July 5 2020 Communion Meditation
Pastor Jacqueline Hines - Bethel UMC
Shick Shack
As we come faithfully to be together,
we are inviting the Holy Spirit to move within us and through us and around us.
In times like these we need a special touch from God, especially since we are
being careful about who and what we touch. We used to use touch as a way to
show love, affection, and positive regard; now those pleasantries are withheld
as a matter of life and death!
Dr. Fauci our infectious disease
specialist hopes that we would give up our custom of handshaking forever. Can
you imagine that? One expert said recently that handshaking is critical to our
interpersonal communication because in just one touch of the hands, we communicate
tiny bits of information about our positive regard and care for one another.
The electro-chemical reactions in our skin and our nonverbal signals, from our
grip alone, speak volumes in one moment that would otherwise take weeks to
communicate to each other. At the same time, some educators are even saying
that it is worth the low risk to send our children back to school in spite of
the virus, not only for the sake of a better education, but for their
psychological wellbeing.
In order to make up for the lack of
tactile stimulation, a therapist says we should massage our ear lobes. The
earlobes have nerve endings that extend throughout the whole body. So when we rub
our earlobes we release lots of stress, and less stress means a calmer mind and
healthier life.
It can be stressful trying to find
things to do when we can’t do what we want to, or we have to learn new things
like Zoom. We are exhausted and even depressed and anxious by having to make
new and different decisions all day long because of the pandemic. Mental
hygiene has becomes just as important as handwashing.
God has blessed America. We are the
land of the freer than many and the home of the brave. We can worship. We can be the CHURCH. Someone asked this week,
“Do we have to have communion?” I answered, “No, we don’t have to have
communion. We want to have communion.”
Thank you Jean D. for suggesting that we do it every month in the Shick Shack.
As we commune at the table and
beyond, we find hope and help and healing. We receive God’s touch on our lives
and we develop ways to touch one another’s lives as the Spirit gives us wisdom
and opportunity.
As you commune this morning, in a
moment of silence, give thanks to God for the many ways God has been able to
use you to touch someone’s life, to bring about a good change, to lend a
helping hand, to heal a heart, to comfort a soul, to forgive, to make someone
smile. (Moment of silence)
Now, are you ready for God to touch
your life? What is it that you need? That you desire? Name it silently in your
heart now, whether it be understanding someone or something that makes no sense
to you, or you need justice, or you want wisdom to make an important decision.
You may need one of the fruit of the Spirit – love, joy, peace, patience,
kindness, goodness-generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, or self-control.
Whatever you need, whatever you want, you can find it in the house of God,
among the family of God, just take a moment to talk to God as we feast in God’s
presence and in the presence of God’s children. God hears you! God loves you! (Moment
of silence)
Scripture Reading – *Matthew 26.26-30
Trish Richards
The table is set!
Let us pray: Oh God in whom we put
our trust, thank you for wrapping your arms around us, for guiding us to this
moment to remember that we are your children and a part of the family of
Christians all around this world, and around this communion table.
Bless us now as we remember that
Jesus took bread and broke it saying, “Take and eat. This is my body broken for
you.” He took the cup and told the
disciples to “Drink all of this. This is my blood poured out for the
forgiveness of sins.”
Thank you that you came to save us
from our sins even when so many could care less. You forgave them and us and
all who did not know that they needed to be saved and delivered from evils
within and without.
**Joan
Spiece and Trish Richards – Communion Stewards
(Confirmands
Jackson and Lucas and brother Max Starner are available to help as needed)
We receive the body of Christ broken
that everyone would find healing.
We receive the blood of Christ poured
out that we would find not only life, but abundant life.
We pray as you taught the disciples:
Our father who art in
heaven. Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as
it is in heaven. Give us this day, our daily bread and forgive us our
trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into
temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom and the power
and the glory forever. Amen.
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Benediction: Once again, we have been
touched by God. Go and touch the world!
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