All About Communion, Holy Communion and First Holy Communion

Released on: January 4, 2008, 3:30 pm

Press Release Author: Sarah Porter

Industry: Small Business

Press Release Summary: Announcements-Shoppe provide unique and exclusive First Holy
Communion Invitations Cards. Customers can add their own wordings, select the text
size, fonts and type style and then instantly preview their cards before they buy.


Press Release Body: The origin of communion meal recalls the table fellowship Jesus
shared with his disciples, and in particular, the Last Supper on the night before
his death as well as his appearances to the disciples during meals following his
resurrection, http://www.announcements-shoppe.com/All_About_Communion Throughout
its history these Biblical events have been central to the Church\'s worship life.

In the sacrament of Holy Communion, also called the Lord\'s Supper or Eucharist,
meaning \"thanksgiving,\" Christians hear, taste, touch and receive the grace of God
revealed through Jesus Christ in a unique way. Communion is:
* A joyous act of thanksgiving for all God has done, is doing, and will do for
the redeeming of creation;
* A sacred memorial of the crucified and risen Christ, a living and effective
sign of Christ\'s sacrifice in which Christ is truly and rightly present to those
who eat and drink;
* An earnest prayer for the presence of the Holy Spirit to unite those who
partake with the Risen Christ and with each other, and to restore creation, making
all things new;
* An intimate experience of fellowship in which the whole church in every time
and place is present and divisions are overcome and
* A hopeful sign of the promised Realm of God marked by justice, love and peace.

The broken bread and poured wine represent the crucified and risen Christ. The wheat
gathered to bake one loaf and the grapes pressed to make one cup remind participants
that they are one body in Christ, while the breaking and pouring announce the
costliness of Christ\'s sacrifice for the forgiveness of sin. Some churches provide
non-alcoholic and gluten-free elements. As we grow increasingly aware of the rich
cultural diversity of the church, the use of elements other than bread and wine is
becoming an issue for global ecumenical reflection.

The Book of Worship and The New Century Hymnal contain several liturgies for the
celebration of Holy Communion. In addition, many liturgies from ecumenical and
global sources are frequently used. At the heart of the service are Jesus\' words
about the bread and the cup from the Biblical account of the Last Supper.

A variety of practices are found in the United Church of Christ, including the
sharing of a common loaf or the use of individual wafers or cubes of bread and the
sharing of a common cup or of individual cups either at the Table or in the pews.
Intinction (dipping the bread in the wine) is also an acceptable practice. Care
should be taken to ensure that the full meaning of the sacrament is communicated by
the way the elements are used and served. The pastor presides at the Table, normally
assisted by elders or deacons.

In many Christian churches baptized children and even infants are able to receive
communion. In the early church Communion was served weekly, a practice continued and
encouraged by the Protestant Reformers. Gradually the frequency of communion
decreased in many Protestant churches. This trend is now being reversed. While no
one pattern prevails, many congregations are moving toward monthly or weekly
communion.

During the last century the Catholic Church has admitted children to First Communion
between the ages of seven and eight. The First Communion precedes the Confirmation
during the early teens. It is the Catholic parish priest who has the responsibility
of seeing that the baptized children of the parish are properly prepared to make
their First Communion. But the parish priest does not make the decision when the
child is psychologically ready for First Communion. Only the parents really know
this, and they have the final decision as to when their child has his First
Communion.

Holy Communion is at once a sharing with the risen Lord and a sharing with the human
community in which he dwells. So for children as well as for parents any real
sharing in and with the Christian community will press for sharing in the Eucharist,
both to celebrate the bond of unity that is already there and to deepen it.

There are a few websites that offer personalized Holy Communion Invitations where
you can add your own text, typestyle, ink color and then preview before you buy,
like
http://www.announcements-shoppe.com/First_Holy_Communion_Invitations_Cards/productsList-22-1.htm
http://www.express-invitations.com/religious_invitations_announcements_cards/Religious-Invitations-Announcements-Cards.php
and
http://www.cardsshoppe.com/Religious_Invitations_Announcements/Religious_Invitations_Announcements_Cards-4-1.htm



Web Site: http://www.announcements-shoppe.com/

Contact Details: Cards Shoppe
200 Production Drive
Lafayette, LA 70508
Phone 866-733-0247

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