The Sacraments of
the Christian Community

The Christian Community celebrates the Eucharist, the Sacrament of bread and wine, in a renewed form. This renewal of the archetypal form of early Christian worship, the mass, is called The Act of Consecration of Man. It consists of four steps that reveal in visible form what happens as an invisible process in the spirit:

Gospel reading — hearing the good news from the realm of the angels;
Offertory — offering ourselves in response;
Transubstantiation — the transformation of what is offered;
Communion — receiving renewal in spiritual-physical form.

This underlying structure is the human path, the way toward Christ. The unusual name, The Act of Consecration of Man, implies that the ultimate goal of our lives is to become a true human being. Christ, who himself became a human being, enlivens our true humanity. He gives his healing, transforming power to those who seek him, who recognize him, and who follow him.

Baptism receives the child into the religious community, represented particularly by the godparents.

Confirmation takes place at the age of fourteen to strengthen and support a young person's path into life.

Marriage blesses the decision of a couple to share community of life, supported by two chosen witnesses.

The Last Anointing, along with the burial ritual, helps the dying to free themselves from the body and move into body-free spiritual life.

Sacramental Consultation (by request and confidential) is religious counseling for one's life destiny, and supports individual efforts to take responsibility for life.

Sacrament of Ordination. The sacraments are performed by the priest through the power conferred by the Sacrament of Ordination. In The Christian Community both men and women can be come priests.

The sacraments are Christ's way of speaking to us and of our joining in his deed at important junctures in our lives. Through them he nourishes and supports our earthly existence.

Celebrating the Christian Year
Progressing through the nine festivals of the liturgical year (and the four inter-festival seasons) involves our souls in an evolving relationship to Christ. The changing colors, vestments and prayers express the mood and character of the festivals and seasons.





The Easter Altar