Bread & Wine, Part III

So, I have commented before on the Eucharist before and as I visit new churches from time to time will continue to do so. I think it is facinating how everyone thinks that their way is "the normal way" when everyone does it so differently!

I was visiting a Presbyterian church this past week (which will remain nameless). My parents have started attending there and I agreed to join them. It was a communion Sunday (Presbies don't like to over do it like the Episcopalians, and only have communion once a month or quarter.)

It was the saddest communion service I'd ever been to. I kept thinking if there were other Episcopalians there, or God forbid, Catholics, there would have been open revolt! The minister said the bare minimum of words, it seemed disjoined and kind of like he didn't know what he was doing. He was second string, mind you, so perhaps he really didn't know what he was doing.

If I've complained in the past on how chinzy communion offerings can be and how we should all receive a whole loaf of mouth-watering bread and a whole bottle of wine to symbolize the grace we are receiving, then this church was the absolute antithesis of that! The "bread" was the size of a Chicklet and looked uncooked. It tasted like salty play-dough and I'm not sure what exactly it was. The cup, was of course, grape juice, but it was generic and I'm guessing watered down, or it was Kool-Aid. It was watery and bitter and horrible! No wonder the world thinks we're a bunch of grumpy pusses and they don't want anything to do with the church! I wouldn't either if this were my first experience with communion. Everyone sat in their seats, the organ played a mournful durge and the ushers (who also did not know what they were doing) bumbled and shuffled along like beetles.

I wanted to stand up and scream, "This is the celebration of the Lord's table! The passing of His GRACE to us! Spend a little cash on the communion offerings!!! And for God's sake CHEER UP!!!"

But, alas, I sat and said nothing and tried to focus, which was hard, since there were no words from the minister or choir (there was no choir) or hymns being sung by the congregation.

Sigh...I'm going back to the Episcopal church next week...