Holy Communion
What it is & why it matters
At St Benet's we usually call it Holy Communion. The Apostle Paul called it the Lord's Supper. Some Christians call it the Eucharist (an ancient name from the Greek word for thanksgiving), and others simply the breaking of bread. All these words refer to something which is perhaps the most distinctive act of Christian worship throughout history and the chief expression of fellowship between Christians all over the world.
Holy Communion is a special way of remembering Jesus. Broadly speaking, it's a symbolic meal in which bread and wine are shared between followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, who meet together around a table in response to his command to 'Do this in remembrance of me.'
Bread and wine are the simple signs Jesus used at his last supper when he said, 'This is my body which is broken for you... This is by blood which is shed for you.' At one level, they express God's love, grace and commitment to us in giving up his son when he died on the cross.
But Christians believe that God also raised Jesus from the dead and gave us his life-giving Spirit, so Holy Communion is a vital, living remembrance, not just a dead ritual or a backward-looking memorial service. Sharing in communion makes us aware of Jesus' real presence with us and in us today; it nourishes us with the spiritual food and drink we need on our journey through life; and it whets our appetite for the future when we will feast in God's presence in heaven.
At St Benet's we celebrate Holy Communion at 1pm on Thursdays and at 11am on the 1st and 3rd Sundays of the month. As an inter-denominational Christian chapel, the communion table at St Benet's is open to all baptised believers in Jesus Christ. We follow a simple order of service, based on the Church of England 's Common Worship and other Reformed church traditions.
God's Word is central to the service, and there's room for silence too; we pray for the world and the college, as well as our own needs; sometimes we listen to music, and occasionally we sing - all in about a half an hour.
On a more personal note, I know that there are many understandings, misunderstandings, and even mysteries surrounding Holy Communion. Most Christians customarily take part in communion services just in their own denominations and in their own local places of worship on Sundays. But as a chaplain at Queen Mary, I'm increasingly aware that communion can be a special means of grace for us during the week in the workplace - it's a sign that God is here and involved in our daily life, in our work and our study, and it's a sign of the essential unity of all Christians, joined in holiness, love and truth, whatever other worship styles or church traditions we have.
Whether you can join us week by week or just once a year, the Lord Jesus Christ welcomes you to his table at St Benet's.
