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Sunday, May 7
6:30 pm
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Because I am responsible for some of the pictures in our 2023 Church Pictorial Directory, I am focused on getting pictures that can be used for that. It will also be nice to place these in our congregation’s “history file”.
Lots of changes have been made to our Love Feast and Communion Service since Covid. At this point everything is packaged for individual use, so nothing is passed from one person’s hands to another.
It is good we live close to the church (2 miles), because I went there three times between 2 pm and 5:30 pm to take pictures. Following morning worship – which is focused on preparations for Communion – the deacons and their wives have lunch in the fellowship hall.
When I got there at 2 pm they were filling grape juice cups.
I learned three things that I never knew or thought about at our Love Feast and Communion Service. First, I did not know that there is a special juice-cup-filler that can be used for filling lots of cups.
Matt putting lids on the cups.
These deacon’s wives were preparing the unleavened bread for individual packages. It had been baked a few days earlier.
Most of never see what a full “loaf” of unleavened bread looks like before it is cut into strips.
After that it is packaged for individual use.
These deacons are preparing regular white bread that will be used for the Love Feast meal. Men get 3 slices. Women get 2 slices.
Preparing the roast beef for the meal.
The meat is used to make sandwiches or put in the rice soup – however each person wants to eat it.
I did not know that the meat is weighed so each person gets an equal amount.
Being put into Ziplock baggies.
Tanya displaying a tray of packaged meat.
Nitoche and Jill were in charge of the rice soup and were in cleanup mode when I took this picture.
The deacons were preparing the sanctuary. This small table is for the moderating ministers and head deacon.
Tom and John putting foot washing towels/aprons at each bench.
They knew I was coming so made sure the center aisle had all white tubs for the foot washing service. š
The individual trays were already distributed to the sanctuary tables when I arrived 3:30 pm. These narrow tables lift up for this service. At the end of the evening, they are folded down and locked in place until the next Love Feast and Communion. Our congregation holds these special services twice a year. May and October.
An individual serving: utensils, wet-ones, butter, meat, white bread, unleavened bread and grape juice. Water and soup were added later.
After leaving the sanctuary, I went to the kitchen where the rice was soaking in water.
They have notes for the timing of everything and had the water boiling at just the right time.
After the rice is cooked in one very large cooking pot, it is divided equally between the two pots, so the broth of the meat and the rice is equally distributed.
Lelan was doing that.
These two large pots will be poured back into the kettle that cooked the rice.
Matt helped him do that.
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I went back to church at 5:30 pm to photograph the final preparations for the 6:30 pm service.
By this time cold water bottles had been added to the place settings.
Several deacons were pouring water into the foot washing tubs.
This is when I learned something about foot washing. Because they add this water ahead of time, the water is pretty cool by the time we place our feet into it. However, the moderating preachers and their wives get warm water which is poured just before the service begins.
I noticed that some of the deacons were taking a short break before placing the hot soup at each place setting, so I got everyone together for a deacon photo.
Twelve of our fifteen deacons. Three were missing. Glen is retired and Jesse and Bob were on the west coast for a wedding (Bob’s son and Jesse’s grandson).
Matt, Cole, Trulan, Scott and Matt
From the other side.
John, Tom, Lelan, Pete, Kevin, Ryan and Joe
Jill said they have to stir the soup to make sure the rice doesn’t get lumpy.
Nitoche stirring the other kettle.
The kitchen got busy when it was time to put soup into bowls. A few deacon’s daughters helped with this.
A bit of business between Kevin (deacon) and Dave (our congregation’s moderating minister).
Four ministers: Ron, Wilbur, Marvin and Jim. Wilbur and Marvin are from other congregations and were officiating our Love Feast and Communion service.
Dave giving Wilbur and Marvin last minute information.
Deacons putting soup bowls at each place setting.
When Kevin (deacon) noticed me sitting, he asked for my camera to show what Doris does when she takes a break from the camera. š I sat down to talk to Rachel (white jacket) about her secret sister – for whom I had been delivering flowers and packages.
Opening song.
Scripture reading – John 13 – in preparation for foot washing.
My photo of washing feet did not turn out to my liking this time, so this is from a previous service.
Love Feast and Communion is the only time of year when the men and women sit on opposite sides of the church – especially because of the intimacy of washing feet and greeting each other with a hug or kiss.
I was sitting close to the back of the church so I could get photos without many people knowing what I was doing.
Scripture reading – John 19 – before the Communion part of the service.
I liked my view of this grandma and granddaughter sharing a Bible.
We always close the service with singing.
Acapella singing is especially good when men and women are on opposite sides of the church.
That’s quite an endeavor! I really like the portable “tables” in the pews.. I don’t quite follow how you do the foot washing?
Foot washing is well organized by each set of two bench rows. A person at the end on the right side washes the feet of the person behind them. That person washes the next person, and it continues to the end of the bench on the left side. That person washes the feet of the person in front of them, then it continues across that bench. During construction, our benches were spaced for this. For those who have trouble kneeling to wash feet, special tables are set up in the back overflow on each side of the church. Those adapt in whatever way works for them and the next person.
This was an interesting post. Is there a special significance for rice soup? Is the beef boiled with seasoning to flavor the rice? I didn’t notice children. Is this adults only?
As far as I know, the rice soup signifies a simple meal like Jesus had in the upper room with his disciples. The beef broth is used for seasoning the rice. There are some children – if they have received Jesus into their lives and have become members of our congregation. There are babysitters for the others in several Sunday school rooms.
Thanks.
Goodness, what a project, just to get ready for the service!
Yes, this service really puts our deacons and their wives to work. š
That was fascinating
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Interesting! I learned a lot about things the way you do and why!
How convenient tables look for twice a year! I suppose saves a lot of time with deacons not having to pass out the unleavened bread and grape juice once communion service starts!!
The deacons used to pass the bread and grape juice – before covid.
Thanks for the explanation of the foot-washing. A lot certainly goes into the preparation, but everything seems so well organized that the whole service must go very smoothly for such a large crowd. It’s really quite impressive.
This was always my favorite service. I liked the special quiet times when we broke the bread and we sang
All the blood songs during the cup
It was a 3 hour service. Must be shorter now with the changes.
No crying babies.
It is a bit shorter since the unleavened bread and grape juice are at each place setting. We still do a lot of singing.