[Magdalen] physically distanced communion

[Ann Markle]

Our Cathedral has been using these little packets (available through
Concordia) for some time. I don't know why our diocesan partnership hasn't
made this generally known; I only found out through a friend who received
it there, and brought me one,  then I called the Dean. We'll distribute
them Christmas Eve, and Ash Wednesday, probably. My Warden wants me to do
it weekly, and we might go to that. We've ordered a small FM transmitter
(doubt that we'll have it by Xmas Eve), which will allow me to do drive in
parking lot services. It sure isn't how I ever imagined church,  but maybe
we needed something to get us unstuck a little from old ways, and from
bricks and mortar. I think this is a little like what Ginga experienced
years ago, and she tried to tell us how revitalizing a necessity like this
could be. For me, at least, her prophetic words fell on deaf ears at the
time. I can't say I'm grateful for 2020, and of course I love our old forms
and ways, but I love the church more, however necessity may reconfigure it!


Ann
The Reverend Ann Markle
Buffalo,  NY
ann.markle at aya.yale.edu

On Mon, Dec 21, 2020, 2:49 PM Grace Cangialosi <gracecan at gmail.com> wrote:

> Churches who were approved to meet outdoors were permitted to distribute
> Communion in one kind, but that worship has now been suspended, except for
> either Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.  They never were on board with the
> whole idea of “virtual” communion using pre-consecrated elements. We’re all
> supposed to be fasting from Communion , since everyone can’t receive. And,
> frankly, “spiritual communion” doesn’t do it for me or my congregation, so
> I’m not doing that, either. We do HEII up through the Peace and then end
> like Morning Prayer.
> We don’t have an organist, so on Christmas Eve, when we’re going to Zoom
> live from the (empty) church, I’ll play some Christmas carols at the
> beginning and end and between readings. I’ll send all the words with the
> Order of Worship and readings. Not perfect, but at least it won’t be from
> my kitchen!
>
> > On Dec 21, 2020, at 1:19 PM, Suzie Buchanan <buchanan.suzie at gmail.com>
> wrote:
> >
> > I am sorry to hear that the Diocese of VA isn't particularly on board
> with
> > how to provide consecrated communion to people.  I know that for my own
> > parish, being able to receive communion once a month has made all the
> > difference in getting through this year.
> > I receive the email newsletter from the Diocese of Vermont, and thought
> > others might be interested in their diocesan-wide provision for
> communion.
> > They're using the pre-filled wine/wafer sets, but doing it through
> parishes
> > all across the diocese at the same time.  Here's the link to their
> > communication about the first time they tried it - 1st Sunday of Advent.
> > It went so well that they're going to do it again for Christmas Eve.
> >
> https://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?ca=f5c66956-f18e-4f9c-8e3f-c12b3e78cebb&preview=true&m=1115977133568&id=preview
>