covid and communion

Once upon a time, we used to let people eat a piece of bread that wasn't soggy (having been dipped in wine) and take a sip of wine from a cup. Then along came the big bad monster of covid - and everything changed! 

For a while, of course, we weren't even able to meet in the church building. Then we could stream but not have a congregation. Then we could receive communion but we all had to wear masks still (apart from for a brief second to pop the bread in your mouth). To be honest, I've lost track of all the changes we've been through! 

The Church Council has agreed that it's time to go back to how things were pre-covid - with one or two improvements hopefully! 

From July 23rd, we will resume serving bread and wine separately for most people.

• All our communion servers will continue to sanitise their hands before serving.
• At three of the four communion serving points, there will be two servers - one serving bread and the other wine. After each person has received some wine from the 'common cup', the cup will be carefully wiped before the next recipient. 
• We are mindful of those who are immunosuppressed or feeling poorly and wary of sharing their germs. At the fourth serving point, we will continue to offer bread dipped in wine for those who want to receive both bread and wine, but who don't want to share a 'common cup'. 
• If people just want to receive bread, they can go to any of the four stations.
• We ask people not to dip bread into the wine themselves - that is the least hygienic way of receiving communion. 
• Non-alcoholic wine and gluten-free bread will continue to be available - please ask. 

Many churches have already returned to this traditional Anglican way of serving and receiving communion - we're a bit slow on the uptake. 

For those who are concerned about the hygiene of having a 'common cup', please read this document, which draws on some relevant research. 

It could be easy to get caught up in the practicalities and hygiene concerns of how we share bread and wine. So let's make sure we don't take our eyes off why we share bread and wine. Receiving is a wonderful reminder of Jesus' love and forgiveness for us personally, supremely expressed in his death for us; it's also a reminder that we are one body - one family together - sharing 'one bread' and 'one cup', just as Jesus did with his disciples. Draw near with faith, Eat and drink in remembrance that he died for you, and feed on him in your hearts by faith with thanksgiving.