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It's like you got married, took the vows, and now are re-taking and re-affirming those vows you took.. That's all.. Nothing to do with being "born again" again.. Everything to do with our covenant with the God of all gods.. Anyone may partake of this vow.. The question is do they want to? Why would take part in a covenant/vow with God if you do not know the terms of this covenant. Best not to take part in the covenant. Enjoy the fellowship and food. And leave the vow to a later time when you're ready to make that commitment. But IMHO, it is a vow not to be taken lightly as if some "love feast" for feasting sakes, but rather a feast that binds you with God and His love. An everlasting bond, and therefore tread lightly lest you wish to divorce later.

After reading, I thought I'd add my two cents. And well, it is a differing view, so I wanted to say that in case you weren't interested in hearing one! lol.. Not to say my view is the "right" view but a view, so I'm not dissing anyone here. But to me, communion. What Christ did, was nothing new in the ritual sense. This wasn't something he just made up on his own. Oh yeah, here, this bread, is my body, eat it.. I like cannibals! lol.. Or, I like to start a new meal ritual. lol.. But rather this was the ushering of the new covenant. Take drink, this is the new covenant given to you.. (Mat 26:28).. Covenants were entered into in this way. This was not new and is attested to throughout the Old Covenant (known to many as the Old "Testament"[terrible translation]). This was done by Israel when they gathered on the mount to hear God's will and commit to this covenant (the old covenant). A covenant is not just any commitment or promise. It is one made for life. Just as the covenant of marriage (The covenant with Israel was considered a marriage). Something many today take lightly. But it was taken extremely seriously in those days. Without going into too much detail since this is just a post to give an opinion not a teaching, the two parts, breaking of the flesh and the taking of the blood were vital. In the old, God promised to protect them, guide them, care for them, as they promised to obey his will. The people were to cleanse themselves first(yes, baptism in the OT) before accepting this covenant and come with a clean body and fresh mind. The law was read and the people agree "All that you say, we will do". Upon that, the animals were sacrificed. Cut in two. The sacrifice signified the covenant was a vow until death and worthy of death if broken(just as the flesh was broken). And the eating of that flesh(bread for us) was an acceptance of those terms. The blood then was sprinkled upon the people and the altar(representing God) uniting the two in this agreement by blood(Just as we drink of the cup). This was not just some feast. It was an ushering of the new covenant. And everytime it was done was a remembrance of our covenant with God. The new covenant. It is not to be taken just because you are hungry or without understanding. (This is what Corinthians corrects). It is a vow you are making to God and an extremely serious vow at that. Is this taught much these days.. No. Lost.. But it doesn't change the fact of its purpose. And there are many many other things tying the two together. Christ didn't die ONLY so that we might just be free. But further in that freedom so that we are free to bind ourselves in covenant with God. It broke the bonds of the adversary, that pact we made with sin. Christ broke it with his death as we died with him, when we accept this covenant and become united with God, and agree to trust and obey Him. Anyways.. I won't continue now, or it will become too long.. Communion. Was originally the acceptance of the new covenant (Or as bad translations put it, new testament. It turned from a vow to just a testimony. Just as marriage now days has become for many. They were both till death do you part. But now, it's just a temporary agreement for many.).

Ok---Let me see if I understand this. Jesus was the one who coined the phrase "Eat Me!"?

God first thanks Pax the point of these rituals were to teach us because soon he would be given up his life with for us is pass tense he teaching us value of life the gift we received that day the meaning behind him dying the victory that he got up because there were rituals before and there be rituals after because we made them with our churches like the saying of VPW that some just like to read with love and a holy kiss Roy

Pax, I think the dividing is in the mind, the thoughts and intents of the heart. To show and see ourselves more clearly. I like what you said about it not being Christian-non Christian, knowing there are many which know Christ without the label.

I remember in my early searching days, one sunday I waited across the street from a Jewish church, I waited for two hours, but no one showed up; I saw people showing up at this other church, so I went their, a greek orthedock or something like that, but they gave me some kind of bread, and as I ate some, some of that bread fell to the ground, they told me not to let the bread fall to the ground. That was trippe, but not as trippe to find out that Jewish churches meet on Saturdays. It seems that the attitudes of some might have caused them trouble?

I agree with what TrustAndObey wrote, teachme. Communion does commemorate entering into the New Covenant. But it's okay to do it over and over again in order to remember the covenant. In fact, Jesus tells us to do it EVERY TIME WE EAT! So doing it over and over again is not like trying to get born again over and over again. Love, Steve

Sorry for my lack of knowledge on holy communion, I hope you don't mind if I ask TrustAndObey for some insight. I remember reading about people getting sick and death coming early to some, could this be from not having a worthy heart? I mean, I have seen people get born again by going up to the alter, and I kept seeing some of the same people going up to the alter to get born again over and over again, could that have been going on, people committing themselves to the covenant over and over again?

About three years ago,I wound up in intensive care for a few days. I had come down with diabetes without knowing it, and by the time we found out, my blood sugar level was 1010, 10 points off the scale. 300 can be fatal. My body had gone into shut-down mode, and I hadn't been able to eat anything for God knows how long. I remember laying there one night in IC, unable to sleep for all the gurgling and sloshing and belching and growling going on in my gut. It was my digestive system re-hydrating, coming back on-line after having shut down to die. They brought me breakfast the next morning. It included a half an English muffin with a little margarine and grape jelly on it. I picked up that muffin and considered it for about a half hour before I could bite it. It was CARBS! Because I had abused my intake of CARBS, I had almost died. Yet I couldn't go on living without eating CARBS! The Lord taught me more in that half hour about the Bread of Life and communion than I have ever read or heard. When Jesus did what He did, and said what He said at the last supper, He didn't mean to introduce some mystical ritual that could only be performed by the initiated. It was more like saying "Grace" before or after a meal. Regarding the bread as Christ's body and the wine as His blood was meant as a mnemonic device, an aid to memory, for people to keep in the front of thier attention the price Jesus paid for our salvation, ensuring that salvation. The original "eucharists" weren't little slivers of cracker and tiny sips of grape juice. They were whole pitch-in dinners, where everybody ate together. Referring to the "body" and the "blood" was intended to remind everybody of what Christ had done for them so they could be together! "Communion" (and "excommunication") have been abused, but that ain't Jesus' fault! Love, Steve

Let me ask.. who is invited to the feast? the question is sincere.. though asked in laughter..

This is really "cool".. depending on your point of view I guess.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znLItt_WzwE&NR=1&feature=fvwp

I don't know if I'd include chanting here. That's just the way some of us try to deal with life's s*it sometimes.. "are you mumbling?".. "no.. I'm chanting.." I try to be as inconspicuous as possible..

Hi, I've returned after years... see "members" for details if u wish. This is only my second year growing veggies... I grow organically. I've got two small gardens and one medium sized joint... 10x10, I think. This because my small property is completely shade... my 7X5 shade garden produced lettuce, herbs and carrots. (radishes failed, spinach failed, snap peas failed) the medium garden is at a friend's house 1/2 mile from my house and the other is behind a church.. I can use the small plot in exchange for teaching the teens how to garden. The church also provides space and lots of leaves/grass for composting. My Romas did very well... the others ("Better Boy" was one) just OK. I've worked hard at composting and improving my soils. btw: I've started top dressing compost on my front yard under the two HUGE oak trees. Can I hope that the bare patches fill in? Seed failed this spring... will try again this fall. The soil there sucks. Today, I harvested nice medium sized carrots which are delicious... .... a couple of cukes, wax and green beans, jalapeños, and seranos I had no luck with snap peas this year.. two diff varieties... got a handful. I belong to an organic CSA called "Good Tree Farm" in New Egypt, NJ. The farmer is a PhD in plant breeding... a delightful Muslim man with a beautiful family. He bemoans the lack of rain this summer. I got lots of squash: patty pan, white/yellow squash, 2-3 vars of zukes, long white radishes, musk melon, ... his grape tomatoes are unique (to me) and to die for. so that's me.. I'll to read the above on my next day off. I hope to compost my way to instant perfect veggies every time. too optimistic? lol