The common cup returns

The timing feels a little strange, given that the second wave of the flu pandemic is upon us, but with infections at a lower rate than first feared and no sign of the disease becoming more deadly, the Bishop's advice this week requested that we return to sharing the common cup at services of Holy Communion.

I welcome this. Giving communion as bread alone was a non-starter for us. But intincting bread with wine makes the distribution a little cumbersome. Had the return to our customary practice been delayed for many more months, I fear it would be hard for many people to do so.

We want to be sensitive to the needs of people who feel at particular risk, so at least for the time being we'll make it possible for them to have the bread intincted with wine. But for the rest of us, we return to being one people, sharing one bread and one cup, as of Sunday 18 October.