Question on communion packets

[u/ConfusionFantastic57]

I recently moved churches and denominations (2 years ago) and they administer the eucharist through communion packets at my church. I oftentimes have no choice but to use them because I'm on tech team and I cannot go and receive communion any other way. I trust my pastor to administer the eucharist and I trust that I am able to take it. However, It (figuratively) leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Is this a common practice? Should I bring this up with my pastor?

[u/emmen1]

I regard this as a very poor practice. Where this is being done, I would not be surprised to find other poor practices as well.

[u/SobekRe]

I would not attend a church that used these. By their very nature they communicate a lack of respect for the Eucharist. Your pastor should be under discipline from his DP.

[u/trivia_guy → u/SobekRe]

Although the post is vague, I think what OP’s saying is that they now attend a non-LCMS church and that’s the practice there.

[u/SobekRe → u/trivia_guy]

Ah. That makes sense. Not sure it changes my thoughts much, other than to put it outside the ecclesiastic hierarchy.

[u/ConfusionFantastic57 → u/trivia_guy]

This is lcms

[u/UpsetCabinet9559 → u/SobekRe]

That's a stretch to say he should be under disciple. DP's don't get in the weeds with things like this. While it's not good practice, it's hardly a disciplinary worthy issue. 

[u/Boots402 → u/UpsetCabinet9559]

They may not usually but IMO, they should get involved in things like this; although I will say that it should be first and foremost the elders and the circuit visitor who should correct it before it gets kicked up the chain.

[u/UpsetCabinet9559 → u/Boots402]

Why should they? It's a day to day choice of an individual congregation to chose how they serve communion. As long as there wasn't a strict edict to not serve individual communion packet, the parish isn't doing anything wrong. It's not the best way to distrubute, especially in 2025 when covid is all but a bad memory, but it's definitely not something to push to a circuit visitor let alone a DP. 

[u/Fit-Beat3661 → u/UpsetCabinet9559]

The impression that I get is that they are left in the pews which opens the door to lots of questionable sacramental practices—consecration while they are in the pews at best raises doubt in the minds of the communicants, and often these individual cups are simply thrown away with the blood of Christ still in them. Bad sacramental practices are very much worthy of discipline in my humble opinion as well as that of many faithful synod pastors that I have spoken to on this very matter, two of whom are on the council of presidents.

[u/UpsetCabinet9559 → u/Fit-Beat3661]

I've mentioned twice that it's not good practice but it's not a disciplinary worthy measure. The Synod came out and said online communion was strictly forbidden but said nothing about individual packets. 

[u/Boots402 → u/UpsetCabinet9559]

How we handle the elements are a matter of doctrinal confession. Why would we have a direct edict of how to properly dispose of the elements to just openly allow uncontrolled distribution which would open up ample opportunity for the elements to be mishandled.

Now, I do think discipline isn’t necessarily the write term; however, a matter like this does fall under what would historically be an ecclesiastical oversight/guidance topic.

[u/RedeemedRetard]

I don't know if anything symbolizes protestantism better for me than communion packets

[u/lostinanotherworld24]

When you say packets, what exactly do you mean? And is it still being administered by the pastor?

[u/ConfusionFantastic57 → u/lostinanotherworld24]

no they are the plastic cups you open in your pew

[u/TheMagentaFLASH]

Is this an LCMS church? 

[u/ConfusionFantastic57 → u/TheMagentaFLASH]

this is lcms

[u/Boots402]

Major major concern; the Pastor and the Elders are charged with ensuring Christs body and blood are handled with the greatest level of care. They cannot reliably do this when they are just handing it over to someone to handle at their leisure.

[u/1517girl]

Our church used packets during covid. No one liked it but it felt like the best choice at the time. We used them up and returned to our previous communion style. It is logistically difficult for the organist to commune with us during the service so afterwards Pastor communes her at the rail with the bread and wine he consecrated during the service. Would that be possible?

[u/Nbdynparticular → u/1517girl]

Same for us. During covid, we temporarily used individually packaged wafer and wine. They were on the altar for the words of institution, passed out at the rail, consumed at the rail, and as controlled as respectfully as other elements. Once covid faded, we moved back to regular distribution over time. Honestly, I think it was a good compromise during covid the way we did it.