Return to Communion in Both Kinds
On Sunday, June 5 we will return to celebrating communion in both kinds—offering both the bread and the wine. As a reminder, we have refrained from consuming wine from the common cup, which is an essential symbolic practice, a reflection of our theology.
The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a sharing in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a sharing in the body of Christ? 17Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread. (1 Corinthians 10:16-17)
Our theology is built upon the foundation of these words from Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians. As Episcopalians, we do not believe in the literal consumption of Christ’s body and blood, the doctrine of transubstantiation, as the Catholic Church does. Rather, we symbolically celebrate the Lord’s Supper as a way of remembering the sacrifice Jesus offers with his life. We place great emphasis on offering this meal from a single paten (plate which holds the bread) and chalice to symbolize the unity we find in Christ, despite any perceived divisions. We return to the Eucharistic table again and again, because it is only through Christ that we are able to imagine what being unified might look like.
Practically speaking, everyone will make their own decision about whether consuming the wine is something you would like to resume. I would remind you that choosing to intinct the bread in the chalice is the least sanitary option, as we risk having many hands in the chalice. For that reason, I encourage you either to drink from the chalice, or to refrain from consuming the wine. We will also discontinue our use of the cupcake liners to serve the bread based on our increased understanding that COVID transmission comes primarily from aerosolized respiratory droplets, and not from contact with food. Whether you would like to receive bread, bread and wine, or a blessing, please know that everyone is always welcome at the Lord’s table.