During Covid, our congregation went to individual cups only for the time being. Yes, I know some of you geniuses will write me off as betraying America and Jesus by using the wrong tableware.   Pat yourselves on the back, you little Martin Luther, and whining self-proclaimed martyrs over vestments and architecture, warning over slippery slopes that lead to slippery slopes that lead to slippery slopes.

I digress. As we soon ventured out of Covid, I almost brought the chalice back. But then it dawned on me. Why? I do enjoy the common cup. It confesses an important aspect of the Eucharist. We are united to Christ AND to one another. To be very clear, the cup does not actually do anything! The blood does.

However, by offering both shot glasses and the chalice, the chalice can no longer be called the common cup. It’s just another shot glass, larger and shared by some, but not all. So now, what are we doing? We are actually needlessly dividing the congregation between large and small individual cup people. At best, we are giving into the American whim of choice. At worst, we are giving an opportunity for division at the table. Individual and chalice cup drinkers both think they are doing the better thing. Individual cup drinkers question the health choices of the chalice. Chalice drinkers think the person next to them is making a wrong choice with the shot glass.

It’s become a little silly. Offering individual and chalices has become a new tradition in many churches. There is no judgment if a pastor refrains from this advice for the sake of not dying on yet another LCMS Quixotic hill. But the logical choice for communion ware is either all individual cups or just the chalice. Personally, I like the chalice option. But I like the blood of Christ more, so I’ll receive it in whatever vessel you have handy.

I also don’t care about what you wear, the size of your font, or how low you bowed. Just give me Jesus through His Word, water, bread, and wine. That alone is our salvation, our unity with God and one another.