One of the many joys of our Easter Sunday worship this year was the celebration of the Lord’s Supper. Seen one way, this may have seemed out of order—a return to the Thursday before. Yet seen another way, we were simply doing what we do every time we gather around the communion table, but with greater intensity: looking back on that night and that meal with resurrection eyes.
We also celebrated this meal differently than usual, by dipping the bread (wafer) into the cup during our procession toward the table, rather than taking these elements separately. Known as intinction, this method is widely used in the broader church. It’s also a method we use at Northminster for special occasions, such as Thanksgiving Vespers and Maundy Thursday. Many years ago, it was among a handful of methods alternated on Sunday mornings.
After receiving feedback from many of you and a lively, thoughtful discussion at our recent meeting, the Worship and Music Committee has decided to continue celebrating the Lord’s Supper in this manner through the summer, beginning this coming Sunday. While repetition and familiarity are powerful forces in ritual, so are intentional variation and occasional surprise. We hope that celebrating the Lord’s Supper in a fresh way—for us—will allow us to experience this holy act of remembrance, community, and hope anew.