The Work of a Lay Eucharistic Minister

Margaret Blaker, July 2008

“What is that?” you may well be asking.  It is such a long and clumsy name for such a beautiful calling, though it actually means what it says.

The Christian Church uses the term to name a lay, that is not ordained, person who takes Holy Communion regularly to the housebound.  These may be in their own homes or in rest homes.   

For anyone who undertakes this lay ministry there is a short training course.  There are no tests or examinations at the end.  The course is to ensure that the one being trained to go out really understands the Eucharist in all the details of its celebration.

 It is the task of the Lay Minister to carry the consecrated host from the church to the communicant in a little round box called a pyx, in a special purse or little bag.  The actual order of service follows the beginning of our own Eucharist, including the Confession, Collect and Gospel.  Then the service moves to the Lord’s Prayer and our usual words of distribution and thanksgiving.  It has become my practice to make intercessions after this, as then their length can be varied to the physical power of concentration of the communicant.  In this way the climax, the act of communion, comes before the person is too tired.

Those who are visited are deeply appreciative.  The one who visits finds this very humbling.  We are Christ’s ministers, called by God to serve Him.  We go in this strength alone.

Here at St Wilfrid’s we need more to undertake this work.  There are many rest homes in our parish, so many waiting to receive the Christ they worshipped and served when they could be out and about.

Is God calling you?