Communion Dishes

Different churches take communion in different ways.  Some of the differences involve the dishes that they use.  In class we'll look at the things that we use and we'll also be tasting the bread and wine. However, when you visit other churches with friends or if some day you're looking for a new church home, you may see something different.

A lot of churches use individual glasses.  They may be plastic or glass.  They may be filled before worship or you may be given an empty glass which is filled by one of the worship leaders. 

The cups are usually carried in some kind of tray like this one. If the cups are filled by a worship leader, it's usually done with a pouring chalice. 


If you look at the cup to the left, you'll see that it has a pouring spout kind of like a pitcher. Pouring chalices can be made out of silver, brass, glass, or pottery. Some are very fancy and some are very plain.  

Some churches use chalices to drink from.  They look like a pouring chalice but without the spout.  If you have a cup for the wine, you're also going to need a plate for the bread.  The plate is called a paten.  

Those are the basics.  Ask some people who have taken communion (maybe your parents or friends) about their experiences.  What kind of dishes did they use?  How was communion served?