“…when you give a banquet, invite the poor, crippled, lame, and blind” Luke 14:13

Dear Friends:

Sunday we’ll take a look at some table talk of Jesus as he issues his dinner party etiquette. We’ll honor Labor Day with a prayer over our work. We’ll ask for God’s blessings over our third graders as they receive their Bibles. We’ll bless the Sunday School, students, teachers and all who support them, especially parents and caregivers. It’s the first Sunday of the month, so we’ll come for Family Worship. 

We’ve heard your concerns about the length of worship. We’re reducing the Prayers of the People, shortening the songs and the length of the message. An hour’s time for Family Worship is our goal. Following worship, we’ll celebrate with a Fellowship Feast sponsored by the Parish Life ministry. Come and give thanks for the start of another time of learning. Finally, return Sunday evening for Celtic Worship at 5:30 with quiet reflective prayer and sacred music. The weekend cannot have a better completion than Celtic Worship. Nor can the week have a better beginning!

Women, we’ll see you tonight for Women’s Bible Study at 7:30!

Thank you for your time with the Bread & Cup teaching series during the month of August. Your presence and your questions revealed to us all how much we wish to know our Lord Jesus Christ in the sacrament of his Holy meal. Thank you for your thoughtful questions. Hopefully with the series now completed you’ve found answers to your questions during worship. Below is a list of questions, some consolidated, with answers suggested. Please, take time to read, mark, learn and inwardly digest the questions and answers. Should you have more questions, keep them coming!

*How can transubstantiation be emphasized during the Eucharist?During the Eucharistic prayer, the presider first recalls Jesus’ words, “Take, eat: This is my Body, which is given for you…This is my Blood, which is shed for you…”. Then, at the epiclesis, the invoking of the Holy Spirit, the presider asks for God’s Holy Spirit to come upon the bread and the cup “that they may be the Body of Christ and his Blood of the new Covenant.”

*Can you please simplify the long reading so children can understand in big church? (thanks – a kid)During Family Worship we typically read from The Message a Bible in Contemporary Language. The Good News Bible is an authorized version of the Bible and often easier to read as it was written for those for whom English is their second language.

*Why is the bread not broken when the priest says, “he broke it, and gave…”?But instead is broken later?Jesus teaches us the “four action scheme” in instituting the Lord’s Supper: (1) he took; (2) ‘gave thanks’; (3) broke it; (4) and served the bread. Earlier church practices tell us the bread was broken at the time “broke it” was spoken. Then, along in history the “fraction” was moved to follow the Lord’s Prayer to allow for a deeper silence and time of contemplation.

*How does the wine and bread become sacred?At the invoking of the Holy Spirit when the presider says, “send your Holy Spirit upon these gifts” and the sign of the cross is made over the elements, it is believed that this invitation is a sign of God’s love descending upon the elements to make them holy that we too may become holy.

*What other Anglican Churches use the Eucharistic Prayer authorized for The Episcopal Church?The Anglican Communion, the third largest Christian communion in the world, consists of some forty members amounting to about 80 million people. Each has its own approved liturgy or way of worship. The Episcopal Church invites all churches to use its liturgy as we know it in our Book of Common Prayer.The Episcopal Church is authorized to use the liturgy from a variety of prayer books, including Enriching Our Worship, and The New Zealand Book of Common Prayer.During the General Convention of 2018 the Episcopal Church voted to approve the use of more inclusive language.

*Why does the Episcopal Church have all ages receive communion?By virtue of our baptism all the church has to offer is available to every baptized person regardless of age. Children find themselves especially connected to the liturgy of The Episcopal Church as our worship activates all the senses: hear, see, smell, touch and taste.

*Why do we need to continue to print the words in the bulletin permitting all baptized Christians are welcome to the table? Who do we write to to request a change more representative of open table?We are reminded that as Episcopalians, we are a part of a wider communion, with a hierarchy. Currently all baptized Christians are invited to share in The Lord’s Supper according to The Episcopal Church. Yet, many, including Epiphany, practice open table. To change this ruling, contact your delegate to annual Convention to initiate a resolution. Bill Forbes serves as Epiphany’s delegate to Annual Convention. As well, feel free to contact the Rt. Rev. Susan Goff, Bishop, The Diocese of Virginia 110 West Franklin Street, Richmond, Virginia 23220.

*Why do some of us cross ourselves during the Eucharistic Prayer?We cross ourselves, forehead, heart, left shoulder, right shoulder, as a sign of the sacrifice Jesus made for us in his life and death; at the reading of the gospel, that God will be in our head, upon our lips and in our heart. We cross ourselves when the priest offers up a blessing over God’s people: after the Confession of Sin, when invoking the Holy Spirit to reign down upon us during the Eucharistic prayer, at the blessing at the close of worship that as Christ is holy, we too will be made holy.

*How long ago was this symbolism started?Jesus instituted for us the sharing of the bread and cup. He knew the value of a good meal, of people gathered around a table from his Judaic tradition. Taking the ordinary, he made it extraordinary. Over the centuries theologians, priests and scholars developed different ways of practicing The Lord’s Supper until we have what we have today. The Episcopal Church has derived much of its worship practices from the Roman Catholic tradition. At the same time, all denominations have similar symbolism honoring God in Christ.

*Why is bread and wine or just bread considered full communion, but wine alone isn’t?The Last Supper recollects for us the Passover Meal. In Exodus God cautions the people to go. In so doing they are to prepare. In their hurry they are to prepare only unleavened bread. No mention of wine is referenced during the original Exodus Passover; the time God saves God’s people from Pharaoh’s destruction. Jesus incorporates bread and wine to represent his body and blood. “Christ our Passover” is sacrificed for us reminds us of Jesus as the bread of life for us. Wine too, as instituted by Christ, is full communion. But, with the known misuse of alcohol in the church, and the expense of wine, tradition has limited the administration of wine. Bread is for all.

*Why does the priest hold up her hands at the Eucharistic prayer? In the early church, and still in many churches today, everyone held their arms into the air bent with the elbows tucked. This bodily stature, known as the orans posture, is a sign of us offering our whole selves to God in this sacred moment.

*What is the Episcopal position on the connection between the bread and the body? We are a people who seek “the middle way”. Those who practice the belief of transubstantiationwill say the bread and the cup actually become the true body and blood of Jesus Christ at the words of institution (“On the night Jesus died for us…he took bread…”). Yet, the mystery prevails as the effect of the institution does not change the visible appearance of the bread and the wine. We can liken it to God’s incarnation in the person of Jesus Christ. God came among us as human. If the bread becomes the body and blood of Jesus Christ, why doesn’t it appear so? Therefore, many will practice the belief of consubstantiation, the belief that the real presence of Christ is in the bread and the wine at the words of institution. God is present among us as fully human and fully divine in Jesus Christ. Somehow God coexists the bread and the wine as fully divine and as human elements. God takes the ordinary of every day and transforms it and us into the divine. Episcopalians are known to be “broad” in their interpretation of God’s work in our holiness. We hold several positions but for certain that there is a divine mystery in this most holy meal Jesus commands us to share to know his strength and healing love.

*What is the connectivity of the mass to the foretaste of the heavenly banquet? In Holy Communion we say the memorial words of acclamation, or the anamnesis, “we remember his death, we proclaim his resurrection and we await his coming in glory.” We proclaim these words recognizing that in the mystery of the holy meal, time is suspended. The holiness of Christ through the bread and cup is as real for us as then, is now, and will be forever more. In this meal we have a taste of the promises of God fulfilled. Because Jesus teaches us in the gospel message: “I will never again drink of the fruit of this vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom” we are getting a glimpse of what our heavenly life will be. God’s heavenly banquet will include dinner with Jesus.

*Jesus’ gospel command is to sell our possessions and give alms. How does the command connect to the Eucharist? We remember Holy Eucharist is a meal of blessed thanksgiving. We give thanks that God feeds us and fuels us with the strength to follow Jesus. Often, following Jesus is not easy. But, to know God in Christ, often sacrifices are necessary. In Luke 12:34 we learn from Jesus, our treasure comes from giving in the name of Jesus. His meal fortifies us and strengthens us to follow Jesus’ command.

Thank you again good friends. You’ve taught me much.

Many blessings,

Hillary