An idea and blessing from the Transforming Life Event for your congregations and groups to use this summer:

“Paper Bag Communion”

What You Need:     

bags for circles of 10 people each 1 small bottle of grape juice/ per bag 2 rolls/per bag (and gluten-free!) 1 paper cup per bag 1 napkin per bag

Instructions: Have people form into groups of 10 and gather in circles around your worship space. Share the words below and invite people to participate with you. Everyone shares and everyone leads.

Paper Bag Communion Service: One: We invite you to turn to those around you, and pull up chairs in circles of about 10 people. We are preparing for our time of communion. Once you are gathered in a group of 10, have one person come to the front from your circle and pick up a paper bag with the communion elements. Lay down the napkin, lay out the bread and the juice and cup, ready. You are invited to have soft music playing as people get organized. Once people are settled share the Communion Words:

Created by Doris Kizinna for the Alternative Worship at the Transforming Life Moderators Event, with the idea of “paper bag communion” coming from the Greenbelt Festival.

One: Welcome to this table of community and transformation. This is what Jesus asked us to do. It is simple: gather with others, break bread and pour wine, share words and community and remember him. One: Imagine what it must have been like to hear those words in that room on that night. There was love and there was belonging, and a group of people yearning for transformation. So it is as we are gathered here. One: On that day, Life was baked into the bread and poured out in that wine, something happened and the world was transformed. That kind of transformation can happen for us here today too. Let us sing. Sing Choose a song relevant to your community, we used “Prayer for the Cosmic Christ” Music- Chris Giffen, Words- Camille Kamphuis & Chris Giffen One: We invite you to take your bread and break it as we are breaking the bread here. This is Bread, taken, blessed, broken, shared and transformed. Break the bread together. One: We invite you to take your juice and pour it into the cup as we are pouring here. This is fruit of the vine, blessed, poured out, shared and transformed. Pour the juice together. One: May the mystery be present here, transforming this feast, this meal into a miracle. Remember him and eat and drink, passing the meal around to all those in your circle. Take a piece of bread, dip it into the cup, and give thanks. Small groups take part in communion together.

Created by Doris Kizinna for the Alternative Worship at the Transforming Life Moderators Event, with the idea of “paper bag communion” coming from the Greenbelt Festival.