For Crossroads Church Family Members
By Pastor John Snyder
Why participate in communion at home?
To pause on a regular basis to humbly remember and to celebrate what Jesus did for us on the cross.
If you do not feel comfortable joining us for in-person services.
Because in Jesus' day, the Passover Feast was celebrated in homes, with families, not in a large gathering with many people.
WHO WILL YOU BE SHARING AND CELEBRATING COMMUNION WITH?
With your family
With your small group or LifeGroup
Even by yourself!
In Jesus' day, when people celebrated the Passover Feast, they were not led in the feast by a religious leader, but by the recognized spiritual leader in their home - so you do not have to be a pastor or elder or deacon to lead your family or friends through Communion. In a way, you will be more of a facilitator.
WHEN Will You Be Sharing and Celebrating Communion? Here are some ideas:
Sunday morning before or after either going to church, or watching service online.
Before or after an evening meal with your family.
An evening you meet with your LifeGroup or Small Group.
Pick a monthly time to do it - like the first or last Sunday of the month - or the first or last week of the month when you meet with your Life Group or Small Group.
Jesus and his disciples shared the Passover Feast on the Thursday evening, the evening before he was crucified.
WHERE Will You Be Sharing and Celebrating Communion?
Choose a home if doing this with your Life Group or Small Group
Around the table before or after an evening meal
In the family room or living room before or after watching church online
On the back porch if you have some privacy and it is a beautiful setting displaying God's creation.
WHAT Will You Need to Share and Celebrate Communion? Keep it simple.
A bowl, or plate (even a paper plate), to hold some kind of bread or crackers
One cup for each person participating with a small amount of juice in it
- If doing this as a married couple, you may be comfortable drinking from the same cup
- If you choose, you could have one cup with a bit more juice and have each person take a piece of bread and dip it in the juice and then take the bread and the juice together at the same time
For a more reflective and intimate setting, you may choose to do this by candlelight.
HOW to Share In and Celebrate Communion?
Gather everyone who will participate.
Keep in mind, if you are single and unable to gather with others, you can be in Jesus' presence and do this by yourself too.
Open in prayer, thanking Jesus for his death and resurrection for us, and asking for a sense of his presence in the time.
Read I Corinthians 11:23-26 and 28
Have someone lead others to pause silently, to thank Jesus for his sacrifice, and to ask him to reveal to their hearts if they have in some way fallen away
Have someone read Psalm 139:23-24 during a brief time of silent reflection and prayer
Sharing the Bread
- Have someone say, "As Jesus said, 'This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.'"
- Either have the bread in the middle of a table, and each one reach to take a piece, or pass the bread around.
- Have someone pray a prayer thanking Jesus for his letting his body be nailed to the cross.
- Take the bread together. (If you want each person to dip the bread in a common cup, then just hold the bread until someone shares about the cup.)
Sharing the Cup
- Have someone say, "As Jesus said, 'This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.'"
- Have each person take a cup with a small amount of juice into their hands and hold it (again, unless you will dip the bread in a common cup).
- Drink the cup at the same time, or dip and then eat the bread or cracker dipped in the cup one at a time.
- Have someone pray after the cup and thank Jesus for his blood - and for his resurrection and our salvation.
HOW to conclude the time together?
Have someone say, "Remember, we are to do this until Jesus comes again."
Hug each other, and go on with your day or evening.