The Communion Meal is central to our weekly worship, and we follow a liturgy that is both old and new. While the basic form follows the traditional ancient liturgical form, it has been adapted with attention to how traditional understandings of the Lord's Supper can re-traumatize survivors of sexual abuse and other physical violence. We follow the work of Hilary Scarsella and others as laid out in "The Lord's Supper: Ritual of Harm or Healing" (Leader magazine, Summer 2016).

As part of our preparation for receiving the bread and wine (we actually serve juice), we commit to the following Pledge of Love, adapted from the Anabaptist martyr Balthasar Hubmaier's (d. 1528) "A Form for Christ's Supper."

Leader: Let we who today receive the memorial bread and wine pledge our intention to become conformed to Christ’s body. Will we who feast at this table aim to love and serve God before all things?
Congregation: (if affirmative) By God’s grace, we will.
L: Will we love and serve our neighbors?
C: (if affirmative) By God’s grace, we will.
L: Will we lay down our lives in the power of our messiah, Jesus Christ?
C: (if affirmative) By God’s grace, we will.
L: Will we practice mutual admonition towards each other, speak and hear the truth, seek peace with those whom we have offended, repent of what causes harm to our neighbors, and seek the good of our enemies?
C: (if affirmative) By God’s grace, we will.

You can find the entire liturgy by following the link to this week's order of worship.