Church & Communion

MLE777 · 01-19-2012, 10:04 AM

I have a question that I'm hoping someone will have an answer to. I couldn't decide if I should post this in the Gluten Free section or here. I don't know if it was a very long blonde moment or what, but I just realized after church this past Sunday that the communion wafers that we eat are made from wheat

I've been about 80% primal for almost 3 years (though about 100% gluten free). During this time at least once or twice a month, I've had a couple of days where my stomach would ache. We only have communion once or twice a month. It didn't occur to me till after this past Sunday that all the times I've had the pain have coincided with the Sundays that I've taken communion.

For those that are gluten free, how do you handle communion? Do you skip it? Do you pretend to eat the wafer and then throw it in your purse when you get back to your seat? I know my church and the odds of getting them to order gluten free wafers are slim to none. I'm just not sure how to handle this. I could suck it up and just keep dealing with it, but I keep thinking that there's bound to be a better way to deal with it.

Kerry · 01-19-2012, 04:35 PM

I think keeping it in your purse is anti religious. Bettet off not receiving...

micheleredit · 01-19-2012, 07:40 PM

Lol I take and eat. No bigee.

MLE777 · 01-20-2012, 07:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kerry

I think keeping it in your purse is anti religious. Bettet off not receiving...

I was sort of thinking the same thing. I guess I'll just skip it and hope that no one asks questions. I just don't feel like dealing the pain that comes with it anymore. Yes, I know that Christ went through a lot of pain to save me, but aren't we also suppose to take care of our bodies/temples. Putting something in to my body that is bad for it doesn't seem like I'm taking very good care of it.

Dottie · 01-20-2012, 08:47 AM

Ener-G gluten free ones have less than 1g carbs/1g sugar/1g protein and are made from:Filtered Water, Sweet Rice Flour, Potato Flour, Organic Palm Fruit Oil, Potato Starch, Methylcellulose, Sunflower Lecithin.
Since you receive half a wafer, or less, I would consider asking your Church to get them, or to allow you to get them and then possibly give you communion first or last. I'm sure the Church can bless them, no matter where you purchase them.

PaleoRainy · 01-21-2012, 12:12 PM

It's an interesting concern, how would a coeliac deal with communion? I have googled that a bit in my native language and I have found some people say priests can have a smaller container into the chalice containing gluten free wafers if they know one needs it. They say it's enough asking...could you try?
I am not a christian so I can't tell if this info is right or wrong but it could make sense.

Maid of Erin · 01-22-2012, 01:59 AM

can you take a sip of wine insted?

LCShadows · 01-23-2012, 08:49 AM

If you are Catholic, your wafer has to have a small amount of gluten, but can be low-gluten. The Benedictine Sisters make a low-gluten altar bread that they sell which meets Catholic requirements and you could get your priest/minister to bless and use for you. Here is their site:

Low Gluten Altar Bread

If you want to make your own and aren't Catholic, here is one recipe:

Gluten-Free Communion Wafers

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Makes: 20 wafers/crackers

Ingredients

1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup water
Dash of salt
2 cups all-purpose gluten-free flour

Preheat the oven to 350 F

Combine the olive oil, water, and salt. Whisk until it’s near-frothy white.
Loosely mix the flour to the blend. Don’t over-mix, and make sure the dough is the same consistency of a drier batch of cookie dough.
Grease a cookie sheet well (dough sticks easily)
Roll the dough flat, as thin as pie crust.
Once the dough is flat, make incisions that will allow you to break the dough apart into crackers.
Bake for about 20 minutes. Remove from oven, let cool, then break apart.

I know plenty of diabetics and alcoholics who don't drink the communion wine but ask for water instead, and I've never heard of a church refusing them. I don't see how this is any different.

Topacoma · 01-29-2012, 09:02 AM

Just Receive Our Lord under the species of consecrated wine. You will be receiving Him totally and wholly so no need to receive the Host at all. BUT DO NOT EVER TAKE THE HOST AND DISPOSE OF IT. THAT WOULD INDEED BE A TERRIBLE THING TO DO

Maid of Erin · 01-29-2012, 09:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LCShadows

I know plenty of diabetics and alcoholics who don't drink the communion wine but ask for water instead, and I've never heard of a church refusing them. I don't see how this is any different.

Is this a catholic church?

thistoo · 01-29-2012, 09:51 AM

I just started Whole 30 and I had this debate with myself as well. In the end I decided the communion wafer is negligible enough for me to receive communion without negating all the benefits of doing a strict detox. I do wonder what the Whole 9 officials would say about communion wafers, but for me it's worth it to participate.

kellydawne · 01-29-2012, 04:39 PM

This question (along with something about the AS's in toothpaste in the same post) was asked on the whole 9 website not long ago and essentially their answer was something along the lines of your relationship with God is more important...
Different churches have different thoughts on communion, the Catholic church is very specific about what goes into the bread, others less so. In the end, you have to do what feels right to you. (but I would have to agree that it would be much better not to partake than to put the wafer in your purse)

thistoo · 01-30-2012, 05:40 AM

Kellydawne, I never even thought about toothpaste. That's a very good point. Thanks for clarifying the Whole 9 stance on Communion. I am Episcopalian, so we pretty much follow the Catholic church when it comes to those things. I'm pretty sure our wafers are made by the same people who make the Catholic church's anyway.

Some larger churches do offer alternatives for the gluten-sensitive, though. A friend of mine works for a Presbyterian church that does, so it's worth asking.

mykidsteacher · 01-31-2012, 04:16 PM

My FIL was a celiac, so a low-gluten product would not have been an option. We're Lutheran, but what they did was provide the wafers (I think it was Ener-G) themselves. A box lasted forever, and they were simply told when they were getting low and needed to bring in more. The alter guild knew to include one of his wafers in the chalice each Sunday, so it was consecrated along with the rest.

I would check with the church and see if this would be a possibility.

Somewhat Damaged · 01-31-2012, 04:29 PM

Whole9 just posted about this the other day on Facebook... lots more good insight, particularly regarding the Catholic church, on the FB thread

Quote:

We appreciate your dedication, but you do not need to ask if you can take communion during your program. God>#Whole30

I think the decision from a health perspective depends on your situation. If you have autoimmune disease and get really ill with even a speck of gluten, I'd say you may want to consider skipping it (assuming a gluten free option is absolutely not available to you).

Otherwise, it can't hurt to talk to your church leadership about getting a gluten free option.

Maid of Erin · 02-01-2012, 01:09 AM

another option....ask if you could take only a quarter of a host or a drop of wine. the priest for our sons special needs school does this for the children who cant or wont eat the host. The smallest bite is still taking communion.

williamson_ja · 05-04-2012, 11:47 AM

We had this issue as well with our church. We receive a little piece of bread for what would be similar to your communion. We talked to the bishop about the issue and are now taking a cashew instead of the bread. I had no idea that something like that would be allowed! I would talk to them and see what you can do and decide how important it is for you. If it were just me, I probably would have just taken the bread. However, my daughter can't have any grains at all even in the smallest particles. She has other health issues. So, I did it for her. We have to supply the church with whatever we are going to use that is different from their normal stuff. I don't mind at all. I just wanted her to be able to participate in a sacred part of our worship services and not get sick. Good luck to you.

01-19-2012, 10:04 AM	#1
MLE777 Video Vixen Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 5,605 Gallery: MLE777 Stats: 142/142/122 5'2" WOE: Intuitive w/ no gluten, no dairy, no sugar Start Date: 06/17/13	Church & Communion I have a question that I'm hoping someone will have an answer to. I couldn't decide if I should post this in the Gluten Free section or here. I don't know if it was a very long blonde moment or what, but I just realized after church this past Sunday that the communion wafers that we eat are made from wheat I've been about 80% primal for almost 3 years (though about 100% gluten free). During this time at least once or twice a month, I've had a couple of days where my stomach would ache. We only have communion once or twice a month. It didn't occur to me till after this past Sunday that all the times I've had the pain have coincided with the Sundays that I've taken communion. For those that are gluten free, how do you handle communion? Do you skip it? Do you pretend to eat the wafer and then throw it in your purse when you get back to your seat? I know my church and the odds of getting them to order gluten free wafers are slim to none. I'm just not sure how to handle this. I could suck it up and just keep dealing with it, but I keep thinking that there's bound to be a better way to deal with it. __________________ DH and I before our 1st Tough Mudder. I am a two-time Tough Mudder Emily Those who do not find time for exercise will have to find time for illness. -Earl of Derby

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01-19-2012, 04:35 PM	#2
Kerry I'm not fat, I'm fluffy Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Brooklyn Ny Posts: 6,608 Gallery: Kerry Stats: Post Preg:195/151/140 (pre prego 230/135/130) WOE: PALEO/PRIMAL just call me cave lady! Start Date: Low carb living a few yrs now.. Restart Nov 2010	I think keeping it in your purse is anti religious. Bettet off not receiving...

01-19-2012, 07:40 PM	#3
micheleredit Major LCF Poster! Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Minnesota but originally from New Zealand. Posts: 1,039 Gallery: micheleredit Stats: 153/143/105 WOE: Paleo for a year, Atkins to lose the rest. Start Date: VLC 5/29/13	Lol I take and eat. No bigee.

01-20-2012, 08:47 AM	#5
Dottie Administrator Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: S.E. Texas Gulf Coast Posts: 68,705 Gallery: Dottie WOE: JUDDD calorie cycling plan	Ener-G gluten free ones have less than 1g carbs/1g sugar/1g protein and are made from:Filtered Water, Sweet Rice Flour, Potato Flour, Organic Palm Fruit Oil, Potato Starch, Methylcellulose, Sunflower Lecithin. Since you receive half a wafer, or less, I would consider asking your Church to get them, or to allow you to get them and then possibly give you communion first or last. I'm sure the Church can bless them, no matter where you purchase them.

01-21-2012, 12:12 PM	#6
PaleoRainy Senior LCF Member Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 595 Gallery: PaleoRainy Stats: 212/158/144 WOE: IF with carb cycling Start Date: 24/09/08	It's an interesting concern, how would a coeliac deal with communion? I have googled that a bit in my native language and I have found some people say priests can have a smaller container into the chalice containing gluten free wafers if they know one needs it. They say it's enough asking...could you try? I am not a christian so I can't tell if this info is right or wrong but it could make sense.

01-22-2012, 01:59 AM	#7
Maid of Erin Way too much time on my hands! Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: County Kerry, Ireland Posts: 12,954 Gallery: Maid of Erin Stats: Ginormous/Ridunkulous/Awesomesauce WOE: Whole Food Atkins Start Date: April 2006	can you take a sip of wine insted?

01-23-2012, 08:49 AM	#8
LCShadows Major LCF Poster! Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 2,433 Gallery: LCShadows Stats: High: 349/CW 222.5/Goal 120 WOE: LC whole foods - no sugar, grain, dairy Start Date: LC 7/11/08	If you are Catholic, your wafer has to have a small amount of gluten, but can be low-gluten. The Benedictine Sisters make a low-gluten altar bread that they sell which meets Catholic requirements and you could get your priest/minister to bless and use for you. Here is their site: Low Gluten Altar Bread If you want to make your own and aren't Catholic, here is one recipe: Gluten-Free Communion Wafers Prep time: 5 minutes Cook time: 20 minutes Makes: 20 wafers/crackers Ingredients 1/2 cup olive oil 1/2 cup water Dash of salt 2 cups all-purpose gluten-free flour Preheat the oven to 350 F Combine the olive oil, water, and salt. Whisk until it’s near-frothy white. Loosely mix the flour to the blend. Don’t over-mix, and make sure the dough is the same consistency of a drier batch of cookie dough. Grease a cookie sheet well (dough sticks easily) Roll the dough flat, as thin as pie crust. Once the dough is flat, make incisions that will allow you to break the dough apart into crackers. Bake for about 20 minutes. Remove from oven, let cool, then break apart. I know plenty of diabetics and alcoholics who don't drink the communion wine but ask for water instead, and I've never heard of a church refusing them. I don't see how this is any different.

01-29-2012, 09:02 AM	#9
Topacoma Junior LCF Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 1 Gallery: Topacoma	Just Receive Our Lord under the species of consecrated wine. You will be receiving Him totally and wholly so no need to receive the Host at all. BUT DO NOT EVER TAKE THE HOST AND DISPOSE OF IT. THAT WOULD INDEED BE A TERRIBLE THING TO DO

01-29-2012, 09:51 AM	#11
thistoo Senior LCF Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Knoxville, TN Posts: 69 Gallery: thistoo Stats: 218/212/150 WOE: Whole 30 Start Date: January 2012 (restart)	I just started Whole 30 and I had this debate with myself as well. In the end I decided the communion wafer is negligible enough for me to receive communion without negating all the benefits of doing a strict detox. I do wonder what the Whole 9 officials would say about communion wafers, but for me it's worth it to participate.

01-29-2012, 04:39 PM	#12
kellydawne Very Gabby LCF Member!!! Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 4,651 Gallery: kellydawne	This question (along with something about the AS's in toothpaste in the same post) was asked on the whole 9 website not long ago and essentially their answer was something along the lines of your relationship with God is more important... Different churches have different thoughts on communion, the Catholic church is very specific about what goes into the bread, others less so. In the end, you have to do what feels right to you. (but I would have to agree that it would be much better not to partake than to put the wafer in your purse)

01-30-2012, 05:40 AM	#13
thistoo Senior LCF Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Knoxville, TN Posts: 69 Gallery: thistoo Stats: 218/212/150 WOE: Whole 30 Start Date: January 2012 (restart)	Kellydawne, I never even thought about toothpaste. That's a very good point. Thanks for clarifying the Whole 9 stance on Communion. I am Episcopalian, so we pretty much follow the Catholic church when it comes to those things. I'm pretty sure our wafers are made by the same people who make the Catholic church's anyway. Some larger churches do offer alternatives for the gluten-sensitive, though. A friend of mine works for a Presbyterian church that does, so it's worth asking.

01-31-2012, 04:16 PM	#14
mykidsteacher Major LCF Poster! Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 2,280 Gallery: mykidsteacher Stats: 152/124-126/125 5'4" WOE: Primal as of Aug 2011/JUDDD (started 1/13/12) Start Date: Aug 2011/I've been maintaining since April 2012	My FIL was a celiac, so a low-gluten product would not have been an option. We're Lutheran, but what they did was provide the wafers (I think it was Ener-G) themselves. A box lasted forever, and they were simply told when they were getting low and needed to bring in more. The alter guild knew to include one of his wafers in the chalice each Sunday, so it was consecrated along with the rest. I would check with the church and see if this would be a possibility.

02-01-2012, 01:09 AM	#16
Maid of Erin Way too much time on my hands! Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: County Kerry, Ireland Posts: 12,954 Gallery: Maid of Erin Stats: Ginormous/Ridunkulous/Awesomesauce WOE: Whole Food Atkins Start Date: April 2006	another option....ask if you could take only a quarter of a host or a drop of wine. the priest for our sons special needs school does this for the children who cant or wont eat the host. The smallest bite is still taking communion.

05-04-2012, 11:47 AM	#17
williamson_ja Junior LCF Member Join Date: Apr 2012 Posts: 54 Gallery: williamson_ja	We had this issue as well with our church. We receive a little piece of bread for what would be similar to your communion. We talked to the bishop about the issue and are now taking a cashew instead of the bread. I had no idea that something like that would be allowed! I would talk to them and see what you can do and decide how important it is for you. If it were just me, I probably would have just taken the bread. However, my daughter can't have any grains at all even in the smallest particles. She has other health issues. So, I did it for her. We have to supply the church with whatever we are going to use that is different from their normal stuff. I don't mind at all. I just wanted her to be able to participate in a sacred part of our worship services and not get sick. Good luck to you.