I met Cletus Hull through Pure Joy Journal, a digital magazine for which we both write. Cletus has been in pastoral ministry for the last thirty-five years with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in western Pennsylvania. He served as a campus minister at the California University of PA (now PennWest California) from 1989-1996. Enjoy the wisdom of Cletus’ blogs. (Ken Barnes)
Guest Blog
by Cletus Hull
For us at Trinity (www.trinitychurchlb.net), Holy Communion is a precious moment. For many people, it remains the high point of the cross in worship. We are one of the few Protestant churches serving communion every week. I know our sacramental friends call it the Eucharist, which comes from a Greek word that means “thanksgiving,” thus, the Great Thanksgiving. It is a vertical relationship with the Lord and us. A horizontal connection with brothers and sisters in Jesus. Place both vertical and horizontal together, and you have the cross. Our praise to God for His sacrifice upon the cross.
In our church family, the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), we call this moment Holy Communion–communing with one another and with the Lord. On many occasions, I have shared with folks at Trinity that I only have one sermon, and it is about a cross (I Cor. 1:18).
I believe the Holy Communion has through faith, great power for our soul and body. It is indicated in I Corinthians 11 that some of the Corinthians were taking the cup and the bread unworthily. They were just eating/drinking and missing what it was all about. Their sicknesses were not being healed. Some died before their time. They were not grasping the meaning of His Body and their relationship with one another. There was division in the church. Fussing and quarreling among the church members. It was as if they were cut off from the forgiveness and healing the Lord could provide in Holy Communion.
So we receive Holy Communion believing in the Lord’s presence to heal and forgive. We love to take the Holy Communion. We love to take it often for many reasons, not the least of which it is a sacrament, a point of contact, to release our faith to God and love the brethren–to heal and forgive. Communion is the Lord’s Table–He set the table. His grace! We do not need a list of items to check off to receive His grace. He welcomes all who desire to come to know Him deeply and share in His life.
That’s what I believe the Holy Communion means to us at Trinity. We can experience healing and forgiveness every time we share. It is the cross and the Blood of Jesus cleansing us from all sin (I John 1:9). That is the meaning and reality of the words,
“This is my Body and Blood I give to you”
Read more in my book The Wisdom of the Cross
Cletus’ Website— www.cletushull.com
Cletus’ blogs at Cletus Hull – Blog
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