Text Box: Dear Friends in Christ,

Two people asked me questions last month that I thought I’d share with you. One person asked why we have communion so often; and the other person asked me why we don’t have it every Sunday. My answer to both questions is simply – TRADITION!!! There is nothing that tells us how often to celebrate communion. Over the course of time churches have celebrated communion every Sunday, or twice a year, or twice a month. It all depended on their tradition. Currently we celebrate communion on the first and third Sundays, and on special holy days. You’ll find that Lutherans across the United States and across the world each celebrate the eucharist at different intervals. 
	In Matthew 26:26-28, Mark 14:22-24, and Luke 22:17-20 we hear the story of when Jesus ate the Last Supper with his disciples and he spoke the words that are used every time we share in communion. “This is my body given for you….do this for the remembrance of me.’ Communion is a time for us to remember all that Jesus has done for us and all that he has taught us. It is when we participate firsthand in the promise of forgiveness that Jesus made to us. When we feel the most stressed out over something we’ve done, or when we’re feeling the least worthy to receive communion is when we need it the most.
	In John 15:5 Jesus says ‘I am the vine and you are the branches’. The wine and grape juice remind us of this relationship with Jesus. Using real bread as often as we can in communion reminds us that Holy Communion is a real meal. Just like we need food several times a day to remain healthy and strong, we need Jesus in our lives to be healthy and strong in our faith. Just as the Last Supper was a real meal that Jesus celebrated with the disciples, Holy Communion is a real meal that Jesus celebrates with us.
I encourage you to receive communion as often as you can. It is a gift from God for the people of God - us.
God’s blessings be with you!
Pastor Bonnie 
Text Box: Shepherd’s Watch
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CANDO LUTHERAN CHURCH