<> Ask the Pastor (for 26 Nov 1995) Rev. Walter Snyder Q: Just wanted to let you know that your "Ask the Pastor" is great! You've already answered many questions that I've had but didn't want to ask. A question that I have is what is the proper way of disposing the wine from the cup after Holy Communion? Is it proper to just pour it down the drain or should it be taken outside and poured on the grass? Keep up the good work! A: Thank you for your interest and your question. When the Lord's Supper is regularly celebrated, disposal of"leftovers" can be a major concern. This is especially true in churches that understand Christ's words, "This is My body ... this is my blood," to mean that in some mysterious, God-caused manner, the body and blood of Christ are really and actually present. Yet even among those who view Communion as strictly a memorial, the solemnity of the circumstances makes them leery of merely dumping wine down the drain. If you use individual cups, it's normally considered proper to decant the contents of unused glasses into the original bottle or pour it into one specially reserved for the remnant. The same can be done with the flagon (pitcher) used with the chalice (common cup). The question usually turns on what to do when the chalice is still half-full after all have communed. Certainly, we don't want to pour back what's been passed from mouth to mouth in the congregation. Respect for our Lord and His Supper keeps most of us from wanting to pour it down the drain to mingle with the sewage. Try finding a cultivated area outside the church, such as a garden or a row of shrubbery. Tell people that this is a special place for receiving of the remnants of the Supper. Pour the wine out, perhaps with a prayer of thanks to the Lord who gives Himself in the Eucharist. Some churches go further and have a direct pipe from the church into the ground. Called a piscina (pronounced "pih-SEE-nuh"), nothing but the remaining communion wine or baptismal water is poured into it. Another alternative is the pastor (and some who act as his assistants, if needed) waiting until after the service, then drinking what remains. Again, this is done in a respectful manner. Q: I heard a preacher on TV talk about Advent. I've heard this word used before, but am not sure what it means. Can you help? A: "Advent" means appearance, approach, or coming. In churches that follow a special calendar called the "Liturgical Year" or "Church Year," the new year begins on the First Sunday in Advent. Advent starts four Sundays before Christmas Day. A time of preparation for the coming Christ, it's also a time of reflection and repentance as we realize that it was our sinfulness that brought our Savior into the world, take our sins on Himself, and die on the cross. The Church speaks of a "three-fold advent" of Christ: 1) His lowly coming in the flesh, or incarnation, that Christmas celebrates [Zech. 9:9; Matt. 21:4]; 2) His spiritual coming into the hearts of the believers and His constant presence in the Church [John 14:18, 23]; and 3) His return to judge the earth on the Last Day [Matt. 24:30]. Advent is an excellent time to start or to enhance family devotions. Many fine booklets are offered; using them turns us away from commercial excesses and crass abuses of the time preceding Christmas. Many churches use a four-candled wreath, lighting a new candle each week. Normally, the candles are 3 purple and 1 rose or else 4 blue. Purple signifies repentance (on our part) and royalty (of the coming Christ), rose shows the dawn of heaven's light. Blue commemorates God's faithfulness to an unfaithful people. On Christmas Eve, a white Christ Candle is also lit. On Christmas Day, it's customary to replace the four colored candles with white, which is "God's color" of holiness. Using the wreath or colored candles in other arrangements during family devotions is one way of focusing attention on God and His Word, adding the benefit of attracting our children to this special time. Remember, Advent will start next Sunday, the 3rd of December. That's it for now. You can submit questions by mail to "Ask the Pastor," PO Box 1080, Jasper, Texas, 75951; e-mail xrysostom@aol.com.; or stop me on the street and "Ask the Pastor." Walter Snyder is the pastor of St. Paul Lutheran Church, Jasper and Faith Lutheran Church, Woodville and coauthor of the book "What Do Lutherans Believe? A Study Guide in Christian Teachings for Adults." Copyright (c) 1995 by Walter P. Snyder Permission is granted by author to reproduce or retransmit this by any means, provided that its content is not altered, that this notice of copyright and permission is included, and that no financial gain is realized.