Sacrament - from the Latin: sacramentum Something consecrated or holy. Since 3d century Christianity, the sacraments have been outward and visible signs, rituals, or symbols manifesting an inward, spiritual grace and bond with God. Consecration - A person or a thing is transformed to the sacred by prayers, rites, and ceremonies that are not just blessings, but a permanent dedication.
Communion , also called The Lord's Supper, the Eucharist, and Holy Communion, is a sacrament of the Methodist Church. It comes down from a command from Jesus when He met with His 12 Disciples for a meal, "the Last Supper", the night before His crucifixion.
26 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take and eat; this is my body.” 27 Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you. 28 This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins..." Matthew 26: 26-28
Three days after His prolonged and torturous death, Jesus rose from the tomb and appeared to His Disciples and followers - proving without a doubt that the very human man they walked with is the Word, the Truth, the Way, and the Son of God.
When we take Communion, we are remembering and honoring Jesus' sacrifice for us. We recognize what His sacrifice means - that He paid for our sins through His death so that by believing in Him, we could enter the Kingdom of God when our earthly days come to an end.
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23
And so, in remembrance of these your mighty acts in Jesus Christ, we offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving as a holy and living sacrifice, in union with Christ’s offering for us, as we proclaim the mystery of faith. Christ has died; Christ is risen; Christ will come again. (from the Communion Liturgy)
The Communion Service In The United Methodist Church, only Pastors can consecrate the elements and preside at the celebration of Communion. Laypeople can assist the pastor, but a congregation may not have Communion without the Pastor present. While each individual takes the elements themselves, the celebration of Communion is not done in private, but as a group, sharing as "one Body". Even a Pastor may not take Communion by themselves when alone.
The Elements There are 2 Elements (the basis, the essentials) in the sacrament of Communion: Bread and Wine.
While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take and eat; this is my body.” Matthew 6:26 theBread A piece of consecrated bread, as the Body of Christ which He offered up to be battered and broken to the death for our sake, that we may live forever through His Resurrection and Second Coming. The whole loaf of bread represents the entire body of the congregation, which takes Communion as one.
27 Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you. 28 This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins..." Matthew 26: 26-28 the Wine (the "Cup") While it is referred to as "wine", in temperance, the United Methodist Church has traditionally used (unfermented) juice- (which is still the juice of the grape, as is wine)
Consecrated wine, as the Blood of Christ which was spilled in His sacrifice for our sake to atone for our sins, just as the blood of an unblemished lamb was sacrificed to God. The congregation may partake from a single cup (chalice), representing unity, or from little individual ones. Sometimes, the Bread is dipped by the Communicant into the single cup. This is called "intinction" and is a valid form.
Out of concern for the spread of COVID, some congregations offer individually pre-prepared and wrapped communion elements with the juice and bread (wafer) together. These must be consecrated by the Pastor before use or are otherwise are not valid.