Movement III: The Table

The Shape of the Liturgy

"This is the table, not of the church, but of the Lord.
It is made ready for those who love Him
And for those who want to love Him more.
So come, you who have much faith and you who have little;
You who have been here often
And you who have not been here long;
You who have tried to follow
And you who have failed.
Come, because it is the Lord who invites you.
It is His will that those who want Him
Should meet Him here.”

The third movement is the Eucharist, also often called by other names like Communion, the Lord’s Supper, or the Lord’s Table. Here we both offer gifts to God and receive the gift of God’s own self. Again, the shape is very intentional. We have made peace with each other (during the passing of the peace) and God (during the confession and absolution), and we are now ready to come to the Alter (the Communion Table). It is also important to note that we receive the Eucharist in response to the Word read and preached. We see this pattern, Word then Table, played out in Scripture. Think, for example, of the men on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24).

“[Jesus], beginning with Moses and the Prophets…explained to them what was said in the Scriptures concerning himself.” After this, “he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them.”

Word first, then Table. At All Souls we do not “fence the Table.” All are welcomed to come and receive, but you are also not pressured to do so. For those who wish to receive, you can either eat the wafer you are given and then the cup of wine will be raised to your lips to drink from, or you can dip the wafer into the cup of wine (this is called “intinction”) and then consume the wafer. If you prefer not to receive, you can still come forward, cross your arms over your chest, and we will speak a word of blessing over you.

After we receive we say a “post-communion prayer” together and then move to the fourth and final movement: The Dismissal/Sending.