|
Chapel
Altar / Communion
Table |
|
|
||
|
Prayer
Foundation / Prayer
/ God's
Word / FYI
/ Monks / Features
/ Books / Movies /
Search Our Site /
Home
/ Site
Map / Become
A Monk / Contributors
Gifts / Contact Us
What is referred to by many as the "Altar" in our Monastery Chapel, was made by Monk Preston out of Monk Linda's parent's former family Dining Room table (composed of solid oak), and which he cut down to a much smaller size, to be the Monastery Chapel's "Communion Table". We have been told that it shouldn't be called an altar because no sacrifice is made on it, Christ's once and for all sacrifice being all sufficient for our sins. How true! Yet, we forget that there was more than one altar in the ancient Jewish Temple. Outside, in the courtyard was the altar of animal sacrifice, where blood was shed for atonement or sin. Inside, in the Holy of Holies, was the gold-covered altar of incense, incense being a symbol for the prayers of God's people. Monk Preston was talking with a Greek Orthodox Priest recently, and asked him if his Church's altar was made of wood or stone. He had heard that they were usually made of wood. The Priest said that there was no rule on what it should be made out of, that he had served at ones made of stone, of wood, and even of other materials. "But you know", he continued, "in the Orthodox Church the Greek name for it is not 'altar'. It is correctly referred to as the 'Holy Table'". Monk Preston liked that.
Our Communion Table (or "Holy Table") is covered with a dark forest green "Altar Cloth" (not shown, similar to a sheet) with lighter green and dark forest green brocade cloth covers on top of that, and with a white lace flowered embroidered upper table surround (similar to decorative table runners).
The Bible is placed in the center of our Communion Table because God's Word is central to our faith. It is God's Revelation, Inerrant in the original autographs, and our final and ultimate authority in all matters of faith and practice. The Bible shown above is the old, well-worn King James Version Thompson Chain-Reference Study Bible that has been Monk Preston's favorite personal Bible from the time he first became a Christian. In the photo it is opened to the first page of the Gospel of John.
Also centrally located is the Christian Cross. In this case it is a Celtic Cross, as we draw so much inspiration for our own Christian lives from the lives of the ancient Celtic Monks. The cross of Christ has become the symbol of Christianity. The Cross continually reminds us of our Lord's death for our sins, followed by his Resurrection and His offering of His blood in Heaven as our one Mediator and Intercessor, by whom only we can enter into God's presence. It reminds us that Christ now "sits on the right hand of the Father; and He shall come again, with glory, to judge the living and the dead; whose kingdom shall have no end." Truly it has been said, "Christianity is not a religion. Christianity is a person: Christ. You either have Him as your personal Lord and Saviour, or you don't." The Cross also reminds us that we who have received Christ, now must die daily, taking up our own cross and following Him.
All candles used in our Chapel are made of 100% pure beeswax, which have a slight "honey" smell (modern candles are made from petroleum by-products with chemicals providing their various "smell flavors"---they can give off harmful fumes, and, unlike natural beeswax candles, they gradually stain walls and ceilings with soot). Lighted candles symbolize Christ, "the light of the world". The purity of beeswax symbolizes Christ's perfect purity and sinless-ness. White, "natural", or ivory colored candles have historically been used to symbolize Christ's purity. The two large candlesticks are replicas of ones found in Notre Dame Cathedral on the Ile de Cité in Paris, France. The candles in them are pure beeswax pillars (3"x 6"), wrapped in sheets of unaltered honeycomb. Having two main candles also symbolizes Christ's two natures: His perfect humanity and His perfect divinity. Also shown are two small Byzantine-style (from Greece) tea candle holders with red glass inserts. The color "red" has in historical Church usage been understood as the color of fire, and symbolizes the Holy Spirit. Our tea candles are of course made of pure beeswax, also. Also, we light 12" long beeswax tapers and insert them in a bowl filled with sand, while we are praying or attending our worship services. Almost all of the beeswax candles that we use have been hand-molded by Eastern Orthodox Nuns. Not shown in the above photo, are our two hanging Byzantine lamps. One of these has a blue-purple glass containing sand and a beeswax tea candle. The other, our red-glass Sanctuary Lamp, which symbolizes the presence of the Holy Spirit, remains lit all day, and contains olive oil and a Greek-style floating cork with a replaceable wick.
Behind each of the two tea candle holders are two censers (incense burners). The one on the left has a holding ring and and is suspended from three chains (symbolizing the Trinity). It is swung to cense everything and everyone in the entire Chapel. The one on the right may be held by a wooden handle, but usually is left in its place. Our incense is made by Eastern Orthodox Monks. It does not burn and smoke by itself, you must light a small charcoal brick and place the incense on top of it. Our charcoal is made by Roman Catholic Monks (Trappist: Reformed Cistercian). There is a pair of tongs that can be used to adjust the lit charcoal. In the Bible, incense symbolizes the prayers of God's people. "Let my prayer be set forth as incense before thee; The lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice." -Psalm 141:2 “And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel’s hand.” -Revelation 8:4 The incense "boat" (the covered jar at front center) contains the incense that we use daily (we alternate using several different kinds). The beautiful green porcelain container was handmade by a potter we know, as was the chalice (two different potters!). The golden spoon to its right is used to spoon out the incense grains and place them on the charcoal coals in the incense censers. Historically, everything, as an offering to God, is censed with incense. Especially we ourselves who are "in Christ" and offer ourselves as a "living sacrifice" after Our Lord's own example, by which he also taught us that we should "walk in love". "And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour". -Ephesians 5:2
On the left side of the Communion Table are two bells. The brass and wood bell is rung three times to both commence and to signal the end of worship and prayer services. This has been the practice throughout history in Christian monastic communities. The smaller silver bell is rung during the Sanctus portion of the service ("Holy, Holy, Holy": Isaiah 6:3; Luke 13:35).
The covered golden Communion Cup Tray on the right, holds the small communion cups used today in most Protestant Churches. Because we are an Interdenominational Christian Ministry, cups containing wine are found on the left side of the tray, and cups containing grape juice are found on the right side of the tray. Our Communion bread is the round, unleavened wafer type, historically used in both Protestant and Roman Catholic churches (in the 1970's some Protestant churches began using different forms of Communion bread). Ours are made by Roman Catholic Nuns, out of whole wheat flour, and are stamped with three designs: the early church's Lamb of God & Cross, the Maltese Cross, and the Jerusalem Cross. Our Communion Bread Plate with its cross-topped cover is made of Myrtlewood and was crafted in a woodworking shop on the Oregon Coast. Myrtlewood is a very beautiful wood with a striking grain. It was originally native only to Israel. It has since been planted in various places around the world. The Oregon Coast is one of the places where it now grows. The golden tongs to its right are for serving the individual Communion wafers. Related Pages: ____________________________________________________________ Copyright © 2008 S.G.P. All rights reserved. Daily Prayer: Praying the Hours PRAYER Category
|
|
|||
Some
General
Information in Answer to your Questions:
Communion
Table
