Before the Meeting, and the Start of the Meeting
It is useful to consider Habakkuk 2:20:
"The Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth be silent before him."
It may be helpful for the pianist or organist to play, as the final part of his or her prelude, Hymn 168 (the hymn based on Habakkuk 2:20) as a non-verbal reminder of this mental preparation.
In keeping with this verse, we should enter the meeting room and take our seats, as much as possible, in a spirit of quietness and meditation. (This is a good time to leave behind, turn off, or at least silence all cell phones and other electronic devices.) Now is the time for serious thought, preparation and self-examination. Despite the ordinary surroundings, we ought to remember that we are coming into the "temple of the Lord", into the very presence of God.
There are some usual objections to this point:
(1) 'But this is the only time of the week we can visit with one another.'
The solution to this is: Arrive a bit earlier than the absolutely last minute, and you'll probably have plenty of time to visit. Or stay a few minutes longer after the meeting. Or both.
(2) The next objection is: 'But I can't arrive 15 minutes earlier — I don't get up soon enough.'
The solution? Try getting up 15 minutes earlier. Most of us who go to work, or to school, probably get up earlier on at least five days a week than we do on Sunday. Why is that? Because Sunday is traditionally a day to sleep in?
William Law was a very devout Christian preacher and writer who lived in 18th century England. He wrote several books that contain practical advice, among them A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life. There he said:
"I take it for granted that every Christian in good health is up early in the morning. He who chooses to indulge in more sleep rather than be early at worship is choosing the poorest refreshment of the body, instead of the noblest employment of the spirit and mind — he is choosing the condition of animals, rather than the service which is the glory of angels."
An interesting thing to note about this is that Law seems to assume that one would get up early every morning, not just on Sunday morning — and that one would arise early, every morning, specifically for the purpose of worship!
My guess is that William Law had a tendency to annoy people because he was so uncompromising. But he did give fair warning at the very beginning of his book, when he entitled it: A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life!
There are, for all of us, times when being late is simply unavoidable, and we should not judge one another in this matter, any more than we do in others. So the words which follow are only for times when being late is avoidable.
Being late to meeting is not just wrong because we may disturb or distract our brothers and sisters, but also because we are thereby making ourselves late for an appointment with God. Is this important? In the parable of the wise and foolish virgins (Matt 25:1-13), Jesus says that the foolish virgins did not make preparations ahead of time. So, when they came late to the marriage feast, they found the door closed. I venture to suggest there is a lesson there for all of us.
Arriving on time — or much better, arriving ahead of time — is especially important when we have some duty to perform. Being late, or arriving at the very last minute, can cause a real problem for others. The presiding brother wonders when, or even if, the exhorting brother is coming — and if he will arrive with a prepared exhortation. The recording brother wonders if the serving brother knows that he is on the list for the day, or is even planning to come. Being late for your duty, or coming in at absolutely the last moment, will probably distract other brothers and sisters from their times of quiet and meditation — times which help them to get the most from the meeting.
General Appearance and Dress
In this, as in many areas of our life in the Truth, no hard-and-fast rules can (or should) be imposed. But surely we can be governed by intelligence and common sense. How would we dress for a special occasion such as meeting some important human dignitary? How would we behave at such a meeting? Let us answer such questions for ourselves, and then realize, with wonder and awe, that on Sundays we are going to meet the Lord of the Universe and His Son!
The Bible does have general advice. As one example:
"Everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way ['decently and in order': KJV]" (1Cor 14:40).
Other general advice: The apostle Paul writes:
"I also want women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God" (1Tim 2:9,10).
We note that Paul doesn't hand down rules as to the kind of garments, or length of skirts, or other details. We also note that "not… but" in these verses is a figure of speech commonly found in the Bible: When Paul uses 'not… but', he does not literally mean: 'never the one… but always the other.' Instead, I would paraphrase it this way: 'not only the first (if you choose), but especially and always the second.'
In other words, Paul is certainly not saying: 'Women, don't ever braid your hair or wear any jewelry or anything expensive.' Instead, he is saying: 'Don't be concerned with how stylish you are, but do be concerned with your conduct, modesty and attitude.'
This leads to another point: For all of us, brothers and sisters, this simple statement is true. Say it to yourself from time to time:
'The Sunday meeting is not about me; it's about Christ!'
This is very simple, but very useful. Paul writes: "No one may boast before [God]" (1Cor 1:29). Or, as the KJV, "No flesh should glory in [God's] presence." Therefore, our goal should be this:
'I don't want to call attention to myself. I am one part of the Body of Christ. I don't need to stand out, and I don't want to stand out. I just want to belong.'
This is useful as a guideline. Perhaps we don't need rules about dress at all. We just need to think of a couple of things:
- If what I wear, or how I act, causes me to stand out from everyone else, that is wrong.
- If I make myself stand out, then I may be taking others' attention from Christ, and turning it toward myself.
- Therefore I should avoid "dressing up" so much that others notice me.
- Likewise, I should avoid "dressing down" so much that others notice me.
- If I'm not sure what to do, I can always ask myself, as a sister: 'What are the other sisters wearing?' Or as a brother, 'What are the other brothers wearing?'
Like I said, simple, common-sense, easy-to-remember "rules" that really aren't rules at all.
Brothers' Duties in General
We will now think about some of the duties that brothers are expected to perform.
First of all, some general introductory exhortations for the brothers:
1. There is never an excuse for not knowing, ahead of time, when you are scheduled for any of your duties. There is a schedule of duties, probably for months in advance, available for everyone. There are the Sunday morning announcements for the upcoming week. There may even be an email that goes out during the week, with the same information.
2. There are very small ecclesias, let us say, an ecclesia with only three or four, or half a dozen, brothers. In such an ecclesia it is very helpful to everyone if practically every brother takes a turn presiding and reading and praying, and perhaps also exhorting, unless he feels that he is truly unable to do so. But for a larger ecclesia, with 25 or 30 brothers, I have this suggestion: There is really no great reason why any brother should feel that he absolutely must fulfill any and every possible duty. If Bro. X feels that he is past the age where he is comfortable presiding, or has difficulty reading in public, then he should simply ask that his name be left off the duty list. If Bro. Y feels that he can't do justice to his duty to exhort, then he can do the same: simply request that he be left off the next list.
3. One more general matter: Young brothers should never feel that they are being rushed into performing any duties (presiding, exhorting, praying, serving, etc.). But if they wish to do so, and if they are put on the duty lists, then they also have the duty, as young brothers or novices:
- to learn exactly what is required of them,
- to pay special attention to what the more experienced brothers do,
- to ask questions if they are unsure of something, and
- to ask the older brothers for help and advice.
You should always be able to find a more experienced brother (or sister) who is willing to look over your written exhortation or notes ahead of time, and offer helpful comments or constructive criticism.
The Presiding Brother
Presiding is perhaps the most important duty of all, more important to the memorial meeting as a whole than exhorting. The presiding brother's voice is the first one to be heard. It is his duty to set and maintain the tone of the meeting. By his presence, attitude, and words he brings unity and continuity to the whole service. His duty is also to introduce the central feature of the whole worship service, that is, the emblems or symbols of the body and blood of Christ. This should require preparation (and prayer) at home, even before coming to the meeting.
Words of advice for the presiding brother:
- Take your time; there is absolutely no need to rush. Your objective is not to finish quickly, but to give every feature of the meeting its proper sense and meaning.
- Make your assignments for Bible readings and prayers well ahead of time. Rushing around just before the meeting starts to line up brothers is not helpful to achieving the right tone. Either appoint brothers the day before, or as soon as you can before the meeting starts.
- There should be standard presiding forms available from someone, possibly the recording brother. Get one and use it. Or better yet, keep a supply for yourself. There is no need to reinvent the program each week, or ever to have to guess what is supposed to come next.
- Prepare a few very brief comments ahead of time to open the meeting. Examples: a psalm of praise to the Lord, or perhaps Isaiah 53, or a few of the first verses of Psalm 22. There are many good introductory passages, if you keep in mind the purpose of the memorial meeting.
- Then have other comments to introduce the Breaking of Bread at the appropriate time. If possible, try to make this introduction start up just where the exhorting brother left off, by calling special attention to the emblems themselves.
- When the exhorting brother has done his job in this regard, by reminding us of this central purpose of the meeting, then you don't need to do much more. Simply read a few of the verses by which the bread and wine are introduced in the Scriptures (Matt 26:26-29; Luke 22:19,20; or 1Cor 11:23-26). But read them slowly and carefully. Three verses read slowly and with reverence is much, much better than six verses rushed through!
- A suggestion: While the memorial hymn is being sung, just before the Breaking of Bread, take a moment to remove the cover from the Bread and the Wine. This means you can move slowly and carefully, and avoid knocking a cup over. It also means that, as soon as the hymn is finished, the emblems are on display for everyone — which also helps everyone to focus on the right things.
- Before and after the taking of the Bread, and the taking of the Wine, pause (perhaps sit down for just a moment). This also gives everyone, including yourself, another brief moment for reflection and meditation on why we are here and what we are doing.
We remember that first Memorial Meeting in the upper room in Jerusalem. As the host, Jesus was the first presiding brother, conveying a pervasive calm and confidence to his brethren. By this means he demonstrated to them God's presence and God's love. The presiding brother can do nothing more important than this: to help everyone in the meeting to shut out the thoughts and worries of the ever-present world, and to focus on the eternal spiritual truths — the only things that really matter.
Music and Singing
This can be difficult in some meetings, when those who play and those who sing may be all too aware of their inadequacies. It is also true that very few of us have professional qualifications in music. We need to remind ourselves that our hymns are not important as a display of technical skill, but only for the spiritual quality of the worship itself. It is entirely possible to sing (and play) with an attitude which Jesus condemned:
"Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you: 'These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men' [Isa 29:13]" (Matt 15:7-9).
It is "the Lamb" to whom "all praise and honor and glory" should be given (Rev 5:12). We should never seek praise and honor for ourselves because of any talents or achievements we may have, whether playing a musical instrument or singing — or speaking or teaching, as far as it goes. Everything we ever do in the service of the Lord is for his honor and glory!
Again, as in other matters: When we play music, or sing, we must remember that 'Whatever we do, we must do as if it were for the Lord' (cf Col 3:23). In other words, we must keep reminding ourselves: 'Remember: it's not about me!'
The words of the hymns, and their message, should be the guiding principle by which we select hymns, and play and sing them. Sometimes the hymns are selected by the pianist, and sometimes by the presiding brother or the exhorting brother.
Words of advice regarding the hymns:
- The pianist, like any other brother or sister who has duties on a Sunday, should know when he or she is scheduled, prepare ahead of time, and arrive early.
- If the hymns can be selected to fit the Bible readings and/or the subject of the exhortation, then they can support and reinforce the rest of the meeting.
- For both the pianist and the presiding brother: If there has been a recent loss of a member, you might want to consider whether or not it will be helpful to play certain hymns, i.e., those about suffering and death. Will such a hymn help or hurt at this time?
- If the exhorting brother has a hymn or two which he would like to use one Sunday, he should consult with the pianist ahead of time, during the week if possible. It's not helpful to surprise the musician with a new piece of music just before she (or he) starts to play. Some like to know in advance so they can practice before the meeting starts. "How will anyone know what tune is being played unless there is a distinction in the notes?… If the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will get ready?" (1Cor 14:7,8).
- Hymns have different "feels" about them, as well as different meanings. Some are plainly intended to be somber, or almost mournful, while others are just as plainly intended to be joyful or triumphant. When we recognize this, then we should play — and sing — to suit the mood of the hymn.
- The pianist should begin playing, softly, a few minutes before meeting is scheduled to start. This provides a gentle hint: 'If you haven't settled down in preparation for the meeting, you need to do so now.'
- When the presiding brother announces the hymn, he usually reads a few lines or a whole stanza. This should be read slowly, distinctly, and with some sense of reverence. Such a reading will help those who sing begin to think about what they are singing, and why. ("Music becomes worship only when conscious thought directs it to that end": Harry Tennant.)
- After the closing prayer, the pianist will play a final piece of music. This should be chosen to enhance or reinforce the just-concluded service, not merely because it is popular or the pianist enjoys playing it.
Bible Readings
The crucial point to recognize here, as in every Bible reading or Bible class, is that God is speaking to us:
"This is what the Lord says: 'Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Where is the house you will build for me? Where will my resting place be? Has not my hand made all these things, and so they came into being?' declares the Lord. 'This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word' " (Isa 66:1,2).
As with prayers, there should be no unnecessary movements, no interruptions, and no noise. Whether we speak to God (in prayers and hymns) or God speaks to us (in Bible readings), we are dealing with divine communication. This is no trivial matter.
Words of advice for the presiding brother:
(a) Make sure the readings you have selected do not have any embarrassing words or phrases. There are a couple of words found in the KJV which were apparently acceptable several hundred years ago, but are now considered crude and objectionable. You'll find some examples in 1 Samuel 25:22; 25:34 and 2 Kings 18:27. (Be aware that this list is not complete.) If chapters like this must be read anyway, make sure that the reader you have chosen is aware of that, and can substitute something more appropriate at that point — perhaps from another translation (or perhaps he can just use common sense to select an alternative).
(b) The subject matter of certain chapters, especially in the law (e.g., Lev 15 and 18) and the prophets (e.g., Ezek 16 and 23), is simply not suitable by most people's standards for memorial meeting. (These are only examples; there are other such chapters.) When such chapters are read, they may turn our thoughts away from the real purposes of the meeting. Reviewing ahead of time and, again, using some common sense will tell us which chapters should be avoided — even when they come up in the normal daily readings schedule.
(c) Very long chapters, with genealogical lists or numerous repetitions, also have their place in the Bible, but may not be the best for reading on Sunday morning. We understand that a telephone directory can be a very useful book — for a specialized purpose. But we don't have to read pages and pages from it to get the benefit we need.
(d) The same point applies to certain chapters in Proverbs (Prov 10-22 or so), in which each individual verse is a self-contained unit. These can be difficult because there is no context for each verse. A suggestion: If the exhorting brother wants to speak on one or two such proverbs, then he should request that only those verses be read. There is no need to read a whole chapter simply for those few verses.
(e) Appoint the readers as soon as you can, so they can look at or read the portion ahead of time.
Words of advice for the reader:
- Look at the advice for the presiding brother above; in case he hasn't read this advice, you might want to be on the lookout for the same problems.
- As soon as you have your assignment, take a moment to find the chapter and read it over carefully.
- Remind yourself to read slowly, and pause at obvious points, such as the beginning of a paragraph. If you are not sure where the obvious pauses are, then you haven't looked over the chapter carefully.
- Be sure there are no words that you have trouble pronouncing. Pay special attention to names and unusual words.
- If you aren't sure how to pronounce a proper name, pick one option and stick with it. No one really cares whether you say "HAB-akkuk" or "Ha-BAKK-uk", or whether you say "Phi-LEE-mon" or "PHIL-emon". Just don't dither around about it. 'How long will you halt [i.e., jump back and forth] between two opinions?'
General advice when reading in public, or with a group:
- When it comes up in the Bible reading, nearly all Christadelphians replace the KJV's "Holy Ghost" with the much better alternative "Holy Spirit".
- My opinion, again: When you read publicly, don't try to substitute Hebrew or Greek words for the English. You might think it is impressive, but I suggest it's better to save that sort of detail for exposition when it will really help.
- Particularly avoid changes like "Yahweh" for "the Lord", or "ecclesia" for "church". Such changes may distract or confuse more listeners than they help. Also, brothers who attempt this may make real mistakes when they guess wrongly. To change the Word of God is essentially to take from or add to its actual text (Deut 4:2; 12:32; Prov 30:6; Rev 22:18,19) — which is also equivalent to what Paul calls "distorting the word of God" (2Cor 4:2), or "handling the word of God deceitfully" (KJV).
- If you have trouble reading archaic words like "thee" and "thou", and "wist" and "wast" and "shalt", you might want to find another Bible version to read, at least in public.
Public Prayers
Public prayers should be relevant. This means they should be related to the immediate purpose, whether an opening prayer, prayer on behalf of others, thanks for bread or wine, etc.
For example, there is a time to pray for those who are sick, or those who are traveling, but the thanks for the bread or wine is not really the time.
Praying in the presence of others may be quite difficult at first for some brothers. There is no problem in a young or inexperienced brother having one or more written prayers with him (suitable to the subject of the prayer), ready to be used if he is called upon to pray.
Prayers should not be repetitious. There is no need to recount all the key points of the exhortation that preceded the prayer. However, it may be useful to take one point and emphasize that in your prayer.
There is no need to pray through the whole plan of salvation just because you can. Keep in mind that young children, never mind their parents, as well as older folks may have problems with long prayers — either with standing still or concentrating for more than a minute or two.
Prayers should be fresh and spontaneous, if possible. In my opinion, prayers are best when offered in common, everyday language — not old, artificial 'Sunday only' speech. Some brothers are well practiced at using KJV language, and that's fine for them. But young brothers might want to think about praying in the same language they use for common speech. At least it will sound natural and not forced.
Public prayers should be short, and to the point. The writer of Ecclesiastes has some useful advice:
"Guard your steps when you go to the house of God… Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few" (Eccl 5:1,2).
Jesus criticized the Pharisees because their prayers were crafted to sound pleasing to men, and to enhance their own reputations. Here is what Jesus said:
"And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men… And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him" (Matt 6:5,7,8).
Bro. C.C. Walker, a former editor of The Christadelphian, had this to say about what he called "indecorous prayers", that is, inappropriate or unacceptable prayers.
The disciples felt their inability so much that they asked the Lord to teach them to pray. And he taught them "the Lord's Prayer". In English it takes only about sixty words. "God is in heaven and thou upon earth; therefore let thy words be few" [Eccl 5:2]. So said Solomon; and the "Greater than Solomon" upholds it. His own examples are marvels of chaste brevity and simplicity.
All acceptable prayer is based upon faith and obedience, coupled with brevity, simplicity and suitability.
Thanks for the bread and wine should be carefully confined to the subject. A closing prayer should not epitomize a lecture or exhortation. Prayers that God "will make us" thus and so, without our honest endeavor, are hypocrisy. "The Lord make us truly thankful" is an indecorous prayer. "Father, we thank Thee" is the Christ model.
One final point about prayer:
It is more than a tradition for prayers to end with "Amen". It has a very real purpose. The "Amen" should not just be spoken by the brother praying; it should be echoed by everyone in the audience.
Why is that?
"Amen" is the Hebrew word for "truth". In other words, an "Amen" in a prayer is a way of saying: 'I agree with this prayer. The prayer offered by the brother on my behalf is my prayer too. By saying, Amen, I am saying: Yes, Lord, this is my prayer too. We are all praying together for what this brother has spoken aloud for us all.'
Say the "Amen" at the end of the prayers, and say it like you mean it. If you are not sure that you can say "Amen" at the end, it may mean that you weren't listening as you should have. And that's a cause for another sort of self-examination: Why weren't you listening?
The Collection
Although we were not redeemed by perishable things such as silver and gold (1Pet 1:18), we cannot escape from their use in the service of God. It is our privilege to dedicate our material blessings to the service of the One who gave them to us.
In these days, we need money and resources in God's service. There is the rent or purchase of a meeting room or hall. There are the poor, the elderly, the children and young people to whom we have special responsibility. We must advertise and preach the gospel. We must provide study and worship resources. We must sometimes collect funds for special causes and special needs.
How do we give? How much do we give? We should give willingly, as though giving were — which it is — a service to Christ personally:
"I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me" (Matt 25:45).
How much should we give? That depends upon the giver. Two factors govern how much we give:
- our ability to give (our income, or available resources), and
- our spirit, whether generous or otherwise.
Typically, Christadelphians downplay this aspect of worship. But our own low-key system should not be an excuse for minimum contributions. Our financial contribution is the means of showing our heavenly Father how much we value His love. We must never think that we can buy God's love — but in our giving we can certainly show how much we appreciate it!
The Bread and the Wine
This brings us to the central feature, the most important part, of the Memorial Meeting: the preparation for, and the partaking of, the Bread and the Wine.
Our Sunday service is properly a memorial. It is not a sacrifice, but it memorializes a sacrifice. It is one way in which we remember the act that conferred grace upon us:
"Do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me" (1Cor 11:25).
The memorials primarily help us to remember the sacrifice itself:
"When this priest [that is, Christ, in contrast to the Levitical priests] had offered (a) for all time (b) one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God… By (b) one sacrifice he has made (c) perfect forever those who (d) are being made holy" (Heb 10:12-14).
In this brief passage the writer to the Hebrews emphasizes that:
- Christ's sacrifice is absolutely effective for all time, as well as for all people who believe in him.
- Christ's sacrifice occurred only once; it cannot be repeated, and does not need to be repeated.
- We are made "perfect" (i.e., complete) in holiness "forever" by this one sacrifice.
- However, this "perfection" is not achieved all at once. It is an ongoing process, in which we work together with God and His Son. By this partnership of effort we "are being made holy".
This final point stresses how important it is to meet together and take the bread and wine. It is the primary means by which we can work together with our heavenly Father and our Saviour to continue the process by which we are finally made both "perfect" and "holy". It is not optional; it is an absolute necessity — and it must be repeated time after time. This is why the same writer, in the same chapter, adds:
"Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another — and all the more as you see the Day approaching" (Heb 10:22-25).
If we are to live up to the New Testament pattern, we must be a family gathered around a table, partaking of a meal and in so doing remembering an absent member. It is an uncomplicated act, an act of loving companionship. It is an act of warmth and familiarity, not of pomp and ceremony.
We do not break bread and drink wine in order to assert any superiority over one another or outsiders. We do not break bread and drink wine as a substitute for the rigorous discipline of service to God in its many features, to which the Truth calls us.
We certainly do not break bread and drink wine in order to encourage personal feelings of self-righteousness or complacency. We may be tempted, when we break bread, to pray to ourselves: 'Lord, I thank you that I am not like other men… and certainly not like the other miserable sinners I see in the world around me…' But if we are tempted to do this, then we must stop, take a hard look at ourselves in the mirror of our conscience, and remind ourselves that we are "sinners" too, who would never be able to save ourselves without the constant love and mercy and oversight from our God and our Saviour.
We break bread often to help us remember these really important matters. But In doing this as often as we do, we ought to be careful, because frequent repetition can turn the memorial service into a formality, and this can encourage self-congratulation. We may pat ourselves on the back, and whisper, 'We must be better than others: Just look at our dedicated service!' — but this would be very, very wrong.
Also, frequent repetition of this memorial service can encourage forgetfulness of the important principles, along with too much concentration on the external details.
Purely and simply, we partake of these emblems in order to remember: first, God's love; second, Christ's sacrifice; and third, our duty.
There are two absolutely essential aspects of worship: baptism and the memorial supper. Baptism is the process by which the believer is "born" into his new, spiritual family. And the Breaking of Bread is the perpetuation of that family life which began at baptism, by the repeated affirmation of the believer's membership in the marvelous family of God.
Why are there two different emblems? The obvious answer is that the bread represents Christ's body and the wine his blood. But that answer seems somewhat inadequate since either one alone might symbolize, almost as well as both together, his sacrificial death. Is there some further distinction?
In part it is this: The bread represents the strength of our Lord's life, a life totally dedicated to the will of the Father. The wine more aptly represents his death, the blood willingly poured out as a climax to his life's work.
The bread was broken and passed to each disciple. Each disciple drank a portion from the cup. But we must not suppose that this dividing up of the emblems implies, in any sense, that Christ can be divided among us, or that we in any sense partake of only a portion of the blessings involved. All the blessings belong to every individual among us. The bread must be broken in order that many can share it; there is just no other way to accomplish the practical object of providing each brother and sister a portion to eat. But the body which the bread represents, Christ's spiritual "body" of believers, cannot be broken. It is one:
"Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body" (1Cor 10:17).
And the body is united, "held together" or "supported" (knit together": KJV) in love with the Head, who is Christ himself (Col 2:2,19). As the natural body is held together by ligaments and sinews, and nurtured together through a single circulatory system, so the spiritual body is bound together and supported by love, especially Christ's love.
The Spirit of the Occasion
In "proclaiming the Lord's death until he comes" (1Cor 11:26), our Memorial Meeting is like a funeral. In attending a funeral we are showing respect for the dead, and for the occasion. We are also recognizing, for ourselves as well, the solemnity of both life and death, and how, in our daily lives, we come in contact with eternal things. "Ask not for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee." Surely, if we grasp this fact, we need not worry that we will forget to examine ourselves.
Of course, this is a quite extraordinary funeral, for the one who was dead is now alive, gloriously and eternally alive! The natural seriousness of the occasion will be offset by the joy of this: The one who died for each of us is alive forevermore! What a promise there is in our Lord's words:
"I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Father's kingdom" (Matt 26:29).
Every memorial meeting helps us to remember, and reaffirm to ourselves and our brothers and sisters:
- that Christ is our Head;
- that he died for each one of us;
- that we all belong to him;
- and consequently, that we also belong to one another;
- that we all are honor-bound to love one another and care for one another, no matter how difficult that may sometimes be;
- that we must forgive one another even as we are forgiven by God;
- that this life is not an end in itself, but a preparation for the age to come; and
- that our Saviour, Jesus Christ, is coming again.
I believe that, if this is our spirit and our attitude on such occasions, then we will show forth his death, and his love, until he comes again.
The Doorkeeper
This is a role similar to that of the serving brothers, which we will consider also. In many ecclesias, the doorkeeping brother will welcome visitors to the meeting, answer questions, give directions and instructions, and if necessary report the names and home ecclesia of visiting brothers and sisters to the recording brother for announcements.
It may seem mundane, but the doorkeeper should be aware of distracting noises, and keep doors closed if necessary to reduce such noise.
In any group of people, there are times when someone must leave and/or return during certain parts of the meeting. This should be avoided if at all possible, but sometimes it is not possible. Then it is the doorkeeper's duty, by taking care of the door, to keep these disruptions and noises to a minimum. It is his gift to all those who are seeking to get everything possible from the meeting itself, and it can be very important.
The Serving Brothers
The serving brothers at a memorial meeting ought to remember that they are not just 'waiting tables'. They are more like pallbearers at a funeral, because they carry the objects which represent the body and blood of a Saviour who died for them and us.
More than this, serving brothers are also like best men at a wedding. They are the companions of the bridegroom. They are the friends of the one who has promised to come again in power and glory, to ascend the throne of God in His Kingdom, and to call all his followers to the great wedding of the Lamb and his Bride. So, in a small way even now, the serving brothers have the joyful duty of being heralds who announce Christ's return and his coming kingdom.
How you stand, and how you walk down the aisle, can convey either that you truly care about what you are doing — or perhaps that you are only fulfilling one more duty, and can scarcely wait until you are finished. Your attitude, the way you handle yourself — what is now called 'body language' — can help to remind others of how important this service is, and why we are doing it.
As for everyone else: If you sit on an aisle, be sure that there are no books or feet or other items that might obstruct the serving brother, or cause him to stumble, as he moves from row to row.
Under this heading, we can also mention the "serving sisters" who prepare the memorial table ahead of time. The seriousness and care with which they do this should be similar to that with which the brothers carry out their serving duties. In each case, they are handling the body and the blood of our Lord. Of course, the bread isn't the literal body of Christ, and the wine isn't the literal blood. But you are handling what is spiritually the body and blood of Christ, and — as we've said earlier — the spiritual truth is the most important reality!
In each case, the serving sisters, as well as the serving brothers, are performing a small but essential role in the greatest drama ever acted out in this world.
The sisters (or brothers) who prepare the emblems on Sunday should regularly check the condition of the plates, cups and cloths, and keep them clean. They should also check regularly to be sure that there is enough wine and bread.
Sometimes I think of these things as I pass the bread and wine up and down the rows of our meeting hall. There is something about this duty which is so serious, so solemn, that it is like standing at the crossroads of life and death and looking both ways.
But also, there is also something else about this part of our service which should fill us with joy: We the serving brothers (or the serving sisters) are holding and sharing and remembering together the One who will come to set us all free, to wipe away all tears, to swallow up death in victory, and to bring everlasting joy to a troubled world. There is an old hymn — I wish we sang it. One verse goes like this:
My life flows on in endless song. Above earth's lamentation I hear the sweet though far-off hymn That hails a new creation: Through all the tumult and the strife I hear the music ringing; It finds an echo in my soul — How can I keep from singing?
A funeral, and a king coming in royal glory. We must try to put these two ideas together, and hold both at the same time. If we can do that, then we are close to understanding what we do. When we prepare or serve the emblems, or partake of them, we are seeing the terrible death of a perfect man. But at the same time we can rejoice, because before our very eyes a new creation is dawning in his resurrection and his promise: "I will come again."
Conclusion and Dismissal
After a final hymn and prayer, most meetings have a brief musical interlude to close. This is not a convenient background to cover the noise of shuffling feet, packing up of belongings, or whispers about lunch plans. Rather, it is a final quiet moment to gather together the threads of thoughts from the worship, and to prepare to face the rest of the day and the week to follow — being sure that Christ is going with us as we leave the meeting.
Remember, our service can be beautiful and holy even without the external trappings of an expensive building and a large congregation. Christ on a mountainside, or in a secluded room with a few friends, could lead the most holy of services. And so it may still be with us:
"For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them" (Matt 18:20).