Lord

Communion

The story of the Lord's Supper

On the night before he was crucified Jesus sat with those closest to him, including Judas his betrayer, and gave them a perpetual act by which we remember his death and resurrection and its meaning for us. This perpetual act is called the Lord's Supper, or communion, and is one of the two Sacraments people in the Reformed tradition practice.

The Lord's Supper finds its origins in the Jewish feast of Passover. During Passover Jewish families gathered together to remember the beginning of their ancestor's exodus from Egypt. God redeemed the Hebrews from their existence of slavery and under Moses' leadership they moved out toward Palestine. Thus, Passover has been an especially meaningful celebration of God's redemptive activity for His people.

The meaning of the Lord's Supper

The Lord's Supper is the sign and seal of eating and drinking in communion with the crucified and risen Lord. By taking the elements of the Lord's Supper (bread and the cup) you are making a faith statement and responding to truth in scripture that:

  • God created humanity perfect
  • Humans, through their original disobedience to God, have forever destroyed the perfect relationship they had with God
  • Sin is complete and humans are unable to correct their sinful condition on their own merit
  • In the course of time God, through the Son Jesus Christ, took all the sins of the world upon Himself on the cross and died
  • Christ's death is atonement for all human sin
  • Following his death, Almighty God raised Christ from death and thereby made possible the restoration of humanity's perfect relationship with Him
  • Only by believing in these things can we have eternal life with God

Who can take communion at Memorial?

The Lord's Supper is available to anyone who has put her or his faith in the risen Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and has been baptized in the name of the Triune God. We practice open communion so regardless of the Christian tradition you're a part of you are able to take the Lord's Supper with us!

When is communion offered at Memorial?

We offer communion on the first Sunday of each month and at special worship services such as Christmas Eve, Maundy Thursday, and Easter Sunrise.

References

1 Corinthians 11:23-26; Matthew 26:17-31; Luke 22:14-24; Romans 3:21-26; the PC(USA) Directory for Worship (W-2.4)