How to take the chalice during Holy Communion?

[pelargir]

During Holy Communion, our church offers both individual disposable cups and a chalice. How does one indicate they want the chalice? The servers offer an individual cup by default, saying "the blood of Christ," and it seems rude to say "no thanks." Is there a commonly understood "polite" way of handling this situation, or is it handled differently by each church? Thanks for any advice.

 

[Yeshua HaDerekh]

During Holy Communion, our church offers both individual disposable cups and a chalice. How does one indicate they want the chalice? The servers offer an individual cup by default, saying "the blood of Christ," and it seems rude to say "no thanks." Is there a commonly understood "polite" way of handling this situation, or is it handled differently by each church? Thanks for any advice.

So you have individual cups that hold "the blood of Christ" and you throw them in the trash?

 

[pelargir]

So you have individual cups that hold "the blood of Christ" and you throw them in the trash?

We're new to this church, but my understanding from the LCMS web site is that individual cups are common in most LCMS churches now. I would assume they are properly washed before disposal. However, my question has nothing to do with individual cups, but rather how to indicate a preference for the chalice. Your response could not be more unhelpful.

 

[PsaltiChrysostom]

During Holy Communion, our church offers both individual disposable cups and a chalice. How does one indicate they want the chalice? The servers offer an individual cup by default, saying "the blood of Christ," and it seems rude to say "no thanks." Is there a commonly understood "polite" way of handling this situation, or is it handled differently by each church? Thanks for any advice.

Ask the pastor. When I was an LCMS elder, the pastor went first with the wafers, then an elder with the chalice went first then a second one with the individual cup tray.

As for throwing away the elements, even in the LCMS, the general understanding is either completely receptionist, that only when you receive does the sacramental union occur, or that at the end of the service, the elements revert back to being bread and wine.

 

[pelargir]

Ask the pastor. When I was an LCMS elder, the pastor went first with the wafers, then an elder with the chalice went first then a second one with the individual cup tray.

As for throwing away the elements, even in the LCMS, the general understanding is either completely receptionist, that only when you receive does the sacramental union occur, or that at the end of the service, the elements revert back to being bread and wine.

Thank you. That's good to know. I appreciate the help.

 

[Yeshua HaDerekh]

As for throwing away the elements, even in the LCMS, the general understanding is either completely receptionist, that only when you receive does the sacramental union occur, or that at the end of the service, the elements revert back to being bread and wine.

How convenient...

 

[Yeshua HaDerekh]

We're new to this church, but my understanding from the LCMS web site is that individual cups are common in most LCMS churches now. I would assume they are properly washed before disposal. However, my question has nothing to do with individual cups, but rather how to indicate a preference for the chalice. Your response could not be more unhelpful.

Why would washing them be any different? The wash waters would go down the drain.

 

[PsaltiChrysostom]

Why would washing them be any different? The wash waters would go down the drain.

Some churches have a special sink that drains to the ground called the sacrarium.

Why is there a special sink in the sacristy?

The “sacrarium” is a special sink that has a drain directly to the ground to ensure the proper disposal of sacred elements.

aleteia.org

 

[Shane R]

The individual cups were known in the long past too. My grandparents had them from at least the 1960s. They were glass and they did indeed get washed after each communion service, which was only quarterly. They were ALC in those days.

 

[Yeshua HaDerekh]

The individual cups were known in the long past too. My grandparents had them from at least the 1960s. They were glass and they did indeed get washed after each communion service, which was only quarterly. They were ALC in those days.

1960s is not "long past" to me. 2000 years is though...

 

[MarkRohfrietsch]

As for throwing away the elements, even in the LCMS, the general understanding is either completely receptionist, that only when you receive does the sacramental union occur, or that at the end of the service, the elements revert back to being bread and wine.

Maybe your former Congregaton was receptionist, but this is not the case Synod wide. Receptionist thought is one of the majore stumbling blocks in the Anglican faith that has precluded considering fellowship between the ACNA and the LCMS/LCC

For someone who served as an LCMS elder, you catechesis sounds like it was exceptionally poor.

Receptionism implies that we must cooperate and therefore contribute to the grace that we receive.

You must recall from the catechism that we are incapable of cooperating, only rebelling against God, it is thorugh through the intervention of the Holy Spirit, not in and of our selves.

BTW, you are no longer Lutheran, so you may not teach in this forum. Please abide by the forums rules as a congregational forum.

 

[MarkRohfrietsch]

How convenient...

This is an untrue statement. LCMS/LCC are NOT receptionist; Anglicans are (or at least are allowed to belive this), I think our friend is promoting eastern orthodoxy in our Lutheran Forum. LCMS's view of the the Sacrament is very similar to that of the EO.

 

[PsaltiChrysostom]

Maybe your former Congregaton was receptionist, but this is not the case Synod wide. Receptionist thought is one of the majore stumbling blocks in the Anglican faith that has precluded considering fellowship between the ACNA and the LCMS/LCC

For someone who served as an LCMS elder, you catechesis sounds like it was exceptionally poor.

Receptionism implies that we must cooperate and therefore contribute to the grace that we receive.

You must recall from the catechism that we are incapable of cooperating, only rebelling against God, it is thorugh through the intervention of the Holy Spirit, not in and of our selves.

BTW, you are no longer Lutheran, so you may not teach in this forum. Please abide by the forums rules as a congregational forum.

Sorry about that. Considering my catechism was in one of the churches that was a center for Lutheran orthodoxy during the Seminex crisis, I doubt that my catechisis was poor. One of my family's friends was the attorney for Robert Preus against Ralph Bohlmann. I served as an elder under the now director of LHM and a professor at Concordia St. Louis. He was pretty understanding of my frustrations with the LCMS.

 

[MarkRohfrietsch]

Sorry about that. Considering my catechism was in one of the churches that was a center for Lutheran orthodoxy during the Seminex crisis, I doubt that my catechisis was poor. One of my family's friends was the attorney for Robert Preus against Ralph Bohlmann. I served as an elder under the now director of LHM and a professor at Concordia St. Louis. He was pretty understanding of my frustrations with the LCMS.

While there are members of our congregations, and possibly some heterodox clergy who may hold this wrong belief, your misrepresentation in presenting this as a foundational teaching/belief of the LCMS; is 100% in error. This is an insult and an affront to all orthodox, confessional Lutherans.

 

[JM]

If someone were in a LCMS congregation and were taught the receptionist view I would have to say that would be a poor catechesis. Nothing personal. My Pastor is always hammer the objective, true Body and Blood.

 

[PsaltiChrysostom]

I've opened up another thread in Traditional Theology to discuss this further. Again my sincerest apologies

 

[MarkRohfrietsch]

If someone were in a LCMS congregation and were taught the receptionist view I would have to say that would be a poor catechesis. Nothing personal. My Pastor is always hammer the objective, true Body and Blood.

This is most certainly true.

 

[MarkRohfrietsch]

I've opened up another thread in Traditional Theology to discuss this further. Again my sincerest apologies

Thanks, and sorry if I came across as being harsh, but misunderstanding the Eucharist has been the root cause among the other Protestant Churches including most liberal Lutherans and most Anglicans condemning the practice of closed communion. If we were receptionists, what would open communion matter; if receptionism was the case, why does Scripture admonish and caution regarding discerning the body and blood, and worthy reception?

 

[PsaltiChrysostom]

Here's the link for the thread in Traditional Theology. One thing to note is that I was not referring the LCMS as the same as the Anglican definition but rather the practice of returning unused elements back to original containers.

Receptionism within the Lutheran church

Good afternoon everyone, Since this discussion was started in the Lutheran forum and I'm not supposed to post there (again, my apologies), I opened up this thread for anyone who wants to join in. The problem that I had relates to this article written in 2011 (ten years after I became...

www.christianforums.com

 

[Propitiated]

During Holy Communion, our church offers both individual disposable cups and a chalice. How does one indicate they want the chalice? The servers offer an individual cup by default, saying "the blood of Christ," and it seems rude to say "no thanks." Is there a commonly understood "polite" way of handling this situation, or is it handled differently by each church? Thanks for any advice.

When I was in a similar situation years ago, I would just cross my arms in front of my body on my chest, to indicate that I will wait for the common cup instead.