Communion
“Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all share the one loaf.”
Why Communion?
Jesus himself told us keep on partaking of this sacramental meal that we now call the Lord’s Supper or Communion when he said, “Do this in remembrance of me”.
The Lord’s Supper is a sacrament that the Holy Spirit uses to forgive sins and to strengthen faith. Jesus said, “this is my body” and “this is my blood” and so we trust that according to his words and his power, we receive exactly what he says, his body and blood in, with, and under the bread and wine.
In this meal, the communication of forgiveness is just as real as the presence of his body and blood that he offers us. “This is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for you for the forgiveness of sins” is what Jesus said the night before he did exactly that: win forgiveness for us, crucified on the cross.
Member-only Communion
We take God’s Word seriously when he spoke through Paul, saying, “Whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord” (1 Corinthians 11:27) and then, “Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup” (1 Corinthians 11:28).
This is why we ask those who have not been instructed in these teachings to wait before they partake in the Lord’s Supper. Not only is it important to recognize what we truly receive when we participate - Jesus’ body and blood and thus forgiveness, but also that we desperately need it - as sinners who need forgiveness.
When you participate, you are not only acknowledging the truth of these teachings, but by participating, you also publicly demostrate your unity with us as church body. That is why we also ask that you wait to be instructed in the full breadth of Biblical teaching and join us as a communicant member before partaking in this beautiful sacrament.
Communion at St. Peter
If you or someone you know is interested in Communion, please fill out the membership class registration form below. Pastor Dunn will meet with you either in a small group class format or one-on-one.
We offer this class at no cost because sharing the gospel and what the Bible teaches is part of the mission that God gives us to share with our community to grow the body of Christ.
There is no commitment in taking the class. However, if you would like to become a member of our church and join us in receiving the Lord’s Supper regularly at our worship services, you are welcome to do so. We will schedule a new member reception and celebration to welcome you into our fellowship.
