Communion

[Lollie]

Okay so I go to church today, it's the first time we've had communion since I went gluten free. I almost ate the bread, then I realized what I was thinking. Then I had to turn down communion, which i only do when I feel spiritually led to, and then began to cry. I had no idea how hard all of this was going to be. I've done well on my own, but in public situations......I just lose it. Maybe too many instances this week end, I was in an art show and there was food, all of which was pasta and ceasar salad, ect.... I was the only one who was not eating. I won best of show, and that was the special dinner that I had no knowledge was going to happen, so I didn't have food or the opportunity to make plans ahead of time.

I just feel like the odd man out really bad today.

Okay, sorry to be depressing, just needed to vent to those I knew would understand!

-lollie

[psawyer]

This topic has had a lot of coverage here. Search on communion and you will find numerous threads. It is controversial, and I'm not expressing an opinon. Plenty of people already have!

[hez]

A friend asked the other day how I was doing. I have been gluten-free since April and feeling good since September. I could honestly say I felt great physically. The emotional side is an ongoing battle for me. I hate being different This disease makes me feel different. I have to bring my own food to family functions. Or I have to ask 50 questions if we go to a friends house. It is just such a pain! I guess I am not helping you, sorry It's just I know how you are feeling. I feel the same way.

Hez

[lonewolf]

I hope you found some information on the other thread, but if not, just wanted you to know that you aren't alone in this dilemma. (The other thread mostly deals with Catholic communion, so it may or may not be relevant to you.)

I took the smallest crumb I could find for years, when I just thought I was allergic or intolerant to wheat, but a few months ago when I realized that I shouldn't have even the smallest crumb I stopped doing that. Now I only drink the little cup of juice. We have communion once a month, so yesterday was the third time for me. I felt sad and didn't even go get a cup, so I do understand. Our pastor was going to get some gluten free communion bread for me, but it has soy in it, so he didn't get it because he knows I can't have that either. Now I'm thinking that I should just let him get it, since that small amount of soy probably won't hurt me like wheat would. Ener-G makes gluten-free communion bread (crackers). Maybe you could ask your pastor or whoever orders communion supplies to get some for you. I'm sure no one would want you to feel left out or have communion be a sad time.

[experiencedit]

Yes social situations are the hardest so many thoughts go through your head just a little bit etc but hang in there it gets easier i find eating before i go anywhere definately helps or packing some fruit in your bag so you dont look left out advantage is you look like the healthy one eating the fruit.

We are not different where unique

[debmidge]

Laura

It's very understandable that you'd be depressed over this. We've had a lot of discussions on other threads about this and the last one turned pretty untame. I am a lapsed Catholic, so I understand the frustration. I don't agree with the church leaders but all I can say is stay in prayer about this.

D.

[Judyin Philly]

Laura,

First let me say, congratulations on the BEST OF SHOW award. That's a great accomplishment.

I am not catholic and have only heard alot if talk about this issues but had a dinner tonight with a catholic friend who told me of her friend who has celiac disease and she takes her own cracker to the priest..don't know if before service--don't think so, but he blesses (?) and hands back to her, AS I UNDERSTAND IT.

Is this possible,,,?

I know a non catholic shouldn't be answering this...but want to say congrats on the wonderful award & tell you what was done in a church here. Thinking of you..

This emotional part has been harder for me than the diet...I can deal with that --but the 'social' issues around food have made me drop out of most things I've enjoyed in the community and my garden club.

Judy in PHilly

[lucy2426]

Okay so I go to church today, it's the first time we've had communion since I went gluten free. I almost ate the bread, then I realized what I was thinking. Then I had to turn down communion, which i only do when I feel spiritually led to, and then began to cry. I had no idea how hard all of this was going to be. I've done well on my own, but in public situations......I just lose it. Maybe too many instances this week end, I was in an art show and there was food, all of which was pasta and ceasar salad, ect.... I was the only one who was not eating. I won best of show, and that was the special dinner that I had no knowledge was going to happen, so I didn't have food or the opportunity to make plans ahead of time.

I just feel like the odd man out really bad today.

Okay, sorry to be depressing, just needed to vent to those I knew would understand!

-lollie

Laura,

I am Catholic & new to all this, (just days) & didn't even think of this. I don't know how I didn't think about not being able to receive communion. This will be very difficult. Let me know if you hear about another type of bread we can actually have consecrated. I will have to do the same. Lucy Open Original Shared Link

[zip2play]

I am Lutheran and communion is an issue for me as well. We typically have bread or a wafer. We have wine or juice. I always opt for the juice, I take the bread and after we walk away from the alter, I hand it to my husband. He then eats it. I think, religiously, going through the motions for me, is the most important factor. I do not feel you have to ingest the bread and wine to have forgiveness! I have spoken to another pastor about this subject re: alcholics. A true recovering alcoholic won't take the wine either!

I don't think GOD holds it against us that we have this condition! I say, pray and in your heart you know what you believe! But, like I said, I go through the motions. I never make a big deal of it. My children are not aware that I don't eat it. If they were, they would both fight to eat i!

This is how I handle this!

Monica

[Lollie]

Thanks everyone! I am protestant- I talked with our church leaders and I will bring the bread for communion from now on. Actually everyone was really interested in tasteing the home made bread. i am so sorry for those of you who are going through so much more. I didn't even think about communion from a catholic position. I know all about the wafers and know that the rules around communion are more stringent then they are at our church. I go to a non-denominational- and they are very open to changes such as these. I am sorry for those of you who don't have this freedom. I know that missing out on communion, just this once shook me, I can only imagine having to make the decision over and over again-or face the pain. I believe that the emblems are a symbol and I do not think that God holds any of this against us! But that's just me!

Anyway, thanks to all for all of the thoughtful responses. It really does help!

Lollie

[cgilsing]

Recently there has been some research related to sourdough bread and Celiac disease. What is suspected is that during the process of making sour dough bread (in which the grains are soaked for a length of time in a solution) that the dangerous aspects of wheat are destroyed. So I was wondering......since the Catholic Church's (and I suspect Lutheran's as well) offical opinion on the subject is that if the wafer is not made at least partly of wheat then it is not the real thing, if they do decide that the sourdough process makes wheat safe for people with Celiac disease could they use sourdough waffers for communion?

I have not communed since I was diagnosed and I haven't brought it up with my church. I belong to a strict denomination of Lutheranism, and they are unbending in the belief that the wine and waffer turns to the body and blood. I know they do not allow people with drinking problems to subsitute grape juice for wine. They just dilute it to the point where it should not be detectable. I think I already know the answer to whether I can subsitute a rice waffer for a wheat one

[zip2play]

It is shocking a church can be so closed minded! Do they only use a specfic kind of bread? Hey, like I stated above, it is going through the motions that is important to me. Somehow I don't think Jesus would care if it was bread or a gluten free substitute!

Hope things improve for you soon!

Monica

[cgilsing]

I agree on that point! I was talking to my mom about it the other day and she had a good point.....if we knew what specific grape vine the wine Jesus drank came from we would be required to only drink that particular wine.....but we don't.....so any old wine is ok! I don't think Jesus intended for us to be so picky.

[Lollie]

I'm interested in the sourdough bread idea. Hopefully they will decide we can have it and then the catholic and lutherens will decide, and then it will go back to being a decision between us and God!!!!!

I know on the other thread, there was some thought on washing the gluten out of the wafer? Again interesting....

I'm sorry that the church is not willing to allow flexability on this. It's interesting that the wine is important because Jesus drank wine, and the bread is important because he broke bread, but no where did he eat a wafer?? How then did it get so important that it's this particular wafer? Just curious! Religion!!!

Anyway, thanks for all the responses!

-Lollie

[Guest barbara3675]

For what it's worth, I am ELCA Lutheran and I take a little bag of rice crackers that are broken in half to the church which are kept under the altar with the rest of the wafers. It is a smaller congregation so the altar guild and the pastor know that one should be in the cup all the time and when I go up for communion the pastor just give me my cracker which she has blessed along with the rest of the wafers. We commune by intinction, which is to dip into the wine, so I barely graze the top to try to eliminate cross contamination as much as possible. I am getting along fine. Hopefully everyone will eventually be able to settle this issue in their religion as comfortably. Barbara

[zip2play]

Barbara, I think that is GREAT! I am glad your church is so accomodating! GREAT! I too am ELCA Lutheran!

Monica