"If you love Him, come and tell Him so!"

Sunday Morning, 9:20 am—As we made our way up the front steps and into the chapel foyer, people of all ages were converging on the entrance—everyone from babies to ninety-five year olds. An older man welcomed each person with a smile, a handshake, and the offer of a Believers Hymn Book and a Church Bulletin. We passed through to the main auditorium and seated ourselves.
     As we composed ourselves and looked around, the first thing we noticed, high above the pulpit, were the words in large block letters, “JESUS CHRIST IS LORD.” Then our eyes dropped to the simple oak table at the front, where we could just see a loaf of bread and several trays of small cups of what turned out to be wine and grape juice. People continued to bustle in for the next few minutes, then a hush settled over the crowd.

Sunday morning, 9:30 am—The same older man who had greeted us now made his way to the pulpit to welcome everyone, including the speaker for the day, who was there from out of town. Everyone joined in the short chorus to welcome him,
      “Blest be the tie that binds          
          Our hearts in Christian love.     
     The fellowship of kindred minds          
          Is like to that above.”
     This “chairman” sat down and a white-haired gentleman in the audience stood to read a short passage from the Bible and to give out a worship hymn from the Believers Hymn Book. This was sung a capella, then another man read a passage of worship from one of Paul’s letters. Several men stood in turn to pray and offer worship to God the Father for His Son Jesus Christ and to thank Jesus personally for dying for us.

Sunday morning, 10:10 am—About this time another gentleman stood and read a scripture passage drawing our attention to the suffering Jesus endured before and during His crucifixion. He then thanked God for the gift of His Son and for the bread on the table that speaks of His Body broken for our sins.

     The chairman and three others then approached the communion table where he broke the bread into four pieces, put a piece on each tray, and the four then distributed it to all believers. The four then sat down briefly at the front for their turn, then the bread was returned to the table.
     After a short pause, another gentleman stood to give thanks for the wine, picturing to us the blood of Christ poured out for our salvation. Again the four men approached the table and were given trays with little communion cups of wine or juice. These were distributed as the bread had been, the four sat to receive them in their turn, then the chairman returned the trays to the table and picked up four cloth bags. “Let’s continue to worship with our offering,” he said, then a monetary collection was taken. When these bags had been placed on the table, everyone sat down. Another man gave out the hymn, Jesus is Coming Again, anticipating the Lord’s return. Finally, the chairman entered the pulpit, closed the service in prayer, made a few church announcements, then dismissed all to go downstairs for tea and coffee.

Sunday morning, 10:30 am—As I still watched, someone approached the table to clear away the bread and wine, two others removed the offering bags to count the donations, and the bulk of the audience greeted one another and generally made their way toward the stairs, and a fellowship time with refreshments.

Editor’s comments: From Scripture, this worship service is termed the “Breaking of Bread”. At least four details are traditional but deeply Scriptural, and nowadays are unique: 1) No one was in charge (the Church tries to give the Holy Spirit freedom in this way), 2) only men participated publicly, although women sang enthusiastically and, we assume, worshiped in their hearts (the Scripture being applied here is “women should remain silent in the churches” [1 Cor.14:34]), 3) the women had head coverings on, mostly mantillas, but occasionally hats (the Scripture here is, “every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head” [1 Cor.11:5]) and lastly, 4) the word “I” was heard very little—each person was praying on behalf of the entire Church in a “corporate” rather than an individual or personal sense.