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Raleigh Mennonite Church

As a Christian community, called to peacemaking and reconciliation, we affirm that people of any race, ethnic identity, gender, who are gay or straight, of any ability, age, or economic status, are welcome to full participation in our congregation.

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communion

Come and have breakfast – May 1, 2022

May 2, 2022

Melissa preaching at RMC on May 1, 2022

Scripture: John 21:1-19 Jesus visits the disciples a third time after his resurrection, this time as some of them have been fishing. “Where is Melissa going with this sermon?” That’s what many were thinking as she started her sermon, telling us that our bodies are “an island of creatures.” The real body of Jesus joins […]

Come and have breakfast – May 1, 2022

Tagged With: communion, community, Gospel of John, Melissa Florer-Bixler, microbiomes, resurrection

The Work of Healing – Jan. 23, 2022

January 24, 2022

Melissa preaching via Zoom on Jan. 23, 2022

Melissa recounts stories of Mennonites in Java–doing harm and learning to do better–as we reflect on what it means to be part of the larger global Christian church on World Anabaptist Sunday. Healing and restoration is always ongoing. We engage in repentance, over and over again, recognizing that this is how the reign of God […]

The Work of Healing – Jan. 23, 2022

Tagged With: Anabaptism, communion, Gospel of Matthew, healing, Indonesia, Isaiah, Melissa Florer-Bixler

The Fleshiness of the Gospel – Aug. 15, 2021

August 16, 2021

Melissa preaching at RMC, Aug. 15, 2021, with her hands reaching out.

Scripture: John 6:51-58 Our English translation of the text for today’s sermon doesn’t quite get at the graphicness of the passage. “If you do not ‘gnaw on the body of Christ and drink his blood, you have no life in you,” is a more accurate translation from the Greek. Whatever spiritualizing we want to bring […]

The Fleshiness of the Gospel – Aug. 15, 2021

Tagged With: Bartolomé de Las Casas, communion, Gospel of John, Melissa Florer-Bixler

Pie-it-Forward

June 9, 2020

An apple cranberry pie with a star-shaped crust.

by Jackie ParkerA blog entry in response to our “A Year at the Table” series. One Sunday, during the sharing portion of our worship, I revealed I was having a hard time—that the pandemic, fear for people’s health, and physical distancing were taking a toll—and with no end in sight, I was starting to feel […]

Pie-it-Forward

Filed Under: Table Tagged With: A Year at the Table, communion, community, COVID-19, fellowship, food, pie-it-forward, table

Communion during the COVID-19 Pandemic

May 2, 2020

Communion elements, an Easter wreath with flowers and candles, and a laptop in the background.

By David and Rosene Rohrer, with photo by Karin Shank Having learned from each other about the variety of ways communion is celebrated around the world, we easily adjusted to observing this important practice from our homes during the novel coronavirus pandemic in 2020.  One Sunday for our virtual service (via Zoom) we each chose […]

Communion during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Filed Under: Table, Worship Tagged With: A Year at the Table, communion, community, COVID-19, table

One Mennonite’s Perspective on Living into Communion – Feb. 16, 2020

February 16, 2020

Dr. Malinda Berry preaching at RMC on Sunday, Feb. 16, 2020

Luke 22:14-23 Our guest preacher this Sunday was Dr. Malinda Berry. This was part of the weekend she spent with us teaching on our Mennonite theology of Communion and how we might create a robust and living theology of table as a local community. Communion helps us connect with each other. Malinda drew in part […]

One Mennonite’s Perspective on Living into Communion – Feb. 16, 2020

Tagged With: A Year at the Table, communion, Gospel of Luke, Living More with Less, Malinda Berry, Mennonite, table, theology

Bread as Life – Feb. 9, 2020

February 9, 2020

Melissa Florer-Bixler preaching at RMC service Feb. 2, 2020

John 6:25-40, I Corinthians 11:23-26, 12:12, 24-27 Melissa continued the series on communion, focusing today on the role of bread. How bread comes to be is significant, from the grains to the yeast that acts as leavening. In many ways, we are bread. How do we break ourselves open to be made whole?How do we […]

Bread as Life – Feb. 9, 2020

Tagged With: A Year at the Table, bread, communion, Gospel of John, I Corinthians, Melissa Florer-Bixler, table

Last Supper – Feb. 2, 2020

February 4, 2020

Melissa preaches at Fletcher Academy on Feb. 2, 2020, the first Sunday RMC met there.

Matthew 26:17-30 On this first Sunday that we held worship at Fletcher Academy, Melissa recounts the story of the Last Supper, Jesus having Passover with his friends. The account in Matthew spends more time talking about the betrayal by Judas than it does about breaking of the bread and sharing the cup. When we come […]

Last Supper – Feb. 2, 2020

Tagged With: A Year at the Table, communion, Gospel of Matthew, Judas, Melissa Florer-Bixler, passover, table

What happens after communion?

February 1, 2020

Two people sharing unique communion elements in El Salvador.

by David Rohrer Throughout history communion has been wrought with conflict. Heated debate focused on: Who can participate? Who can officiate? What’s required to prepare for communion? What elements are used? What process occurs in those who partake? Is Christ in the host (bread) or only there with his “real presence?” Is communion necessary for […]

What happens after communion?

Filed Under: Table Tagged With: A Year at the Table, Christian base communities, communion, community, El Salvador, history, Luther, peace, sara-wenger-shenk, social justice, table, Zwingli

De-mummification of Rigid Communion Ritual

February 1, 2020

Delegation around dinner table planning El Salvador itinerary

by David Rohrer Below are highlights from my reading of Laurel Marshall’s masters thesis regarding the practice of communion and baptism in Christian base communities in El Salvador: The role of liberation theology in informing communion and baptism. The emphasis on sharing and inclusiveness in practicing the communion.  Caring for one another as being a way […]

De-mummification of Rigid Communion Ritual

Filed Under: Table Tagged With: A Year at the Table, baptism, Christian base communities, communion, community, El Salvador, hospitality, Laurel Marshall, liberation-theology, table

Communion and Hospitality

February 1, 2020

by Shannon Hess Our short time in El Salvador left me with a lot to process and a lot to reflect on, much of which I haven’t even tried to begin to put into words. I can’t honestly say that I really put much thought into Communion before our congregation started asking questions and making […]

Communion and Hospitality

Filed Under: Table Tagged With: A Year at the Table, Christian base communities, communion, community, El Salvador, hospitality, table

Radical Hospitality

January 31, 2020

The El Salvador delegation with hosts from the El Rodeo community.

by Belissa Acosta My main takeaway from going to El Salvador is the radical hospitality that the members of the base communities showed us. The way they opened up their homes to us and shared what they had made me realize a few things about my own goals in life. For the past couple months, […]

Radical Hospitality

Filed Under: Table Tagged With: Christian base communities, communion, community, El Salvador

Communion as Solidarity

January 30, 2020

A sign in Spanish in front of a church.

by Jackie Parker So much to say about El Salvador, it’s hard to know where to begin. My heart is filled with the beauty and generosity of spirit of everyone we met and with the sheer horror of the tragedies that have taken place in their country. Our delegation was so warmly welcomed by each […]

Communion as Solidarity

Filed Under: Table Tagged With: A Year at the Table, Christian base communities, communion, El Salvador, Intercultural, social justice, solidarity, war

El Salvador Delegation Photos

January 20, 2020

Group photo of those who traveled to El Salvador, along with two of the hosts, in the chapel dedicated to Oscar Romero.

Photos from visit to Christian base communities in El Salvador the week of Thanksgiving 2019 are posted on a separate site.

El Salvador Delegation Photos

Filed Under: Table Tagged With: Christian base communities, communion, El Salvador, Intercultural, Photos, table

What is this Passover Feast? – Jan. 19, 2020

January 19, 2020

Rachel Taylor preaching at RMC January 19, 2020

Exodus 12:3-13 and Mark 14:12-25 Our biblical example of communion stems from Jesus sharing the Passover meal with his disciples. Rachel reflects on how the church’s communion practice, particularly in white-dominant congregations, can deepen rather than heal racial divisions in the church as it did in the past when white slave owners required those they […]

What is this Passover Feast? – Jan. 19, 2020

Tagged With: A Year at the Table, communion, Exodus, Gospel of Mark, passover, Rachel Taylor, racism, slavery, table

St. Ambrose Episcopal Church, Raleigh – Eucharistic Celebration

November 16, 2019

Pastor at St. Ambrose blessing children.

by Al RebergA blog entry in response to our “A Year at the Table” series.November 16, 2019 The Communion Liturgy at Saint Ambrose Episcopal Church is read from the Book of Common Prayer or recited from memory. Two people bring the bread and wine down the center Aisle and gives them to the Torch Bearer […]

St. Ambrose Episcopal Church, Raleigh – Eucharistic Celebration

Filed Under: Table Tagged With: A Year at the Table, communion, Eucharist, table

Reflections on Communion at Holy Trinity Anglican Church, Oaxaca

November 16, 2019

People fellowship around a table of light refreshments in Oaxaca, Mexico.

by David RohrerA blog entry in response to our “A Year at the Table” series.November 11, 2019 Last summer on two consecutive Sundays, Hans, Ann, Rosene and David celebrated communion with our brothers and sisters at Holy Trinity Anglican Church, Oaxaca, Mexico. The service was conducted in English. The church has no assigned priest; rather it […]

Reflections on Communion at Holy Trinity Anglican Church, Oaxaca

Filed Under: Table Tagged With: communion, Mexico, table

Fall Intergenerational Retreat

September 23, 2019

This was the official kick-off retreat for our year’s study of table fellowship and communion practices at RMC. We looked at some ways God called God’s people to table fellowship and reflected on the ways we’ve experienced table fellowship and communion in the past and the present.

Fall Intergenerational Retreat

Filed Under: Events, Table Tagged With: communion, community, Retreat, table

Christian Base Communities in El Salvador

August 18, 2019

Group sitting in chairs in a circle.

by David RohrerA blog entry in response to our “A Year at the Table” series.August 18, 2019 Also see related: El Salvador Impressions – a photo blog of the team’s trip Today, following our time of worship at Raleigh Mennonite Church (RMC), Laurel Marshall shared from her experience with Salvadoran Christian base communities, abbreviated CEBs (communidades […]

Christian Base Communities in El Salvador

Filed Under: Table Tagged With: Christian base communities, communion, El Salvador, Laurel Marshall, table

Summer 2019 Worship Retreat

August 18, 2019

Folks at the fall 2019 worship retreat enjoy lunch together around the table.

by David RohrerA blog entry in response to our “A Year at the Table” series. This summer’s RMC worship retreat began with the hymn “What is this place where we are meeting,” reminding us that “we are each other’s bread and wine.” Melissa then read all three Gospel accounts* of the last supper, interspersed with art […]

Summer 2019 Worship Retreat

Filed Under: Table Tagged With: communion, Retreat, table, Worship

Babette’s Feast

August 6, 2019

by Melissa Florer-BixlerA blog entry in response to our “A Year at the Table” series. It seemed fitting to me that we began our year of exploration and reflection on Communion practice in grace. Babette’s Feast, the first in our film series featuring movies about food and faith, is a story about grace received in […]

Babette’s Feast

Filed Under: Table Tagged With: communion, grace, Melissa Florer-Bixler, table

The 10th Commandment-Power, Coveting, Property – June 17, 2018

June 17, 2018

Melissa speaking at RMC on April 8, 2018

In the last sermon in her series on the 10 commandments, Melissa focuses on the tenth from Exodus 20:17. To help us understand the concept of “to covet” Melissa has the congregation participate in a little biblical exegesis. She uses 2 Samuel 11:1-13, the story of David and Bathsheba, to explain that coveting has to do […]

The 10th Commandment-Power, Coveting, Property – June 17, 2018

Tagged With: #MeToo, 2 Samuel, communion, covet, Exodus, Melissa Florer-Bixler, power

Making the Ordinary Extraordinary – Feb. 25, 2018

February 28, 2018

Melissa Florer-Bixler preaching Feb. 4, 2018

John 13:1-17 – Jesus Washes the Disciples’ Feet The rituals of the Christian life are ordinary things made extraordinary for a moment. Jesus has a knack for this, taking what is ordinary and turning it back for us to look at it again: song, bread, water, wine. As we anticipate the coming of Holy Week […]

Making the Ordinary Extraordinary – Feb. 25, 2018

Tagged With: communion, foot washing, Gospel of John, Holy Week, Melissa Florer-Bixler, rituals

Radical Communion – Jan. 21, 2018

January 21, 2018

Melissa preaching on Oct. 29, 2017

Melissa brought the sermon today, based on John 2:13-25. Jesus coming onto the scene means a radical departure from every common expectation about worship and economics and the places where they meet.  We’re reminded by this passage in John, as well as by many of the old testament prophets like Zechariah and Nehemiah, that we […]

Radical Communion – Jan. 21, 2018

Tagged With: Anabaptism, communion, Gospel of John, Melissa Florer-Bixler

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Raleigh, NC 27603

Phone: 919-831-2969

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COVID-19 Update

We are worshipping in person at our downtown Raleigh location at Church of the Good Shepherd. While masks are not required, we ask everyone to be considerate of others’ COVID-related boundaries. We are continuing to provide the service via Zoom for those who are not able to join us in person. Please contact us if you'd like the Zoom connection information.

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