Agape Meal – for Zoom

 

     As we have not been able to be together in our church building, instead of a formal Holy Communion ritual, we will have a virtual Agape Meal.  Remember, Christ’s death was not the end.  His resurrection was a new beginning.  He is ALIVE!  We will celebrate LIFE.

 

     The Love Feast, or Agape Meal, is a Christian fellowship meal recalling the meals Jesus shared with the disciples during His ministry, and expressing the koinonia (community, sharing, fellowship) enjoyed by the family of Christ.  John Wesley celebrated Love Feasts with Christians of other denominations during his time in Savannah, Georgia.   His diary notes that after evening prayers, he and others joined in their love feasts.  It was begun and ended with thanksgiving and prayer, in a manner that was worthy of Christ.

 

      The bread and juice of Holy Communion are symbols – reminders of Jesus’ sacrificial death.  These same symbols, or others, can also remind us of Jesus’ LIFE after death, after his resurrection.  Life that has also been granted to us, by His Holy Spirit living in us.  That spirit is, for us, ‘the bread of life’ and ‘living water’.

 

      Our Agape Meal will be part of our worship service, just like Holy Communion is.   However, instead of the ritual, which we read from the hymnal when in the sanctuary, we will offer a prayer of remembrance and thanksgiving, for Christ’s life, his death, and now his life in us.  The elements we share, bread and juice, are symbols.  But anything that will enable us to remember Jesus Christ whenever we use it can also be a symbol for us.  So, we can sit at our tables, or wherever comfortable, with bread and a glass of water or other things that will help us remember.  We could even have a donut and coffee, if every time we have them we remember Christ.   The point to remember here is that even though this is not as ritualistic, it is serious.  Please do not take this ceremony lightly.

     

     Gather your own symbolic elements and bring them with you to our zoom worship on February 8th.  During the service Pastor Lori will indicate when we eat and drink together, even though apart.