Christians who believe a Priest is not necessary for the Lord's Supper

[rcwitness]

I put forward a question in a thread that I’d like to give it’s own thread to. For Christians who believe there is no need for a ministerial Priesthood to validate and consecrate the Lord’s Supper, have you ever hosted or held the Lord’s Supper among fellow Christians? If not, would you feel comfortable doing so?

 

[AnneElizabeth]

I don’t think I’m the type you are hoping to hear from (I’m not a non-catholic Christian), but I just wanted to say that The Lord did provide Manna to the Israelites when they were in the desert.

 

[Wannano]

I put forward a question in a thread that I’d like to give it’s own thread to. For Christians who believe there is no need for a ministerial Priesthood to validate and consecrate the Lord’s Supper, have you ever hosted or held the Lord’s Supper among fellow Christians? If not, would you feel comfortable doing so?

The Lord’s Supper in my tradition is held in the presence of the church body as part of the corporate worship. It is not something we invite people over to the house for like a pizza supper!

In special situations having the Lord’s Supper together without the presence of the whole church would certainly be approriate.

 

[rcwitness]

The Lord’s Supper in my tradition is held in the presence of the church body as part of the corporate worship. It is not something we invite people over to the house for like a pizza supper!

Hope you didn’t take my question as an insult. I don’t assume a lack of reverence.

In special situations having the Lord’s Supper together without the presence of the whole church would certainly be approriate.

Have you ever been a part of a special situation? What constitutes the “whole Church”? Is there Scriptural support for this?

 

[rcwitness]

I don’t think I’m the type you are hoping to hear from (I’m not a non-catholic Christian),

What “type” are you? Do you partake of the Lord’s Supper at all?

but I just wanted to say that The Lord did provide Manna to the Israelites when they were in the desert.

Interesting. I take it you are not suggesting that some practices of the Lord’s Supper actually appear out of thin air?

 

[ltwin]

I put forward a question in a thread that I’d like to give it’s own thread to. For Christians who believe there is no need for a ministerial Priesthood to validate and consecrate the Lord’s Supper, have you ever hosted or held the Lord’s Supper among fellow Christians? If not, would you feel comfortable doing so?

No. Never hosted the Lord’s Supper. I believe the Lord’s Supper should be something done with other believers, so I don’t think I’d ever do it just for myself. But, I could see perhaps presiding over family communion at home if I ever get married and have children.

I do know of one woman in my church years ago who bought bread and a bottle of Merlot wine (which is weird because my church background tends to be suspicious of any alcoholic use whatsoever). Anyway, she wanted to have home communion for herself. She got the pastor to bless the wine and bread at church, and afterwards he told the congregation there was nothing wrong with believers eating the Lord’s Supper outside of a regular church meeting.

Me and my siblings were young then, and at the time we got a kick out of that woman bringing a bottle of wine to our church and joked that she was just using it as an excuse to get tipsy with the church’s blessing.

 

[Wannano]

​

Hope you didn’t take my question as an insult. I don’t assume a lack of reverence.

Have you ever been a part of a special situation? What constitutes the “whole Church”? Is there Scriptural support for this?

No I have not been a part of a special situation. What I meant by whole church in that sentence is the members of the local congregation.

Some examples of special situations that come to mind may be possibly be:

-with someone in jail
-with fellow Christians who survived a plane crash and are missing

• in a concentration camp or refuge camp etc.

 

[rcwitness]

No. Never hosted the Lord’s Supper. I believe the Lord’s Supper should be something done with other believers, so I don’t think I’d ever do it just for myself. But, I could see perhaps presiding over family communion at home if I ever get married and have children.

Oh, right. I did state “among fellow Christians”. I didn’t mean alone.

I do know of one woman in my church years ago who bought bread and a bottle of Merlot wine (which is weird because my church background tends to be suspicious of any alcoholic use whatsoever). Anyway, she wanted to have home communion for herself. She got the pastor to bless the wine and bread at church, and afterwards he told the congregation there was nothing wrong with believers eating the Lord’s Supper outside of a regular church meeting.

Me and my siblings were young then, and at the time we got a kick out of that woman bringing a bottle of wine to our church and joked that she was just using it as an excuse to get tipsy with the church’s blessing.

Ok. Still, the consecration was necessary for a valid Holy Communion?

 

[rcwitness]

​

No I have not been a part of a special situation. What I meant by whole church in that sentence is the members of the local congregation.

Some examples of special situations that come to mind may be possibly be:

-with someone in jail
-with fellow Christians who survived a plane crash and are missing

• in a concentration camp or refuge camp etc.

I see. So generally speaking, the Lord’s Supper should be held by the Minister/Pastor, but emergency situations are permissible? Is this officially taught by your leaders?

 

[Lenten_ashes]

Oh, right. I did state “among fellow Christians”. I didn’t mean alone.

Ok. Still, the consecration was necessary for a valid Holy Communion?

Wondering if the woman he describes had a Catholic/Lutheran/Anglican background. Because the evangelical churches i have been too dont seem to have any formal type consecration prayers.

 

[Wannano]

I see. So generally speaking, the Lord’s Supper should be held by the Minister/Pastor, but emergency situations are permissible? Is this officially taught by your leaders?

Well in the corporate service the deacons/elders as well as the pastor preside.

I don’t think it is spelled out that way “officially taught.” Jesus taught that where two or more of you are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of you. I am almost sure that if I was in a life threatening situation alone (think of skiing into an avalanche alone) and felt the desire to commune alone with only the presence of God under the snow before my life ends, I have faith that my God is big enough and caring enough to accept my remembrance meal even if it consists of Pepsi and an oreo cookie.

 

[Wannano]

Wondering if the woman he describes had a Catholic/Lutheran/Anglican background. Because the evangelical churches i have been too dont seem to have any formal type consecration prayers.

Interesting, I have been in numerous different denominations and in inter-denominational Communion services where a prayer has always been offered before distribution of the elements. Consecration meaning to designate for sacred usage.

 

[rcwitness]

Well in the corporate service the deacons/elders as well as the pastor preside.

Ok, and in “emergency situations” only, can laity hold the Lord’s Supper?

I don’t think it is spelled out that way “officially taught.”

How is it spelled out?

Jesus taught that where two or more of you are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of you.

Are you saying Jesus was talking about the Lord’s Supper?

I am almost sure that if I was in a life threatening situation alone (think of skiing into an avalanche alone) and felt the desire to commune alone with only the presence of God under the snow before my life ends, I have faith that my God is big enough and caring enough to accept my remembrance meal even if it consists of Pepsi and an oreo cookie.

Is the Lord’s Supper the only means of giving thanks to God among Christians? I’m sure you don’t think so, but why then would we need to hold such an unorthodox Communion? Why not just pray, give thanks, and bless God? Do you truly believe you would propose to celebrate the Lord’s Supper with cookies and Pepsi? Or are you saying, if someone did, you would not have a problem with it?

 

[ChurchSoldier]

Here’s a segment from a blogpost of The Gospel Coalition which is a Reformed (Presbyterian like) group. It quoting a book from N.R. Needham about early Christianity of the Church Fathers.

blogs.thegospelcoalition.org/justintaylor/2010/08/29/what-was-a-church-service-like-in-the-second-century/

This is what I found interesting:

“2. The Lord’s Supper. Here’s the order: (1) the bishop offered a greeting; (2) the congregation responded; (3) there was a “kiss of peace” (men to men, women to women); (4) church members brought their own small loaf of bread and flask of wine from home; the deacons took these and spread them out on the Lord’s table, emptying the flasks of wine into one large silver cup. (5) The bishop and the congregation engaged in a liturgical “dialogue” with the congregation; (6) the bishop led the congregation in prayer; (7) the bishop and the deacons broke the bread and distributed the cup to the congregation. (8) Something would be said to each member as he or she received the elements (e.g., “The bread of heaven in Christ Jesus,” with the response of “Amen.”) Unconsumed bread and wine would be taken home by church members to use for celebrating communion at home during the weekdays.”

 

[Wannano]

Ok, and in “emergency situations” only, can laity hold the Lord’s Supper?

How is it spelled out?

Are you saying Jesus was talking about the Lord’s Supper?

Is the Lord’s Supper the only means of giving thanks to God among Christians? I’m sure you don’t think so, but why then would we need to hold such an unorthodox Communion? Why not just pray, give thanks, and bless God? Do you truly believe you would propose to celebrate the Lord’s Supper with cookies and Pepsi? Or are you saying, if someone did, you would not have a problem with it?

Whoa you are full of questions! I was pointing out that if I was in that situation and IF I felt the urge to commune with God in a LITERALLY last supper and all I had was an oreo cookie and a half bottle of Pepsi, I would trust the sincerity of my heart to the loving God I know.

 

[ltwin]

Oh, right. I did state “among fellow Christians”. I didn’t mean alone.

Ok. Still, the consecration was necessary for a valid Holy Communion?

Not from a presbyter. Any Christian can pray over and consecrate the elements. That woman could have simply prayed over the bread and wine at home and as long as she ate in faith she would benefit from it.

 

[ltwin]

Wondering if the woman he describes had a Catholic/Lutheran/Anglican background. Because the evangelical churches i have been too dont seem to have any formal type consecration prayers.

Interesting, I have been in numerous different denominations and in inter-denominational Communion services where a prayer has always been offered before distribution of the elements. Consecration meaning to designate for sacred usage.

Yes, the minister always prays over the elements. It of course doesn’t change the elements, but as Wannano said we still set aside the bread and wine a part for sacred use.

 

[Lenten_ashes]

Yes, the minister always prays over the elements. It of course doesn’t change the elements, but as Wannano said we still set aside the bread and wine a part for sacred use.

Understood.

Thank you.

 

[believerdoc]

I put forward a question in a thread that I’d like to give it’s own thread to. For Christians who believe there is no need for a ministerial Priesthood to validate and consecrate the Lord’s Supper, have you ever hosted or held the Lord’s Supper among fellow Christians? If not, would you feel comfortable doing so?

In my particular branch of the church the Lord’s Supper is celebrated by the laity in the form of Elders. The minister generally proclaims the Word of Institution and a general invitation to Communion. The Elders then pray for each of the Elements and the elements are then handed to Deacons to be distributed to the congregation by passing both to the congregation which remains seated. On special occasions we also offer the Lord’s Supper by means of intinction when the congregation comes forward and receives the host and dips it into into the chalice. We always receive both elements and not the host alone.We receive Communion on a weekly basis. I have celebrated the Lord’s Supper a number of times and feel perfectly comfortable in doing so.as wll as taking Communion to the home bound or those in hospitals.

 

[Le_Cracquere]

There were a couple of special occasions, in my Pentecostal family, where we observed Communion at home, with my father blessing the elements for Mom, me, and my little brother. That sort of thing isn’t frequent, however, and for a very sound reason (for better or worse): the Christians who don’t think a priest is necessary for the Lord’s Supper usually don’t consider the Lord’s Supper something necessary to partake of in the first place–much less with any regularity!