (the left overs - that's really what we're talking about here), that's either consumed (often by the priest) or KEPT (rather carefully, in a Tabernacle) until the next Mass.

In Lutheranism, there is also that custom in some congregations (although nothing as elaborate as a golden Tabernacle is used) - it's consumed or kept (this is the polity in my Lutheran parish). I think this is more common in German traditions. But in some Lutheran traditions (especially Swedish), it's "returned to the Earth." Often a special sink exists with a drain pipe that simply goes to the ground, or the Altar Guild simply takes it outside. honestly don't know the rationale for that, only that it's mostly a Swedish tradition thing but found elsewhere, too. In other cases, nothing special is done (they may just be thrown out), this in response to a common Lutheran opinion often called "Sacramental Union." This holds that the elements are Sacramental (Christ's Body and Blood are present) as it is a Sacrament - when it is being received; it's celebration and reception is the notable aspect. So when the Mass is over, the presence is over. But NONE of these is dogmatic, none is mandated praxis.

I hope that helps....


Any comments on the opening posts (# 1 and 2)?


Pax Christi


- Josiah

 

[tango]

[MENTION=62]tango[/MENTION]

Maybe I can help, a tiny bit... maybe

In Lutheranism, there is no official or dogmatic polity regarding the disposal of Consecrated elements. Nothing appears in Scripture or our Confessions about this. Throughout Sacramental faith traditions that hold to Real Presence, it's a bit of an open question exactly WHEN (if ever) Christ is no longer present. As I understand it (and I don't think this is REAL solid), in the Orthodox and Roman traditions, what happens when it is consumed is left open, but what happens to what is NOT consumed (the left overs - that's really what we're talking about here), that's either consumed (often by the priest) or KEPT (rather carefully, in a Tabernacle) until the next Mass.

In Lutheranism, there is also that custom in some congregations (although nothing as elaborate as a golden Tabernacle is used) - it's consumed or kept (this is the polity in my Lutheran parish). I think this is more common in German traditions. But in some Lutheran traditions (especially Swedish), it's "returned to the Earth." Often a special sink exists with a drain pipe that simply goes to the ground, or the Altar Guild simply takes it outside. honestly don't know the rationale for that, only that it's mostly a Swedish tradition thing but found elsewhere, too. In other cases, nothing special is done (they may just be thrown out), this in response to a common Lutheran opinion often called "Sacramental Union." This holds that the elements are Sacramental (Christ's Body and Blood are present) as it is a Sacrament - when it is being received; it's celebration and reception is the notable aspect. So when the Mass is over, the presence is over. But NONE of these is dogmatic, none is mandated praxis.

I hope that helps....


Any comments on the opening posts (# 1 and 2)?


Pax Christi


- Josiah

Interesting - I saw a lot in common between the Lutheran church in the US and the Anglican church in the UK, and in the Anglican church all the sacraments are consumed by the minister at the end of the service. When I was a teenager the local minister looked after three churches, and I understand he asked a few people who were typically last to be served (ushers, vergers etc) to take a good swig of the wine if there was a lot left because otherwise he might not be fit to drive home from his last service.

Thanks for the information - it's been a while since I was in a Lutheran church and good to know some of the differences.

 

[tango]

As for the opening posts, I'm getting more involved than when I previously posted. Sometimes I lead the service, I'm getting more involved in the audio-visual stuff (and as a result sit on the committee that organises services etc). Increasingly I'm the go-to person for computer-related things and every once in a while I preach.

I was asked again to be an usher but declined again, given I don't want to find that I'm committed to be doing something more often than I'm comfortable with. Sometimes it's good to just sit in the pews, and every once in a while I like to go and get lost in the woods on a Sunday morning instead.

 

[MoreCoffee]

I do some of the accounting for my parish and am a member of the finance committee - these are not arduous tasks - and I teach in bible studies sponsor adult catechumens and adult candidates for baptism and confirmation and catechise adults and most important of all (for me) I pray for those who need it and those who ask.

 

[tango]

I do some of the accounting for my parish and am a member of the finance committee - these are not arduous tasks - and I teach in bible studies sponsor adult catechumens and adult candidates for baptism and confirmation and catechise adults and most important of all (for me) I pray for those who need it and those who ask.

It's depressing how easily this aspect gets overlooked, people get busy doing stuff and assume someone else will do the praying. I remember a couple of years back talking with a Christian friend who lives a great distance away and saying I wished I could do more than pray for him, and then we both realised how easy it is to slip into the mentality that "the best we can do" is petition the King of Kings to help someone.

 

[Imalive]

In some denominations (such as mine), the practice is for the priest to consume the unused wine (which is usually not much), but it is indeed the Lutheran practice to respectfully dispose of the wine. Sometimes there is a place inside the church building, but pouring it onto the ground is also commonly done.

One church where I went, it was not wine but grape juice anyway, after the service the church kids would eat and drink the rest, cause their grandma washed that stuff, she had the kitchen task. I found that so weird, just never thought about it that otherwise they throw the rest away. LOL during coffee, those kids: I want some! I want some!

 

[Albion]

One church where I went, it was not wine but grape juice anyway, after the service the church kids would eat and drink the rest, cause their grandma washed that stuff, she had the kitchen task. I found that so weird, just never thought about it that otherwise they throw the rest away. LOL during coffee, those kids: I want some! I want some!

Weird was the word that came to my mind, too! However, this kind of practice is somewhat self-regulating since it's only the liturgical churches that believe in the Real Presence and would, therefore, have rules about the respectful disposal of unused juice. If we were talking about a church that considered the bread and wine to be simply symbols of the body and blood of Christ, I don't suppose there'd be any good reason not to just throw them away or save what could be saved. The practice of having the kids play with or eat the remnants seems disrespectful to me in any case, but I guess that's just my own thinking and is a consequence of my own background.

 

[Tigger]

At our local Episcopal cathedral they took us on a tour and they have a sink designated and labeled for communion wine disposal only that is piped to the ground for convenience.

 

[Josiah]

If you are active in a congregation/parish, what (if anything ) to do you there (besides worship and maybe attend various things)?

I'm the chairman of the property committee (aka Trustees) and thus serve on the Church Council, I teach the Teen Sunday School class and I sing in the choir (tenor). Those are my official positions. I often serve as the lector or usher or greeter - positions we volunteer for on a week to week basis.

How about you?

What about you?




.

 

[NewCreation435]

I just filled out a volunteer application tonight to help out at the church I have been attending. They will call me to discuss where I might be able to help out. I would like to do some practical ministry like food, clothing or needs like that. Or I might lead my own small group. Not sure yet. My spiritual gift is teaching

 

[Confessional Lutheran]

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