Lenten Writing Project Reboot 2020! Writers' Reflections in the Wilderness of Lent
Wednesday, April 16, 2014
Communion of Saints
When did you first take holy communion? What was
your experience and what are your family traditions around it? How has your view or how have your traditions changed?
(I'll take a slightly different tack) I was working with a street ministry in San Francisco in 1967. We just did what we thought would fill people's needs as there was no model, except for maybe St. Francis or Jesus himself. It was never supported well by the denomination because it wasn't a "real" church. I felt we needed to have experiments like this to keep the doors and windows open. We had church at a person's house. No frills and very simple for people who weren't indoctrinated by two years of confirmation classes. I usually played the guitar. As we passed the cup and bread around another item followed. It was a hip flask with spirits in it. Everyone took a swig of that too. I have always thought that it was from someone trying to understand and be a part of the group. For me the question is always about listening. Ministry is out there- you just have to put yourself in a place where you will hear it. Doug Millar
After two years of confirmation with twenty of my good friends.... After memorizing the small catechism and trying to understand some of it ... After completing the work books and taking it all so seriously... I was reminded that I would soon be able to take communion. and the disappointment sank in. My favorite part of the worship service was singing lots of hymns while the adults filed up for communion. Now I would have to give some of that up to go up with the adults, doh! I nearly said no thanks! (A true story!)
I have always tried to remember that a particular person may not be in church for the same reason I am. My favorite part is music- so I never sang with the choir. I was an appreciative audience. Doug Millar
My first Holy Communion Two years of study and fear preparing for the Confirmation of my Baptismal Vows Pentecost Sunday of my 8th Grade Year
Haunting tales of bygone hazing .... "You know, we had to Memorize the Whole Catechism and Stand before the Congregation and answer Any question they asked us....." was the unspoken threat
Then, the Faith Statement the Special White Dress the White Robe, with Red Corsage We lined up, trembling, before the Altar and spoke, "This is most certainly true"
Kneeling a Blessing by touch! dry wafers and wine
but, I wondered, through it all, why I felt no different why there was no thunder no earthquake why I was still the same person
Afterwards, small New Testaments awarded with special Bible verses, handwritten inside
The best was yet to come Formal pictures Church reception with cake, nuts and mints and red punch and then
The Family Party Traditional ham and potato salad Cake, with MY name emblazoned on it! and PRESENTS!
Along with my Family, People were gathered, just for me my Godparents, from 2,000 miles away! dear Friends of the Family all there to welcome me to Confirm me into God's Family into the Communion of Saints
As Time passed, I learned more about that Communion of Saints as each Sister each Daughter each Niece and Nephew received their first Communion and Confirmation
As each one received their Family Party and food, and cake, and presents I learned to enjoy the Traditions to see and feel and enjoy all the Saints behind the Communion to see them as part of the Body of Christ
and found out what was missing as I knelt, thinking I was alone at my first Communion I found out about being One in the Spirit and the Communion of Saints
(I'll take a slightly different tack) I was working with a street ministry in San Francisco in 1967. We just did what we thought would fill people's needs as there was no model, except for maybe St. Francis or Jesus himself. It was never supported well by the denomination because it wasn't a "real" church. I felt we needed to have experiments like this to keep the doors and windows open.
ReplyDeleteWe had church at a person's house. No frills and very simple for people who weren't indoctrinated by two years of confirmation classes. I usually played the guitar. As we passed the cup and bread around another item followed. It was a hip flask with spirits in it. Everyone took a swig of that too. I have always thought that it was from someone trying to understand and be a part of the group.
For me the question is always about listening. Ministry is out there- you just have to put yourself in a place where you will hear it. Doug Millar
I bet you were gifted at it too! Pastor Larry
DeleteSounds like a really real church to me.
DeleteMarlene
Holy Disappointment! by Pastor Larry P Morris
ReplyDeleteAfter two years of confirmation
with twenty of my good friends....
After memorizing the small catechism
and trying to understand some of it ...
After completing the work books
and taking it all so seriously...
I was reminded that I would soon be able to take communion.
and the disappointment sank in.
My favorite part of the worship service
was singing lots of hymns while the adults filed up for communion.
Now I would have to give some of that up
to go up with the adults, doh!
I nearly said no thanks!
(A true story!)
I have always tried to remember that a particular person may not be in church for the same reason I am. My favorite part is music- so I never sang with the choir. I was an appreciative audience. Doug Millar
DeleteWednesday April 16, 2014
ReplyDeleteCOMMUNION OF SAINTS
My first Holy Communion
Two years of study and fear
preparing for the Confirmation
of my Baptismal Vows
Pentecost Sunday
of my 8th Grade Year
Haunting tales of bygone hazing ....
"You know, we had to Memorize
the Whole Catechism
and Stand before the Congregation
and answer Any question they asked us....."
was the unspoken threat
Then, the Faith Statement
the Special White Dress
the White Robe, with Red Corsage
We lined up, trembling, before the Altar
and spoke, "This is most certainly true"
Kneeling
a Blessing by touch!
dry wafers and wine
but, I wondered, through it all,
why I felt no different
why there was no thunder
no earthquake
why I was still the same person
Afterwards, small New Testaments awarded
with special Bible verses, handwritten inside
The best was yet to come
Formal pictures
Church reception
with cake, nuts and mints
and red punch
and then
The Family Party
Traditional ham and potato salad
Cake, with MY name emblazoned on it!
and PRESENTS!
Along with my Family,
People were gathered, just for me
my Godparents, from 2,000 miles away!
dear Friends of the Family
all there to welcome me
to Confirm me into God's Family
into the Communion of Saints
As Time passed, I learned more about that
Communion of Saints
as each Sister
each Daughter
each Niece and Nephew
received their first Communion
and Confirmation
As each one received their Family Party
and food, and cake, and presents
I learned to enjoy the Traditions
to see and feel and enjoy
all the Saints behind the Communion
to see them as part of the
Body of Christ
and found out what was missing
as I knelt, thinking I was alone
at my first Communion
I found out about being One in the Spirit
and the Communion of Saints
for His sake
Sara