The Communion Song

The Communion song is sung by the congregation during the reception of bread and wine.

One of the most important features of worship renewal today is the recovery of the Communion song. In Communion song the congregation sing songs of resurrection, victory, and the reign of Christ. These songs shift Communion from a preoccupation with the death of Christ toward a celebration of the Resurrection, and from private introspection to communal celebration. Consequently, the importance of the Communion song sung by the entire congregation during the administration of bread and wine cannot be overemphasized. The purpose of the Communion song is threefold. First, it expresses the unity of the church as all the people sing together. This is not a time for instrumental music or choir anthems or song. Second, the Communion song organizes the spiritual experience of the congregation by ordering their memory of both the death and the resurrection of Christ. The first song or two may dwell on the death of Christ. However, the majority of songs sung here should express the joy of the Resurrection and the immediacy of the Spirit. Third, the Communion song prevents a mere verbalization of the death and Resurrection and creates a sense of the mystery of faith. Song is a more powerful way to approach mystery than are words alone. Some churches that have begun celebrating Communion more regularly and have a strong emphasis on music in worship have opted to hold their extended times of praise after Communion. This emphasizes the joyous freedom and victory of the Christian due to Christ's victorious death and resurrection that works in us today. Dancers can also become a significant part of this type of praise time. From the Table, the congregation is moved into worship musically, ending either with a sending hymn or a recessional. Here are some examples of Communion song: Traditional Hymns "Just As I Am" "Breathe on Me Breath of God" "Now My Tongue the Mystery Telling" "Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence" "Be Thou My Vision" "You Lord We Praise in Songs of Celebration" Praise Tradition "O the Blood of Jesus" "I Exalt Thee" "More Precious than Silver" "Jesus Remember Me" "Gloria, Gloria, Gloria" "We Bring the Sacrifice of Praise" "Abba, Father" "Worthy Is the Lamb" "Jesus Is Lord, Alleluia" "Broken for Me"