Grace's first experiment with Holy Communion, and first cafe-format service. The actual eucharist was the third course of a meal.
The aim of the service was to explore communion a bit, get people to share their experiences and understanding round the meal table, and to set the scene for future 'eucharist@grace.london' services. We set the service up cafe stylee with tables and chairs at the front of the church.
Order of service:
invitation/welcome [jen]
songs x 2
intro to evening and theme [mike]
potted history of how we got from last supper to church communion now [jonny]
testimonies of peoples understanding and experiences of communion - this will be done interview style with mike interviewing [jen, dave, bill and steve paynter - the new vicar]
set scene for the meal - get people in groups and facilitate story telling around the table w.r.t. communion experiences and understandings [dave]
prayers esp. for future communion services we do - to include burning of incense [steve]
song - thankyou for hearing me
Photos
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This was Grace's first experiment with Holy Communion, and first cafe-format service. We filled the available space between the pews and the screen with chairs and tables. |
We served a meal and discussed our experiences of Holy Communion. The Communion was served as the third course of the meal. We have continued to develop both cafe format and communion meal as regular features of Grace. |
Passing round bread and wine. |
Prayers with incense dropped onto a small barbecue. Note the fire extinguisher beside the altar! |
Final song. |
We found these 1950s and 60s melamine cups and saucers in a box in the church kitchen, and used them for the service. There were something like 30 or 40 in various colours. We intended to make them a regular feature of our own cafe, but a couple of months later the church threw them out! We were outraged, because a] we wanted them and b] they had value even then (before eBay!). But to the older members of the church they were just 'old rubbish'. |