The final part of the Liturgy of the Table is communion. And so, we come to the sacrament as a grace-filled people, singing with one voice and standing around Christ’s table as a gathering of persons in community, friends of Jesus and friends of one another.  We become what we receive.

Here at St. Andrew’s, all baptized Christians are welcome to receive communion at our table. To receive the bread, place the palm of the right hand over the palm of the left. When the chalice is presented, grasp the base to assist in guiding it to your lips. If you do not wish to drink from the chalice, continue to hold the host in your hand and the person administering the chalice will take it from you, dip it in wine, and place it on your tongue. If for whatever reason you are unable to receive the bread and wine, but you would still like to be recognized as a member of this body of Christ, you can come forward to receive a blessing. Simply place your arms across your chest and we will know to pray for you.

We join together in song as a reflection of the joy we feel at having been filled with the presence of Christ. Out of that joy, we give thanks for the gift that has been given to us through Christ by praying the words of the prayer of thanksgiving following communion.

Having prayed that what we have shared may bear fruit in our lives, our celebration is complete. We prepare now to be sent out into the world by the dismissal, to be in all our activities, together and separately, what we have become through our sharing of this sacrament, to work for the coming of Christ’s reign in all the world, that it, too, may be lifted up to become Christ’s body, united in the bonds of love and peace.