Communion Inclusion:
Greetings to People with Celiac Disease
Beginning Maundy Thursday 2003 (April 17), the Universalist National Memorial Church will begin offering communion bread suitable for persons with gluten sensitivity and celiac disease, also known as coeliac disease and nontropical sprue.
The morsels of bread, which will be entirely gluten-free and not simply low-gluten, will be distributed in foil capsules to prevent cross-contamination with the rest of the bread, made from wheat flour. Universalists do not practice "co-mingling" and the cup of "fruit of the vine" is plain grape juice, distributed in individual glasses.
From Pastor Wells: "I send my greeting to the members of the celiac community. There is a place for you at our Table, and at the dinner which traditionally follows the Maundy Thursday service."
Universalist National Memorial Church offers Communion on the broadest possible basis: as it says in our bylaws, "At every such service all present shall be invited to partake."
The next service of Communion on Sunday morning will be All Souls Sunday, November 2.
Our thanks to members of the Washington Area Celiac Support Group for valuable information.