Communion at Wesley

Communion is a symbolic meal, involving bread and wine. It commemorates Jesus' last meal, which he ate with his followers the night before he was killed. This meal seems to have been a Jewish Passover Seder, in which bread and wine are key elements. Jesus gave them a new significance, as symbols of his body and blood, which he was about to sacrifice in his death. Jesus commanded his followers to remember his death for them by eating bread and drinking wine in his name. He promised that he would be present with them as they did so, in a very direct way.

Different Christian groups understand Christ's presence in communion differently. When he instituted communion, Jesus said of the bread "This is my body". While some Protestants understand this as purely metaphorical, most Christians believe that Jesus is in some way present in communion. Many Christian traditions believe that in some sense the bread and wine used in communion become Jesus' body and blood. This is referred to as Christ's "Real Presence". Catholics, Orthodox, Lutherans, and Reformed all hold some variant of this concept.

At Wesley Memorial we celebrate communion six times a year.  If you would like to share the feast of God's love with us -- feel free.  The table is set with the food of God for the people of God.

Copyright © 2003 by Wesley Memorial United Church.

All rights reserved.  Revised: Monday December 15, 2008 12:46 PM.