Every time I visit a new church, one of the first questions I have is this: "Am I welcome to receive Holy Communion?" If so, how do I do it? Ever ask those questions yourself?
Every time we celebrate Holy Communion, as the Pastor, I have the privilege to stand behind the altar and invite people to receive the greatest gift in the world -- Jesus Christ's body and blood present "in, with, and under" the bread and wine. I often invite with the words, "These are God's gifts for God's people. Come for all are welcome."
And yet, I wonder how often someone sits in the pew wondering if they are really welcome. Do I really mean "ALL are welcome" or is this some sort of church "code language" that really means "all who know what to do" or " all who are members" or "all who have been here before"?
What can we do to make this invitation heard and felt by everyone in the pews? Maybe it would help to be aware of who is going before you or after you.
- Have you seen them before? (What a great time to introduce yourself!)
- Perhaps watch to see if they need some gentle guidance ("We go this way".... "We kneel at the rail".... "We leave after we receive the wine"....etc.)
- If they seem hesitant about going forward, it might be helpful to re-iterate that they are welcome -- even if they won't take Communion -- to receive a personal blessing.
- And SMILE through the whole process. After all... it's a gift that God is giving to each of us. We didn't earn it. We don't deserve it. And yet, we still get it!
