Celebrating Holy Communion during Eastertide

During the Great Fifty Days—the season from Resurrection Sunday to Pentecost Sunday (March 31–May 19)—we are celebrating Holy Communion (the Lord's Supper) every Sunday. Communion is a practice of grace, God's unconditional love—weekly Communion is the practice of God's abundant grace.

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Why do we celebrate Holy Communion weekly?

• Following Jesus' instructions: in celebrating the Last Supper before His crucifixion, Jesus said to His disciples: "This is my body that is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me. This cup is the new covenant. Do this as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me."

• A means of grace: John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist movement, encouraged Methodists to partake of Holy Communion as often as possible. Wesley interpreted Communion as a "means of grace," a way that we experience God's unconditional love.

• Today, many Christian traditions—Anglicans, Roman Catholic, Lutherans—celebrate Holy Communion weekly.

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Why don't we celebrate weekly all the time?

• Ordained clergy lead the congregation in consecrating (blessing) the bread and cup during Holy Communion. During the early days of Methodism in the U.S., there were not enough ordained clergy to lead Communion weekly. Lay persons would lead weekly worship and Communion would be celebrated only whenever clergy were present to lead.

• At Union, we celebrate the abundance of God's grace by gathering at the Table weekly. We are grateful that we have several ordained clergy who can lead the congregation in the consecration of the bread and cup during Holy Communion—a means of grace.