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Scripture Text (NRSV)

 

John 6:51-58

 

6:51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh."

6:52 The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?"

6:53 So Jesus said to them, "Very truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.

6:54 Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day;

6:55 for my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink.

6:56 Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them.

6:57 Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me.

6:58 This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like that which your ancestors ate, and they died. But the one who eats this bread will live forever."

 

Comments:

 

Thank God for the RCL which is the Word of God presented to us in scripture. Every once in awhile I wonder why we who pick and choose our text select the ones we do and ignore the ones we don't touch. Perhaps John's gospel is the one God wants us to hear. After all, it is God's Word and the RCL is just presenting it to us.....May this Word find a welcome place in our hearts. Peace, old priest in Iowa


Remember the recent comercials about the people lining up for their breakfast pastry and as their receive their breakfast, someone places a larger pastry over their waste, you see all these people walking around with giant donunt and the sort.

It is kind of humorous to me. I like the thought as the old addage goes, You are what you eat. What does it mean to consume Christ. While at first glance it sound gorey, the deeper meaning is filled with so much power.

How do we consume Christ today?

Just my early thoughts for the week.

Michael in Texas


Michael in Texas wrote, "It is kind of humorous to me. I like the thought as the old addage goes, You are what you eat."

Blessings, Eric in OH


Pardon the interruption. I am looking for a good book on The Jacob Saga in Genesis. Any suggestions? jrbnrnc


I don't recall where I found this story (I used it several years ago at a different church)so I am free to use it again, but unable to cite my source.

Psychologist Robert B. Cialdini once told about a German soldier during World War I whose job was to capture enemy soldiers for interrogation. Because of the nature of trench warfare at that time, it was extremely difficult for armies to cross the no-man's land between opposing front lines; but it was not so difficult for a single soldier to crawl across and slip into an enemy trench position.

The armies of the Great war had experts who regularly did so to capture an enemy soldier, who would then be brought back for questioning. This particular German expert had successfully completed such missions in the past and was sent on another.

Once again, he skillfully negotiated the area between fronts and surprised a lone enemy soldier in his trench. The unsuspecting soldier, who had been eating at the time, was easily disarmed. The frightened captive with only a piece of bread in his hand then performed what may have been the most important act of his life. He gave his enemy some of the bread.

So affected was the German by this gift that he could not complete his mission. He turned from his benefactor and re-crossed the no-man's land empty-handed to face the wrath of his superiors.

There is a message here for us. The bread of Christ is not to be hoarded but to be shared with the world. Just as God has shared the "Living Bread" with us.

Pr.del in Ia


I'm thinking, at first glance, of borrowing from a sermon I preached before i was ordained. Its title is "Flesh and Blood." We are the flesh and blood children of God through the very flesh and blood of Christ.

Since I wasn't ordained, I couldn't serve communion and instead told the story of Bonhoeffer (was that who it was?) in prison pantomiming breaking and distributing the elements of communion and then ended it with my own pantomime.

I don't know whether I want to focus on "how do we consume Christ today," as one post-er is pondering (and provoking thought) or whether I'm more inclined to use this as a sermon of assurance of inheritance - and life!

Sally in GA


OK I will Jump in here. Verse 56, says "Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them." Were there not gentile groups during the first century that actually acted this out in rituals? And was not that the reason that some fell away from following "The Way", because they thought this was what the Johanine Community was advocating? Is this the reason some pastors would rather this pericope not have been included in the lectionary? Rather than sugar coat this with elaborate theological words, in the 21st Century what does this mean for us as pastors?

Shalom

Bammamma (formerly pasthersyl)


Whoever the first poster is on Ephesians, John, Kings pages, can you please identify yourself? I have noticed there is often someone who posts first each week but never identifies who is posting. We won't bite you if you let us know who you are!!

Susan in Wa.


What I find of interest is the change in verbs meaning "eat".... in the first few verses, John has Jesus use "phage" which means "eat"... but then in the later verses the verb is "trogan" which is better translated as "munch" or "gnaw".

Perhaps Jesus is saying that we really have to "get our teeth into" his life!

Blessings, Eric in OH


I think I will preach on the 1 Kings passage. Theme: the things we pray for? I posted a story that I found in researching last week's sermon from a web site called "Torah Productions." The story is an Aghanistani folktale about bread and prayer. It ties in the two passages together quite nicely...It's on the other discussion page if you'd like to read it. Roberta


Just some beginning thoughts. It appears that Jesus is talking about his future suffering and death. His disciples must be willing to accept and embrace this fact. How often, are folks uncomfortable with Good Friday, but overjoyed with Easter. We want the joy without the walk into the valley of the shadow of death. Jesus also talks about truly indwelling in the believer. He becomes a part of us and we of him. CL in OH


Thank you for the folktale last week, Roberta, I used it as a sermon illustration. Thank you all for your postings. I have found them most informative. The comaraderie on the site is great, too. Today, is the three year anniversary of my ordination to the ministry of Word and Sacrament. It's hard to believe. God is ever faithful in the mountaintop times as well as the valleys. I experienced the valley for about two and a half years, and now am slowly experiencing some of the mountain. Thank you all. Also am expecting a grandson (so we think) in September. CL in OH


I'm thinking of combining this, the Proverbs, and the Epistle lessons this week - and thanks, Eric, for giving me a working title - "Something to Sink Your Teeth Into."

The dilemma on how to be wise, and put away foolishness, and what have you really lies in the body of Christ. It's plain and simple, "unless you eat my bread - gnaw on it, chew on it a bit - and drink my blood, you have no life."

How can we know how, unless we keep ourselves alive, whether the "maturity" we believe we have is really "foolishness?" Why all this human interpretation. The Scripture is plain: "Unless you eat my body and drink my blood ..." Can we trust it above interpreting it?

I've been almost harping on the theme of the need to study, worship, attend the sacraments, pray, fast, (Wesley's means of grace), etc. and I get the sense that my congregation thinks they're too old or too busy or fulfilled enough in life. Any ideas how I can keep up this encouragement without harping?

Trying to catch flies with honey ... but confessing to a good deal of vinegar sometimes ...

Sally in GA


It's difficult to inspire excitement in people about something as "everyday" as church. So many of us have been hearing the story for as long as we can remember. We've constructed projects in VBS, and served in community activities since we've been large enough to hold a rake. For so many people, the "good news" has become "old news."

Now we have the third Sunday in a row with a "bread of life" gospel text. There is a risk here that the good news will become old news, that the gospel may become law, if our focus is on how a person "must chew" or "must eat" the flesh of our Savior.

We continually struggle with grace, and with law. We want to be assured of our salvation by what we have done, like we can point to a report card at the end and say, "See what I've earned?"

But it's not that easy. Nor is it that hard. Salvation is a free gift... it's that easy. What's hard is trusting the Giver, believing that such wondrous goodness can come without strings attached.

If by grace we can be instruments to revive the understanding of God's good news FOR TODAY, if we can declare the goodness of God's promises for TODAY'S sin, and disappointments, and depressions, and fears, etc., then maybe we won't need to harp on people to chew, to taste, to do...

(I am reminded that nine of the ten cleansed lepers, even though fully cognizant of the gift they had received, did not respond in this way. But one of them did! Oh, for that one!!!)

Michelle


Does eating and gnawing Christ mean that we need to become Christ like? Bless those who curse us, Support those who are unwanted by society.....listen to the downtrodden........etc. etc......God that's difficult!!!

Yet when one gives of oneself........one receives abundantly from places one never dreamed of receiving!

The focus needs to be on giving........without expecting something in return. We get disaapointed when our expectations are not met! So to be Christ like and to be in Christ means that one's focus is always on Agape.........where we give and give.

When I focus on giving........I find that my life is more happy than when I focus on what I have not received. I think we have problem churches cause they are full of people who are tired of living (mainly elderly) and since they have given all their life........ "now it's time for me to receive." Hogwash! That's why we can't grow......we are stuck and we preachers are afraid to upset the wagon........but I think we need to call a spade a spade and encourage people to give and give.......and share examples of those times when you go the hospital out of duty and you really don't have all that much umffff to get there......and you find that the sick patient is the one who ministers to you and gives you more energy to keep going........

cs


Please be very careful with the analogy that we are what we eat. I know too many that struggle with being overweight or underweight or think they are either. Sometimes despite what we eat, health problems and dysfunctional eating disorders occur. Nancy-Wi


What would happen if all the persons who needed, suddenly didn't need anymore? I think then we who feel good because we can give to them, would have to deal with why we feel bad about receiving what God wants to give us. Could that be part of eating the flesh and drinking the blood. There is a lot of person who must accept the job of needing, so that givers can have someone to give to. I want them to be able to receive directly from Christ also.

Shalom

Bammamma


I agree with CL in OH. Jesus was probably not giving doctrine about the frequency which we should have eucharist. The "giving of the flesh and blood" is his upcoming passion. The imperative to "eat of that flesh and blood" is to also give of ourselves in sacrifice for others. Ironically that death for others is what gives us life.

It gives a bit of a different image for eucharist too. j in tx


I have been watching the posts for several weeks now as the story in John progressed, enjoying the discussions but holding my comments because I wanted to wait until the lectionary reached the verses that are discussed in these next two weeks. All of my life, I have heard a certain phrase repeated over and over by different people about different pastors: “I’m just not being fed by his preaching.” I found an answer for that in this text and I used it a few weeks ago, starting in verse 24 and going all the way to verse 69. It goes something like this:

1. Jesus begins to teach the crowds about eternal food. The people ask for signs, recalling the manna God had given the Israelites, an interesting comparison, since their fathers had complained before they received it, didn’t like it when they got it (manna means “what is it,” the question of any child first encountering fried liver or brussel sprouts), and complained just as loud after they had received it. Jesus starts teaching about the “bread of life.”

2. The crowd grumbled because this was just “good old Jesus” and it wasn’t what they wanted to hear. Jesus gets more outrageous by talking about eating his flesh and drinking his blood. The crowd gets really upset.

3. Jesus brings it together. The food you eat becomes part of you. That’s the same way that the relationship Christ has with God works: he looks to God, the One who sent him, for his sustenance. If we “feed” on this “living bread,” if our relationship with Christ is such that we look to him for our spiritual sustenance, then he will be part of us and we will be part of him. We can live forever because we are feeding on him; that is, looking to him for our spiritual nourishment and growth. Even some of the disciples didn’t like what he was saying and turned away. Jesus asked if they were offended because it was a “hard teaching.”

4. Believers are fed through their relationship with Christ. That relationship is formed through salvation and maintained through prayer and the study of the scriptures, which hopefully includes the sermon. When believers place their primary dependency on the pastor’s sermon on Sunday morning, they are leaning on the wrong relationship, eating the wrong bread again. If they are maintaining their relationship with Christ, what the pastor says should be the appetizer, not the main course (sorry, guys and gals but the Spirit gives us the gift of being the messenger, not the message). Christ has the words of eternal life, not the pastor. If the people sit on their pews and look to us for their nourishment, they’re wrong. If we let them, so are we.

Sorry for the long post. Mike in Soddy Daisy, TN


As a licensed local pastor in the UMC, I have been preparing for my course on worship and sacraments. One of the books was William Willimon's "Sunday Dinner." With that in mind, and the Johanan Scriptures, I decided to take a theme of Sunday Dinner and tie it to Communion, celebrating the Lord's Supper four weeks in a row. We normally celebrate it on the first Sunday of the month. This will be the final week and I plan on moving the congregation to the fellowship hall following the sermon, where my wife has prepared a meal for 30-plus people. (We have a small church.) For some, the meal will be something of a surprise. Either before dinner, or at the end of dinner, we will celebrate Communion. I know there is a "Love Feast" celebration in the Book of Worship. I have never participated, but I really want this to be Communion so as to continue with the theme of Christ's flesh and blood given "For The Life of the World." Any thoughts? Blessings, Buzz


A good book on the Jacob saga? Try 'IN THE BEGINNING' - A new reading of the Book of Genesis - by Karen Armstrong. Published 1997 in Great Britain by Harper Collins. First published in USA by Alfred A Knopf, Inc, New York, and in Canada by Random House of Canada Limited, Toronto in 1996.

JOHN in Bristol, England


Buzz, You must be in the TN-Holston COS. I took that course about a year ago. The Willimon book had some really good insights for me regarding the Lord's Supper. I have used the Love Feast at my church on one occasion but it's not the same emphasis as communion. As a suggestion for your dinner, instead of trying to work the ritual into your dinner, just tell the story of the Last Supper as your ritual. In a sense, that was what the Seder meal celebration is at Passover, a re-telling of the story of the first Passover meal. Let your communion be a re-telling of what happened at the end of that meal in the upper room. I think they'll probably love it. Good luck. Mike in Soddy Daisy, TN


Mike in Soddy Daisy, TN I think this comment of yours bears repeating... "When believers place their primary dependency on the pastor’s sermon on Sunday morning, they are leaning on the wrong relationship, eating the wrong bread again. If they are maintaining their relationship with Christ, what the pastor says should be the appetizer, not the main course (sorry, guys and gals but the Spirit gives us the gift of being the messenger, not the message). Christ has the words of eternal life, not the pastor. If the people sit on their pews and look to us for their nourishment, they’re wrong. If we let them, so are we."

We should be starting points, not ending points. If we raise questions all the better. I am a firm believer that when a person connects by the process of discernment the lesson becomes faith and not froth. I think of a dog and a bone. The the dog gnaws on a bone until they consume it. They sometimes leave it alone and come back. Sometimes they chew all day. still gnawing-Nancy-Wi


Nancy-Wi

In that sermon, I told the people that the Good News of the Kingdom, the Gospel, isn't baby food to be spoonfed to them but instead it is a barbecued rib dinner on the bone. You have to grab hold of it with both hands and bite in and chew on it a while and you're liable to get messy in the process. If you think of the analogy of the shepherd and his flock, the shepherd can only guide his flock to where the best grass and water can be found. He can't put it into their mouths and chew it for them. Mike in Soddy Daisy, TN


I was just thinking of how, as pastors, our job is like those women or men who stand at the end of the aisles in the grocery stores offering samples of what's on the shelves. We hold out just a small bit of what we know Christ has made available, expounding upon its goodness and its "nutritional" value, and encouraging everyone to digest this sample morsel... in the hope of their choosing to take the whole package home for themselves, and to share with others.

 

Just another Tom


How disturbing this passage is for the Jews. They were forbidden the blood for it contained the life of the animal. Now they/we have access to the blood and we are given life.

tom in ga


"But the one who eats this bread will live forever."

I have been praying/reflecting on something John Paul II either wrote or said. I don't know his exact words but he in essence said that when we eat and drink the bread and drink the wine that is Jesus we "digest the mystery of the Resurrection."

I was thinking about starting with Jesus' Resurrection morning joy. Surely He must have felt indescribably happy and joyful that morning. And then ask the question what would we have to do to experience that same joy? Answer: Die to self. "This is my body which has been given up for you." To have Jesus' Easter joy, to live forever we must first die to self.

To show how married and single people live those words of Jesus and in essence become the Bread of life for their spouse, their parent, their neighbor would really make this message connect to this truth of Christian sacrifice. I have been praying for a good story to unforgettably make this point. I'm stumped. Could someone with a story along this line please post it? TiminOH


Sally in GA - Your comment on trying to catch flies with honey but confessing to a bit too much vinegar struck a chord in me. I just came off vacation and have had a chance to reflect on the past year and came to much the same conclusion as you seem to have made. How do we lead a congregation to the many benefits that lie on the other side of spiritual disciplines and active participation in Christ's mission? Sometimes it seems so tangible for us who are immersed in this sort of a life 24/7 and we want to say, "hurry up, can't you see what you're missing?"

I'm not sure if I have any answers to give for this dilemma (still way too new to pastoral ministry) but I think that the comment by Just Another Tom holds some merit: "We hold out just a small bit of what we know Christ has made available, expounding upon its goodness and its "nutritional" value, and encouraging everyone to digest this sample morsel... in the hope of their choosing to take the whole package home for themselves, and to share with others."

Perhaps if we just hold the sample out for people, let them get a good whiff of it by living it out ourselves as best we can then people will be enticed and encouraged to pick up some of those things for themselves.

I don’t know if that helps, but I just wanted you to know that you’re not alone in your temptation to harp on the congregation.

Amittai Dominic


"What's for supper?"

"Bread."

"Oh... What kind?"

"Just bread."

"Not dumplings, or biscuits, or...?"

"Just bread. Isn't that enough?"

"Not ANYthing else?

"Nope."

"Not even butter, or balogna, or Jelly?"

"Bread's boring. I think I'll go out."

.

Just a little note of humor.

Michelle


Michelle,

Keith Green, in his song "So You Want to Go Back to Egypt," had the following culinary suggestions from the Israelites' journey to the Promised Land:

"And in the morning it's manna hotcakes. We snack on manna all day. And they sure had a winner last night for dinner, Flaming manna soufflé.

Oh, manna waffles….manna burgers, Manna bagels, Fillet of manna, Manna-cotti?….bamanna bread!"

Just a look from a more humorous perspective, Mike in Soddy Daisy


Jesus begins off with the image of bread. I am the living bread, he says. Super! We all say. I even preached a hum-dinger of a sermon on that on a couple of weeks ago.

Today he says the bread is actually flesh. His flesh.

Say what? Ask the people who represent me in the story. You gotta be kidding!

No kidding, says Jesus. I ask you to not only eat, but munch on it.

Yikes.

It has made some “sense” to me only because I am remembering John’s introduction that the Word became flesh. I want to challenge my people to find ways of “munching” the word in some serious bible studies. Some serious “munching” of the Word by living it out in their daily discipleship.

GK


To GK,

I'm not really sure what you were trying to get at with that last comment but keep trying. I'm sure there has to be at least one person in your congregation who will get it.

Blessings, Eric in OH


I don't know who wrote this ...

<<To GK,

I'm not really sure what you were trying to get at with that last comment but keep trying. I'm sure there has to be at least one person in your congregation who will get it.

Blessings, Eric in OH>>

...

But it wasn't me, despite the "signature"!

Blessings, Eric in OH (really from me!)


By the way, I just noticed that that message that wasn't from me (but signed with my name) was posted at a time when neither I nor my ISP had electrical power due to the Niagara-Mohawk grid failure and blackout.

I'm not sure I want to be a part of a community where some "forges" posts ... whoever is responsible - Shame on you!

Blessings, Eric in OH


To Eric in Ohio I too am sorry someone misused your name. I understand your anger, but I do hope you will not stop writing in. I personally respect this site, and find it most useful not only for sermon writing, but as a devotional appendage. I am grateful to God for this cyberspace and those who are sincere in what they write. I wouldn't want one "tare" to disturb the "wheat" such as you as we grow under God's grace as in pastoral ministry. Please don't stop participating.

Shalom

bammamma (formerly pasthersyl)


oops I made a mistake, I assumed the Ohio. Your signature is really Eric in OH.

Shalom

Bammamma


Maybe there are two Erik's in OH, and the new one didn't realize there is another?

Trying to put the best construction on everything!

Michelle


Michelle wrote:

"Maybe there are two Erik's in OH, and the new one didn't realize there is another?

"Trying to put the best construction on everything!"

As we always should, you are correct about that... and there may be two Eriks somewhere in this state -- but I'm not one of them (I spell it correctly! ;->)

Blessings, Eric in OH

 


I guess we're all working on a Saturday morning. Hardly got the post in and there was an answer.

Sorry, Eric. I've done that before to you. I claim a Norwegian cousin-in-law for whom the correct spelling is with a K.

Mea Culpa.

Michelle


Michelle dixit: "Mea Culpa."

Misereatur nostri omnipotens Deus et, dimissis peccatis nostris, perducat nos ad vitam aeternam. Amen.

Blessings, Eric in OH


To GK,

Thanks for pulling this passage back in the context of the metaphor that John starts this gospel with. I found it helpful.

Amittai Dominic


Amittai Dominic -

Thank you for your words of encouragement. It's good to know I'm not alone.

And thank you to "Just another Tom" for the Pope John Paul II quote! unless we digest God's actions in our lives (especially the supreme action of salvation by Jesus' atoning sacrifice), we really can't have any wisdom. It's merely head-knowledge which anyone with an average IQ can grasp. However, digestion, or heart-knowledge transcends IQ. As does wisdom.

Another desperate preacher working on a Saturday,

Sally in GA


From here in New York State, it seems impossible to avoid mentioning the recent blackout.

6:53 So Jesus said to them, "Very truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.

 

Imagine the many things in our day-to-day living, which "have no life in" them without the power that comes from the electric utility...

Tom

(My apologies to any other Toms in the group. I promise, I am not attempting to steal their name, I received mine as a gift from my parents.) ;-)


Thanks to one of the Toms who wrote: "(My apologies to any other Toms in the group. I promise, I am not attempting to steal their name, I received mine as a gift from my parents.) ;-)"

Thanks for the chuckle.

Blessings, Eric in OH


Regarding "gnawing": I've been picturing dogs I have known who carry around their bone with them. They lie in the sun and gnaw on it. They set it down by their head when they fall asleep. They carry it over to their water bowl and set it down until they finish drinking. Then they pick it up and gnaw some more.

Jesus talks about "abiding" in us--that's a constant presence. Isn't something to be sought after, like the dog with a bone. We can't possibly get enough. We carry him with us. We lay down with him to sleep. We "gnaw" on him over and over again.

If you're working this sermon into something about communion, this desire for constant gnawing is what brings us back to the table, week after week (I'm a Disciple)--desiring to maintain that closeness with our Lord.

IT's still Saturday, and I'm still working on it!!

Pam in San Bernardino


Well, I'm still working on a sermon for Sunday, too. For all of the reading I've done, there haven't been any real illustrations. Help, Anyone!!

Thanks.

I value you all. CL in OH


I am truly excited about the sermon for tomorrow! I am pursuing the following outline 1) Food is "identity making" 2) Scan Kashrut laws and Deuteronomy 14 3) John means to "shock" and get his audience's attention when he talks of the kind of "food" that will define the Jesus community 4) The Jesus community is totally dependant on Jesus (the word made flesh) for their life. They chew on the words both in bible study and in their daily life of christian discipleship.

GK


Sounds to me like verse 55 explains it all very nicely and remains faithful to the rest of the Scripture. The ones who say that in the Eucharist we eat the real flesh and drink the real blood of Jesus are correct. Concider the Old Covenant: established in blood around a meal where the sacrifice is eaten and the blood sprinkled on the people as atonement. Here is the final and real atonement, Jesus, sacrificed to establish the new covenant IN HIS BLOOD and that covenant is entered into by us as we gather around to EAT the Sacrifice. Consistency is not one of the hallmarks of modern protestantism. BTW, I am NOT a Papist.

Mike, International Falls, MN


He got their attention, all right. The one they knew as the kid down the block calls himself the Son of Man and says they have to eat his flesh and drink his blood. Put yourself into their shoes. Madness! Total gross out! Even the disciples couldn't handle it (v. 60). Imagine yourself as one of the crowd or even one of the disciples. How would you react if you were hearing these words without the theological sugarcoating we've put on them? Thank God Jesus didn't stop there and we have vs. 60-65 -- but even then some of his followers couldn't handle it and withdrew from him (v. 66). The core group (the 12) undoubtedly didn't grasp it but were willing to hang with him because he had the words of eternal life (v. 68). Even so, I'm sure they were still upset. Apologize for peeking ahead. But we need to let the raw force of his words hit us and make our stomach's churn.

revhen in NY


Absolutely, revhen in NY! Sometimes the teachings of scripture are hard and there is no way to make them soft. In this text, I don't see Jesus trying to soften them. When the others left, Jesus didn't start a telephone campaign to bring them back, saying that they must have misunderstood. Instead, Jesus ask the twelve if they were going to leave as well. This week, there is a lot of discussion in the other studies on wisdom. I once heard that the difference between intellegence and wisdom is in the resulting actions. An intelligent person knows all of the reasons for not smoking. A wise person doesn't smoke. Next week, John will tell us of a lot of intelligent people that walked away and also about twelve wise ones who didn't. The twelve didn't understand the teaching and they probably didn't feel very good about it but they knew who had the words of life. Mike in Soddy Daisy, TN


Interesting ... one last late post - won't be in the sermon, b/c everyone will know who I'm talking about.

But, when I came to this appointment, I started "serving" communion (they used to pinch it off themselves, or take a wafer from a plate). They asked me, "how do you want to do communion" and I told them, and I explained why. So, that's what they went along with. A woman has left the church over it.

So, since I'd heard a grumble or two about it (mostly about germs), I developed a Bible study of worship, with a concentration on the Sacraments. I explained different ways of "doing" the sacraments and their different symbolisms. I took a long time to go through some basic structures of worship. What the word "sacrament" means, vs. "ordinance." 4 - yes, 4 - people came to that Bible study (on a good day) and 0 - you guessed it - zero - of the "grumblers" came.

Truth is, some folks just don't want to hear it.

Sally in GA