November 26, 2002

NASHVILLE – The sacrament of Holy Communion is important to United Methodists, though understandings and practice vary widely.

Nearly 100 clergy and laity from six annual conferences in the Southeast Jurisdiction made that determination as they provided reactions to a paper being developed by the denomination's 19-member Holy Communion Study Committee. During the committee's Nov. 13-16 meeting, participants engaged in a "listening post" to share their concerns about the sacrament and what each hoped would be the result of the study.

One of the consistent concerns voiced was the need to keep the communion table open to all. The study committee has struggled with how to uphold the "open table" as practiced by United Methodists, along with the classical order of the Christian sacraments-baptism leading to communion. Committee members have learned from earlier listening posts that United Methodists have passionate opinions about Holy Communion even though understandings and practices differ.

The committee is conducting listening posts in each of the five jurisdictions of the church and individual members are holding sessions in representative central conferences in Europe, Africa and the Philippines.

The 2000 General Conference mandated the United Methodist Board of Discipleship form a Holy Communion study committee to bring to the 2004 session a comprehensive paper on the theology and practice of Holy Communion. Committee members reflect the diversity of the church's theological spectrum, racial and ethnic makeup, and also include representatives from the denomination's Board of Higher Education and Ministry, Commission on Christian Unity and Interreligious Concerns and Council of Bishops.

"The aim of the committee as it deliberates is to create a ‘centrist' document that paints in clear strokes the fullest and best of our United Methodist Holy Communion tradition, both our theology and practice, " said the Rev. Dan Benedict, a committee member and Board of Discipleship executive.

In earlier meetings, the committee agreed that it was not charged with changing the ritual of the church as contained in the denomination's hymnals and book of worship or with generating legislation. Benedict said that while the proposed paper may at points identify practices that "are not compatible with our understanding, the intent is to create a positive vision of what Holy Communion can be in United Methodist churches."

The Nov. 14 session indicated that participants clearly want pastors to be better trained and more effective as leaders and teachers who interpret the sacrament to congregations. United Methodists want a study document that church members can read and understand, Benedict said. They want the church to provide clear guidance in relationship to the Lord's Supper and to provide print and electronic resources for learning their way into vital Eucharistic celebration.

Several deacons present asked that the paper be clear about their role in Communion. To the surprise of some, one GenXer who was selected by his table to be a panelist, made it clear that he was looking for tradition and mystery in celebrations of the Lord's Supper.

In another session, the committee made significant progress on the question of the invitation to the table. Members agreed that a middle way had to be found that honored the "open table" as a welcome to all and "that upholds recognition of the nature of Christian discipleship inherent in sharing life in union with Christ's sacrifice for us," Benedict said.

The key to dealing with the question seemed to revolve around the nature of the invitation as Christ's welcome and call to all who "do truly and earnestly repent of your sins and are in love and charity with your neighbor, and intend to lead a new life, following the commandments of God...," he said, while quoting invitation found in the Word and Table IV service of the United Methodist Hymnal.

While the language is yet to be worked out, the committee was ready to affirm a necessary balance of an open welcome with a clear invitation to a disciplined life.

The committee's work is currently represented in three documents: a comprehensive list of the contents to be covered and two drafts called "This Holy Mystery" that were developed out of questions dealt with at the second and third meetings of the committee. These papers can be found and responded to at www.umcworship.org, the Board' of Discipleship's worship Web site.

The Rev. Gayle C. Felton, a Discipleship consultant who was the lead writer for the denomination's interpretive pieces on Baptism, is the principal writer for the Holy Communion Study Committee. She will compile several pieces into one document by early January.

The committee will next meet March 6-9 in Evanston, Ill., hosting a listening post there on March 8. The final meeting of the committee will be June 16-19 in Oklahoma City, Okla.

United Methodist News Service