women serving lord's supper

[Lev]

Technically, the coC practices open communion hence the passing of the containers throughout the crowd; presumably anyone so inclined is free to partake. To me it would be the height of arrogance for a server to take it upon himself to decide to "skip" anyone. That is not his or (in forward thinking groups) her place. In my opinion even the all knowing elders do not have this right or authority because as mere mortals we cannot know what any other person's relationship to the divine is. Only God knows who is or isn't acceptable to him.

I'm not aware of any place in scripture where the rules of who may or may not participate in communion are laid out. When Jesus instituted the Lord's Supper it was with the apostles. Were any of them baptized?

Personally, I abhor the idea of 'closed communion' and will not knowingly attend the services of a church that practices it, whether I would qualify for participation or not.

Lev

[Lev]

...you were supposed to just break off a tiny piece of the cracker, and to eat it carefully with your front teeth, not chew it (with your molars).

I'm not completely sure because Catholic churches practice 'closed communion' (see my previous post) but isn't it a tradition among Catholics to not chew the wafer? Does this have something to do with transubstantiation? I remember hearing an anecdote once about a Catholic visiting a COC and holding the matzo crumb in her mouth for a long time, waiting for it to dissolve. Do Catholic wafers melt in the mouth (a la m&ms)? If so, what are they made of?

Lev

[KLP]

...though I did have my money returned by mail after I was no longer a member.

... Once in a COC Bible class, I brought up the 'slippery slope' argument that is usually used against drinking alcohol and suggested applying it to wealth--i.e. if it's wrong to get drunk but we (the COC) prohibit even moderate drinking, and it's wrong to love money or to serve mammon, then shouldn't we also prohibit even moderate accrual of wealth? Man, that was shot down quickly.

Lev

comparing money to drink....Awesome parallel for argument sake about why even get close to some "line". My money being sent back to me just showed how much they hated ...er,make that showed how much they "toughed loved" me.

[Lev]

comparing money to drink....Awesome parallel for argument sake about why even get close to some "line".

The exact response, if I remember correctly, was something like, "Well I guess Lev just wants to get drunk. Moving right along..."

Lev

[Grace]

...you were supposed to just break off a tiny piece of the cracker, and to eat it carefully with your front teeth, not chew it (with your molars).

but isn't it a tradition among Catholics to not chew the wafer? Does this have something to do with transubstantiation? I remember hearing an anecdote once about a Catholic visiting a COC and holding the matzo crumb in her mouth for a long time, waiting for it to dissolve. Do Catholic wafers melt in the mouth (a la m&ms)? If so, what are they made of?

Lev

I am catholic, but I am re-evaluating my religion. I have never heard that you are not supposed to chew the wafer.

[lvmaus]

...you were supposed to just break off a tiny piece of the cracker, and to eat it carefully with your front teeth, not chew it (with your molars).

but isn't it a tradition among Catholics to not chew the wafer? Does this have something to do with transubstantiation? I remember hearing an anecdote once about a Catholic visiting a COC and holding the matzo crumb in her mouth for a long time, waiting for it to dissolve. Do Catholic wafers melt in the mouth (a la m&ms)? If so, what are they made of?

Lev

I am catholic, but I am re-evaluating my religion. I have never heard that you are not supposed to chew the wafer.

Remember almost chocking to death during the LS on a jagged piece of stale homemade Communion bread; thereafter I pinched off baby pieces and let it melt in my mouth.