Letter from Phyllis Lengyel: Lay Eucharistic Visiting – Inclusiveness in Action

Letter from Phyllis Lengyel: Lay Eucharistic Visiting – Inclusiveness in Action

For me and for many of us, our St. Paul’s  Communion service is a weekly highlight of our faith journey, particularly when the Priest says:

“…Come, you who have much faith and you who have little; you who have been here often and you who have not been for a long time or ever before; you who have tried to follow and you who have failed: Come, not because the Church invites you; it is Christ, and he invites you to meet him here.”

What many in the sanctuary may not know is this invitation reaches out to all listening and watching…especially those who are not physically able to be with us in the Cathedral. Lay Eucharistic Visitors (LEVs) are a group of Lay individuals spiritually called and specially trained by our Diocese to join our clergy in giving this communion invitation legs. Human ones.

Any parishioner unable to be with us in person can request to receive communion from a Lay Eucharistic Visitor. An LEV is assigned and will call to confirm their desire for us to bring them communion and schedule it.

The next Sunday, LEV’s put their Communion Kits in the Sacristy early with the recipient’s name(s), service date, visit time, and the number/type (wheat/gluten-free) of communion hosts to be sent specifically to them.

During the service, LEVs go forward for Communion as usual. After receiving, they return, not to their seats, but into the Chancel behind the Altar and take their seats. A verger hands them their Communion kit holding the requested, now-blessed hosts.

At the end of the service, the LEVs come forward as the Deacon leads the Postcommunion Prayer, ending with :

“Send us now into the world in peace, and grant us strength and courage to love and serve you with gladness and singleness of heart, through Christ our Lord Amen…”

Then he looks at the LEV(s) before him, holding their filled communion kits: (this is where the magic begins for me)

“(LEV)Phyllis, In the name of this congregation,

I send you forth bearing these holy gifts,

that (absent parishioners) Jane and John may share with us in the communion of Christ’s body and blood.

We who are many are one body,

because we all share one bread, one cup.”

Carrying their sanctified hosts, LEVs lead the choir in the recessional. And proceed to their visits as previously scheduled. 

As I recess down our center aisle surrounded by our beloved stained-glass-bathed congregation, carrying the blessed hosts for our absent members, God’s love wells within me. I am  humbled and blessed to be able to extend this love to them in this sacred way.

When I arrive at my destination, I exchange joyful greetings with my now friends. We know each other if they’ve been receiving the Eucharist for a while. If not, we begin to get to know each other. We share the Eucharistic ritual.  We pray together. We laugh together. We share joys, sorrows, comfort, and commiseration.

With every visit I leave richly blessed to have shared the sacred Eucharist with them, to have listened to their wisdom, shared prayers, and received their gratitude for visiting and bringing the sacrament to them.

Jesus said, ”Do this in  remembrance of me”. He did not add, “only if you’re able, or verbal, or feeling fine.”

For me, the Eucharist focuses on God’s unimaginable, everlasting, infinite love…Holding us close; Giving us peace; Infusing us with strength we don’t know we have.

In taking this blessed gift to our congregants, often in stressful times, I receive it as well. I am so grateful this ministry called to me and I answered.

If you feel this ministry calling to you, please speak with one of the clergy.