After Lutheran Service Today

[JoshuaNY]

I thought I would share my experience this morning after Service.
I was speaking with the Pastor for a minute. The Youth Director walked up to him with an unconsumed Host and said “I found this in a pew”. So the Pastor thanked her, took it from her and ate it.

You should have seen her face, it was something like this . And she said, “I cant believe you ate it, why didn’t you just throw it in the trash?”

The Pastor simply said. This is the Body of Jesus Christ, just as we do not pour the left over Blood down the drain, we do not throw Him away.
She understood after that, but I was amazed at the lack of the Youth Directors catechisis. This woman is in charge of the Lutheran Education of all of the children(obviously with the help of the Pastors) but it was very eye opening.

I wonder how many other people in the Congregation would have had the same reaction. At least one other since it was left in the Pew.

Just thought I would share my experience. Has anyone else encountered something like this?

 

[Wesley7]

That’s I why try and follow what the Canons of the Orthodox Church say about holy communion.

 

[franny50]

I never heard of throwing an unconsumed eucharistic wafer in the trash.

 

[Roman_Catholic_1]

How did it get in the pews? I’ve never been to a Lutheran service but I’d assume it would be much like Mass where the parishioners walk to the front for communion

God bless

 

[LDNCatholic]

How did it get in the pews? I’ve never been to a Lutheran service but I’d assume it would be much like Mass where the parishioners walk to the front for communion

God bless

Same way it has been stolen from Catholic churches. Someone goes up, presents themself for communion and then does not consume it, they merely pocket it.

 

[Roman_Catholic_1]

Same way it has been stolen from Catholic churches. Someone goes up, presents themself for communion and then does not consume it, they merely pocket it.

Willfully attempting to take it out of the Church is one thing but it being left in the pew makes it seem like the person forgot about it or something which seems crazy. How do you forget about it from the time you get it to the time you sit down? It was the reason you walked up there. Unless Lutherans don’t recieve at the front of the church which is why I asked. I have been to Protestant services where the bread and wine (it was actually juice) are passed out while everyone is seated.

God bless

 

[gcnuss]

I thought I would share my experience this morning after Service.
I was speaking with the Pastor for a minute. The Youth Director walked up to him with an unconsumed Host and said “I found this in a pew”. So the Pastor thanked her, took it from her and ate it.

You should have seen her face, it was something like this . And she said, “I cant believe you ate it, why didn’t you just throw it in the trash?”

The Pastor simply said. This is the Body of Jesus Christ, just as we do not pour the left over Blood down the drain, we do not throw Him away.

Kudos to that pastor.

 

[LDNCatholic]

Willfully attempting to take it out of the Church is one thing but it being left in the pew makes it seem like the person forgot about it or something which seems crazy. How do you forget about it from the time you get it to the time you sit down? It was the reason you walked up there. Unless Lutherans don’t recieve at the front of the church which is why I asked. I have been to Protestant services where the bread and wine (it was actually juice) are passed out while everyone is seated.

God bless

Probably a little kid who has decided he doesn’t like the taste or texture of the wafer and has decided not to eat it.

 

[skigirl1689]

I know most, if not all, Lutherans receive at the front of the church. And usually kids do not receive until after confirmation or at least after they understand the Sacrament.

I just find it odd the host ended up in the pew.

 

[CHRISTINE77]

I know most, if not all, Lutherans receive at the front of the church. And usually kids do not receive until after confirmation or at least after they understand the Sacrament.

I just find it odd the host ended up in the pew.

Yes, very odd, as the host is to be consumed immediately after receiving it. Maybe another reason it should be given on the tongue.

 

[Roman_Catholic_1]

Probably a little kid who has decided he doesn’t like the taste or texture of the wafer and has decided not to eat it.

That was going to be my guess as well.

God bless

 

[hn160]

In my church, the consecrated host after, the service is placed in a Communion Pyx and reserved for the sick or for the next Communion. If any happens to fall on the floor, the pastor will consume it. Any consecrated wine not consumed is place in a crystal cruet for the next service. The common cup and individual communion glasses are rinsed and the water is poured in the baptismal font because it drains into the earth. The pastor is trying to do away with individual glass cups but there are some hold outs.
Our pastor along with the board of elders doesn’t allow for communion until after confirmation. Any so-called youth director would have to be thoroughly catechized before he/she could function in that job.

 

[CalCatholic]

Kudos to that pastor.

I second that!!!

 

[twopekinguys]

Willfully attempting to take it out of the Church is one thing but it being left in the pew makes it seem like the person forgot about it or something which seems crazy. How do you forget about it from the time you get it to the time you sit down? It was the reason you walked up there. Unless Lutherans don’t recieve at the front of the church which is why I asked. I have been to Protestant services where the bread and wine (it was actually juice) are passed out while everyone is seated.

God bless

We have found them laying in the pew, stuck in the missalettes, you name it.

I have even turned around and taken it away from someone who shouldn’t have received.

A teenage girl (not Catholic) attending Mass with her friend (who is Catholic), went up in the communion line, and received.

When she got back to the pew, she was, giggling, and laughing, and saying, “now what do I do?”.

I turned around, saw what was going on, reached up, took it away from her, and consumed it.

I then had a good long talk with the girl’s parents after Mass.

They weren’t happy with me, so I said, “Tell it to Father”.

That has been several years ago, and they still won’t look at me, or speak to me…lol

Our EMHC’s, are supposed to be making sure everyone consumes the host before they get past the precious blood. Obviously, they missed this one.

 

[lax16]

We have found them laying in the pew, stuck in the missalettes, you name it.

I have even turned around and taken it away from someone who shouldn’t have received.

A teenage girl (not Catholic) attending Mass with her friend (who is Catholic), went up in the communion line, and received.

When she got back to the pew, she was, giggling, and laughing, and saying, “now what do I do?”.

I turned around, saw what was going on, reached up, took it away from her, and consumed it.

I then had a good long talk with the girl’s parents after Mass.

They weren’t happy with me, so I said, “Tell it to Father”.

That has been several years ago, and they still won’t look at me, or speak to me…lol

Our EMHC’s, are supposed to be making sure everyone consumes the host before they get past the precious blood. Obviously, they missed this one.

:clapping: You’ve got guts!

 

[Sandalwood]

It could also have been that a person who has physical limitations, could not walk to the front of the church so the Host was brought to them. If they dropped it when trying to consume it, or was unable to lift their arm to consume it, they may have let it lie on the pew.

When I am unable to walk to the front or raise my arm, the Priest brings it to me and puts it on my tongue, but not all people do that, some are uncomfortable with receiving the Host that way.

Please don’t assume the worst about the Host being left on the pew.

 

[Inishfree]

I thought I would share my experience this morning after Service.
I was speaking with the Pastor for a minute. The Youth Director walked up to him with an unconsumed Host and said “I found this in a pew”. So the Pastor thanked her, took it from her and ate it.

You should have seen her face, it was something like this . And she said, “I cant believe you ate it, why didn’t you just throw it in the trash?”

The Pastor simply said. This is the Body of Jesus Christ, just as we do not pour the left over Blood down the drain, we do not throw Him away.
She understood after that, but I was amazed at the lack of the Youth Directors catechisis. This woman is in charge of the Lutheran Education of all of the children(obviously with the help of the Pastors) but it was very eye opening.

I wonder how many other people in the Congregation would have had the same reaction. At least one other since it was left in the Pew.

Just thought I would share my experience. Has anyone else encountered something like this?

Thank you for sharing this. I agree with your Pastor. It is the body of Christ. We never throw him away.

Beautiful message!

 

[Kristin234]

It could also have been that a person who has physical limitations, could not walk to the front of the church so the Host was brought to them. If they dropped it when trying to consume it, or was unable to lift their arm to consume it, they may have let it lie on the pew.

When I am unable to walk to the front or raise my arm, the Priest brings it to me and puts it on my tongue, but not all people do that, some are uncomfortable with receiving the Host that way.

Please don’t assume the worst about the Host being left on the pew.

Yeah I have witnessed that before. I went with my aunt to a Catholic church and a lady with a broken leg was sitting in front of us. Someone brought the Host to her and she bowed her head to do a quick prayer before taking it and then someone else came to help her out of the church right after she finished the prayer. I guess she was frazzled or something but she ended up dropping it and not noticing until I saw it on the floor.

 

[Inishfree]

Yeah I have witnessed that before. I went with my aunt to a Catholic church and a lady with a broken leg was sitting in front of us. Someone brought the Host to her and she bowed her head to do a quick prayer before taking it and then someone else came to help her out of the church right after she finished the prayer. I guess she was frazzled or something but she ended up dropping it and not noticing until I saw it on the floor.

Yes, this is done at my parish. Holy Communion is brought to the disabled.

 

[JoshuaNY]

Thank you for everyone’s replies. I have elaborated from some of your inquiries below. When it comes down to it, I think it is a lack of understanding. These folks do not fully understand what they are being given, if they did it would not be stuck in the pew.

How did it get in the pews? I’ve never been to a Lutheran service but I’d assume it would be much like Mass where the parishioners walk to the front for communion

God bless

It is just like a Catholic Mass. Our Service very closely resembles a Catholic Mass. Those receiving communion go up to the altar to receive it.

LDNCatholic:

Probably a little kid who has decided he doesn’t like the taste or texture of the wafer and has decided not to eat it.

Sorry I wasn’t clear. My Church actually uses bread and not wafers, broken into bite size pieces. But I do have a feeling someone just nibbled on it and then put it in the pew.

skigirl1689:

I know most, if not all, Lutherans receive at the front of the church. And usually kids do not receive until after confirmation or at least after they understand the Sacrament.

The church I attend practices early first communion. So second graders and above receive. They are taught about it yes, whether they retain it is a completely different matter.

Sandalwood:

It could also have been that a person who has physical limitations, could not walk to the front of the church so the Host was brought to them. If they dropped it when trying to consume it, or was unable to lift their arm to consume it, they may have let it lie on the pew.

When I am unable to walk to the front or raise my arm, the Priest brings it to me and puts it on my tongue, but not all people do that, some are uncomfortable with receiving the Host that way.

Please don’t assume the worst about the Host being left on the pew.

Sandalwood. Thank you for that. I had not thought of that. But the way the Pastor talked about it, it seemed like it happened more then an accidental thing.