We’ll be taking the Lord’s Supper together during all worship services this Sunday. Preparing our hearts is an important part of taking communion together. Our Founding Pastor, Rick Duncan, shared some thoughts on how we can prepare for this special time of worship. For those who aren’t able to join us on campus, we’re also offering some tips on how you can participate with us from your home.
Communion (the Lord’s Supper) is an ordinance given to all believers by Jesus to remember His sacrifice for us. If you are a true believer in Jesus Christ and are in good standing with us at Cuyahoga Valley Church, you are invited to join us online to remember His selfless sacrifice. Consider this as an invitation, not a requirement.
The elements of bread and juice are symbols of Jesus’ broken body and shed blood. Communion is not a means of salvation. It is an act of obedience and worship that demonstrates a believer’s faith in the atoning work of the cross. It’s a way for us to worship, to think soberly about our forgiveness, to commune with Christ, and to reaffirm our surrender to follow Jesus as Lord.
If you don’t feel led to participate or if you feel uncomfortable for any reason about participating, then don’t participate. At that point in the service, simply lift up your heart in gratitude to God for the sacrifice of His Son. If you are not in the place where you consider Christ Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior or if you are unrepentant about sin in your life, then we would encourage you to pray quietly while others celebrate the Lord’s Supper together.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES FOR PERSONAL PREPARATION:
- Matthew 26:26-30
- Mark 14:22-26
- Luke 22:19-20
- 1 Corinthians 11:23-29
HOW TO PREPARE FOR COMMUNION AT HOME
Prepare your heart: Confess all known sin. Seek restoration with anyone you may have hurt or offended. God’s Word says that we should not eat of the Lord’s Supper in an unworthy way.
Gather the elements: Grape juice and bread or crackers – find elements that best approximate those that we would use for Lord’s Supper at CVC.
Prepare the juice: Serve the juice in individual small glasses for each participant. We encourage you to use glasses that you would not normally use. This will help you and your family remember the significance of Communion.
Prepare the bread or crackers: Use a special dish or tray. When you share the elements, allow people in your family to access the elements one at a time in order to maintain a safe distance from one another.
Follow the directions: The Teaching Pastor will guide you to eat and drink together with others in the CVC family of faith.
