The Common Cup--for Lutherans Only Please

[ByzantineDixie]

How is the Blood of Christ distributed at your church and how do you choose to receive...common cup or individual cup? Why?

I left the poll anonymous so that we get honest answers...but please discuss your choice if you are comfortable doing so.

I'll offer some comments later.

Peace

Rose

[Jim47]

We have Holy Communion twice a month, we change between common cup and individulal cup every other Sunday. We have only had the individual cup 15-20 years far as I can remember.

The service we have with the individual cup is participated by 2-3 to 1 as opposed to the common cup , which I think is a little sad.

I usually partake of both.

[filosofer]

Half sprinkled on the altar, and half thrown on the people...

Oh wait, this isn't the OT is it?

[filosofer]

I usually partake of both.

One for each hand? ;)

[filosofer]

We have communion every other Sunday and both are offered at each communion service. When I was pastoring we had communion at every service every Sunday and we always offered both common and individual - best ministry ever.

[ByzantineDixie]

You are in a mood tonight, filo! Had we known all you needed was a thread of your own we'd have given you one a long time ago. :P

:D Rose

[Phoebe]

I take whatever is offered. The Common Cup isn't offered often. (Intinction is yucky. ;) )

[sculpturegirl]

Our church offers the Lord's Supper at every service :) At the traditional services, we have a Common cup and you can pick up a small cup empty, which they fill at the altar, or with grape juice if you want. I always drink from the Common Cup. It is one of the reasons I became a Lutheran in the first place. It think it is so beautiful (aesthetically and spiritually) for the Body of Christ to all partake from one source.

They use intinction at the "contemporary service." I refer to that as "drive-thru communion."

Give me a common cup any day!

[pastel]

I believe the Pastor, the organist, and the ushers partake in the common cup. The congregation partake of individual cups. Never have I ever seen the common cup offered to the congregation.

[pastel]

You are in a mood tonight, filo! Had we known all you needed was a thread of your own we'd have given you one a long time ago. :P

:D Rose

Maybe we should make it a sticky...that way he will always be able to find it easily!! haha... :P

(Filo, you KNOW we luvs ya!!! :hug: )

[theologia crucis]

We have the Lord's Supper on the first and third (and fifth) Sunday of the month in the early service, and the second and fourth (and fifth) Sunday of the month in the late service.

If I carry my daughter up to the communion rail, I'll take common cup. If my wife does, I usually take individual...

[Qoheleth]

We have Mass with Holy communion 7 days a week. The bread and wine are both given by chalice. The bread is placed only on the tongue, all drink from the one chalice up at the altar.

[sculpturegirl]

We have Mass with Holy communion 7 days a week. The bread and wine are both given by chalice. The bread is placed only on the tongue, all drink from the one chalice up at the altar.

Qoheleth- you go to the best church ever! Next time I am in Michigan...

[filosofer]

Maybe we should make it a sticky...that way he will always be able to find it easily!! haha... :P

(Filo, you KNOW we luvs ya!!! :hug: )



What? I think ya'll are teasin' me, but I can't hear too well!
Sure, butter me up, then send me to my own thread. Kinda how they treat me here at this place they call "the home". :D

[Qoheleth]

Qoheleth- you go to the best church ever! Next time I am in Michigan...

Vespers is every Saturday evening and before every weekday evening bible study followed by Compline

Zion is incredibly unique and it would be awesome to have any and all visit.

[ByzantineDixie]

OK...now y'all might have guessed there was a method to my madness. Quite honestly I was a little surprised to see so many congregations that did not offer the common cup at all...so what I have to share won't be applicable to those folks unless they find themselves visiting elsewhere where the cup is offered. (Or unless this discussion causes you to talk to your pastor and elders to see if they will bring back the use of the common cup.)

I was also extremely surprised to find out some congregations use the common cup one Sunday a month and the individual cups the other. I have never in my almost 15 years of Lutheran life seen this. In fact, every congregation where we have been members have offered both simultaneously.

But I was a Lutheran for 13 years before anyone ever encouraged me to partake from the common cup. I always used to take the individual cups because it seemed that is what everyone else did, it went faster, it was less fuss for those distributing the Sacrament. And no one spoke to me about the benefits and significance of taking from the common cup.

Now that I have learned to take the common cup, I make it a point when I attend our "new members" classes to encourage our new members to commune by common cup. If no one tells them, if no one explains that it is good to do they'll just do what everyone else does. So those of you who commune by common cup...share that with your newcomers. Explain why you do it. Encourage them to commune likewise. For those of you who do not commune by common cup but can...try it. Sculpturegirl has it right....it is beautiful for the Body of Christ to partake from one source.

Peace

Rose

[PurpleBunny]

I started taking the common cup at the church I attended while I was away at university because they had white wine in the individual cups and red in the common cup and I just felt weeeeird drinking white wine.

When I returned to my home church after graduating I continued taking the common cup and still do as often as it's offered! I would say about 1 in 3 take the common cup and the rest take the individuals.

[Jim47]

One for each hand? ;)

If you knew me better you wouldn't have to ask why, I think my Pastor still gives me a little larger than normal drink from the cup, likely cuz I still need it. :D

You know, its really a wonderful thing that we can joke about this a little, because if Jesus hadn't given us this, life would be a real joke. :eek:

[Jim47]

You are in a mood tonight, filo! Had we known all you needed was a thread of your own we'd have given you one a long time ago. :P

:D Rose

Maybe he's been sipping some of that Irish brew? ;)

[ChiRho]

Vespers is every Saturday evening and before every weekday evening bible study followed by Compline

Zion is incredibly unique and it would be awesome to have any and all visit.

Qoheleth speaks the truth! Zion Detroit is one to behold! I have had the pleasure twice in the last year. The Maundy Thursday Mass was piercing...I couldnt wait for Easter Sunday!

Here at Zion FW, Communion is offered every Sunday and Wednesday evening (in the Chapel of Beatitudes), both with the Common Cup. We do have daily Services, so the Holy Supper very well may be offered daily, but because of my work schedule I have yet to find out.

If you desire an "individual shot-glass," arrangements must be made prior to the Service.

Although you may receive the Body in your hand, standard practice is for the Pastor to lay the Bread on your tongue.

[Zoomer]

Since I was confirmed I had always used the common cup, unless I was sick--then I would use the individuals. Most people used the common cup at that church. Our current church only offers the individual cups, I wish they would offer the common cup.

[BigNorsk]

Hi,

The congregation to which I belong does it a bit differently than other congregations. We are small in number so it is easier than it would be in some others.

First the bread is distributed. We all wait until all have it and then eat it at the same time. Then we distribute the wine in individual servings and again, all drink at the same time.

It is different than sharing a common cup, but I like it.

Please realize it is not of any great importance to us if someone ate or drank before the others, we aren't legalistic about it, but it is nice to share it together in that way.

We also share answers to prayer, favorite hymns, and blessings we have received after the glasses are collected. It is all very intimate and brings us closer.

Marv

[SPALATIN]

Hi,

The congregation to which I belong does it a bit differently than other congregations. We are small in number so it is easier than it would be in some others.

First the bread is distributed. We all wait until all have it and then eat it at the same time. Then we distribute the wine in individual servings and again, all drink at the same time.

It is different than sharing a common cup, but I like it.

Please realize it is not of any great importance to us if someone ate or drank before the others, we aren't legalistic about it, but it is nice to share it together in that way.

We also share answers to prayer, favorite hymns, and blessings we have received after the glasses are collected. It is all very intimate and brings us closer.

Marv

Let me ask you if you consider this to be a sacrament or a matter of obedience. You don't list yourself by denomination so I am not sure exactly your beliefs about Holy Communion or the Eucharist as some call it.

[BigNorsk]

Hi,

The church is a Lutheran Brethren Church, Lutheran Brethren do hold to communion as a sacrament. It's a bit different from what many Lutherans are used to in that we do not have a liturgical worship service.

Our communion service is separated from the regular worship service in that we usually have it after the regular service, we dismiss, everyone socializes for awhile, then those that want to participate sit in every other pew. The pastor is at the front, reads the communion service and presides, two of the elders go down the open pews and distribute the bread and wine.

I don't actually know if many other Lutheran Brethren chuches use the same style of communion. I can see where it would be difficult in a larger congregation. It's nice because there isn't the distraction I find with other ways of doing the distribution. We don't have an altar with a kneeling rail.

Marv