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Partaking of Communion During the COVID-19 Crisis

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This Sunday, April 5, is communion Sunday, and rather than canceling this sacred part of our worship life, Pastor Kevin and I want to encourage you to partake of it as a family but in a way that preserves and celebrates our unity as a church family. So, let me first say a few things about the nature of communion, after which I'll offer some suggestions for partaking in it that will both bring honor to Jesus and unity to this body of believers.

Through his life, death, burial, and resurrection, Jesus Christ made it possible for people to be reconciled with God, and even more profoundly than that, to become one with him by faith in Christ. This doesn’t mean that we become God, but it does mean that we become profoundly united with God through Christ. And in addition to becoming one with him, we become one with all who also believe in him, and together we become a kingdom of priests in this world whose privilege it is to intercede for unbelievers, to preach the gospel to them, and to love them with the love of Christ.

Because this is the nature of communion, we should partake of it with other believers whenever possible rather than partaking of it as isolated individuals or as isolated families. This isn’t about centralizing the power of communion in the organization of the church, but it is about honoring what Jesus has done for us in uniting us together as his sacred body. 

That said, in unusual times like this, it’s not only permissible but it can be very powerful to partake of communion as individuals or as families in a way that helps us remember our unity with Jesus, our unity with one another, and our common mission as a kingdom of priests in the world. 

With this in mind, I want to encourage you to talk about this as a family so that you’ll gain a greater understanding of and appreciation for communion, and then on Sunday morning, I want to encourage you to take the following steps.

1. Since Dave Fergus was scheduled to bring the communion devotional to us this month, he’s going to record his thoughts on video in the church office which we’ll make available to you via YouTube and RightNow Media. So, begin by listening to his devotional, as this will help us to have a sense of unity around this month’s celebration of communion. If we have to celebrate communion this way in May as well, we'll do the same thing with a different leader bringing the devotional.

2. After Dave prays, read 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 as a family, and then partake of the bread and the cup. As you partake of each of the elements, be silent for a few moments to allow your heart to meditate on what you’re doing, namely, remembering what Jesus has accomplished for his people around the world and over time.

3. When you’ve finished partaking, appoint someone to pray and then continue with your time of worship.

I hope this helps you with the practical aspects of partaking in communion as a family, but more so, I pray that it helps you better understand the nature of communion and how it’s designed to help us remember our unity with Jesus, our unity with one another, and our common mission as a kingdom of priests in the world. 

May God richly bless us as we humbly partake of his table together this Sunday!


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