women/children serving communion

[CelestialCity]

The issues at Grace Mosaic Church brought to mind the situation I have witnessed at 2 PCA churches. As the landing page that shows a woman at the front of the church serving communion has caused many to make comments on social media, I was wondering if this is allowed in the PCA? One church that I know of has women and men at the front and back of the church holding baskets of bread and wine. Some women stand at the end of isles. Another church has young children standing outside the entrance of the church with a basket.

 

[Contra_Mundum]

The issues at Grace Mosaic Church brought to mind the situation I have witnessed at 2 PCA churches. As the landing page that shows a woman at the front of the church serving communion has caused many to make comments on social media, I was wondering if this is allowed in the PCA? One church that I know of has women and men at the front and back of the church holding baskets of bread and wine. Some women stand at the end of isles. Another church has young children standing outside the entrance of the church with a basket.

Proper practice and actual practice are often different things, in the church as well as other places in society. It is the proper function of a minister (or teaching elder) to preside and administer sacraments. It is the proper function of the session (the ruling elders, with the minister) to oversee the presentation or distribution of the LS by elements to the proper recipients. As one of the few means by which these men (only males allowed per scripture) are regularly seen in this supervisory, shepherding role, it is most fitting for them to actually do the distribution; rather than delegate such a high duty to non-officebearers (men or women). And these men know who is--and who is not--partaking, when they directly serve and observe the sheep of their assignment.

I don't believe making non-ordained persons into servers does them or the recipients the good supposed. It detracts from the service, and prevents the blessing that should come from intimate acquaintance of the flock and its oversight. Also, putting a woman in the distributing role (and taking a picture and putting it on the internet) sends a particular message about what that congregation thinks is important for impressing visitors and others. It may indicate the trajectory of a congregation, where they are headed on the subject of the final authority of God's word, which confessional Presbyterians regard as "the only rule of faith and practice."

As for the people (old, young, male, female) standing or posing with bread, wine, baskets, or etc.; we should be wary of such things that are added to Christ's institution, or changed in any way. We should aim for a strict fidelity, using only circumstantial allowances for efficient distribution as the case warrants. Does this practice function as "advertising" a communion-Sunday, or "encouraging" participation? Does it simply give several more individuals in the church a "part" in the "drama" of communion in their congregation, perhaps on a monthly rotation?

According to the Heidelblog, In the history of the church, "sacramentals" as they were called in ancient times proliferated, to the extent they crowded the dominical ordinance of Christ. The reason Rome has seven sacraments now is the result of an official "reduction" and "consolidation" of many and wildly divergent practices grown up over dispersed regions and groups of churches following this or that influence. The church should make it her parsimonious practice to not-engage in ceremonious flourishes, in order to make what was plain and spiritual into "something more." It will never be more, but only less.

According to Hughes O. Old, the ancient church elaborated with the Supper and Baptism because Gnosticism offered more, and more ornate ceremonies than the church's simple, spiritual rites, meant to be apprehended chiefly by faith. Our churches today should not be repeating the same (if modernistic in variation) errors, by trying to spruce up the heaven sent dynamic of communion according to Christ's pure ordinance.

 

[Edward]

The PCA Directory for the Worship of God is notably weak. Chapter 58 "The Administration of the Lord's Supper" is one of the few that is more than merely advisory in nature (one of the few that is actually constitutionally binding on the congregations). And even it allows for significant flexibility on key issues such as fencing the table. Lots of "may"s in there. Chapters 56, 57, 58 and 59-3 are binding.

To answer your question as to what is allowed, 58-5 says "Here the bread is to be distributed."and "While the minister is repeating these words, let him give the cup." - The Directory is silent as to who distributes the elements.

It is my personal strong feeling that this should be limited to ordained men, and desirous of teaching as to whether that should include ordained deacons or just ordained elders.

 

[smalltown_puritan]

A common table and common cup would probably fix this problem . . .

 

[Jake]

A common table and common cup would probably fix this problem . . .

Interestingly, a common table seems to be the default in the PCA Directory for Worship:

58-5. The table, on which the elements are placed, being decently covered, and furnished with bread and wine, and the communicants orderly and gravely sitting around it (or in their seats before it), the elders in a convenient place together, the minister should then set the elements apart by prayer and thanksgiving.

However, it does not specifically say how the distribution should happen despite this.

Also interesting is this last section:

58-8. As past custom has been found in many parts of the Presbyterian Church, our congregations are urged to have a service of spiritual preparation for the Lord’s Supper during the week previous to the celebration of the Sacrament.

 

[iainduguid]

My son has a useful discussion of Westminster Assembly and distribution of the elements on his blog.

The Westminster Assembly and the Distribution of the Elements

Recently, there was a discussion at the PCA General Assembly about who should distribute the elements at the Lord’s Supper. I argued that distribution belongs to all participants to the Supper, and I argued that point from Luke 22:17 (you can see that argument here). Since the Assembly, I’ve had...

www.quaerendum.com

 

[Edward]

My son has a useful discussion of Westminster Assembly and distribution of the elements on his blog.

The huge hole in that argument Luke 22:17 argument is it ignores who was there. He might want to try to look at that verse in context. Who was there to divide it amongst themselves? He might, rather than pulling a verse out of context, start with verse 14. "And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him."

While his arguments from the Directory may have merit, his proof text does not come close to getting the job done, unless he holds the position that every member of the congregation is vested with the office of apostle.

 

[Contra_Mundum]

My son has a useful discussion of Westminster Assembly and distribution of the elements on his blog.

The Westminster Assembly and the Distribution of the Elements

Recently, there was a discussion at the PCA General Assembly about who should distribute the elements at the Lord’s Supper. I argued that distribution belongs to all participants to the Supper, and I argued that point from Luke 22:17 (you can see that argument here). Since the Assembly, I’ve had...

www.quaerendum.com

I greatly appreciated this article. Reading it before my response might have led me, if not to another mind, likely to additional nuance.

I wonder, still, if there is a further historically-minded analysis of the connection and/or difference in earlier and modern practice. Unless I missed something, the concern in the earlier period was to refuse reception by each person individually from the pastor as they had each from their former Roman priest or prelate. The fellowship-distribution--as of brethren around a common table, having been given the whole loaf and cup by the administrator acting in Christ's place--this is quite natural and relational, reflecting a general station of Christians and no special need of any for the supposed grace enhancement of direct administration.

In our modern church settings, where pews and other architectural conventions make the common table less likely to be used, it strikes me that there is propriety in having office-bearers walk in the aisles and initiate the passing of a tray to a row of members; after which each person in the row exercises a function similar to the service around the table. Comparably, this could be done just once at the front or rear of the assembly, and the tray passed from row to row by the person on the end of each row now served.

In other words, as I see the matter if the people are called to come forward to receive the elements following an orderly procession, there is significance to the manner of presentation by the pastor and any assistance he has in the distribution. The matter and manner of order should be of concern to the church, that it be in accord with doctrine and with the kind of public statement the church is interested in making. The elders and deacons further extend the official hand of Christ through his minister of word and sacrament, as they all stand before the people, not for this service among them. But if/when all partake together, everyone who has received (including the officers) is of one.

The actual placing of the elements in the individual hand, or the collective hand as by a loaf or cup or trays containing: this is the task of the officers when the congregation uses this method. Whereas, when the person or the people have received at a single point (or a succession of single points at the head of a row) the elements from the administration; then it is perfectly apt for the members to pass the elements between them until each and every with the right to partake have received his due portion.

To my eyes, having children (even non-communicants) walk in the aisles to spread the elements or serve them from the front; giving them prominence in this way does not suit them or bless them. I say something similar if some unordained man is accorded such notoriety absent his prior recognition among the saints (for humility among other traits) and his election to office. I don't think this is an "elitist" perspective, nor is it bent toward devaluing of children or men or women. And I think that sharing (or distributing) the elements once handed over to the membership with that intent from the administrator is not "leveling" or abolishing of good order and discipline.

 

[therussellhome]

The PCA Directory for the Worship of God is notably weak.

+1 and at times frustratingly so

It is my personal strong feeling that this should be limited to ordained men, and desirous of teaching as to whether that should include ordained deacons or just ordained elders.

My church (PCA) does Elders (TE & RE) with the bread paired with Deacons with the wine. It allows the Deacons to take some of the load while still enabling the Elders to (loosely) fence the table.

I say loosely as the PCA doesn't have membership requirements on the LS. But I have had the Elder I was assisting pray for adults that were under church discipline instead of offering the bread. It also provides them to opportunity to pray over non-communing kids who come up with their parents.

 

[WithinThePale]

Also interesting is this last section:

58-8. As past custom has been found in many parts of the Presbyterian Church, our congregations are urged to have a service of spiritual preparation for the Lord’s Supper during the week previous to the celebration of the Sacrament.

I've attended one of these in the PCI (by accident, it was the same night as men's Bible Study and I didn't realise it had been changed), I really appreciated it at the time as the church was vacant at the time and it meant we got 3 sermons in a row from the same man (Communion preparation, Communion, and Communion celebration). If you're going to do infrequent Communion services (which is a bad idea!), I'd say that its a good way to do it.

 

[CelestialCity]

I appreciate all the information and comments, it seems to be a frustrating situation in regards to the Directory for the Worship of God. Everyone has been so helpful; thank you!

 

[darrellmaurina]

I am emphatically **NOT** defending unordained laypeople (whether male or female) distributing the elements of communion. It is sometimes necessary in small churches if only one elder is present, or no elders, if the practice is to pass the bread and wine through the pews rather than having everybody come forward to partake. In such cases the best alternative, it seems, is to have the one elder present, and a grave older deacon, do the distribution, since two people per aisle is usually the minimum required to avoid confusion when the trays of bread and wine reach the end of the pew and there is nobody to take them.

Remember that I live in an Army town. Unless we want to say that chaplains can never administer the Lord's Supper, we have to recognize that there are situations in which there will be no elders present at all.

We do need to be aware of an argument I haven't seen raised here yet for women distributing the communion elements, namely, that when the elements are passed through the aisles, women sitting in the pews are "serving" men communion by passing the trays to them. A wife, for example, passing the tray to her husband next to him in the pew is "serving" him.

I believe that argument is wrong for a number of reasons, of which the most important is that it doesn't single out the women sitting in the pews for any public notice, unlike putting them up front as "shepherdesses," as happened at the Mosaic PCA, or having them walk up and down the aisles with the communion trays. If that argument has any weight, it is an argument AGAINST passing the elements through the pews (which would be a legitimate argument against the practice), not an argument FOR having women up front distributing the elements or in the aisles passing them from one pew to another.

The core of the problem is less about women doing things they shouldn't do, but rather that we've too often lost respect for the ordained office. Not just women but also unordained men shouldn't be doing this. Also, we need to take the Lord's Supper with the seriousness it deserves -- elders NEED to know who is and who is not coming to communion because there are going to be cases in which people need to be admonished to come, or not to come.

This isn't serving pizza and coke at a potluck. There are deadly serious spiritual consequences to unworthy participation.