Who shall partake?

Churches grapple with the question of when to deny sacrament
By Elaine Jarvik
Deseret (UT) Morning News
Oct. 27, 2007

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The canons of the Episcopal Church say that all "baptized Christians" are invited to communion. But more and more Episcopal churches aren't following those rules, says the Rev. Canon Mary June Nestler, spokeswoman for the Episcopal Diocese of Utah. "Instead, they're extending the invitation of communion to any person who feels led to receive it."

That said, the Episcopal Church does recommend denying communion in some cases — described in the church's Prayer Book as people who are "living a notoriously evil life" or "are a scandal to the other members of the congregation."

In her 28 years of ordination, she says, she has never had to deny communion and has only witnessed two denials — a person involved in a serious financial misconduct of parish funds and the case of a triangle of adulterers. Even then, says the Rev. Nestler, the priest did not refuse communion on the spot. Instead, as advised in the Prayer Book, the priest spoke privately to them, advising them not to come to the communion table until they had given "clear proof of repentance and amendment of life."

But faced with an uncertain situation, says the Rev. Nestler, "I would say it's best to err on the side of generosity, because Christ's table is a generous table. Second-guessing at the communion rail is always a difficult call."

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