Communion Service Style A – Deacons Serve The Elements
Just as Christian baptism is an act of obedience symbolizing the believer’s faith in a crucified, buried, and risen Savior, the believer’s death to sin, the burial of the old life, and the resurrection to walk in newness of life in Christ Jesus, so too Communion is a symbolic act of obedience whereby members of the church, as per Christ’s instructions, through partaking of the bread and cup, memorialize the death of the Redeemer and anticipate His second coming. Those who approach it with faith become spiritually connected to His body and blood, receiving all His blessings for their spiritual nourishment and growth in grace.
As the God’s Word Declares:
For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes… The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.
1 Cor. 11:23-26; 10:16, ESV
Those who wish to participate in Holy Communion must examine themselves to ensure they understand the significance of the Lord’s body, have faith to partake of Him, and exhibit repentance, love, and a commitment to obey anew. Otherwise, if they partake without proper reflection, they risk bringing judgment upon themselves.
As God’s Word Declares:
“Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died. But if we judged ourselves… Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth… Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!”
1 Cor. 11:27-31; 1 Cor. 5:8; 2 Cor. 13:5, ESV
Being a church ordinance, we hold that baptism into the faith is a prerequisite to Holy Communion.
If you are not a baptized believer, we ask for your own sake that you pass the bread and cup without partaking and instead devote this time to prayer and reflection.
If you are a baptized believer, we ask that you take the bread and the cup as they are passed to you and that, during the passing of the bread and cup, you would ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart.
If you have unconfessed sins, we ask that you confess them to the Lord before you partake in Communion. If you have any unforgiveness in your heart, we ask that you pray for forgiveness and commit to extending forgiveness before you partake of the bread and cup. In this way, we avoid taking Communion in an unworthy manner, which the scriptures expressly forbid.
Let us pray as we prepare to partake of Holy Communion.
“Gracious Heavenly Father, we come before you with thanksgiving and reverence. We gather in unity to remember the ultimate sacrifice made by your Son, Jesus Christ, on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins. As we partake in this sacred Communion, we pray that you will cleanse our hearts, renew our spirits, and draw us closer to you. We repent of every known sin. We forsake all questionable habits and activities that we cannot be absolutely sure are approved by You. We commit ourselves to do all that is within our power to correct any wrongs between ourselves and others, and we repent of any unforgiveness that we harbor towards our brothers and sisters. May this time be a moment of deep reflection and spiritual growth. In Jesus; name, we pray, amen.””
[Distribute bread to deacons]
[The deacons distribute the bread]
In the Old Testament, bread served as a symbol of both the sustenance necessary for life and a symbol of God’s unwavering provision for His people. It was the manna from heaven that nourished the Israelites during their wilderness journey, sustaining them with daily bread from the very hand of God.
In the New Testament, Jesus used this symbol of bread to convey a profound spiritual truth. He declared it to be a symbol of His own body. By breaking the bread and sharing it with His disciples, Jesus conveyed a powerful message: His body would be broken for humanity’s sake. In this act, Jesus demonstrated that His sacrifice was the source of our spiritual life, just as bread sustains physical life. His broken body on the cross would provide spiritual sustenance and salvation that humanity could never achieve on its own. This profound truth is at the heart of the Christian faith. Just as bread in the Old Testament provided sustenance and life, Jesus, through His broken body, offers the ultimate provision of spiritual life and salvation.
The Holy Communion is an act of remembrance. It is an invitation to reflect on the tremendous sacrifice of Jesus, who willingly offered His body as the ultimate provision for our spiritual well-being. Through Communion, believers are continually reminded of the selfless love and unmatched grace of their Lord and Savior.
As Christ himself declared:
“This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”
Luke 22:19, ESV
[Eat the bread]
As we prepare to drink from the cup may we do so with full assurance that we have been forgiven for all our sins by the blood of Christ Jesus our Lord. As the Apostle Paul wrote to the church in Ephesus:
“But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”
Ephesians 2:4-7, ESV
As the cup is passed, take this time to reflect on the joy of forgiveness and to thank God for the sacrifice of Christ which made it possible for us.
[Distribute cup to deacons]
In Old Testament, wine was often linked with moments of celebration and joy, signifying times of abundance and gladness. It was a key element in feasts and festivities, a symbol of God’s blessings and the richness of life’s experiences. In contrast, blood was seen as symbol of life itself, and it played a central role in various sacrificial rituals. The shedding of blood was seen as a solemn and necessary act of atonement, a means by which God’s people could approach Him and find reconciliation.
When Jesus took the cup and declared it to be a symbol of His blood, Jesus bridged the symbolic gap between wine as a source of celebration and blood as a symbol of life and sacrifice. By sharing the cup with His disciples, Jesus conveyed the message that His forthcoming sacrifice would be the culmination of God’s plan, a new covenant sealed with His own blood. Just as wine had symbolized joy and celebration in the Old Testament, Jesus’ blood, as represented by the cup, signified the ultimate cause for celebration, the completion of salvation through His atoning sacrifice.
Under this new covenant, believers find redemption, forgiveness of sins, and eternal life. Jesus’ sacrifice, signified by the cup, would serve as the means by which humanity could approach God, finding reconciliation and spiritual nourishment. This transformational act would replace the old sacrificial system with a new and everlasting covenant based on grace and faith.
As Christ himself declared:
“This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.“
Luke 22:20, ESV
[Drink The Cup]
Let us pray as we conclude this time of Holy Communion.
“Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.”
Matthew 6:9-13, KJV
Communion Service Style B – Congregants Come to Recieve Elements
Just as Christian baptism is an act of obedience symbolizing the believer’s faith in a crucified, buried, and risen Savior, the believer’s death to sin, the burial of the old life, and the resurrection to walk in newness of life in Christ Jesus, so too Communion is a symbolic act of obedience whereby members of the church, as per Christ’s instructions, through partaking of the bread and cup, memorialize the death of the Redeemer and anticipate His second coming. Those who approach it with faith become spiritually connected to His body and blood, receiving all His blessings for their spiritual nourishment and growth in grace.
As the God’s Word Declares:
For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes… The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.
1 Cor. 11:23-26; 10:16, ESV
Those who wish to participate in Holy Communion must examine themselves to ensure they understand the significance of the Lord’s body, have faith to partake of Him, and exhibit repentance, love, and a commitment to obey anew. Otherwise, if they partake without proper reflection, they risk bringing judgment upon themselves.
As God’s Word Declares:
“Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died. But if we judged ourselves… Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth… Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!”
1 Cor. 11:27-31; 1 Cor. 5:8; 2 Cor. 13:5, ESV
Being a church ordinance, we hold that baptism into the faith is a prerequisite to Holy Communion.
If you are not a baptized believer, we ask for your own sake that you remain seated and do not come to receive the bread and cup. Instead we encourage you to devote this time to prayer and reflection.
If you have unconfessed sins, we ask that you confess them to the Lord before you partake in Communion. If you have any unforgiveness in your heart, we ask that you pray for forgiveness and commit to extending forgiveness before you partake of the bread and cup. In this way, we avoid taking Communion in an unworthy manner, which the scriptures expressly forbid.
Please bow your heads and join me in prayer as we prepare for Holy Communion:
“Gracious Heavenly Father, we come before you with thanksgiving and reverence. We gather in unity to remember the ultimate sacrifice made by your Son, Jesus Christ, on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins. As we partake in this sacred Communion, we pray that you will cleanse our hearts, renew our spirits, and draw us closer to you. We repent of every known sin. We forsake all questionable habits and activities that we cannot be absolutely sure are approved by You. We commit ourselves to do all that is within our power to correct any wrongs between ourselves and others, and we repent of any unforgiveness that we harbor towards our brothers and sisters. May this time be a moment of deep reflection and spiritual growth. In Jesus; name, we pray, amen.”
For those who have been baptized in the faith and are certain of their belonging to the body of Christ, we call you forward to recieve the bread and the cup.
[Rise And Gather To Congregants Recieve The Bread and Cup]
[After All Have Recieved: Pastor Raises The Bread]
In the Old Testament, bread served as a symbol of both the sustenance necessary for life and a symbol of God’s unwavering provision for His people. It was the manna from heaven that nourished the Israelites during their wilderness journey, sustaining them with daily bread from the very hand of God.
In the New Testament, Jesus used this symbol of bread to convey a profound spiritual truth. He declared it to be a symbol of His own body. By breaking the bread and sharing it with His disciples, Jesus conveyed a powerful message: His body would be broken for humanity’s sake. In this act, Jesus demonstrated that His sacrifice was the source of our spiritual life, just as bread sustains physical life. His broken body on the cross would provide spiritual sustenance and salvation that humanity could never achieve on its own. This profound truth is at the heart of the Christian faith. Just as bread in the Old Testament provided sustenance and life, Jesus, through His broken body, offers the ultimate provision of spiritual life and salvation.
The Holy Communion is an act of remembrance. It is an invitation to reflect on the tremendous sacrifice of Jesus, who willingly offered His body as the ultimate provision for our spiritual well-being. Through Communion, believers are continually reminded of the selfless love and unmatched grace of their Lord and Savior.
As Christ himself declared:
“This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”
Luke 22:19, ESV
[Eat The Bread]
[Pastor Raises The Cup]
In Old Testament, wine was often linked with moments of celebration and joy, signifying times of abundance and gladness. It was a key element in feasts and festivities, a symbol of God’s blessings and the richness of life’s experiences. In contrast, blood was seen as symbol of life itself, and it played a central role in various sacrificial rituals. The shedding of blood was seen as a solemn and necessary act of atonement, a means by which God’s people could approach Him and find reconciliation.
When Jesus took the cup and declared it to be a symbol of His blood, Jesus bridged the symbolic gap between wine as a source of celebration and blood as a symbol of life and sacrifice. By sharing the cup with His disciples, Jesus conveyed the message that His forthcoming sacrifice would be the culmination of God’s plan, a new covenant sealed with His own blood. Just as wine had symbolized joy and celebration in the Old Testament, Jesus’ blood, as represented by the cup, signified the ultimate cause for celebration, the completion of salvation through His atoning sacrifice.
Under this new covenant, believers find redemption, forgiveness of sins, and eternal life. Jesus’ sacrifice, signified by the cup, would serve as the means by which humanity could approach God, finding reconciliation and spiritual nourishment. This transformational act would replace the old sacrificial system with a new and everlasting covenant based on grace and faith.
As Christ himself declared:
“This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.”
Luke 22:20, ESV
[Drink The Cup]
Let us pray as we conclude this time of Holy Communion.
“Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.”
Matthew 6:9-13, KJV
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