Dear St. Paul’s Family,
Bishop Skirving has given permission for all in the Diocese of East Carolina to resume using the Common Cup.
For St. Paul’s, this will take effect on Sunday, April 3.
We have been without the Common Cup for so long now that it will take time to restart some of our old practices such as scheduling chalice and oblation bearers. For now, we will keep it simple. The clergy, vergers, and altar servers will assume the role of bearing the chalice.
Below, are helpful reminders for each of us when making the personal decision of returning to the Common Cup.
a) Receiving Communion of One Kind in the bread alone is always a valid option for a communicant.
b) As the American Journal of Infection Control (Vol. 26, No. 5, 1998) states, “no documented transmission of any infectious disease has ever been traced to the use of the common communion cup.” Additionally, between the alcohol content in fortified wine, the antimicrobial properties of silver, and proper technique in turning and wiping the chalice, there is very little probable threat of passing on infectious disease.
c) Intinction is always less safe than drinking from the common cup. If you do choose to dip the bread into the wine, please take great care that your fingers do not touch the wine.
d) It is your choice to receive or refrain from receiving the cup of our Lord.
Please click here for the Bishop’s Pastoral Letter and latest guidelines.
As you will read in the bishop’s new guidelines, it is important to remember “that receiving communion in one form only is always an option,” and that any individual “may refrain from sharing the wine of communion until they are ready.”
Peace and blessings,
Caleb+
Return to the Common Cup
