you can,  just not in a Catholic church.  

The Catholic church loans itself too much leverage when they say that if something is not cleared with THEM then it isn't so. It's between you guys and God.

Oh to be a fly on the wall!

I was at my Grandpa's funeral about 8 1/2 yearsago. He was a Knights of Columbus member and quite high up in it.  Needless to say, they don't get much more Catholic than that. I was raised and confirmed  a Catholic by my parents but as a adult attend a non-denominational church. I call myself an 'Escaped Catholic". Come Communion though, I pondered my relationship wiht God and then went right on up to recieve the wafer. After all, nothing ever official was declared in the Catholic church about me personally no longer being a member.

AAAANNNNYYYYWHOOOO....

In our own church we abide by the Scripture:

"For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread:  24  And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.  25  After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.  26  For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come.  27  Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.  28  But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.  29  For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body."

[1Cor 11:23-29)

 meaning you must be saved first.

You might want to try an Anglican Church.  The invitation to Communion is "all baptized persons regardless of denomination are welcome at the table".  Still somewhat exclusive and so some Anglican clergy get around it by saying, "If it is your custom to receive commnion in your church..."

I assume that, even if I'm not "saved", I can receive communion if I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express last night?

blackbelt,

I get your train of thought,I would tend to agree, but that is not how the RC church sees it.

The RC church sees marriage as a binding and lifelong contract. So, they also have things that make the contract not binding and lifelong, like adultery or even that a couple did not think enough before marrying...

The church's stance is that the children are legitimate, because no matter what the church does or does not do, the parents had a marriage that was civil and legal.

The children exist and they are not made illegitimate when the divorce is civil and legal. So, the church nullifying the contract does so in a religious way and is not that different than when you divorce in a civil and legal manner...

Like I said, I do not agree with the RC stance, but I do not have to because I am not Catholic. I can choose to seek to understand how they feel they have faithfully arrived at that stance. I have no problem giving them the freedom to decide their stance on faith matters, as I want the freedom for my denomination to determine theirs.

While the official position of the RC church might be to refuse non-Catholics, and others that they hold to be 'outside the church', communion, not all RC priests and congregations think that way.  

If I am in an RC church (which usually means for a funeral) and I feel the call to take communion, I go forward to the priest or server.  I have never been refused.   One of the priests in this city knows me quite well from both of us serving on ecumenical events.  I know he recognizes me and knows I am a Protestant when he serves me communion.  

At my brother-in-law's funeral in a little country RC church where everybody knows all about everybody, and I had talked to the priest in planning the service (who would read and what Biblical translation, etc) so again he knew that many of the family were not RC, he not only served us communion, but he served us first, coming down to the front pew where we were sitting and offering it to each of us and then, when he had the chief mourners served, he invited the congregation to come forward with no mention that they had to be good RC members.

In the UCC I attend the invitation is something like this:   This is not the table of this congregation; this is not the table of the United Church of Canada; this IS the Lord's table and all are welcome. 

No mention of requirements; no mention of having to be baptised; no mention of age (Sunday School children return to the sanctuary from their classes to take part in communion).    Some people choose not to receive - that is their decision.   Perhaps some do so because they have some unresolved issues with God or with their 'brother'.    That is between them and God, and not to be determined by the church.  

Score one for the Jews.

Hi Blackbelt ---I believe the RC church now , will serv you  communion . As long as you'v been baptized. The wife thing, my son an I have had many a talk on and I do agree with you , one is enough. God Bless . airclean33.

I saved a few bucks using coupons at Superstore last night too.

Hi blackbelt,

House rules.

The only requirements to receive that I am aware of in the Bible are 1) that we receive in remembrance (focus on the life, death and resurrection of Chirst) and 2) that we not participate in an unworthy manner (make pigs of ourselves).

How point number 2) is dealt with is typically the most problematic and or offensive thing anyone will experience in worship.

To participate in an unworthy manner is believed by many to be eating and drinking damnation upon themselves (1 Corinthians 11:  29).  The various interpretations of what it means to eat and drink damnation upon one's self, more often than not is a result of eisegesis than it is exegesis.  1 Corinthians 11 reveals the problem Paul was addressing if anyone cares to read more than just the 29th verse.

Some make "discerning the body" a matter of doctrine/belief.  I have been questioned by elders who fenced the table in their worship to make certain I understood well enough for them to be comfortable letting me participate.  I have never been barred from the table.

Although I know certain denominations (typically particular representatives of certain denominations) would not welcome me to sit at the table they preside over.  I tend not to push it by not attending worship with those denominations or, if I am aware of it, those particular individuals within certain denominations.

I have only refused to participate in the sacrament one time and that was while I was studying.  It was a personal decision of my own to withdraw from the sacrament, I was not forbidden participation.

I have never refused to serve any who wished to participate.  We did have a very serious style mix-up with a Roman Catholic visitor that took some very concentrated pastoral care to smooth over (even innocent mistakes can have serious consequence).
 

Denominations and/or congregations may add additional criteria beyond the two Biblical ones mentioned above.

Grace and peace to you.

John

I remember taking my first communion after the rules were changed. I remember my Sunday School teachers taking the time to teach us about what communion meant in the Sundays leading up to it. A week before we took our first communion, we shared in an Agape Meal which I remember as being particularly meaningful given what we had been learning. I felt proud the next week taking communion - I felt like I truly belonged.

Still happens. I heard of a woman with tatoos who was told to find another congregation by a United Church minister, recently. I know of a woman who was refused baptism because her mother wasn't a part of the congregation at the moment (too busy raising kids).

I understand the symbolism. I don't understand the exclusivity/ exclusionism. Telling someone they can't participate--who is anyone really to say that another can't participate? Who is so "pure" that they can do that? isn't that like casting the first stone?

Hi Kimmio --Would this help, The BibleI find has the answer, to most you want to know.----

	1Cr 6:2	Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to try trivial cases?
	1Cr 6:3	Do you not know that we are to judge angels? How much more, matters pertaining to this life!
	1Cr 6:4	If then you have such cases, why do you lay them before those who are least esteemed by the church?
	1Cr 6:5	I say this to your shame. Can it be that there is no man among you wise enough to decide between members of the brotherhood,

I do believe you must be carful, with this power.We are to try and help a brother .We all may get off the path.

Thank you.

One of the reasons communion in the pews is valuable. we serve each other and one can pass the elements or not.

Frankly, as a pastor, it's none of my business. If someone doesn't feel they wish to receive communion, that is their business. I may notice it, but would not say anything. I practice and preach inclusiveness at the Table. I am saddened that my colleagues would practice otherwise. That's not my understanding of Jesus and what he invited us to do and be.

Good grief. I am saddened that someone would make a moral judgement on what is a medical issue.

IN my faith we have a ritual very much like communion called the feast. All are welcome to partake regardless

DKS, I can say I have never witnessed "communion in the pews" in practice in a UCC.

Because of DKS and seeler. I thought about the times when I have seen a desire for inclusion or proving the table was open regarding communion actually come out feeling like marginalization.

One elderly woman never took communion, a new minister arrived. Up front the open table stuff was said, people come forward orderly row by row...she is sitting... the minister nods at her... nothing... the minister motions to her... she sits... the minister repeats that the table is open... another person may not have came back, but with all the beauty and grace and cojones that 80+ years gives you she said "I seen ya the first couple times, I was trying not to make a spectacle of ya, but I don't take communion"

I, for a long time, avoided communion Sundays, because not going forward might be construed to be about my homosexuality. It was a barrier when I felt, on a purely personal (for me) level - not a theological stance for my opinion on others- that I did not want to take communion until I was baptized.

Some people have been spiritually abused and communion can be some what troublesome because of that.... and that you come up or stay seated in front of all means they stay home....

Is it common to not only say the table is open but invite, motion, urge, coax... regarding communion? (at what point is it marginalization and when is it peer pressure and bullying?)

SG - in my congregation and in the one I formerly attended, we have one elder whose job is simply to watch for those who do not come forward for communion.   Then she tries to catch their eye, or goes down to their pew with the elements.  Sometimes it is a mobility issue, sometimes it is because they are holding a sleeping toddler - and they welcome communion being brought to them without their going forward.  And sometimes they shake their heads to indicate that it is their choice not to participate.  

We also have gluten free bread available for those who require it - and for some reason, my present church offers water as an alternative to grape juice.  

I really don't know how we could make our table more open.   

The invitation we use at St. A/h goes,

"This isn't my table. This isn't St. Andrew's table. This isn't even table of The United Church of Canada's.

This is Christ's table.

Jesus ate with anyone and everyone who would eat with him. In the breaking of the bread they came to know him and he came to know them.

So... it doesn't matter where you're coming from or where you're going.

It doesn't matter if you're old or young or somewhere in between.

It doesn't matter if you're gay or straight, rich or poor, female or male, at the heights of joy or the depths of despair.

It doesn't even matter if you believe in him or not.

It doesn't matter.

This is Christ's table - and Christ welcomes you.

Come as *you* desire."

That was how it has been done since Union in 1925. The congregation I serve now made it clear the moment I arrived a dozen years ago that they wanted it to serve each other in the pews. I grew up with communion being served in that way. In fact, I would suggest that communion by going forward to the front is a bit of a recovered Methodist practice. Presbyterians and Congregationalists served each other in the pews.