Monday, October 27, 2025

The Common Cup

During the pandemic, many decisions were made in an effort to reduce the spread of the COVID virus. Some of these practices were quite helpful (social distancing) and others were less than helpful (wiping down groceries with disinfectant). And some of these practices remain useful (wearing a mask when feeling ill) and others are no longer necessary (only allowing people to sit in every-other pew). As I led my congregation in Salisbury, we made several adaptations at the Eucharist such as using pincers (tongs) to hand out the host and receiving only the host, not wine. However, as we were able to return to more standard Eucharistic practices, we did.

You’ve likely noticed that Grace and St. Stephen’s is a fairly “intinction-heavy” (dipping the wafer in the wine) congregation, stemming not only from the COVID pandemic, but the history of the city being a tuberculosis treatment and recovery hotspot. My hope is that we can move in the direction of sharing in the common cup and reduce the number of intinctions. Many members are newer to the Episcopal Church and simply follow the pattern that they see at the rail, so these norms are important. 

There are several reasons why I am encouraging a greater usage of the common cup.

1) This is the expectation laid out in the Prayer Book: “Opportunity is always to be given to every communicant to receive the consecrated Bread and Wine separately.” While there is a provision to receive both simultaneously, it is not the standard. Traditionally, intinction was only used when giving the Sacrament to the sick.

2) While it may seem that intinction is more sanitary, self-intinction is actually the least sanitary method of receiving the wine. You can ask any chalice bearer about how many fingers go into the wine for a fuller explanation. Multiple studies have shown that the risk of drinking from the common cup is “negligible.” Furthermore, the alcohol content in port wine, the wiping of the chalice, and the anti-microbial properties of silver all dramatically reduce the risk of spreading germs. There is no sanitary reason to allow for self-intinction and no significant risk in sharing in the common cup.

3) A central theological truth of the Eucharist is that the Sacrament is always received, never taken. This is why we come forward with empty hands and receive the Eucharist. As we sometimes pray in the Prayer of Humble Access, “We are not worthy so much as to gather up the crumbs under thy Table.” The prayer continues with a note of Grace, “But thou art the same Lord whose property is always to have mercy. Grant us therefore, gracious Lord, so to eat the flesh of thy dear Son Jesus Christ, and to drink his blood, that we may evermore dwell in him, and he in us.” We receive not because we are worthy, but because we are loved and shown mercy. Self-intinction obscures this Grace as it is a form of “taking” instead of “receiving.”

4) Scripture’s plain sense is that we drink the wine (“This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 1 Corinthians 11:25; “Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and they all drank from it.” Mark 14:23). Given the theological and scientific realities of the common cup, there is no compelling reason to amend or ignore our Lord’s instruction in most situations.

5) There is an element of unity that comes from sharing in the common cup, and this has been true for millennia. Christians have always been accused of being odd for our Eucharistic practices (early Christians were accused of being cannibals for eating human flesh). Though some are not comfortable drinking after others, that discomfort actually helps us to demonstrate that we are one Body.

6) Several dioceses and congregations, based on the above reasoning, discourage self-intinction. There have even been calls made to the House of Bishops to discourage self-intinction on a Church-wide basis.

All this being said, pastoral sensitivities must also come into play, lest any policy end up denying full Eucharistic participation to anyone. Those who are severely immunocompromised and may not be willing to accept even minimal risks, the sick who are unable receive the chalice due to physical constraints, those who know they have an active and contagious infection, those with open sores, young children who are not yet able to drink from the chalice, and those in recovery from alcohol addiction may, understandably, choose not to drink from the chalice and should still have the option to receive the Sacrament in both kinds. It is not the intention to deny the Sacrament in both kinds to anyone. We will also continue to make provision for those who need gluten wafers.

The pastoral provision that I, and many other congregations, have found to be a theologically sound and practical solution is to have the clergy intinct the host in the common cup (ensuring no fingers end up in the wine) and then either place the host in the open palms of the recipient or directly on the tongue, if so chosen. However, the preference is for as many as are able, to share in the common cup.

Beginning in Advent, we will move towards this Eucharistic norm and will no longer offer self-intinction vessels. If you need to have the clergy intinct the wafer for you, you may indicate this by placing your hands palm side down (instead of up) and this will indicate to the clergy to intinct the host into the wine before giving it to you.

***Summary: Drinking from the common cup is encouraged and commended. Intinction will remain a pastoral allowance, but will no longer be self-intinction.

I am announcing this change well in advance of Advent so that the parish is informed with ample notice and that there is sufficient time for concerns to be expressed and worked through well ahead of the change. If you have questions or concerns about this change, do please reach out to me. While I know that some may not prefer this change, how we express and work through our disagreements is a sign of our unity in Christ and I welcome such conversations as an opportunity to practice holy listening and mutual concern.

Let us keep the feast.

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For further reading:
Article that highlights the four-fold shape of the Eucharist as "take, bless, break, give" - making clear that Eucharist is to be received by the communicant, not taken

Prayer List Updates

Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

Galatians 6:2

Therefore pray for one another, so that you may be healed.

James 5:16

Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God.

1 John 4:7

One of the joys of being a part of the Body of Christ is that we have honor and sacred privilege of praying for one another. Prayer is not empty words, but expresses our hopes, loves, and intentions for one another, and we also believe that through our prayers, God will do more than we can ask for or imagine. Part of what it means to be God’s beloved community is to “Rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep” (Romans 12:15) and we will be slightly changing our Prayers of the People to allow us to do just that.

Given the importance of prayer, when we begin a new liturgical year in Advent we will pray for those on our prayer list, by name, in the Sunday Prayers of the People. We will pray the first names of all of those on the “crisis” prayer list, and both first and last names will be printed in the prayer list at the back of the bulletin. If anyone prefers to not have their last name printed, that can be requested.

Our prayer list will be divided into four sections:

Crisis: Those in urgent and exigent circumstances. Generally, people will remain on this list for one month and then be added to the ongoing prayer list.

Thanksgiving: Those are rejoicing the birth of a child, a wedding, an ordination, or other such occasion to joyfully give thanks to God. They will be prayed for in the Prayers of the People for one week.

Deceased: Those who have died will be prayed for in the Prayers for one week.

Ongoing: Those on this list will be listed (first and last name, unless otherwise requested) indefinitely in the bulletin, but not included in the Prayers of the People.

If you need to make changes or additions to the prayer list, please contact Father Robert or Deacon Kris.


Sunday, October 26, 2025

October 26, 2025 - The Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost


Lectionary Readings

Disturb us, O Lord, and by your Spirit, help us to dream holy dreams. Amen.

There’s was a practice common in Wales until not too long ago known as “hunting magic eels.” It’s something like a Welsh Valentine’s Day – there was an well that was said to be inhabited by enchanted eels that could predict your romantic future. If you threw a token into the well and the eels touched the token, it meant that your lover would be faithful to you for life. This well was a pilgrimage site for centuries. Today, the well and nearby church are both in ruins.

Sunday, October 19, 2025

October 19, 2025 - The Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Lectionary Readings

Lord Jesus, we’re doing our best, but the waiting is getting hard, so help us to not lose faith. Amen.

As the saying goes, “Life is not for the faint of heart.” There are so many things that wear us down, that deflate our hopes, that tire us out. The good news is that’s exactly the same world that Jesus was born into and the same condition that the disciples struggled with. The relief, strength, and hope that they received in being near to Jesus is the very same that we receive as we gather as his Body to receive his Body in the Eucharist. Thanks be to God.

Sunday, October 5, 2025

October 5, 2025 - The Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost

Lectionary Readings

O God, grant us the serenity to accept the things that we cannot change, the courage to change the things that we can, and the wisdom to know the difference ☩ in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.

What a tremendous gift we have in faith! Truly, it’s an embarrassment of riches. I mean, just look at this place – we are surrounded by so much beauty and have received this wonderful church as the legacy of those who have come before. We have all received the gift of life – of the opportunity to live, and move, and have our being in the knowledge and reality of God’s love for us. We are lavished with the love of our Creator who is with us and for us in all things. And many of us are fortunate to have financial resources that afford us comfortable lives.

Sunday, September 28, 2025

September 28, 2025 - The Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Lectionary Readings

Be with us, O Lord, for if you are with us nothing else matters; and if you are not with us, nothing else matters. Amen.

So there was a guy who found himself at the pearly gates of heaven and St. Peter asked him, “Tell me about one good deed that you did during your lifetime?” The man said, “Sure, this one time, I saw a group of mountain lions circling some deer and I charged at them to try to scare them away.” St. Peter replied, “What a kind and generous act. When did that happen?” The man said, “About two minutes ago.” It’s a setup for a joke that we all know – someone finds themselves at the pearly gates and some sort of twist delivers the punchline.

Sunday, September 21, 2025

September 21, 2025 - The Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Lectionary Readings

Gracious God, guide us to seek your Truth: come whence it may, cost what it will, lead where it might. Amen.

“And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of dishonest wealth.” If I’m honest with you, and I’ll always be honest with you, I don’t have a clue why Jesus told this parable or what he was getting at by commending the actions of this weasel of a manager. The guy is self-serving, conceited, and conniving. He’s a cheat. If this manager asked to be on our Finance Committee, we’d give him a very firm, “Thank you, but we’re not sure that we need your, um, gifts, should used for the finances of the church.” And yet in this story that Jesus tells us the scoundrel is commended for his actions. It’s outrageous and I can’t say that I get it.