Sigh. I know we've had this discussion before. But I just had to post this over here where I know people understand me.
I belong to a Facebook group called "Things They Didn't Teach Us In Seminary". lol. It's fun, lots of clergy, Christian educators, etc. from all over the country. So I just posted a question about how others do gluten free communion (if they do) in their churches. Along the way in the conversation someone mentioned how the Catholic church believes that you have to have a small amount of wheat for it to be valid. So this one woman replies to say that this is the first time she's ever heard of wheat being what Jesus used, because in all the churches she's been in they just used regular white bread or wafers, not wheat.
I sat on my fingers and instead came here for sympathy. But, I may go point out at least that "regular white bread" and "wafers" are indeed wheat unless the label says specifically otherwise.
My mother looked at me in exasperation one day after I was diagnosed and proclaimed that white bread does NOT contain wheat. Apparently, she was under the assumption that for bread to contain wheat, it had to be brown......whole grain wheat bread. I looked at her and asked what she thought it contained......meringue? I cannot understand how an intelligent woman who raised 4 kids and made everything, just about, from scratch could not know this????????
I guess a lot of people still say "wheat" when they mean "whole wheat." When I grew up in Philadelphia, "wheat bread" was the brownish kind (whole wheat) and "regular bread" was the white stuff! But then, we were 12 years old.
Sounds like you may need to go do some teaching...
Sigh. I know we've had this discussion before. But I just had to post this over here where I know people understand me.
I belong to a Facebook group called "Things They Didn't Teach Us In Seminary". lol. It's fun, lots of clergy, Christian educators, etc. from all over the country. So I just posted a question about how others do gluten free communion (if they do) in their churches. Along the way in the conversation someone mentioned how the Catholic church believes that you have to have a small amount of wheat for it to be valid. So this one woman replies to say that this is the first time she's ever heard of wheat being what Jesus used, because in all the churches she's been in they just used regular white bread or wafers, not wheat.
I sat on my fingers and instead came here for sympathy. But, I may go point out at least that "regular white bread" and "wafers" are indeed wheat unless the label says specifically otherwise.
There are gluten free alternatives. I have had a conversation with my pastor when I was first diagnosed. He said he could get me an alternative from the regular bread, and I don't think they would offer that as an option if it wasn't 'valid'. Unfortunately, my problem is I still don't feel safe having communion at my church as there always seems to be bread crumbs floating in the communion 'wine' (I say wine, we have diluted blackcurrant juice). So I don't feel safe having it at all and it has effected my going to church altogether at present.
If you managed to get a gluten free one at your church, how would you keep it from contamination?
There are gluten free alternatives. I have had a conversation with my pastor when I was first diagnosed. He said he could get me an alternative from the regular bread, and I don't think they would offer that as an option if it wasn't 'valid'. Unfortunately, my problem is I still don't feel safe having communion at my church as there always seems to be bread crumbs floating in the communion 'wine' (I say wine, we have diluted blackcurrant juice). So I don't feel safe having it at all and it has effected my going to church altogether at present.
If you managed to get a gluten free one at your church, how would you keep it from contamination?
We do gluten free at my church, because we (Presbyterian USA) don't believe that it must contain wheat to be "valid". We do communion in one of two ways. Either on trays passed up and down the aisles, bread already cut. For that we use all gluten-free -- either Udi's or Rudi's, because these are the two that are palatable for everyone else. lol. -- Sometimes we do it by intinction which means coming up to the front where the elders are holding a large chunk of bread, and everyone rips off a piece and dips it in the juice. So for that we have some gluten free wafers on a separate dish and a small cup for dipping since there will be crumbs in the larger cups. Either I or the pastor will hold the dish of wafers and the gluten-free cup.
When I do services myself, mostly at a local nursing home, we do it the trays way, obviously (since it wouldn't be practical to have a bunch of elderly people trying to come up front). The bread goes around, then the juice in little cups. I just don't take the bread, but have only the cup. It doesn't bother me to do it that way.
I often wish they wouldn't bother with the gluten-free bread on tray day because it's so expensive. I'd be happy with a small container with a lid that could be put on each tray, gluten-free wafers inside. But, I haven't been able to find something like that. Yet.
I remember reading/hearing something about this recently, and it really got me thinking that for churches (primarily Catholic) who insist that there must be wheat in the bread in order to meet religious standards, it must be a big problem for believers who want to participate in a sacred ritual, but don't want to get sick!
Allegedly some curches have "low gluten" wafers for celiac/gluten-intolerant paritioners, but that's still a big test of faith to know that any time you took communion you might be glutened and get sick. That is not what it's about. (I don't want to get into a religious debate, but it seems to me that wheat or no wheat, it's the idea of the thing that's more important.)
I've never asked my mom how they deal with this at their church, but she's a real gluten-free activist, so likely they have some kind of "special plate" arrangement.
Also, I've also heard the "but it's not whole wheat" crap before too. It's still wheat, folks, white or not.
Ergh.
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~ Be a light unto yourself. ~ - The Buddha
- Gluten-free since March 2009 (not officially diagnosed, but most likely Celiac). Symptoms have greatly improved or disappeared since.
- Soy intolerant. Dairy free (likely casein intolerant). Problems with eggs, quinoa, brown rice
- mild gastritis seen on endoscopy Oct 2012. Not sure if healed or not.
- Family members with Celiac: Mother, sister, aunt on mother's side, aunt and uncle on father's side, more being diagnosed every year.
As a kid growing up in my house my mom bought bread. We referred to white bread as white bread and brown bread as wheat bread. In my grammy's house (where I spent a significant amount of my time, and much of it baking) we made both wheat and whole wheat bread. I knew, and my whole family knew, that bread is made of wheat. While I understand that it is easy to call them white and wheat bread for convenience, I simply can not fathom the level of ignorance it takes to not understand that there is wheat in white bread. Trying to understand how someone could not know this causes me actual, physical, pain.
At my church (I am LDS) there are quite a few of us that are celiacs and/or gluten intolerant or are gluten free for other reasons. (autism, etc) We sit in the same general area. The bread is always broken and passed. For us, we get crackers that suit all of our allergy needs which are handled before the bread is handled, and then only one young man must carry two trays. We simply indicate we need the cracker rather than the bread and everything goes smoothly. Water is in disposable plastic cups so no bother there.
I appreciate everything that has been done on account of me and others in my ward to accommodate us. My heart goes out to everyone who struggles because they are forced to choose between honoring their religious practices and their health. I frankly find the whole thing silly. Why do we argue over a stupid protein when the issue should be about honoring our faith?
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Gluten free January 2012.
Tyramine free June 2012 - slowly getting a few foods back at a time.... scratch that
Low Histamine April 2013 - I swear this better be the last time I have to restrict my diet because giving up chocolate is the final straw
Iodine free briefly fall 2012
I like nonsense, it wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living. It's a way of looking at life through the wrong end of a telescope, which is what I do, and that enables you to laugh at life's realities. -- Theodor Geisel
Lol. I had the reverse happen to me. A relative made a point of buying whole wheat crackers for me because she thought I could eat that. Sweet but misguided.
Lol. I had the reverse happen to me. A relative made a point of buying whole wheat crackers for me because she thought I could eat that. Sweet but misguided.
Me, too!
About the host, at my friend's wedding (Catholic) I had to forgo the host AND the wine because others who ate the host before me also drank from the chalice, and I knew I would get CC'd.
My mother looked at me in exasperation one day after I was diagnosed and proclaimed that white bread does NOT contain wheat. Apparently, she was under the assumption that for bread to contain wheat, it had to be brown......whole grain wheat bread. I looked at her and asked what she thought it contained......meringue? I cannot understand how an intelligent woman who raised 4 kids and made everything, just about, from scratch could not know this????????
I remember reading someone on here a few years ago saying that they were told " white bread doesn't have wheat". I told that to my then 13 yr old son. He said, "Really? You can eat regular white bread? How is that possible? I better check that bread. Is some made with rice flour?" I figured if a 13 year old boy knew white bread was made with white wheat flour, everyone should know that.
"I believe that if life gives you lemons, you should make lemonade... And try to find somebody whose life has given them vodka, and have a party" - Ron White
""I like the cover," he said. "Don't Panic. It's the first helpful or intelligible thing anybody's said to me all day." ― Douglas Adams, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
“Life may not be the party that we hoped for…But while we’re here, we should dance.”
But, I may go point out at least that "regular white bread" and "wafers" are indeed wheat unless the label says specifically otherwise. 
