Holy Communion

Services

Sundays - 9:00 AM

Holy Communion

The Lord’s Table is open to all who wish to receive the body and blood of Christ. We practice "open table" communion for all believers.

Gethsemane’s congregation celebrates communion every Sunday, year round, and at weekday evening worships in the summer.

We currently celebrate communion by intinction (which is just a fancy church word for "dipping"!). Our communion elements are home-baked bread and red wine and white grape juice. Gluten free elements are available. The congregation comes forward in the center aisle and receives a piece of bread or a gluten free wafer from the pastor or worship assistant, dips the bread or wafer into the cup, then returns to their pew by the side aisle.

If you would like to limit close contact, you may ask an usher for elements to hold during the words of institution and partake when others are going forward.

Children are welcome to commune with the permission of their adults. There is First Communion Instruction once a year during Lent, led by our pastor, and a special First Communion service is held on Maundy Thursday (the Thursday before Easter) each year. This instruction is not required to receive communion, but is recommended for children to help them treat the sacrament with appropriate reverence and receive it with joy.

If a person of any age chooses to not receive communion for any reason, they may also come forward and receive a blessing from the pastor or worship assistant instead.


If you are worshiping with us on live-streaming on Sunday or through local public access TV at another time during the week, you are also welcome to participate in communion at home. We believe in the "communion of saints" encompassing all members of Christ's body in every time and place. Therefore, by the power of the Holy Spirit, when you participate in communion remotely while worshiping along with this community of faith, you are united with Christ and the whole church. You are welcome to prepare your own bread-product and wine or grape juice and hold your elements up for blessing during the words of institution, partaking during the time when others are receiving during the service. If you have any questions about "remote" communion, or you would like a pastor or eucharistic minister to bring you the sacrament in person, please call the church office (218-741-4961),