Holy Communion, also called ‘The Eucharist’, ‘Mass’ or ‘The Lord’s Supper’, is at the heart of Christian worship. It is celebrated by Christians around the world as a memorial of the death and resurrection of Jesus, in response to his words at the final meal he shared with his disciples, ‘Do this in remembrance of me.’ In the Eucharist, God invites us to his table as a foretaste of the heavenly banquet which he has prepared for people of all nations and cultures.
Outwardly, the Eucharist takes the form of a shared meal of bread and wine, recalling the fact that, at the Last Supper, Jesus associated the breaking of bread and sharing of wine with his own imminent death, giving them special significance.
After his resurrection, the disciples recognised Jesus as he broke bread to share with them. Each time we share the meal Jesus shared with his friends, we remember his offering of himself on the cross, we rejoice in his resurrection from the dead, and look forward to the coming of God’s Kingdom.
While they were eating, Jesus took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it he broke it, gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you; for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.
(Matthew 26: 26-28)
Holy Communion, can take many different forms across the Church of England, and it may be understood by Christians in different ways, but at the heart of the celebration there is always a special prayer of thanksgiving, or ‘Eucharistic Prayer’ (eucharistein means ‘to give thanks’ in Greek). This is offered by the priest who presides at the service in the name of all who are gathered, giving thanks for all that God has given us in Christ.
At a celebration of the Eucharist at St Andrew’s Church, the community gathers, asks God’s forgiveness for its sins, listens to readings from the Bible including a reading from one of the Gospels. A sermon is preached and the community prays together. Bread and wine are brought to the holy table (also called ‘the altar’), the priest prays the Eucharistic Prayer, and everyone says the Lord’s Prayer together. The community then receives the consecrated bread and wine. At the end of the service, the community is sent out into the world as a ‘living sacrifice’ to live and work to God’s praise and glory.
A service of Holy Communion has four main parts:
The Gathering The priest and other ministers enter the church during the first hymn, and we gather in the Lord’s name. We confess our sins to God in quiet, and sing the ‘Gloria’ – an ancient hymn of praise to God. The Gathering is concluded with the Collect, a special prayer for the day.
The Liturgy of the Word We hear readings from the Old Testament and New Testament, and then a passage from the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) is proclaimed to the people. We reflect on the Word of God as a minister preaches a short sermon, affirm our faith in the Creed, and offer up the particular prayer intentions of the community in the Intercessions.
The Liturgy of the Sacrament We express our unity in the sharing of the Peace. We bring our offerings to God, including bread and wine. During the Eucharistic Prayer, the climax of the service, we give thanks over the bread and wine and recall Jesus’ words at the Last Supper. We pray the Lord’s Prayer, and share Holy Communion.
The Dismissal We conclude with a blessing, and are sent out in the peace of Christ.
For a more detailed step-by-step video of a Church of England service of Holy Communion, including a helpful commentary, watch the video below:
St Andrew's Church, Luton 