Methodists Discuss the Holy Meaning of Communion
More than 100 Methodist clergy and church leaders from around the world gathered in Nashville, Tenn. late last month to discuss the meaning and heritage of the Holy Communion.
The April 26-28 meeting attracted leaders from as far away as Singapore, Canada, and Alaska - though the majority came from within the 48 continuous states. The conference was entitled “Teaching the Sacrament-Improving the peace” and addressed the growing interest, theology and practice of Communion. By the end of the meeting, conference members adopted a document called “This Holy Mystery.”
According to retired Bishop Joseph Pennel, a professor at Vanderbilt Divinity School in Nashville, the study on the Holy Mystery comes at a fitting time.
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“This is a very important moment in the life of our church,” said Pennel. “We need teaching around Holy Communion because this is one place people, month after month, can have the experience without knowing the meaning.”
“We’re at a time when we need to consider what to teach, how to teach and what to do,” he said.
According to the Rev. Gayle Felton, the principal author of “This Holy Mystery,” the purpose of the week was to “try to help us move from confusion to clarity” and to give guidance and direction.
“We have a lot of the former and not a great deal of the latter,” she said.
“Also it might move us from apathy to enthusiasm. We have de-emphasized sacraments. The road to recovery is to recover our heritage – become Wesleyan again.”
