One of the things about Cowley Church Community that I'm really pleased about is the commitment to regularly celebrating Communion together. For us, that means about every other week - which I realise may not seem that regular to folk from some other church traditions! It's also important that our celebrations of Communion are an integral part of our worship - not just an add-on, and not a separate service.
I've found it particularly beneficial in terms of preaching. We don't have an elaborate Communion liturgy, so the transition between the end of the sermon and the distribution of the elements is often not that protracted. So the sermon has to lead naturally into the celebration. That context really brings it home for me whether what I'm preaching is the gospel or not: if it is, the transition will feel smooth and natural and right; if I'm not preaching the gospel, the transition into Communion will feel like a gear change without the clutch. So my sermon prep changes - I'm preaching towards the celebration, towards the commemoration of the cross.
I genuinely can't think of a better way to keep the gospel central in preaching and worship.
Excellent!
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