The Place of Congregational Song during the Distribution of Communion

A practice to which I was introduced in the mid-1980s, which I introduced at the new church that I helped to pioneer from its pre-launch days on, and which came to characterize our celebrations of the Lord’s Supper was the practice of congregational singing during the distribution of the communion elements and immediately afterward before the post-communion prayer. As well as using very familiar hymns and worship songs such as praise choruses, we also used a number of hymns and worship songs with simple lyrics and melodies and/or refrains or repetitions. These characteristics enabled the congregation to sing without a hymnal or song sheet in their hands as they went to or from the communion stations. Wall screens and multimedia projectors had not yet come on the scene.

In addition to singing one or more hymns or worship songs during the distribution of the communion elements, we adopted two other practices. We did not interrupt a hymn or worship song because the distribution had been completed. We sung the hymn or worship song to its final stanza. We often sang a hymn or worship song after the distribution of the communion elements and then observed a period of silence before joining together in the post-communion prayer.

The Lord’s Supper is not only a looking backward to our Lord’s suffering and death, a recalling of the offering he made there, once for all time, for the sins of the whole world, but also a looking forward to the most joyous of occasions, the Wedding Supper of the Lamb, a foretasting of that great feast when our Lord and his people will be joined together for all eternity.

The Lord’s Supper has been described as the gospel made visible. The broken loaf of bread and the single chalice of wine or unfermented grape juice are powerful symbols, which are obscured when we serve the communion elements in the form of small individual wafers or pellets of unleavened bread and small individual, disposable cups of wine or unfermented grape juice, a common practice in not only Methodist churches but also Baptist churches, churches of other Protestant denominations, and non-denominational churches. Typically, these churches do not place a high value on the celebration of the Lord’s Supper, celebrating the sacrament, or ordinance, once a month or less often.

In contrast John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist movement, had a different view of the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper. He saw the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper not only as a commemoration of our Lord’s suffering and death but also as a very important means of grace. “The means of grace are ways God works invisibly in disciples, hastening, strengthening; and confirming faith so that God's grace pervades in and through disciples” (“The Wesleyan Means of Grace,” United Methodist Communications)

In his three general rules for Methodist societies Welsey made attendance upon the ordinances, the employment of the means of grace, a requirement for continued membership in a local Methodist society. Wesley received the sacrament at least weekly and more often during the octaves of Christmas and Easter. Wesley believed, “It is the duty of every Christian to receive the Lord's Supper as often as he can.” He put into practice what he believed.

Regrettably Methodist congregations would fall into the habit of celebrating the Lord’s Supper once a month principally since they were served by an itinerant ministry and an ordained elder might visit a local congregation only once a month. Since that time, however, The Book of Discipline has been changed to permit the licensing of local pastors who are also authorized to “preach and conduct divine worship and perform the duties of a pastor.”

“When appointed, the local pastor performs the usual duties of a pastor, including preaching and teaching; leading in worship and liturgy; receiving new members; performing the sacraments of baptism and The Lord's Supper; and performing the services of marriage (where state laws allow), burial, and confirmation. The local pastor’s authority is only within the appointment setting and does not extend beyond it.” [“What does a local pastor do?” Resource UMC].

If a local congregation has a duly licensed local pastor, then it does not need an ordained elder to consecrate the bread and unfermented grape juice and to distribute the consecrated elements to the congregation. [See 340. Responsibilities and Duties of Elders and Licensed Pastors, The United Methodist Book of Discipline (2016)]

During the last two decades of the twentieth century a concerted effort was made to encourage local congregations to celebrate the Lord’s Supper weekly on Sundays and on special occasions like Maundy Thursday. They were encouraged to revive the practices of using a single loaf of bread and the common cup and to recover these powerful symbols. They were also encouraged to sing hymns and worship songs during communion to express the unity of the congregation through the joining of the congregants’ voices in song, to give voice to the joyfulness of the occasion, and to show the corporate nature of the communion procession and the sacrament itself. This effort was not confined to the United Methodist Church but occurred in a number of mainline denominations. During that time I was personally influenced by the writings of Hoyt Hickman, James White, William Willimon, and others encouraging Methodists to celebrate the Lord’s Supper with greater regularity and frequency.

In the opening decade of this century, I was involved in a United Methodist church plant which had weekly celebrations of the Lord’s Supper, in which a single loaf of bread was used and two chalices of unfermented grape juice in which the communicants dipped the piece of sacramental bread the pastor or a communion assistant broke off their half of the loaf and gave to them. We also sang hymns and worship songs during the distribution of the communion elements. The younger children left after the children’s moment but returned during the presentation of the offering, which followed the sermon and preceded the giving of thanks over the bread and the cup. A parent or older sibling dipped a younger child’s piece of bread into the cup for them and then gave it to them.

With many churches now livestreaming their services on Facebook, YouTube, and other platforms and/or broadcasting them live on cable TV and video recording them for future viewing, I would like to share a number of insights gained from viewing services of the Lord’s Supper online. Whoever operates the video cameras need to give close attention to what the presiding minister is doing—to his laying of a hand on the bread ad then the cup and the pitcher or other container for the unfermented grape juice and to his breaking of the loaf into two parts. If the presiding minister pours juice into a second cup, they need to focus the cameras on this action too. During the distribution of the communion elements, they need to keep the cameras focused on the distribution and not the line of people coming forward to receive the communion elements. When they focus on the line of people, they will also show a sanctuary or worship center which was built for a larger congregation but now is not even half full. This is likely to distract viewers from what is happening and focus their attention not on the sacramental action—the sharing of the bread and the cup, but on the emptiness of the worship space. What is more important is showing the Body of Christ sharing the sacrament of Christ’s Body and Blood.

While online and cable TV viewers may not be able to share the sacramental bread and cup unless the church has seen fit to furnish them with the elements or given them instruction to provide themselves with the elements, they may nonetheless benefit from being witness to fellow believers partaking of this sacred meal. Our Lord is present to the heart of the believer, and it is in our innermost being that he nourishes us spiritually. The means by which he is present to the believer is not the bread and unfermented grape juice. “…they are certain signs of grace, and God's good will toward us… [Article 16 Of the Sacraments, The Twenty-Five Articles of Religion (Methodist)] Our Lord is present to us through the operation of the Holy Spirit who unites us to our Lord and to our fellow believers in the Body of Christ. While we may be unable to eat the bread or drink the cup, he nourishes our souls spiritually.

I have put together a list of hymns and worship songs that are found in The United Methodist Hymnal or one of its two supplements, The Faith We Sing and Worship and Song and which are suitable for use during the distribution or immediately after it. I have included several hymns and worship songs from other music collections in this list. I have also offered suggestions in regard to their best use. While the hymns and worship songs in this list are not the latest in Christian popular music, they have proven their usefulness in worship.

The United Methodist Hymnal (1989)

92 For the Beauty of the Earth
162 Alleluia, Alleluia!
186 Alleluia

Recommended verses:

Al-le-lu-ia….
Blessed Jesus….
Precious Savior….
My redeemer….
Jesus is Lord….

Also, verses may be improvised:

God is with us (Christmas)
Lord, we love you (Lent)
He is risen (Easter)

296 I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light
292 What Wondrous Love Is This
300 O the Lamb
340 Come, Ye Sinners, Poor and Needy
347 Spirit Song
393 Spirit of the Living God

Alternative verses:

1 Spirit of the living God,
move among us all;
make us one in heart and mind,
make us one in love,
humble, caring, selfless, sharing.
Spirit of the living God,
fill our lives with love.

2 Spirit of the living God,
fall afresh on me,
Spirit of the living God,
fall afresh on me.
break me, melt me, mold me, fill me.
Spirit of the Living God,
fall afresh on me.

405 Seek Ye First

Sing “Alleluia” as a refrain after each verse, rather than as a descant.

432 Jesu, Jesu
488 Jesus, Remember Me
503 Let It Breathe on Me
593 Here I Am Lord (I, the Lord of Sea and Sky)
618 Let Us Break Bread Together

Alternative verses for use when the congregation stands to receive communion:

1 Let us break bread together we are one.
Let us break bread together we are one.
We are one as we stand with our face to the risen Son.
Oh, Lord, have mercy on us.

2. Let us drink wine together…

3. Let us praise God together…

620 One Bread, One Body
628 Eat This Bread
629 You Satisfy the Hungry Heart
638 This Is the Feast of Victory

This hymn can be sung as a Gathering Song or Song of Praise at the beginning of the service as well as a Communion Song during the distribution of the communion elements. It is a metrical version of the New Testament canticle, Dignus est, also known as the Song to the Lamb.

640 Take Our Bread
664 Set Forth by God’s Blessing

This hymn may be sung immediately before the post-communion prayer or immediately after it before the Benediction.

The Faith We Sing (2000)

2010 Praise Ye the Lord

This hymn, which is based upon Psalm 150, may be sung as a Gathering Song, a hymn or anthem during the ingathering and presentation of the people's gifts or the preparation of the table or during the distribution of the communion elements. 

2012 Let Us with a Joyful Mind

This hymn, which based on Psalm 136, may be used in the same way as the preceding hymn. 

2013 Bless the Lord
2016 Glorify Thy Name
2022 Great Is the Lord

This hymn may be sung immediately before the post-communion prayer or immediately after it before the Benediction.

2030 The First Song of Isaiah

This hymn, which is based on the Old Testament canticle, Ecce Deus, can be sung as a Song of Praise at the beginning of the service, as a hymn or anthem during the ingathering and presentation of the people’s gifts or the preparation of the table, or as a Communion Song during the distribution of the communion elements.

2033 Glory to God

This hymn, also known as the “Lima Gloria” can be sung as a Gathering Song or a Song of Praise at the beginning of the service or it may be sung immediately before the post-communion prayer or immediately after it before the Benediction.

2036 Give Thanks

This worship song may be sung immediately before the post-communion prayer or immediately after it before the Benediction.

2038 Father, I Adore You
2039 Holy, Holy
2058 Shepherd me, O God
2065 More Precious than Silver
2071 Jesus, Name above All Names
2113 Lamb of God
2116 Christ the Lord Is Risen

This hymn can be sung as a Gathering Song at the beginning of the service or a hymn or anthem at the ingathering and presentation of the people’s gifts or the preparation of the table as well as a Communion Song during the distribution of the communion elements.

2118 Holy Spirit, Come to Us
2145 I’ve Got Peace Like a River
2150 Lord, Be Glorified
2152 Change My Heart, O God
2155 Blest Are They
2156 Give Peace
2157 Come and Fill Our Hearts
2161 To Know You More
2164 Sanctuary
2167 More Like You
2179 Live in Charity (Ubi Caritas)
2213 Healer of Our Every Ill
2223 They’ll Know We Are Christians by Our Love
2226 Bind Us Together
2232 Come Now, O Prince of Peace
2255 In the Singing
2258 Sing Alleluia to Lord
2260 Let Us Be Bread
2263 Broken for Me
2265 Time Now to Gather

This hymn may be sung as hymn or anthem at the ingathering and presentation of the people’s gifts or the preparation of the table.

2266 Here Is Bread, Here Is Wine
2267 Taste and See

Worship and Song (2011)

3031 God Leads Us Along
3088 Easter Alleluia

This hymn can be sung as an alleluia before the Gospel, using a different verse for each Sunday of the Easter Season, or it can be sung as a Communion Song during the distribution of the communion elements, using all or a selection of the verses.

3089 O Living God

This hymn may be sung immediately before the post-communion prayer or immediately after it before the Benediction.

3119 Take, O Take Me as I Am

This worship song may be sung immediately before the post-communion prayer or immediately after it before the Benediction.

3167 Feed Us, Lord
3168 Come to the Table of Grace
3169 You Feed Us, Gentle Savior

This hymn may be sung as hymn or anthem at the ingathering and presentation of the people’s gifts or the preparation of the table.

3170 What Feast of Love

Come Celebrate (1990)

C-120 Blessing and Honor
C-121 Great and Wonderful
C-126 Alleluia, He Is Coming
C-137 Worthy the Lamb
C-147 We See the Lord
C-148 He Is Lord
C-158 All the Riches of His Grace
C-160 Coming to the Table
C-161 Jesus Is Our King
C-163 Please Break This Bread, Lord
C-166 We Are Coming, Lord
C-192 Hallelujah, My Father
C-195 Jesus, How Lovely You Are
C-201 Son of God
C-202 There Is Power in the Blood
C-205 Wind, Wind
C-211 Praise God for the Body

Gather Comprehensive (1994)

531 I Want to Praise Your Name
629 God Is Love
667 Jesus in the Morning
703 Song of St. Patrick
729 Prayer of Peace
733 We Are Many Parts
736 Many Are the Light Beams

742 Now the Feast and Celebration

This hymn, which is based on the New Testament canticle, Dignus est, may be sung as a Gathering Song or Song of Praise at the beginning of the service or as a Communion Song during the distribution of the communion elements. 

749 Christ There Is a Table Set for All
820 All Who Hunger
833 Now in This Banquet

Renew: Songs and Hymns for Blended Worship (1997)

70 You Have Been Given
112 Psalm 91: On Eagle’s Wings
135 Rev. 5: 12 Glory to the Lamb
164 Christ Beside Me
225 I Will Change Your Name
232 There Is a Redeemer
239 Hallelujah! We Sing Your Praises
242 Now Let Us from This Table Rise
246 I Am the Bread of Life
257 Praise to You, O God of Mercy (Thanks Be to You)
265 To Him Who Sits on the Throne
269 Let All That Is Within Me
303 Song for the Nations
304 Send Us Out

The shorter worship songs may be repeated two or three times, depending upon the length of the song. In some instances, it may be desirable to repeat the song more than three times. A medley of the shorter worship songs may be used in place of a longer hymn or worship song.

In choosing what hymns and worship songs to sing during the distribution of the communion elements and which one to sing immediately afterwards, careful attention should be given to the words of the hymn or song as well as its tempo and its tune. A practice to avoid is seesawing back and forth between fast and slow hymns or songs. This can have a negative effect upon the mood of communion time. Some hymns and songs are more suited for the beginning of the distribution and others for its conclusion or afterwards.