The familiar ritual of Communion has become part of the Montview at Home virtual service on the first Sunday of each month.  A congregation accustomed to receiving information visually has of necessity accepted sermons and Scripture readings presented on the small screen, as part of the unprecedented times we’re experiencing.  Some of us have even delighted in seeing close-ups of our gifted organist’s fingers–and feet!—as they dance across the keys and pedals.  But how has the congregation adapted to Communion at home, when it’s not possible to pass the plate to one’s neighbor with a murmur of “the Bread of Life”?  Communion without community poses challenges that members have met in creative ways.

At the beginning of each Sunday service, we are reminded to light a candle.  On first Sundays, the reminder includes a note to “assemble the elements.”  These substitutes for the church’s usual bread and grape juice are often raided from cupboards and pantries.  For the bread, members have found crackers, tortilla chips, cherries, a bit of cheese, a single almond, and even half a boiled egg.  We have reverently sipped lemonade, tea, apple juice for little ones, and wine for the adults. The vessels for these elements have ranged from a cherished crystal chalice, to a souvenir shot glass from a distillery in Ireland, to a handmade earthenware mug.

For parents, the at-home Communion allows opportunity to explain the symbolism to children.  For all of us, it’s a reminder that one who shares this meal will never go hungry.  It’s a way to feel “the comfort of ritual” even while we’re physically separated and to help us weather this trying time, until we can once again pass the plates of Sacrament to each other.

 – Submitted by Ava Navin