- From the Letters of the Early Church: 1 Corinthians 11:17-26
- From the Gospel: Mark 14:22-26
The Hymns this week are:
- 457 As We Gather at Your Table
- 468 Let Us Talents and Tongues
- 480 Let Us Break Bread Together
- 402 We Are One
This week we will have a report from last weekend's meeting of Cambrian Presbytery. (You can read about the meeting here
The Sermon Title is The Banquet of Hope
Early Thoughts: What is this thing we call communion? Is it a somber solemn event of mourning and remembrance or a joyful banquet of the kingdom of God?
It is both of course. Over the course of Christian history and theology a variety of understandings of Communion/Eucharist have developed.
It is my opinion tht we focus on different aspects of communion at different times. Sometimes it is indeed most appropriate to focus on the meal of memory and sacrifice. Sometimes there is a focus on the salvation found in the cross. Sometimes howver we need to focus on the nature of the meal as a foretaste of the reign of God.
My preferred theology of communion is that last one. When we gather at the table for this meal we are pre-figuring the banquet of hope and celebration when the words "thy kingdom come, thy will be done" have come to be a reality. ANd so this is where I am leaning as we prepare to celebrate Worldwide COmmunion Sunday. THe meal which unites us is the great sign of hope that we shall one day be in fact united.
Besides, we seem to need a reminder of hope these days.
--Gord
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