The Lord's Supper.

Communion is one of two sacraments Christ instituted for his church (baptism being the other). It involves bread and the cup of the vine, taken together by the gathered congregation in remembrance of Christ's death and in participation in him by faith.

The Westminster Standards describe communion as a means of grace, meaning God actually uses it to strengthen the faith of those who come to it in faith.

It's not a bare symbol. It's not a reenactment. It's not transubstantiation. It's a real spiritual feeding on Christ by faith, through the ordinary elements of bread and juice.

At Shearer, we celebrate the Lord's Supper once a month.

The frequency of communion is a pastoral decision rather than a biblical mandate. The New Testament doesn't prescribe weekly, monthly, or quarterly. Reformed churches have practiced it at different cadences throughout history:

• Scottish Presbyterians historically did quarterly
• Many PCA churches today do monthly or bi-monthly
• Some PCA churches do weekly

Monthly observance gives the congregation time between celebrations to examine themselves, as 1 Corinthians 11:28 instructs, while keeping the table a regular, expected part of the church's rhythm.

At Shearer, the invitation to the Lord's Supper is open to any baptized believer in good standing of a Bible-believing church, who comes to the table trusting in Christ alone for salvation.

If that's you, you're welcome at our table. You don't have to be a member of Shearer. You don't have to be a Presbyterian.

If you're not yet a Christian, or if you're not sure, please pass the tray along when it comes to you. We don't say this to exclude you. We say it because the Supper is for believers, and taking it before you believe doesn't benefit you spiritually and goes against what Scripture teaches.

If you have questions about participating, grab an elder or Pastor Steve before or after the service. They'll explain anything you want to understand.

On the Sundays we celebrate communion, here's how it unfolds:

• Pastor Steve reads the words of institution from 1 Corinthians 11 or one of the Gospels
• Elements are distributed by elders who bring them to the pews
• Each row takes a small piece of bread (gluten-free available on request) and a small cup of grape juice (not wine, a decision specific to Shearer)
• We eat and drink together as a congregation. Pastor Steve leads the moment of taking each element
• The observance adds about 5 to 7 minutes to the service

Quiet, dignified, understated. No performance, no music during it, no video.