This evening we will be having a fellowship dinner before evening worship (the theme is "Sub Sandwiches") and the Lord's Supper at 4:45 PM. Remember as always, that if you don’t have any of the items above to hand, to come anyway. Please, whatever you do, don’t go shopping on the Lord’s Day or stress yourself out trying to get food prepared in time. There is always an over-abundance of food available, and our main objective is to have edifying fellowship and to get to know the people we will be spending eternity with better.

Also I hope that the following material from Thomas Vincent's 1674 classic "A Family Instructional Guide" may be of assistance to you as you prepare to come to the Lord's table:

QUESTION 1: What does it mean to receive the Lord’s supper worthily?

ANSWER: 1. To receive the Lord’s supper worthily, is not to receive it meritoriously, as if we were to bring any merit or worth of our own to it; for none can be worthy of Christ or any of his benefits. 2. We receive the Lord’s supper worthily when we receive it with due preparation before we come to it, and with suitable behavior when we are at the table of the Lord.

QUESTION 2: What is that preparation which is required to the worthy receiving of the Lord’s supper?

ANSWER: There is required to the worthy receiving of the Lord’s supper: 1. Habitual preparation so that the persons who receive it be in a state of grace. 2. Actual preparation, that their graces be drawn forth into exercise.

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ANSWER: We are to examine ourselves, in order to our preparation for this sacrament: 1. In our knowledge to discern the Lord’s body, which is represented by the bread. “Not discerning the Lord’s body” (1 Cor. 11:29). 2. In our faith to apply Christ and feed upon him, and so to draw virtue and spiritual nourishment from him. “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith” (2 Cor. 13:5). 3. In our repentance, self judging, and godly sorrow for our sins, which have brought sufferings upon our Lord. “For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged” (1 Cor. 9:31). 4. In our love to Christ, who in his death expressed such love to us. In our love to one another, who are redeemed by the same bread. 5. In our new and sincere obedience to the gospel which we must engage in, and be fully resolved, in the strength of the Lord, to perform, before we can worthily receive this sacrament. “Therefore let us keep the feast not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth” (1 Cor. 5:8).

QUESTION 5: What is requisite by way of preparation for this sacrament, besides self examination?

ANSWER: By way of preparation for this sacrament besides self-examination there is requisite: prayer to God for his presence, blessing, and assistance of his Spirit; meditation,in order to the exciting of our affections and the drawing forth of our graces into exercise.

QUESTION 6: Who are they that come to the Lord’s table unworthily?

ANSWER: 1. Such come to the table of the Lord unworthily, as have no habitual preparation, being in a graceless and Christ-less state; who having no faith can neither discern the Lord’s body nor spiritually feed upon him; who being without repentance love and new obedience can neither bring glory to the Lord nor enjoy communion with him by receiving this sacrament. 2. Such also come to the table of the Lord unworthily, who, although they are gracious, and have habitual preparation yet take no care, by self examination, prayer, and meditation, to attain actual preparation, whereby they, displease God, and lose also the benefit of the ordinance.

QUESTION 7: If such as are gracious do take pains in self examination, and other duties, to get their hearts prepared, and yet they are still out of frame, would they not be unworthy receivers, should they come to the Lord’s table?

ANSWER: When such as are gracious do, by self examination and other duties, endeavor to get their hearts prepared, though they be out of frame, they ought to come to the Lord’s table, because God may bring them into frame in and by the ordinance; however, they must wait there and attend upon God out of obedience. When they cannot do it with sensible, melting, warm and delightful affection, their sincerity through Christ will be accepted.

QUESTION 8: When we doubt and fear whether we be truly gracious may we come to the Lord’s table?

ANSWER: We may and ought to come to the Lord’s table, although under doubts and fears, if we have a sense of our need of and hungering desires after, Jesus Christ, together with resolutions to give up ourselves in covenant to the Lord: this sacrament being a mean of getting evidences of God’s love, and when we cannot come with assurance, we may come for assurance.

QUESTION 9: What must be our behavior at the table of the Lord, that we may be worthy receivers?

ANSWER: That we may be worthy receivers, our behavior atthe table of the Lord must be humble and reverent as to the outward gestures of our bodies and inward frame of our hearts. We must seriously mind the outward elements and actions, looking chiefly to the things signified, represented, and exhibited in the ordinance. We must meditate upon Christ’s death, so disgraceful and painful—for grieving for our sins; the cause of it—hungering and thirsting after him; and the benefits purchased by his death—applying the promises of the covenant and New Testament, which is of full force through the death of the Testator; drawing nourishment and all needful spiritual supplies from him, in whom all fullness dwells; rejoicing in his love; giving thanks for his grace; renewing our covenant; and mingling all especially, faith and most endeared love to the Lord, and with love in him one to another.

QUESTION 10: What is required of worthy receivers after they come from the table of the Lord?

ANSWER: It is required of worthy receivers, after they come from the table of the Lord that they examine themselves as to their carriage and success. If they have not met with God and have been out of frame, that they inquire into the cause, mourn for their defects, be earnest for a pardon, and, by after pains, labor to get the benefit of the ordinance, and endeavor to mend for the future. If they have met, by faith, God, and been enlarged and sweetly refreshed, they must be very thankful for assistance and enlargements, labor to retain the sweet relish they have had still upon their spirits. They must endeavor to draw more and more virtue from Christ for the crucifying of the world and the flesh. They must be very watchful against Satan, sin and carnal security. They must be careful to perform their vows, and keep the covenant which they have renewed.

QUESTION 11: What is the sin of unworthy receiving the Lord’s supper?

ANSWER: The sin of unworthy receiving the Lord’s supper is any who are guilty of the body and blood of the Lord; that is, they are guilty of an affront and indignity which they offer to the Lord’s body and blood. “Whosoevershall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord” (1 Cor. 11:27).

QUESTION 12: What is the danger of our unworthy receiving the Lord’s supper?