Odd Question About How the Sanctuary is Ordered

[Backwoods Presbyterian]

How many of y'alls churches leave the outward elements of the Lord's Supper (i.e. - the fancy metal or wooden steins and the like, obviously not the wine and bread) on the communion table during weeks you do not have communion?

I realize this is an odd and probably silly question.

 

[AThornquist]

At my past churches, no. The question doesn't even apply to my current church since, after singing and the preached Word during the first PM service of the month, we walk to the fellowship hall and partake in communion together at tables, sing a few songs, hear brief exhortation from the pastors, allow people to encourage the body by sharing ways that they were blessed by the Lord since the last communion service, especially in spiritual ways. We pray throughout and close in prayer, then leave. It is very unlike communion at any other church I've been to and thus your question doesn't fit our procedures. Regardless, I haven't been to a church that leaves the outward elements of communion out when communion won't be taken that day.

 

[dudley]

We have 3 services every Sunday. The 8 AM worship service is a Communion service every Sunday, weekly. However the 9:30 AM worship service and the 11 AM worship service have Communion only on the first Sunday of each month, monthly.

The communion cup and serving trays are removed every Sunday after the 8 AM service except for the first Sunday where the service has Communion also at the 9:30 and 11am worship.

However the communion cup and service trays are not left on the Lords Table after the service nor during the week. The Bible is properly displayed on the Lords Table during the time that we do not have communion. I imagine this is to emphasize our position that the Gospel is the central and the focal point of all Christian worship. The Gospel message is always the center of our focus as Protestants. The Communion cup and service trays are only out on the Lords table for the Communion service.

 

[N. Eshelman]

Ours are put away and stored. The ones that we have are old silver ones from the early 1900s with RPC engraved on them. Quite nice. But we also use a common table which means that our table gets put away as well.

We do have a small table in front of the pulpit that there from week to week, but we have an open Bible on it. That all gets put away when we have the Lord's Supper as well.

 

[LawrenceU]

I have been at a church that did this. Nobody knew why. It is just what they had done for over one hundred years.

 

[JonathanHunt]

Our communion table is there all the time. The silver plate and cup holders are put away, and a Bible sits there instead.

 

[jwithnell]

Both the baptismal font and Lord's table are in front every week. We have a fresh loaf of bread sitting beside the cup as a reminder, I believe, of the means of grace provided for us (since the pulpit obviously in up front too.) The table is only used for bread and wine and the necessary serving articles.

 

[puritan628]

We have communion every week and the utensils for serving the communion are prepared for communion and put away after communion each week.

 

[Scottish Lass]

For our previous church and this one, Tim purchased a simple, plain pottery goblet and plate that always stay out on the table. There are fancy pieces that are sometimes used during the Lord's Supper, but especially at Ebenezer their value (and the fact that they could be seen from outside the sanctuary) resulted in their safekeeping the rest of the time.

 

[Andres]

We have communion every week and the utensils for serving the communion are prepared for communion and put away after communion each week.

 

[Contra_Mundum]

I'm sort of partial to having the font "stored" at the door of the meetinghouse, the "entrance." Bring to the front for public use in worship. Not that I have my way or anything...

(also, I have trouble with the traditional language, "sanctuary," as employed in the OP)

 

[Marrow Man]

For our previous church and this one, Tim purchased a simple, plain pottery goblet and plate that always stay out on the table. There are fancy pieces that are sometimes used during the Lord's Supper, but especially at Ebenezer their value (and the fact that they could be seen from outside the sanctuary) resulted in their safekeeping the rest of the time.

Yep, the pieces at Ebenezer were silver plated and from 1888 (it was engraved on the side). But even the "font" was actually a matching bowl and was put away as well. So, no font on display every week either.

 

[Edward]

No font at our church - a silver bowl is placed on a small table before the pulpit when the sacrament is being administered - usually one Sunday a month.