About Communion, Communion Supplies & Protestant Holy Communion
What is Communion?
Communion celebrations in Protestant churches are most often held weekly or monthly. The most common Communion supplies used for the remembrance of Jesus’ Last Supper with the disciples are grape juice or wine and unleavened bread. Christian Communion is the sharing of a meal that remembers Jesus’ sacrifice and celebrates the redemption He gave to the world through His life, death and resurrection.
Why do we celebrate Communion?
Christians believe Christ instructed them to celebrate Communion with these words: "This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me." 1 Corinthians 11:24
Sharing juice or wine in a chalice or in individual Communion cups and breaking unleavened bread together is a core expression of Christian faith.
Why Unleavened Bread ?
Unleavened bread has traditionally been used as part of Christian Holy Communion celebrations since Christ’s Last Supper with the Apostles. As part of the Jewish Passover, unleavened bread was a central part of the traditional Jewish holiday celebrating the liberation of the people of Israel from slavery in Egypt.
Exodus 12:1-76 describes how, after the Israelites were spared from the tenth plague which killed all first born in Egypt, they were told to journey to the Promised Land. In their haste, they took dough with them before it had been leavened. In commemorating the fact that their first born were spared, or passed over, unleavened bread became a traditional part of the Passover meal or “Seder.”
It was Passover when Jesus sat down with His disciples to share the Last Supper. Unleavened bread was most certainly part of this meal.
How do we celebrate Communion?
Communion is celebrated in many different ways. Many Protestant churches use Communion cups filled with grape juice, passed or served in round Communion trays made out of brass or silver metals. A relatively new product, the Prefilled Communion Cup with Wafer is an all in one Communion cup and wafer kit that has gained favor in recent years thanks to its convenience and healthier qualities. Prefilled Communion cups with wafers are an all in one Communion cup with bread-wafer set that keeps the elements safely sealed until it is time to partake, eliminating extra handling. Still, use of a common Communion cup is the preference of some churches. In this case a cup or chalice of grape juice or wine is passed from church member to church member. Is the new all in one Communion cup with bread concept appealing to you and your church? For a limited time you can order free samples from Celebrate Communion!
When a common Communion cup is used, the faithful either take the bread or Communion wafers separately, or may dip the bread or wafer into the cup prior to partaking. This act of dipping unleavened Communion bread or wafers into a Communion cup is called “intinction.”
What else is Communion called?
While the frequency and manner in which Communion is celebrated might vary from church to church or denomination to denomination, the other terms synonymous with Communion are generally the same for all Christians. Other terms for Communion include:
• Holy Communion
• The Lord’s Supper
• The Eucharist
• Breaking of the Bread
• Sacrament of the Table
What does the Bible say about Communion?
While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take and eat; this is my body." Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins." Matthew 26:26-28 (NIV)
While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take it; this is my body." Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, and they all drank from it. "This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many." Mark 14:22-24 (NIV)
And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me." In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you." Luke 22:19-20 (NIV)
Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf. 1 Corinthians 10:16-17 (NIV)
And when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, "This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me." In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me." For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes. 1 Corinthians 11:24-26 (NIV)
Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day." John 6:53-54 (NIV)