I have been at The Bible Talks for the same 2 years as Bronwyn.  We’ve celebrated the Lord’s Supper twice in that time (you must have missed those nights Bronwyn).  We also celebrated it on our weekend away last year.

We do have a high proportion of visitors (on average this year 24 per week), many of whom are not Christian.

And hold on to your hats:  we’ll be eating together and remembering what the Lord has done again in the next few weeks.

While I have never seen Holy Communion celebrated at church I should comment about both things.

Back to the topic of the thread..

I have only ever attended 2 other Anglican Churches with a worthwile period of time to see if they do confirmation or communion.

1. At the first church I was considered to young for confirmation but I do believe they did about a 4 week course on what it means to be a Christian

2. The second one I do believe they did a course for a number of Sundays and but I can’t remember what they did.

However, I got the impression that confirmation was a thing you do because you went to the Anglican church.

Back onto communion.

1. TBT is the first church I went to that did not practice communion on a regular basis.
2. Having said that, I always got the impression that communion was no more then a meaningless ritual in church despite the fact it is written about in the Bibel

Terry Gallagher - 20 November 2008 06:27 PM

Bronwyn Sheldon - 19 November 2008 02:30 PM

TBT = The Bible Talks

What I was saying is that we have never done confirmation or Holy Communion in our congregation.

Hi Bronwyn,

If your congregation at The Bible Talks never celebrates the Lord’s Supper , then it seems to me that the leadership of your congregation is simply not listening and obeying when the Bible talks -
for example Luke 22:19, 1 Corinthinas 11:24.

Grace & Peace,
Terry

Maybe ‘TBT’ should spend some time discussing 1 Corinthians Ch. 11, V23-25 and similar passages in the Gospels and what place the Sacrament of Holy Communion (the Eucharist or The Lord’s Supper) has in the Anglican Church.  It’s really sad that people that attend our churches these days should have so little understanding of the most basic Anglican beliefs and practices that they would regard the celebration of Holy Communion to be “meaningless ritual”.

As an aside, I was suprised to learn that the diocese of Brisbane accepts children as young as 7 for communion - as long as they ask for it. I don’t think they do confirmation anymore.

When I was a lad, I had to be 11. Old Felix Arnott confirmed me. It was a bit beyond my comprehension at the time. I certainly didn’t really understand the significance of his position, or what we were doing. I can’t imagine that my daughter (turning 9 on Monday) would have enough understanding to responsibly make that decision - let alone at 7! But different people are different, I suppose.

I don’t think twice in 2 years qualifies as regular practice of Holy Communion.

I am suprised at the somewhat harsh words from some posters. I am sure the leadership of my congregation is rather familiar with the Bible passages as quoted above, and I am sure that they are familiar with all the passages that are relevant to this that weren’t quoted above. I get the feeling that some people put Anglican tradition above all else, especially as “Anglican Tradition” was meant to only assist people to help people develop an understanding of what the Bible says.

Please remember that the BCP only requires that people have communion three times a year! Weekly communion is a far more recent trend.

Mark Calder - 23 November 2008 07:32 AM

Please remember that the BCP only requires that people have communion three times a year! Weekly communion is a far more recent trend.

....may I ask .....What is BCP?

The Book of Common Prayer

I find Steven Nicholson’s comment about confirmation being “ a very Anglican tradition” very funny considering that St. Andrew’s Cathedral has taken to dropping The Eucharist, according to another contributor.
It is very much a Catholic sacrament, not Anglican at all!!

Brent Anthony Egan - 23 November 2008 04:19 PM

I find Steven Nicholson’s comment about confirmation being “ a very Anglican tradition” very funny considering that St. Andrew’s Cathedral has taken to dropping The Eucharist, according to another contributor.

With respect, it hasn’t.  Does St. Mary’s Cathedral consecrate its Hosts at Vespers?

Mark Calder - 23 November 2008 07:32 AM

Weekly communion is a far more recent trend.

Hi Mark,

I only have time for a quick post at present but your statement that “weekly communion is a far more recent trend” than the 1500s/1600s is quite wrong in the overall history of the Christian church.

There are clear references to weekly celebration of the Lord’s Supper in the writings of the early Church fathers, before the 300s AD.

That does not mean weekly Communion is obligatory but it does mean it has long been something quite normal.

Grace & peace,
Terry