Come And See [Hardcover]

Why has there been such an increase in the number of Presbyterian congregations celebrating the Lord's Supper every week? Come and See explores the following causes: generational change, ecumenical convergence, revisiting Reformed roots, heightened interest in spirituality, new perspectives offered by ritual studies, and the postmodern opening to a deeper appreciation of Scripture. Worship that is a balance of Word and Sacrament is incarnationally serious, recognizing that human persons are embodied beings who bring to worship all of our senses--not only the ability to process words. Presbyterian congregations celebrating weekly Communion are discovering ways of being and thinking missionally as they link their experiences of being nourished at the Holy Table to the needs of people who are physically as well as spiritually hungry. Come and See describes a number of congregations who have made the transition to weekly Communion and tells how they did it, working within Presbyterian polity and local cultures. Some are traditional, established congregations, while others are new church developments. They may be found in the north and south, east and west, across the broad Presbyterian theological and demographic spectrums. In Come and See, Byars has provided a rich resource for pastors, worship committees, and governing bodies that is theological, sociological, and practical as churches take a fresh look at how Word and Sacrament together make for a more missional response. I certainly plan on using it with our worship team and recommend it to others. The response could well be transformational for churches of all sizes, traditions, and settings. --Stephen R. Montgomery, Pastor, Idlewild Presbyterian Church 'Whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the saving death of our risen Lord until he comes again.' We need to proclaim the past-present-future presence and power of our risen Lord and Savior at every turn in every moment; that's thl3,