How to Receive Communion, Part 2: A Practical Guide

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My last post discussed receiving communion by faith, and was more about our understanding of the spiritual aspects of communion.

This post is just plain practical.

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We all want to reverently receive communion, not get in anyone’s way or spill anything, and to not have any surprises. But the surprises and spills will happen. Even though we intend to avoid it, be ready for anything, and it’s okay.

It’s okay!

How to Receive Holy Communion

Come forward

Come forward to stand for communion, if there is no altar rail.

If there is a rail, people will usually kneel to receive unless they are physically unable.

Extend your hands

Kneeling or standing, place your hands flat, and in a cruciform shape, palms up, as pictured above.

Receive the bread

The minister will say the words of administration, which often are, “The Body of Christ, the Bread of Heaven.”

Your response is “Amen.”

You can bow your head if you would like to avoid eye contact, and that is fine.

You can choose to make eye contact, and that is fine as well.

Lift your hands to your mouth (not using your fingers to hold the bread), and eat the bread.

Make the sign of the cross (optional)

Many people make the sign of the cross before receiving each element (the bread and the wine).

Others make the sign of the cross after receiving both elements.

You do not have to make the sign of the cross, and you can make the sign of the cross. This is not a rule, it is a custom.

(Click here to learn more about the sign of the cross.)

Receive the wine

Next, a chalice bearer (wine person), will approach. (If you’re kneeling at a rail, that is. If you’re standing, then you should walk over to the chalice bearer.)

This is where you need to be ready. As they approach (or you approach), put out your hands to guide the chalice to your lips, and drink.

The chalice bearer is supposed to keep hold of the chalice with you, so that neither of you spills the wine. However, sometimes they will completely hand you the chalice. Either way, just try to make sure that the chalice doesn’t get dropped.

After drinking, allow the chalice bearer to take the cup back from you.

The chalice bearer will also say the words of administration, which often are, “The Blood of Christ, the Cup of Salvation.” Your response, either before or after drinking, is “Amen.”

Other Considerations

Intinction (dipping)

What about dipping the bread? This is called “intinction.”

If you choose to do this, or if the church you are in requires it, you receive the bread as stated above. Then, you take the bread between your fingers, and dip it slightly into the wine, before placing it in your mouth.

Receiving a blessing instead of Holy Communion

Adults who are not baptized, or who are not going to receive, can come forward to receive a blessing.

If you would like to do so, cross your arms as pictured below as you approach the minister.

arms_crossed

Children receiving Holy Communion

Baptized children are welcomed to receive communion in most churches, but in some they take a preparation class before first communion.

No parent is required to allow their child to receive. If your children are not baptized, or will not be receiving, they can receive a blessing, by crossing their arms as pictured above.

One Last Thing…

After you have received, follow the crowd back to your seat. Most folks will then pray silently, or sing.

Please let us know if you have any questions!

Better yet, please feel free to ask someone at church. I’m sure they’ll be more than happy to guide you.

If you’d like to learn more about Holy Communion, check out the following posts:

This post originally appeared on 2013-06-06. Updated on 2018-10-05.

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October 5, 2018
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The Anglican Pastor

A classic resource from the founding team of Anglican Compass.

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How to Receive Communion, Part 1: Receiving with Faith

Posted on October 5, 2018
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The first time I visited an Anglican church, I was afraid to go forward for communion for two reasons. If you are visiting an Anglican church for the first time, you may feel the same. So here is what we believe is happening during communion in this post, and then in the next post, some…

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Baptism Quotes – Baptism is subsequent to conversion rather than a saving ordinance, but an external sign of an inward function. Baptism is not elective for the believer, but an order of our Master to be obeyed. Just before Jesus returned to paradise, He told His followers to preach the gospel to all individuals and to baptize christians. Baptism is a sign to everybody watching which he or she’s accepted Christ as Savior and that he or she plans to mind Christ and live to please Him. Everyone who is sorry for his or her sins, repents, and believes in Christ as Savior ought to be baptized. There is absolutely no age limit for baptism. Comprehends what baptism means and when a person is preserved, he or she needs to be baptized. As quoted from the Holy Bible.

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After you take the bread (body of Christ), do you then use your right hand to put in your mouth? Or do you bring your hands up to your mouth and take it without using the other hand? Does it matter? We attended our local Episcopal church last week and although we could have received communion, I wasn’t completely sure how and I didn’t want to seem as though I was staring as others received so I elected to get the blessing instead.

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Hey Kate. Customarily you would bring the bread to your mouth using the palm of the right hand rather than grasping with your fingers. However that is just a custom not a rule. Many people do take the bread with their fingers. Not a problem.

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And I know that feeling! I’ve been Anglican for 13 years now, but vividly remember wanting to watch people and feeling weird about that!

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What prayer do you pray after the host when go back to your seat

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Great question. We have no one set prayer that I’m aware of.

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I have two comments: First, there’s also the option of receiving directly on the tongue. At any given mass at my parish, between a third and half of them receive this way. Second, in many churches, (the last two I have served at and the one I attended before seminary, as well as my seminary chapel) self-intinction is not allowed. If one wished to intinct, one left the host on their hands, and the deacon administering the chalice dipped the host and placed it on the tongue of the communicant.

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I was going to say the same thing. I am RC and I have never placed the host in my mouth. In my parish, until we have our confirmation we are not allowed to place the host in our own mouths. After I was confirmed I was afraid that I would drop the host so I have always had the priest put it in my mouth. I recently went to a baptism at the Anglican Church and when I went to receive Holy Communion and held my mouth open to receive the person giving me seemed confused and I had to point to my mouth and say lay it there. I didn’t realize up until that point that it was an unusual request and now am wondering if I should refrain from receiving Holy Communion when in another church. I’m really not comfortable placing the host in my own mouth but I felt a bit like an oddball when I had to tell the person how to needed to receive Holy Communion last time.

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Thank you for this article. I always wanted to know if Anglicans celebrated communion, I had no idea they did and do the exact same thing as we do, I am Catholic. So much of our tradition is the same, Its just some doctrine that differs. Only difference with us is that not everyone can take communion, you have to have made your “first holy communion” and you have to be catholic. I enjoy learning about other faith backgrounds as it helps me to strengthen in knoweledge and understanding of my own. Thank you.

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I suppose I get the concept behind Open Table so as long one is baptized. One concern especially troubles me around belief and baptism, as there was a specific individual visiting my parish for Christmas Eve who I know is a Oneness Pentecostal (UPC affiliation.) They don’t believe in the Holy Trinity thus is equated to believing in a false god and/or unbelief. And they are adamant that Trinitarians are in error; unless his is just an unthinking and blind following, which is also dangerous, and according to the Laws of the Church, his “baptism” is invalid. I didn’t see whether or not he received the elements.
It really troubles me that one who is either affiliated with heretics or not baptized may be partaking of Holy Communion without realizing the dignity of the Sacrament. I know it may be the case with many baptized believers as well, I likely have myself all too many times. But when heresy, sin, or unbelief is known to someone, is it not their responsibility to ensure parishioners or visitors are “rightly” (for lack of better word) receiving Holy Communion? Without judgement, of course.
The more I learn, there are times when Open Table has been a stumbling block, and I hope you can help in clearing some concerns; I will be speaking with my rector in the weeks to come and I think I may include this subject in our conversation and receive further instruction and understanding.
Thanks for the article.

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I am allergic to alcohol. Is communion therefore barred from me?

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Hey Nev. to receive in one kind is to receive in both. So you can receive he bread only. Blessings!

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Can you provide some more practical details of how to go about receiving in one kind (bread only)? Does one simply stand up and leave the rail before the chalice bearer approaches, or does one signal the chalice bearer in some way…?

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Great question. Most people will either place their hands on the chalice, and then bow the head OR cross their arms over the chest when the chalice comes to them.

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Hi Greg. For the information of our Lady communicants, if they are kneeling for communion please don’t wear wide brimmed hats! The person serving the chalice has no idea where your mouth is. Trust me: a chalice bearer of many years.
Brian Caldwell

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Thanks for this post. I have never been sure of the protocol for eyes. That is, during the liturgy and before going up to the altar rail, should you have your eyes buried in the BCP (seems to be what most folks do), or prayerfully closed, or watching the priest? It seems like there are many instances of the priest intending to show things to the congregation (such as when breaking the bread), but I just don’t know what is appropriate.

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Some suggest you should look toward the bread and wine.

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Do others suggest otherwise? 🙂

And why?

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There really aren’t any solid guides. I can say as a celebrant myself that it is helpful when people either bow the head or look to the table rather than make eye contact.

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I think this issue was highlighted for me when I attended a Roman Catholic Church with a friend. No one used a prayer book because they all had everything memorized. So during the Eucharistic prayer, they all continued to do what they had done the whole time – looked toward the altar.

It was so strikingly different from my Episcopal church where people are reading along (even though I’d bet they have it all memorized, too) or have their eyes closed and head bowed. It made me wonder if there are guides or at least expectations.

Thank you, Fr. Greg.

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I’ve noticed that too. Thanks for the comments!

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What happens to the leftover wine in the chalice?

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The priest or deacon should consume any wine left

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Hi, I’m inquiring into Anglicanism and, before my first visit to Church, I have a question. Some Churches believe that a bleeding person (either a menstruating woman or a wounded man) cannot partake of Communion while having any flow of blood. What is the Anglican stance on this issue (pun intended)? As a woman, I’m asking to know if I should avoid Communion once a month and just receive the blessing instead. Kindest regards and thank you kindly in advance.

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There’s no reason for someone who to abstain from Holy Communion for an issue of bleeding. Jesus presents himself to us regardless of what physical state we’re coming to him. All he asks is faith and repentance, not a condition of our bodies. There are obvious circumstances where taking communion in the normal manner might pose a risk to one’s self or others (such as if one had a mouth wound, in which case there are other methods of taking the elements or only taking one element). However, on a spiritual level, there’s no such threshold, at least none justifiable by scripture.

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