Holy Communion at C of E church? Would you think I am odd?

[Skyler]

I am a lapsed church goer. I have always felt some sort of faith but have struggled with it alot of the time. I do however consider myself to be C of E and was christened as a baby. I have recently been drawn to going to our local C of E church again and have really felt at peace whilst there and enjoyed the services. It is giving me a lot of food for thought. The vicar invites everyone to partake in Communion or come forward for a blessing. I have not been confirmed (although I did the classes when I was younger) and so I go forward just for a blessing with my dd1. Would you find this odd in a 30 year old? I am just wondering what people think. I always feel slightly embarrassed each time.....
I have a lot of thinking to do but I have to say I feel a great comfort whilst in church and actually have been quite emotional whilst there, like I am on the brink of something amazing....Oh I sound like a fruitcake now. Anyway, opinions please???

[nearlythree]

I think it is very beautiful.

[SherlockLGJ]

I am Catholic, we have loads of mixed marriages in our church, as and when the OH's come to church they take a blessing, no one bats an eyelid.

Church is wonderful isn't it ? You really get a chance to exit the rat race and be at one with yourself.

[texasrose]

hi there,


You don't sound like a fruitcake at all!

I am a CofE christian and I can really see how the services could move you and make you think and feel deeply. The thing I'd say is, just relax and enjoy the services and the friendships which hopefully you will build over time.

As for taking communion...I may be wrong but in a lot of CofE churches now they don't really bother too much about if you're confirmed or not. If you believe in your heart then in a lot of churches you are welcome to join in. Equally, if you'd rather receive a blessing, no-one would think oddly of you or think that you are any less at all. It's about being honest with what you believe IMO - by taking communion you are saying 'I am a part of this' whereas a blessing is just that - no less meaningful though. Don't feel embarrassed! No one else would be taking any notice of you (in the nicest possible way! )

If the church offers any inro courses like Emmaus or Aplha it might be worth doing one of those. I can vouch for Alpha; it was fab.

[Heathcliffscathy]

in our (fabulous fabulous so glad i found it) church, EVERYONE is welcome to come and take communion. if you want a blessing you keep your hands down, if not you get communion and wine.

it is inclusive and loving and just wonderful

i was brought up catholic but totally believe in priests marrying and having children if they want to, and also believe in women priests very staunchly.

i love the inclusive movement in the anglican communion.

go for it.

[Skyler]

Thank you for your comments. I feel quite emotional reading them back.
LGJ - You are so right I don't think anyone will have noticed really. They are all busy with their own thoughts.
It is interesting what you say about not needing to be confirmed to take communion. I became a godparent this year (the start of this really) and thought I would need to be confirmed and had a little panic but that Vicar just wanted us to be christened.
I will continue to keep my hands down. The lovely vicar still asks me each time though. I will think about speaking to him I think. Glad to see you don't think I am a fruitcake anyway.

[Skyler]

I mean hands down when I go forward for communion...

[nearlythree]

I wasn't confirmed before I first received Communion. Oh, I'm getting emotional now!

[Skyler]

Really???

[Skyler]

Have you been now?? Do people still get confirmed then ??

[nearlythree]

Yes, I have been confirmed. Again, you can talk to your priest about it. Some people prefer to wait. I used my confirmation as a public declaration that I believed in and was renweing the vows made for me at my infant baptism.

[bloss]

Message withdrawn

[Skyler]

Thank you .

[Heathcliffscathy]

bloss i have a sneaky feeling that i've had some massive argument(s) with you before.

what a beautiful post though.

xxx

[bloss]

Message withdrawn

[MaryBS]

Skyler, I think its really great you want to go up for a blessing. I often distribute communion (the chalice, with the wine in), and its my 'job' to notice whether or not an adult wishes to receive communion. I can tell you there are many adults who don't, for whatever reason. Please don't feel embarrassed.
In fact, when I started going to the church I am now, I didn't receive communion at first - I felt I wanted to be part of the community first (plus I was an ex-Catholic in a C of E church).

If you want to receive communion and you are unsure, why not have a chat with the vicar about it, put your mind at rest?

As for struggling with faith, even the best of us struggle sometimes with some aspect or other, its the nature of being human. I am constantly praying "Lord I believe, help my unbelief" - sorry, I'm rambling....

Oh, just noticed on a later post about confirmation before/after communion. My daughter is 7 and will soon be taking instruction to prepare her for receiving communion. She will be confirmed (if she wants to be) when she is older. Our vicar believes that if children understand the significance of communion and are wanting to receive communion (his own 7yo daughter holds her hands out to receive every week!), they should not be excluded.

[Skyler]

Hello
Mary, Thank you for your post. I find what you posted very interesting and also very reassuring. I think I did something similar to your dd. I remember taking the 'lessons' as a young child perhaps about 7 or 8 but then remember being too young to actually be confirmed at that time. I think I will speak to my Mum and see if my recollections are right....

[MaryBS]

Skyler, glad I could help.

What do you think you will do, now that you've had chance to think?

[Ellbell]

Skyler

ShinyHappyPeople was confirmed as an adult.

But in response to your first message, I don't honestly think anyone would notice. My mum (brought up as a Methodist) took me and my sister to church when we were kids and she just resolutely stayed in her seat when it was time for communion because, she said, she hadn't been confirmed. But I think it's a shame to miss out on that experience. Good for you.

[Skyler]

Hello
Thanks for your message Ellbell. It is interesting isn't it. The vicar at our church is very clear that everyone is welcome to come forward which I think is lovely.
In answer to you Mary for now I am going to continue to go up and get a blessing. I get great comfort from it. I would certainly like to talk to the vicar about it all at some point in the future. My dd's aren't yet christened as we have been living overseas and so this is something I need to consider carefully as well. I am interested in what he will say. For now though I will keep attending the weekly service and continue to think about it all. Thank you for taking an interest .

[Catalepticdru]

Yep our church is the same. They invite all baptised Christians to come forward and partake.
I have been confirmed recently as CoE (I was raised as a Catholic) and since until just over a year ago I was a lapsed Christian, I renewed my baptism vows along with my dh and a few others - and we did the total immersion thing which was absolutely awesome. And wet! Incidently, I rediscovered my faith on an Alpha course!