Showing posts with label World Communion Sunday. Show all posts
Showing posts with label World Communion Sunday. Show all posts
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Today is World Communion Sunday
Today is World Communion Sunday, traditionally observed on the first Sunday in October. The Christian Community world wide gathers to share the bread and wine in remembrance of Him, with the added thought and prayer for the unity of Christians everywhere.
For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, 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 also the cup, after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me." For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes. (1 Corinthians 11: 23-26)
Our Service at First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) Las Vegas, is particularly wonderful. We have several ethnic churches that use our facility, so communion is shared in Spanish, French, Tagalog and Korean. It's an extraordinary service, and is a reminder of Him, who sacrificed so much, and we are all united by His Love, Mecy, and Forgiveness.
All are welcome at the Table in our church if you have accepted the Lord as Savior. One doesn't need to be a member.
"Those who are faithful and of little faith,
Those who are weak and strong,
Those who are hungry and satisfied,
Those who are lions and lambs,
Those who are doves and sword bearers,
Those who are afflicted and comfortable."
(Rev. Dr. Byron Anthony Wade.)
Lyrics to my favorite communion hymn:
In Remembrance
(Ragan Courtney and Buryl Red)
In remembrance of Me eat this bread
In remembrance of Me drink this wine
In remembrance of Me pray for the time
When God's own will is done
In remembrance of me heal the sick
In remembrance of me feed the poor
In remembrance of me open the door
And let your brother in, let him in
Take eat and be comforted
Drink and remember too
That this is my body and precious blood
Shed for you, shed for you
In remembrance of me always love
In remembrance of me don't look above
But in your heart, in your heart
Look in your heart for God
Do this in remembrance of Me
Do this in remembrance of Me
In remembrance of Me
As we Christians share this day, this bread, this wine in remembrance of Him, we pray for a healed world, for peace, for justice.
Sunday, October 5, 2008
World Communion Sunday and My Church
World Communion Sunday started with the Presbyterians in 1936 and is way to experience communion in an international context; to remind Christians that we are all unified under Christ. At our church we've combined that with Reconciliation Day, which is a focus on healing racial wounds and bringing all races and cultures together. On our campus we have the Logos Church (Korean), Centro Cristiano de Libertad (Hispanic), Premiere Eglise Dvangelique Haitienne de Las Vegas (Haitian), Filipino-American United Church of Christ, and another Disciples of Christ Church that meets in Summerlin (multi-cultural/primarily African American). On World Communion Sunday we all come together in one service, and all languages are spoken. Opening our service today we had a responsive reading, "Passing the Peace" lead by the pastor of each church:
Pastor: The peace of Christ be with you!
People: And also with you!
Pastor: La paz del Senor se Contigo.
People: Y contigo tambien.
Pastor: Gue-Lee-Sau-Dou-i Pyung-Hwaa-Gaa Ham-Kkeh Haal-Hee-Uh-Daa
People Daang-Shin-Sh-Keh-Doh
Pastor: Que la paix et la grace de Dieu soit avec vous tous.
People: Et avec votre esprit.
Followed by the "Call to Celebrate"
Pastor: We are all one family.
People: We are all one family, made in the image of God.
Pastor: somos todo una familia. (Spanish)
People: We are all one family, all over the world.
Pastor: Woo-Lee-Neun Mooh-Doo Haan Gaa-Johk-Ip-Nee-Daa (Korean)
People: We are all one family, brothers and sisters.
Pastor: Nou tout se yon sed fammy. (French)
People: We are all one family, given gifts and talents to share.
Pastor: We come to the table as one family, united in love, united in peace, united in Christ our Lord. Amen
For our call to Prayer we sang "Alleluia" in English, Spanish and French.
Eglise Enagelique Haitienne church members sang "Great is Thy Faithfulness" (French)
The Scripture reading, Galatians 3:28 "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus." Then to tie in Reconciliation with the Communion Sunday, 2nd Corinthians 5:17-20 "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God , who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God." I want to note here, the word 'new' in this context. From Strong's, 'new' is unused, fresh, novel; new in regard to form or quality, rather than new in reference to time.
There wasn't a sermon, but a dialogue amongst the pastors, our pastors asking the others about their history, countries, faith, and how they come to use our church as a meeting place for theirs. The most heart aching story was from the Haitian pastor. She had started her church at another campus, and she said the negative reaction to her skin color was stronger than any sense of the brotherhood and sisterhood of Christ. She said when she met our pastors, she knew these were truly different people from what she had experienced. She and her congregation have felt so comfortable and supported by us, that she was grateful beyond words. It breaks my heart to hear that such racism is still so acceptable to so many, and at the same time happy and proud that my church works so hard, from the heart, to bring love and comfort to all people.
After the sermon/dialogue, Communion was served. There was a long table with breads from all over the world, and along the back of the table were creches from many countries. Communion is not only the high point of any service for me (our church serves communion every Sunday), but the high point of every week. I feel so full of the Spirit when I partake, feel so much that my prayers are being answered, that I know all I practice and believe is so very true and real. This was especially true today.
Pastor: The peace of Christ be with you!
People: And also with you!
Pastor: La paz del Senor se Contigo.
People: Y contigo tambien.
Pastor: Gue-Lee-Sau-Dou-i Pyung-Hwaa-Gaa Ham-Kkeh Haal-Hee-Uh-Daa
People Daang-Shin-Sh-Keh-Doh
Pastor: Que la paix et la grace de Dieu soit avec vous tous.
People: Et avec votre esprit.
Followed by the "Call to Celebrate"
Pastor: We are all one family.
People: We are all one family, made in the image of God.
Pastor: somos todo una familia. (Spanish)
People: We are all one family, all over the world.
Pastor: Woo-Lee-Neun Mooh-Doo Haan Gaa-Johk-Ip-Nee-Daa (Korean)
People: We are all one family, brothers and sisters.
Pastor: Nou tout se yon sed fammy. (French)
People: We are all one family, given gifts and talents to share.
Pastor: We come to the table as one family, united in love, united in peace, united in Christ our Lord. Amen
For our call to Prayer we sang "Alleluia" in English, Spanish and French.
Eglise Enagelique Haitienne church members sang "Great is Thy Faithfulness" (French)
The Scripture reading, Galatians 3:28 "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus." Then to tie in Reconciliation with the Communion Sunday, 2nd Corinthians 5:17-20 "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God , who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God." I want to note here, the word 'new' in this context. From Strong's, 'new' is unused, fresh, novel; new in regard to form or quality, rather than new in reference to time.
There wasn't a sermon, but a dialogue amongst the pastors, our pastors asking the others about their history, countries, faith, and how they come to use our church as a meeting place for theirs. The most heart aching story was from the Haitian pastor. She had started her church at another campus, and she said the negative reaction to her skin color was stronger than any sense of the brotherhood and sisterhood of Christ. She said when she met our pastors, she knew these were truly different people from what she had experienced. She and her congregation have felt so comfortable and supported by us, that she was grateful beyond words. It breaks my heart to hear that such racism is still so acceptable to so many, and at the same time happy and proud that my church works so hard, from the heart, to bring love and comfort to all people.
After the sermon/dialogue, Communion was served. There was a long table with breads from all over the world, and along the back of the table were creches from many countries. Communion is not only the high point of any service for me (our church serves communion every Sunday), but the high point of every week. I feel so full of the Spirit when I partake, feel so much that my prayers are being answered, that I know all I practice and believe is so very true and real. This was especially true today.
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