Communion and Renewal

Not long ago, at a meeting at church we discussed the importance of communion. In John 6, Jesus teaches us that it is important to receive the bread of heaven (Jesus’ gift of Himself for us). We receive the bread of heaven every time we share in the communion meal. Sometime we do this without realizing its potential to be a source of renewal in our lives.

In the Confession of Faith in Mennonite Perspective we read that communion is a “sign by which the church thankfully remembers the new covenant which Jesus established by his death” and renews the “covenant with God and with each other” (article 12). We are also told that communion “re-presents the presence of the risen Christ in the church,” helping us recognize that our “life is sustained by Christ, the bread of life” (article 12). Finally, we are told that in celebrating communion we are looking “forward in joy and hope to the feast of the redeemed with Christ in the age to come” (article 12).

Communion provides us with a powerful way to connect with our Lord and with one another. It helps us recognize our need for God’s grace and deepen our commitment to love one another. Anabaptists have recognized this since the earliest days of the Protestant Reformation. Thomas Finger describes it this way: “[early Anabaptists] often experienced the Risen Jesus’ spiritual presence among them through these communal and material channels [communion and baptism]…realities at the heart of Christian life [which] strengthened the community to live them out” (“Are Mennonites sacramental?,” The Mennonite, September, 2004).

I would like to invite you and the broader church to approach communion with new and fresh expectations for what God is doing in our lives through it. In addition, let’s remember to celebrate the powerful and rich message communion offers us about Christ’s sacrifice and resurrection banquet in heaven.

           

The Greek word for communion is eucharistia, which literally means “thanksgiving.” Let’s gather at the Lord’s table to share in communion and receive God’s rich blessings in our lives. Prepare to encounter God in the breaking of bread and experience the Holy Spirit’s renewal.