Fellowship Meal and Lord’s Supper This Sunday

The early church commonly celebrated the Lord’s Supper at the close of a communal meal, just as Christ gave the Lord’s Supper to the church at the close of that final Passover meal in the upper room. We strive to continue in that vein by having a fellowship dinner before evening worship and the Lord's Supper at 4:50 PM. Remember as always, that if you don’t have any of the items below 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.

The theme for the fellowship meal this week is “Pot Providence” Here is what you should bring (if you are able to do so) according to last name:

A-B Bread & Drinks

C-G Main Dish

H-N Salad

O-Z Desserts

Here is some good material to help you to prepare to come to the Lord’s table. The following is from a question and answer style commentary on the Westminster Shorter Catechism put together by Gospel Ministers James Fisher and Ebenezer Erskine.

Q. 37. "What is required of them that receive the sacrament of the Lord's supper, in the time of the administration of it?"

A. "It is required of them, that they -- heedfully discern the Lord's body, and affectionately meditate on his death and sufferings, and thereby stir up themselves to a vigorous exercise of their graces; in sorrowing for sin, hungering and thirsting after Christ, feeding on him by faith -- and in renewing their covenant with God, and love to all the saints."

Q. 38. What is it for the Lord's people to renew their covenant with him at his table?

A. It is to acquiesce anew in the covenant of grace, as made with Christ, Isa. 44:5; and, in so doing, to surrender themselves to the Lord, to be wholly his, trusting that he will keep them by his power, "through faith unto salvation," 1 Pet. 1:5.

Q. 39. What is it for them to renew their love to all the saints on that occasion?

A. It is to embrace the opportunity of being at the Lord's table, to breathe out the secret and habitual desires of their souls before him, that all the saints, as well as themselves, may share abundantly out of the fullness of Christ, Psalm 90:14; and that they keep themselves "in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life," Jude ver. 21.

Q. 40. What is the duty of Christians, after they have received the sacrament of the Lord's supper?