Communion

[Virgie]

Hi! It is a ways off yet for my daughter to have Communion but reading in the Living Gluten-Free magazine that I got in the mail today one person said they use a pyx to hold the gluten free (or low gluten) host during communion. I was wondering what you have done for your child for communion. We are Lutheran and she will be getting confirmed in May. I want to make things go as smooth as possible for her.

Thanks.

Virginia

son 18 UC/EE & IBS daughter 13 Celiac

[taylor-]

Hi there! I've never been to a Lutheran church so i'm not sure exactly how they do communion, but in my church at home(baptist) we pass it around and everybody has their own, we don't share the cup or anything, so I just take my little cup of grape juice and skip the host.

I know most churches don't do that...when I'm up at school i usually go to a catholic church, but i'm not allowed to recieve because i'm not catholic. I was told by one of my friends who helps serve that they were told to excuse anyone who skips by the host or wine because they most likely have some sort of allergy to it. I also know that some churches do have a gluten-free host that they wil serve if asked.

Basiclly it is up to you and your church. Seeing as it is a church, i would hope it would be very accomodating and make sure that all would go smoothly. Talking to them is your best option, because really almost every church is different in their communion. also make sure you consider the wine as well, because depending on how sensative your daughter is, drinking from the same cup as all the others might effect her!

[Virgie]

Thanks for th reply. We usually have little cups for the wine but thanks for mentioning about the shared cup. I probably would have forgotten about that. So much to think about when it comes to being gluten free and we are still learning.

Thanks.

Virginia

Hi there! I've never been to a Lutheran church so i'm not sure exactly how they do communion, but in my church at home(baptist) we pass it around and everybody has their own, we don't share the cup or anything, so I just take my little cup of grape juice and skip the host.

I know most churches don't do that...when I'm up at school i usually go to a catholic church, but i'm not allowed to recieve because i'm not catholic. I was told by one of my friends who helps serve that they were told to excuse anyone who skips by the host or wine because they most likely have some sort of allergy to it. I also know that some churches do have a gluten-free host that they wil serve if asked.

Basiclly it is up to you and your church. Seeing as it is a church, i would hope it would be very accomodating and make sure that all would go smoothly. Talking to them is your best option, because really almost every church is different in their communion. also make sure you consider the wine as well, because depending on how sensative your daughter is, drinking from the same cup as all the others might effect her!

[gfgypsyqueen]

You may want to start talking to the pastor or priest now for communion in May. Chances are high that they have never heard of Celiacs and they will have to push back to the head all churches in the area for an answer. This may take a while and many conversations. I would NOT accept the low gluten host under any circumstances, but that is just me You can buy gluten-free hosts - just don't let them touch it.

[glutenfreeinMadisonHeights]

Hi Virgie,

I am also Lutheran...For a while I just had the wine and passed on the wafers. I am one of two celiacs in our congregation. We take a bag of rice cakes to the altar guild ladies and each communion Sunday they put a small piece of rice cake in a small dish and when the pastor comes to me he takes the dish off the altar and I pick up the piece of rice cake. That way, the pastor does not handle both the regular wafers and my host. Hope this helps.

Sharon

[ryebaby0]

www.cokesbury.com has gluten-free communion wafers (I'm Methodist). Our church bought them, but I keep them here at the house.We have communion every month, so I go a little early and snag two cups of juice (Welch's)from the stewards. We bought a little cut glass covered butter dish (I think at WalMart, actually) and I squished fimo in one end and made dents with two communion cups to hold the two we use each month. I put a few communion wafers next to that, and put the lid on. Our communion stewards put in on a little tray and with the rest of the elements it all goes on the altar.

When it's my son/husbands turn, our pastor brings them the little glass box, and they open it themselves. Or, if we're taking communion in pews (hey, Methodists just can't have enough variety!) he'll bring it to us. He was happy to do it, and nobody has to worry about x-contamin. because nobody actually touches it but me, and the cover keeps it safe.

My son was confirmed last year, and it went off without a hitch. Eventually I'd like to see the whole thing be the responsibility of the stewards, but I'm not quite ready to trust other people with all that bread around!

joanna

[Virgie]

That is a very clever idea! I just found out that someone in our sister church also uses gluten free wafers so we will be getting some from him. We always take the wine from the tray ourselves so that shouldn't be an issue as the pastor never touches it. But I do like your idea. Really good thinking.

Thanks.

Virginia

www.cokesbury.com has gluten-free communion wafers (I'm Methodist). Our church bought them, but I keep them here at the house.We have communion every month, so I go a little early and snag two cups of juice (Welch's)from the stewards. We bought a little cut glass covered butter dish (I think at WalMart, actually) and I squished fimo in one end and made dents with two communion cups to hold the two we use each month. I put a few communion wafers next to that, and put the lid on. Our communion stewards put in on a little tray and with the rest of the elements it all goes on the altar.

When it's my son/husbands turn, our pastor brings them the little glass box, and they open it themselves. Or, if we're taking communion in pews (hey, Methodists just can't have enough variety!) he'll bring it to us. He was happy to do it, and nobody has to worry about x-contamin. because nobody actually touches it but me, and the cover keeps it safe.

My son was confirmed last year, and it went off without a hitch. Eventually I'd like to see the whole thing be the responsibility of the stewards, but I'm not quite ready to trust other people with all that bread around!

joanna

[Virgie]

Sharon, That is a good idea too. I really appreciate everyones ideas on how they take communion.

Thanks.

Virgie

Hi Virgie,

I am also Lutheran...For a while I just had the wine and passed on the wafers. I am one of two celiacs in our congregation. We take a bag of rice cakes to the altar guild ladies and each communion Sunday they put a small piece of rice cake in a small dish and when the pastor comes to me he takes the dish off the altar and I pick up the piece of rice cake. That way, the pastor does not handle both the regular wafers and my host. Hope this helps.

Sharon

[donna mae]

Hi! It is a ways off yet for my daughter to have Communion but reading in the Living Gluten-Free magazine that I got in the mail today one person said they use a pyx to hold the gluten free (or low gluten) host during communion. I was wondering what you have done for your child for communion. We are Lutheran and she will be getting confirmed in May. I want to make things go as smooth as possible for her.

Thanks.

Virginia

son 18 UC/EE & IBS daughter 13 Celiac

Hi Virginia:

pyx are great to be used for anyone who doesn't have access to gluten free host.

I'm catholic, and in our church we have gluten free host.

It is kept in a separate chalice, our priest blesses everything at the same time.

He gives out the gluten free host first, as not to cross contaminate, and then continues on from there.

Here is a number that might be helpful. 1-800-223-2772.

We are in Ontario, Canada

Communion should be received by all, even Celiac's

A blessing sent for your daughter on her special day.

Donna Mae