Love Feast: A Wesleyan Tradition of Reconciliation and Reflection
Explore the significance of Love Feast in the early church through Wesleyan perspective. Delve into the concept of forgiveness, reconciliation, and love shared through the communal gathering. Reflect on the importance of mutual respect, open discussion, and introspection within a community seeking unity through forgiving love.
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Love Feast Outline Wesley Style
Love Feast The Love Feast is one of the fascinating yet least understood aspects of the early church rites. It derives from early church practices. For example, Luke writes, Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people (Acts 2:46-47a, NIV). Such a formal activity may also be referenced in Jude 12, where it says, regarding ungodly believers who were apparently still functioning in this particular church, These men are blemishes at your love feasts, eating with you without the slightest qualm shepherds who feed only themselves.
Disputations over the stillness controversy broke out at a general Love- feast on April 13, 1740, at Fetter Lane. Charles Wesley was broken-hearted at "finding so little love, and so much dispute.... July 20 John Wesley's chosen stage to resolve the conflict was a Love-feast. Reconciliation of the most noble sort is represented in the breaking of bread. The broken bread offered by Jesus to the disciples, including Judas, was a final act of forgiving love on the part of the Master. The breaking of bread is a celebration of the forgiving love of Christ at Calvary and a participation in that love in the fellowship of the reconciled, joy-filled believers. We reintroduce this service as a resource for seeking to maintain singleness of heart through forgiving love, which overcomes petty differences or misunderstandings.
Dear friends, let us love one another; for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. (1 John 4:7, 10-12, NIV) Peace give I to thee, not as the world gives, give I to thee, peace give I to thee.
Discuss for Clear Hearts How we interact with each other. Mutual respect for each other. Open discussion on issues with freedom to express different points of view. Agreement that Scripture and the Discipline are our guide. Salvation, Membership, Leadership. Communicate with each other directly.
Silent Meditation Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. (Psalm 139:23-24, NIV) Guided Reflection and Prayer Guide participants to pray and listen to the Spirit regarding any offense or division that might exist between themselves and others. This is time for introspection and inquiry of the Lord.
Am I willing to know myself and accept responsibility for what I am and for what I do, or do I blame others? When have I more severe in my judgment of others than I am in judgment of myself? Am I listening to others so I may understand them, or do I think only of my own thoughts when others speak? Am I forgiving toward all who have wronged me or spoken unkindly, remembering that God forgives even more through Christ Jesus my Lord? Am I ready to ask forgiveness of any I have wronged, humbling myself that Jesus Christ may be exalted in the congregation? Am I willing to be known by others and to love my Christian brothers and sisters when I know them? Am I doing all in my power to keep peace and unity with the fellowship of Christian believers?
The leader begins, but then invites extemporaneous prayer by others. Distribute the Bread Each participant is given a large enough piece of bread to allow them to go to several others and offer them a portion of their bread as a sign of their desire for peace, continued communion, reconciliation or to pray for or with them.
Song One in the Spirit We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord And we pray that all unity may one day be restored And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love They will know we are Christians by our love We will work with each other, we will work side by side We will work with each other, we will work side by side And we'll guard each one's dignity and save each one's pride And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love They will know we are Christians by our love We will walk with each other, we will walk hand in hand We will walk with each other, we will walk hand in hand And together we'll spread the news that God is in our land And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love They will know we are Christians by our love
Benediction Go forth to love God and your neighbor in all you do. Go to live as witnesses to Jesus Christ in the world and to follow His teachings through acts of kindness, justice, worship and devotion. May the Holy Spirit pour into your heart God s love, through Jesus Christ, who said, By this [everyone] will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another (John 13:35, NIV).
