Communion wafers
Communion wafers are still in use. (Image courtesy of UCatholic.com)
Special to United Methodist Insight
OK. OK. I’m a germaphobe. I freely confess it and I have a lot of company.
Therefore, some changes will occur in church worship when the lockdown is lifted. We will not go back to Pre-COVID-19 worship practices until a vaccine is developed. We may not have full attendance until Advent. We will probably have social distancing for a long time. We should avoid physical contact and passing offering plates down each row of pews. Perhaps the plates can be placed on tables at the entrances, and online donations encouraged.
Communion offers more challenges. Kneeling should be avoided because of possible contamination of the Communion rail. There is a study showing that pathogens (bacteria and viruses) can contaminate a common chalice. Even if wine is used, it still takes several minutes for the alcohol to destroy pathogens. (see American Journal of Infection Control, Oct 1998, Vol. 26, Number 5).
Some denominations have discouraged their parishioners from intinction. They insist that pathogens are more likely to be on people’s fingers rather than on their lips. I’m not aware of a study confirming that, but it does seem likely since our fingers touch more contaminated places than our lips. And probably most of us have seen people dip the bread too deep into the cup and their fingers touch the liquid.
We are encouraged to use a single loaf at Communion since it signifies the unity of the church. Most churches use bread from the local grocery store. The problem is the bread crumbles, and the floor is soon covered with the body of Christ, where it is walked on, vacuumed, and disposed in the trash.
This is not promoting transubstantiation, but at the very least we consider the bread and wine as representing Christ’s body and blood. According to the General Conference’s approved THIS HOLY MYSTERY (p. 23), “Christ is present … through the elements of bread and wine shared”. Walking on and disposing it in the trash is being disrespectful.
(There is nothing holy about the American flag, but it represents the United States, and we would never leave it lying on the floor for people to walk on and then toss into the trash. Should we treat the flag with more respect than we do Christ’s body and blood????)
There are several options. Let’s avoid the use of those little croutons. Besides, hands reaching into the tray would cause contamination. A better choice might be using the unleavened wafers. I’ve always favored the ones embossed with an image of Christ. It reminds you of what you are eating.
The common chalice is also an important symbol of unity. We could go back to those little shot glasses, but there are more desirable options. A server could hold the chalice while the pastor, holding a tray with the wafers and wearing food preparation gloves, could dip the wafer into the chalice and carefully place it onto the palm of each communicant. Only the pastor’s gloved hands touch the wafers, thereby preventing any spread of pathogens.
Another option is that only the bread is distributed. This is a common practice in the Church of Rome. However, in the early Middle Ages, there was great concern about spilling the blood of Christ, and so the cup was denied to everyone but the celebrant. With this in mind, our Articles of Religions say that the cup shall not be denied to the laity. (Article XIX — Of Both Kind: The cup of the Lord is not to be denied to the lay people; for both the parts of the Lord's Supper, by Christ's ordinance and commandment, ought to be administered to all Christians alike.)
It doesn’t say that the laity can’t voluntarily pass. When I am in a church that drinks from a common cup, I take the bread but cross my arms over my chest to tell the chalice bearer to pass. Germophobes don’t drink after others. I suspect that Communion of one kind is as valid as Communion of both kinds.
Covid-19 is a disaster, but it gives us an opportunity to practice safer hygiene, and even a chance to clean up some sloppy practices.
United Methodist layman Larry J. Brooks lives in Madison, N.C., thinks of himself as an "Anglo-Methodist," and occasionally teaches a class on Holy Communion.