Communion during the Ceremony

Well, you're supposed to offer it to everyone in attendance. And this can make guests uncomfortable unless they're used to it.

I'm confused as to why this is a problem. Catholic weddings and funerals do this all the time. The minister usually offers it without saying they have to partake of it. Actually some Catholic churches even say only to partake if you are a practicing catholic but as far as I understand Methodist allows any Christian to partake.

Pumpkin is right on the money with this one -

In the programs you should explain what communion is. Catholics offer communion - but only practicing Catholics should partake. I'm not too sure about the other religions - but if you write about it in the programs it won't be as akward and people will understand whats going on.

My brother and his wife had communion only for themselves (We were raised Presbyterian and she Baptist) in a Baptist church and no one commented on it being odd or felt slighted. I've been to Methodist weddings where everyone participated and it actually felt more awkward in my opinion. Is the service taking place in a Methodist church? If not and they feel that strongly about it I would see if the minister is willing to be flexible.

Jenna- see I would feel slighted being Christian that I didn't get to partake. I dislike going to Catholic services and watching others partake and not being allowed to. However, I never felt awkward not partaking because I was never alone. I just wished I could.

We are Christian. We offer communion every time we have a WORSHIP service (Sunday morning and Sunday evening and any other special worship service that we are having.) She was raised Methodist and is getting married in the church she grew up in with the Methodist preacher that used to preach at her church. One of our preachers, who was and is very influential in my son's life growing up and in both their lives now that they are both members of our church. Both are Christian and wish to share a personal moment with Christ by taking communion as one of their first official acts as husband and wife. They wish to honor His sacrifice and demonstrate their committment to a Christian marriage. It is done all the time in our church, but is never offered to those in attendance. I'm trying to figure out a way to do this without making the ceremony longer than it already is going to be and without incurring more expense for the bride's family.

Sometimes the bride groom and parents take communion in private while a musical selection is played for the congregation. Whats wrong with giving it to everyone?

I understand that this is part of the Methodist doctrine, but my son and his FW are not methodist. It is not a worship service. So I'm just wondering if they can explain it on the program and also have the minister say that communion for anyone who wishes to partake will be offered between the ceremony and the reception somewhere else in the church. I don't know how the Methodist offer communion, so I'm not sure how we can work it. Any help appreciated.

Nothings wrong with it. I think it would be rather special actually to offer it to everyone. They're just worried about the ceremony being too long. That's why I'm wondering if it would work to offer those wanting to take it an opportunity after the ceremony.

You would have to have them check with their minister, but usually it takes 15 minutes which to me does not make it too long. It depends on whether they pass around little cups and pieces of bread or if they do a line.

I read Wikipedia and it says Methodists welcome all of Christian faith to partake.

Do communion by intinction - I used to be a deacon and there are soooo many benefits to this! Less prep, less waste, less cleanup and it moves faster! (Break a piece off the bread and dip it in the cup - don't sip from the cup unless you want to pass germs!) Split the bread in half, have two people with cups and the lines move twice as fast.

I am about to perform communion at a wedding for just the bride and groom. I will only announce that the couple, having expressed their love for each other, now wish to partake in their first communion together as an expression of their love of God. Then the rest will simply be intimate between the bride and groom as I walk them through the ceremony. Then, the gathered will pick back up afterward for the remainder of the wedding ceremony. I think it is perfectly appropriate. PWR.

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I had that same feeling of being left out at a friend's Catholic wedding (only Catholics could partake.) Communion is important to me too. But every wedding represents the couple's lives and that is their right. As long as I'm not being asked to do something I don't want to do. I'm here solely to bear witness to a marriage and I'm completely OK with that!

If the couple is uncomfortable or unable to offer communion for everyone during the ceremony but still want this to be their first act as a married couple, it is reasonable to have the officiant offer it to them in a private setting after the ceremony is completed.

Why not take it after the ceremony at the reception area, before cutting the cake. Maybe your non-denominational pastor (if he attends) can talk about it being an act of their faith to keep Jesus at the center of their marriage. The Groom can offer it to his bride first, then she can offer it to her husband and then maybe the pastor or the Groom pray a blessing over the new marriage and the reception activities (prayer before dinner?). Just some thoughts.

As a Pastor, it's the bride's day. They shouldn't (in my opinion) do anything they don't want to, if they want to offer it to those in attendance, great, it they don't want to, then great. There is no doctrine, ONLY "demon-ation", taht wojld rule on this. Because let's be honest, Christ didn't establish our denominations, He established The Church, we have denominations, catholic, baptist, non-denom etc etc because we wanted to make preferences in what the doctrine of Scripture stated.

All for Him!