Message from Our President

When our Savior passed the bread and shared the cup, He commanded His disciples to “do this in remembrance of me.”   And for over 2,000 years, we’ve done exactly that.

Even minor changes to this sacred tradition must never be taken lightly.  However, change does occur.. from the common cup to individual servings or from glass cups to plastic.

Sometimes these changes are theologically motivated, but more often, they’re made for practical reasons – to reflect the congregation’s needs.

I believe there are three major trends at work in the church today.. trends that call for practical changes in the way communion is served:

Trend One:  Hygiene.  For years now, congregations that use a common cup have been fearful of the health risks – and churches that pass communion trays are beginning to share those concerns.  More and more people are asking questions like “How many others have touched this piece of bread?” or “What if the juice is contaminated before it reaches me?”

I don’t mean to sensationalize the health issue.  Yet its mere existence can contribute to an atmosphere of concern that detracts from your congregation’s worship experience.  What’s worse, a wide variety of bacteria and viruses – from staph and tuberculosis to hepatitis and strep – may thrive on your communion cup and trays.

Trend Two: Longer work hours and the single parent family.  Simply put, this adds up to fewer volunteers with time to prepare the communion and clean up afterwards.  Churches with a large proportion of young couples and children are especially hard pressed to find enough volunteers.

Trend Three: A growing need for Communion outside the sanctuary. As the Baby Boomers mature and the number of elderly increase, there will be a greater demand for communion outside the sanctuary – at the hospital, in nursing homes, in mission or outreach settings.  Some denominations are also moving towards having communion in small group meetings – Bible studies and home worship gatherings – just to name a few.

I think you can see why the Celebration Cup represents an ideal solution to all of these trends.  It’s completely hygienic.  It requires no preparation and it is the most portable communion package ever created.

My hope is that the Celebration Cup will make it possible for congregations around the world to share the Lord’s Supper more often, in more settings, with greater peace of mind.

I pray that the convenience, cleanliness and flexibility of the Celebration Cup will become the Godsend to your church that it has to so many others.

Sincerely,

Robert L. Johnson
President