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Lord’s Supper Variations
Living and traveling worldwide has exposed me to many ways the Lord's people eat His supper each first day of the week. This is so refreshing and at the same time reassuring that the congregations are undenominational and independent with no central oversight uniformly structuring things. In the absence of some of the specifics involving the logistics of eating it, God leaves such judgments up to us as to what we think expedient. And, as long as it is in harmony with what has been said, all variations are acceptable.
I have seen people hold the bread and cups in their hand until all have been served and then upon the cue of the presiding saint all place it in their mouths at the same moment.
I have seen people say nothing before serving the table, while others practically preach a sermon about some aspect of the Lord's death beforehand.
I have seen people eat a very small morsel of bread and a similar quantity of grape juice, but I have seen others eat and drink a larger amount. I have seen and participated in the eating of an unleavened loaf the size of a big hamburger bun and other times have eaten part of a flat cracker. I have eaten homemade bread that tastes very good. I have sometimes eaten bland "matzoz".
I have eaten the communion bread served on beautiful ornate plates and the cups in "golden" trays, but I have also had the bread served to me on cheap kitchen saucers and have drunk the grape juice from a tall kitchen table glass. I have drunk out of multiple containers, but at times I have shared the fruit of the vine with the others by drinking from one big cup or chalice (goblet). I have drunk it fermented, which reminded me more of fruit of the stalk, than fruit of the vine. I have drunk homemade fruit of the vine made from scuppernongs (if you don't know what this is, look it up in a dictionary), but most often purple grape juice.
I have seen the elements prepared and made ready beforehand, but, I have also seen the fruit of the vine kept in the bottle and the bread in tupperware until time to eat it, whereupon the presiding men made everything ready right in front of us all in the midst of the service.
I have gathered around a table at the front of the meeting house, either sitting or standing, and eaten and drunk while the bread and fruit of the vine were being passed around the circle. And this was done while the others (children and non-members) stayed seated in their place. I have seen people asked to stand where they are while the emblems were brought to them. This usually happens on Sunday night. And, in settings where the church meets in some brother's home, I have eaten the memorial meal around a kitchen table or living room coffee table.
I have seen the men assisting in the serving of the supper, standing in front of the congregation with their backs to the audience, while the presider makes his remarks. I have seen the people needing to eat the Supper on Sunday night go into a side room to eat it by themselves. I have been where a song is sung while the participants eat the supper. I have observed the feast with a period of silent meditation before the meal is eaten, but also done so with the silence following, while the rest of the congregation were served.
Could we all bring our own bread and fruit of the vine and put it together with that brought by others to provide the service? I do not see why not. This may have been what was going on in Corinth when Paul says some that have their own supper and eat it before others arrive, shaming those who have nothing. I have yet to see this, but would have no problem with it, for no Scripture is being broken, and it is a matter of human judgment.
Could we all wait about eating on Sunday morning, so as to eat it Sunday night when all the members would be present? I have done that, too.
Could the bread and fruit of the vine be spread on a table at the front of the building and everybody wishing to eat file by in an orderly fashion and take some of both, eating it there or taking it back to their seat to eat? Why not? I have seen this procedure used in taking up the contribution. Each row files out one side in order and walks to the front, by the table where the basket is and drops in their contribution. Then proceeding by, they go back into their pew row, with another row following. I might add that after it is done the presider counts the money in front of them all and enters it into a huge ledger and reports right then and there what the offering was for this particular Lord's Day. But, that is another story. This article has been about the Lord's Supper.
What am I trying to say? The lesson is that the undenominational nature of Lord's church should reflect some variations in how things are structured in various local assemblies … and it does. Let us continue to respect and appreciate that!
