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Every year, World Communion Sunday sneaks up on me. I love this Communion Sunday because it’s one of the clearest pictures we get of the kingdom of God.  Christians all over the world gather at tables that look different, in churches that look different, speaking languages that sound different, and yet somehow, in the mystery of God’s Spirit, we are all one.

In Africa, a congregation sings and sways as they break bread made of maize. In Korea, Christians bow with deep reverence as they pass the cup. In Latin America, believers stand in line, waiting their turn to receive the bread. In Europe, centuries-old cathedrals echo with the words of institution. In tiny house churches in Asia, bread is passed quietly from hand to hand. And here in Statesville, we’ll line up in our in the Green Space and Sanctuary, with familiar faces all around us.

Different settings. Different breads. Different cups. Different customs. But one Christ. One Spirit. One Table.

And maybe this year, more than most, we need that reminder. The world feels heavy.  The news is filled with images of war, communities broken by violence, neighbors divided, families straining under the weight of grief or worry. Sometimes it feels like the world is pulling apart at the seams.

But then we come to the table.

The table of Christ is not just a ritual—it’s an anchor. It steadies us when the world feels chaotic. It reminds us that God’s grace is real and present. And it teaches us something our culture often forgets: we belong to each other.

At communion, no one stands higher or lower. We all hold out our hands the same way. We all come empty, in need of grace. We all take the same bread, the same cup, the same promise of forgiveness. It doesn’t matter what country you’re from, what language you speak, or what opinions you carry. At the table, the ground is level.

That’s the amazing part of World Communion Sunday. Across every continent, in every setting, Christ meets us. The table is bigger than any one church. It’s bigger than any one denomination. It’s even bigger than our disagreements. It’s Christ’s table, and he makes room for us all.

So this Sunday, as you take the bread and the cup, I want to invite you to do something. Pause for a moment. Picture another Christian somewhere else in the world taking communion too. Picture their face. Picture their church—whether it’s a grand cathedral or a small space. Pray for them. Pray for peace in their community. And then remember: we are bound together by the same Savior.

Because in Christ, we may be many—but we are one.  See you Sunday!

Peace, Pastor Tracy