Quiet Communion

This Sunday our pastor did something may be considered heresy in some circles, but was very cool in my circle. We take communion twice a month and yesterday was one of the two. It was set up where people walked to the front to get their cracker and grape juice, returned to their seat, and then we all took them together. But before the movement began our pastor orated the following:

"While taking the Lord's Supper is solemn in some ways and should be done with revernce, it is also a celebration. It is an affirmation of your committment to Jesus Christ and so as you look around at the others walking up to take communion with you, they have also made this committment. It is communal and so we should participate in it as a community. So today as you come to the front and go back to your seat I want you to talk to each other, enjoy doing this together. I know this can seem awkward because we are usually quiet, but I encourage you to celebrate together today."

So he gave the other instructions and everyone rose, formed lines, and were completely quiet. I said hi and talked to a few people but the deafening silence in the room made me feel wierd about doing it.

It's amazing how stuck to our traditions we can get, and we all do it. We get used to doing things a certain way and it's like we have an invisible forcefield that keeps us from doing them any different. Traditions are good but when the bind us and we start to do things for no reason other than that it's how we've always done it that's silly.