In what posture do you receive communion at your church?

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Sitting in our pews.

I sort of like kneeling, but there are of course arguments about how that might be seen as a display of idolatry toward the elements. Interesting question, Peter.
 
After you answer the poll, which do you prefer? Does Scripture speak on the subject, or is it a matter of indifference?
 
In the OPC and PCA churches I've attended it has been sitting in the pew. But when I was in the Free reformed Church we always sat at a table together. I prefer that form just because I think it more accurately represents what is going on there, communion with Christ and each other. It seems to have a more familial sense than the other forms. :two cents:
 
We walk forward to receive it. A nice twist our pastor did was to put the baptismal fount (sp?) in the middle of the aisle so everyone walks past it to remember their baptism. From one sacrament to the next.
 
We each walk forward, one row at a time, and kneel as the elders bring the elements and offer words of grace. It's a timely process, but I think it helps reflect just how central communion really is to the life of the body of Christ.
 
Such as:

"Christ's body was broken for your sins on the cross. This sacrament reminds you that just as bread nourishes our bodies, so does Christ through his broken body nourish our souls. Take, eat, and rejoice."

Or:

"This is the cup of the New Covenant, ratified by the blood of Christ, the only atonement for sins. As you take this cup, drink with great joy, knowing that Christ's blood as atoned for all your sins."

Anything similar to the above is usually what is said.
 
As a Charismatic, I prefer a cartwheel or triple handspring, ALWAYS accompanied with loud shouting.

ideadevil.gif
 
The eldership at my church is going through a few changes...that being said.....communion at
my church.......well............you go up to the tables when ever you want while the "worship team" plays music..... and the most popular posture is sitting.
 
We are served in our seats (we don't have pews), and we break a piece off the bread and eat as we receive it. When it comes to the cup (non alchoholic wine - *sigh*) we all take our little thimbleful but we drink together.

Before either element is distributed, an elder reads some scriptures.

JH
 
Originally posted by JonathanHunt
We are served in our seats (we don't have pews), and we break a piece off the bread and eat as we receive it. When it comes to the cup (non alchoholic wine - *sigh*) we all take our little thimbleful but we drink together.

Before either element is distributed, an elder reads some scriptures.

JH
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Thats about the same as my church except we do not always have communion together.
 
Though I receive it sitting in a chair I much prefer to partake of the Supper at a table-- this is how I organized it when I served at various churches. In my humble opinion a table best captures the original setting, unity, and close knit fellowship-- both vertical and horizontal.

Jim
 
In our church, we sit at a common table. I think this practice has the most Biblical warrant.

I think the key thing, from my perspective, is to avoid any practice which implies adoration of the "host." There have been many abuses throughout church history relating to the administration of the Lord's Supper and churches have gone off on different tangents. I would not be dogmatic about sitting vs. standing, but kneeling is a practice that to me smacks of Popery.

Schaff notes:

In most of the Reformed churches (except the Anglican) the responses passed out of use, and the kneeling posture in receiving the communion gave way to the standing or sitting posture.
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I prefer to the table posture as (1) it is the historically presbyterian posture (2) it was likely the posture of Christ Himself. Andrew's right, kneeling for communion was typically seen as idolatry. It was a Roman Catholic way of worshipping the transubstaniated host. In the Articles of Perth imposed upon the Scottish Church, where there was no assumption of transtubstantiation, it was widely unpopular and decried as superstitious for reverencing the elements. I personally think its a trapping we should avoid. I have a question for kneelers, do you drink the wine kneeling? do you take the cup with your hands, or do you drink from the hands of the minister? Catholics don't allow the cup to everyone so the obvious problem you might have is averted, my guess is protestant kneelers do drink though.

Here's a particularly disturbing Romanist website on kneeling: http://www.ourlady.ca/info/kneeling.htm
 
we kneal at the rail in the front of the sanctuary

Some alledgedly conservative Anglican groups practice intincture. They then recieve the Lord's Supper standing.

Standing does not bother me nearly as much as the practice of intincture.
 
In college I attended a Lutheran Missouri Synod church (there were no reformed or Presbyterian churches there.) They went forward and then kneeled. They also used a chalice as well. Not sure if that is typical of all Lutherans or just this church.
 
We drink the cup while kneeling, and we are allowed to take the cup in our hands. Kneeling while taking the elements no more implies idolatry than having a raised platform for the pulpit implies the worshipping of the pastor. Kneeling is a posture of humility, which is how we are supposed to approach the sacrament, in humble reliance upon Christ.
 
I normally don't cite from people like Jim Jordan :D , but I found this comment by him interesting:

Finally, I find no justification whatsoever for kneeling for communion. Every meal in the Bible is pictured as sitting or reclining, in a relaxed posture, save for the very first Passover. The whole point of the meal is that it affirms our peace with God, our sitting down with Him at table. Not to sit is to call into question our forgiveness and acceptance by Him. Sitting shows that we do accept His gift, and that we understand what it means. Almost all the Reformers understood this, and it is a sad accident of history that the Church of England did not reform herself in this area.

Anglican traditionalists come up with all kinds of justifications for kneeling at communion, but they all fall to the ground before the Biblical facts. Sitting at table with God is a sign that our peace with Him is absolutely secure. Jesus has finished the work, and sits with the Father; in union with Him, we also sit. If we do not sit, it shows that we do not understand our union with Him correctly. Standing and kneeling are not relaxed postures, and are most inappropriate for communion. If I visit a church that kneels, then I also kneel; but the Bible teaches otherwise and such churches need to work for reformation in this area.
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http://www.biblicalhorizons.com/rr/rr029.htm
 
Seriously though, at our missions base we have a communion table in the prayer room or you can take it back to your seat.

Andrew, I'm glad someone enjoyed that ;)
 
Does mine count? No position! I am barred, for over two years; with still no resolution in sight.

Sorry, it didn't mean to bring this in here, but its more than just a sore point with me to be refused the means of grace for so long, with the church being in no hurry to rectify the problem.
 
Such as:

"Christ's body was broken for your sins on the cross. This sacrament reminds you that just as bread nourishes our bodies, so does Christ through his broken body nourish our souls. Take, eat, and rejoice."

Or:

"This is the cup of the New Covenant, ratified by the blood of Christ, the only atonement for sins. As you take this cup, drink with great joy, knowing that Christ's blood as atoned for all your sins."

Anything similar to the above is usually what is said.
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Craig, I have always enjoyed worshipping at St. Paul´s when we are in Orlando and the way the church celebrates the Lord´s Supper is one of the reasons (also the preaching of Pastor Malone is quite good.)

At our church, we normally partake with the congregation sieated in thier chairs and the Elders serving each row with trays.
 
Does mine count? No position! I am barred, for over two years; with still no resolution in sight.
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John, that is quite bizzare. Have you sought help from the Presbytery?
 
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