Should ministers and members of confessionally Reformed Churches partake of the Lord's Supper in ecumencial services with other churches in the area?

** assume for the sake of argument that all participants in the service are professing Trinitarian Protestants** (i.e. no Roman Catholics, EO, or cult participants)

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Patrick
MDiv, RTS Jackson
Pastor, Grace Presbyterian Church (OPC), Lisbon, NY

"He does well, that discourses of Christ; but he does infinitely better, that by experimental knowledge, feeds and lives on Christ." Thomas Brooks.
"Let us not please ourselves that we have deep understandings, but let us shew our understandings by our practice." Richard Sibbes

While I would not want that done as a means of watering down reformed theology, I think in select instances it would be okay since we do allow persons who are, for examples, members in good standing of a church where the gospel is preached to partake. As long as the minimal biblical requirements (e.g. fence for unbelievers, etc.) are in good faith, observed.

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Scott
PCA
North Carolina


"Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised)"
Hebrews 10:23

Yes, I know the PCA BCO specifically allows members of evangelical churches in good standing to participate. I'm having trouble finding something like that in the OPC BCO though. Any OPC experts have any idea where such a principle is spelled out?

I would suggest that as long as the view on the administration and substance of the sacraments is the same, and that the basic evangelical doctrines are in agreement, it would be ok.

By "evangelical doctrines" i mean the doctrine of the Gospel itself. In other words, we are saved by God's grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.

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Larry Bray
Elder - Reformed Presbyterian Church of Boothwyn, PCA
Boothwyn, PA - http://www.rpcb.org/
Free Online Reformed Seminary - http://www.tnars.net
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Christian ritual costs nothing and is worth nothing. True Christian religion costs all that we have and is worth everything.

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Martin - Reformed
Husband to the most godly, honorable and loyal wife Line
Searching for a Church
Webpage www.5solas.dk
Free Online Reformed Seminary - http://www.tnars.net
Soli Deo Gloria

No other input?

Patrick,

I can't find anything that would answer your question in the BCO of the OPC either so probably left up to the discretion of the Presbytery and Session. With that said as a layman I'd probably follow the Lead of the Session in this regard as I trust their judgment however I don't personally seek to do so. What would this look like in your question? Would you be having a joint worship service with other churches where communion is celebrated? Would this be a separate service outside of the Stated Worship Service on Sunday? I have never experienced such a service except with other churches of the same denomination.

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Wayne Whitmer
Member, Rio Rancho OPC
Albuquerque, NM

In some cases I would not have a problem with it. However if a congregation in town was started by a faction that was under discipline (recently or historically), wouldn't that be problematic? I know of congregations started by splinter groups, not Church plants from denominations. Also, if they were stated Trinitarian but into some new age stuff, I would also avoid it. Bottom line is it would be a case by case thing depending on the known participants.

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Rich Koster
1689'er
Browns Mills NJ USA
Often Goofy Reformed Eccentric
Romans 7:14-25