Recently, one of our pastors spoke with a guest who had attended one of our worship services. The man said he enjoyed the music and the preaching, but he was confused about something he heard from the stage.
“What was confusing to you?” asked the pastor.
The man replied, “Well, this man said we were going to remember what Jesus did for us and then he asked everyone to come forward and receive the elements. I wasn’t about to do that because I’ve only heard that word used when someone was speaking about drugs.”
It may sound silly, but since then, I’ve tried to not use the word elements when speaking of the bread and juice that we serve when we celebrate communion (another term I want to find another name for). I thought about calling it the body and the blood but I figured that might really freak people out. I haven’t successfully found appropriate terminology for the term yet, so for now, I will refer to the elements as the bread and the juice.
If you can think of better terminology, please reply.
JohnJFrady.com 
Body and Blood then gets into a wrong doctrine some hold that the bread and juice literally become parts of Jesus’ flesh and blood as if God condoned cannibalism. YUCK! Not sure on the name, but I have a friend who said he visited a church in the south that used Corn Bread and Coke. Gives his word he wasn’t joking.
Corn bread and Coke? Interesting. I wonder if it loses it’s fizz after awhile? How are you doing, Kenny?
Great point! I don’t know why we say “elements”
Thanks for your comment!
Sacraments
Good suggestion, Anita. “Sacraments” sounds sort of churchy, but it is probably a better choice than “elements” in regards to the blog. Thanks for reading and for your comment.
Just call it what it is… The bread and the juice. The bread represents His body that was bruised and the juice represents His blood shed for forgiveness of our sin.
Thanks for reading and for sharing, Bridget. That’s really what I think is best.
As being a pastors child and always being a part of that ministry, yes it is odd to be attending another church (that I do love) and receive communion,any other way than my daddy explains it,so even now when receiving and partaking in communion I still receive it in the only manner I receive it best as being “A HEALING MEAL” I’m also use to receiving it at every sunday service,which my father does because some cannot always attend service on set days in order to receive and partake in “THE HEALING MEAL” that way every person has the opportunity to do so cause it means everything Ecspecially to members that are older and shall we say old school,so that’s all I’ve ever known,and still see because presently I live with my parents and still know that everyday my daddy heads to his office the one thing I’m for sure he does is open the church doors as he ushers in the presence of God praying in the spirit and he prepares his healing meal daily between just him and the lord,because he says it’s a reminder or it represents the renewal of our minds and spirits daily so he feels the way of renewing our minds and spirits is to partake in that healing meal,he was just recently saying that he always can tell when he hasn’t partaken in the “HEALING MEAL”,due to appts or other things,because it doesn’t keep him from creating the sermon the lord places on his heart and spirit,it just somewhat affects the entensity of how he delivers it…..so that’s just how I was always raised up to receive and partake in the body and blood of christ, because it’s a “HEALING MEAL” that renews our minds and spirits.
Interesting perspective, Sheri. I’m sure this meant a lot to you and your father and still does.
Why can’t we just say “Lord’s Supper” and hopefully everyone will be satisfied knowing that we share this with reverence and fellowship with God and others who wants to be ” politically correct.”! k