AS OFTEN AS YOU EAT THIS BREAD
AND DRINK THIS CUP
YOU PROCLAIM THE LORD’S DEATH
UNTIL HE COMES IN GLORY
(1 Corinthians 11:26)
AND THEY KNEW HIM
IN THE BREAKING
OF THE BREAD
(Luke 24:35)
WE PREACH CHRIST AND HIM CRUCIFIED
(1 Corinthians 1:23)
IN THE ADMINISTRATION OF COMMUNION
THE WORDS OF INSTITUTION
ARE TO BE SPOKEN
OR SUNG DISTINCTLY AND CLEARLY
BEFORE THE CONGREGATION
AND ARE UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES TO BE OMITTED
(The Book of Concord 584)
I’M BACK ON THE MEDICINES
THAT KEEP ME AWAKE
SO AS USUAL
I PUZZLE OVER THINGS
THAT PUZZLE ME
I DON’T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO DO
OR ANYWHERE TO GO
IF AN ILLITERATE
HINDU PEASANT
WHO UNDERSTOOD NO ENGLISH
WERE TO ATTEND OUR SERVICE
WHAT WOULD HIS IMPRESSIONS BE
COMMUNION AND COLLECTION
BECAUSE THERE IS MOVEMENT
SIGN OF PEACE
SAME THING
BUT THE SERMON
AND THE OTHER WORDS OF THE SERVICE
WOULD BE SO MUCH BLAH
BLAH
BLAH
WHEN I WAS IN MAINE
DUE TO CLERGY SHORTAGE
I WAS ALLOWED TO PRESIDE AT EUCHARIST
WHEN IT CAME TIME TO SAY THE WORDS OF CONSECRATION
I FELT MOVED TO SAY THEM
AS CHRIST MUST HAVE SAID THEM THE FIRST TIME
NOW I KNOW I CAN BE A BIT OF A DRAMA QUEEN
KING
WHATEVER
BUT I FEEL THE WORDS OF THE CONSECRATION
SHOULD BE READ WITH MORE FEELING
THAN READING A MENU
OR A TIMETABLE
BUT WE PREACH CHRIST
AND HIM CRUCIFIED
THEN WHERE IS THE CORPUS
ON THE CROSS
THE LACK OF IT
SMACKS OF CHEAP GRACE
WE SHOULD SEE THE HORROR
THAT OUR SINS HAVE WROUGHT
AND SO BE MOVED TO REPENTANCE
AND AMENDMENT OF OUR LIVES
WHY IS IT
WHEN A SERVICE
MUST BE SHORTENED
IT’S COMMUNION WHICH GOES
OF THE TWO
WORD AND SACRAMENT
I THINK SACRAMENT IS MORE IMPORTANT
THE WORD IS OFTEN MISUNDERSTOOD
WITNESS THE MULTIPLICITY OF CHRISTIAN SECTS
THE SACRAMENT
HAS POWER IN ITSELF
TO AFFECT CHANGE
WHEREAS THE WORD
MUST BE ALLOWED IN
MORE THAN WATCHMEN WAIT FOR THE DAWN
I WAIT FOR SLEEP TO OVERTAKE ME
AS I PRAY
BE NEAR ME LORD JESUS
I ASK YOU TO STAY
CLOSE BY ME FOREVER
GUARD ME I PRAY
BLESS ALL THE DEAR CHILDREN
IN YOUR TENDER CARE
TAKE US TO HEAVEN
TO BE WITH YOU THERE
AMEN
FRANK A VOLLMER
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