What About the Lord’s Supper During COVID-19?

Given the approach of Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday, many people have asked the pastors and elders if there is any thought of practicing some kind of virtual communion. We want to answer that here. This is taken from a response to one thoughtful member of our church.

Wanting to receive the sacramental is a godly desire in which we all share. At the same time we have very good reasons for not trying to administer it outside of regular congregational worship and I’ll try to explain below:

First, the Lord’s Supper was initiated as communal (in community). All the Gospels (Mt 26:20, Mk 14:17, Jn 13) note that Jesus instituted it with the disciples corporately. It even says specifically in Lk 22:14–17 14 When the hour had come, He sat down, and the twelve apostles with Him. 15 Then He said to them, “With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you (plural) before I suffer; …17 Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, “Take this and divide it among yourselves…” 

Second, it’s still expected to be communal: Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 10:16–17 16 The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? 17 For we, though many, are one bread and one body; for we all partake of that one bread. Verse 16 focuses on our communion with Christ. V. 17 on our communion with one another.

Third, we have no record of a private communion happening anywhere in Scripture and nor would we expect there to be because of the communal aspect of the Supper. It’s nature is to be a shared meal, and not a private meal.

Lastly, I think this is kind of an important and often missed aspect of who we are as Presbyterians. Unlike many of the European reformed churches and Anglicans who practiced weekly communion, Scottish Presbyterians had a higher view of the sacrament, which required a heavier emphasis on spiritual preparation in accordance with 1 Cor 11:24, 25, 27-32. Historically that has meant less frequent celebrations of it. We are actually intentional in not having communion weekly because we believe it requires extra self-examination about our faith and our submission and obedience, and our love for the brethren. Less frequent communion of course doesn’t guarantee that anybody does this well, but it does at least foster a more circumspect approach. Private communion does much the opposite. It fosters the idea of private religion which is also completely outside biblical thinking. On the rare occasions that we administer communion to someone shut in their home for health reasons, it’s always in the company of a pastor, other elders and with a brief preaching of the word and regular administration of the sacrament…in short, a typical corporate worship service on a smaller scale.

The Book of Church Order requires an announcement to the congregation ahead of time: PCA BCO 58-3. “It is proper that public notice should be given to the congregation, at least the Sabbath before the administration of this ordinance, and that, either then, or on some day of the week, the people be instructed in its nature, and a due preparation for it, that all may come in a suitable manner to this holy feast.” See also, 58-8.

So all that said, I can’t speak for the Session as a whole, but to do a virtual communion or something similar would seem to run counter to Scripture, the confession, and our standards. Added to that, a few years ago a group was censored by the PCA General Assembly for having done that very thing. So I’m not saying we would never do it, only that it would be a huge stretch for us and require some serious reconsideration to so radically modify what we believe and practice.

Again, I want to put all that into context. We believe the present crisis is a temporary situation for our church and nation. We believe that in the not too distant future we will return to what the church has practiced for almost 2,000 years. When we do, we will be very hungry for the Lord’s Supper along with the full communion of the saints when at last the situation allows for us to enjoy being physically together. So in the mean time, be patient, and look for Christ in His word which we are so blessed to possess.

Pastor Anderson